"You're a blundering idiot. You know that, right?"
Philip had been lecturing him for the past half hour as they'd walked through the woods they'd come through not so long ago. The tournament in Howenchester Glen had gone well into the afternoon. The light had dimmed and the trees seemed somewhat gloomier. Or perhaps it was the prince's dampened spirits.
He let out a deep and soulish sigh.
"I really thought that would work..."
Philip didn't miss a beat.
"No you didn't. You revealed us in the hope of getting a new friend. And guess what? Not everyone in the bloody world cares to make friends. You heard them about King Drakkis, didn't you? Did it ever occur to you they might not like royals in general? They said some nasty things back there."
"I don't blame them. War has almost broken out several times between Palacio and Le Fer... Do you think we'll ever see him again?"
Philip stopped in his tracks and stared at Eric like he wanted to scream and wake the animals that were just bedding down for the evening.
"Oh! I don't know! Maybe carry around a purse of gold with you and he might rob us again!"
The light was all but gone and the stirring of wolves could be heard in the distance. Eric didn't have it in him to brave the night the way he was feeling.
"Make camp... We can't keep walking in the dark. We're no navigators."
His friend rolled his eyes up towards the stars peaking through the canopy, and with much grumbling began to setup a fire pit. Eric ran a hand down his face before bringing it up to muss his hair. His body slumped against a tree, fatigue weighing his shoulders.
The day had not gone how he'd wished. But more than that, he felt as though he'd made a fool of himself.
...
Merit sat in the branches overlooking the flickering flames lighting the faces of the two men as they ate silently. She'd told them not to stop, but they hadn't listened. Of course, what could she expect from pampered royalty?
Exactly this, which is why she was trailing them.
She cleaned her sword of the fresh blood.
Four bodies littered the forest floor beneath the undergrowth a half mile back. And they hadn't been from the festival.
It dawned on her that the squad of ten before had actually been targeting Rick. Well, Prince Eric. Why he'd told her so easily who he really was lost on her. Unless Philip had meant it and he truly was the hapless and friendly sort.
Idiot.
So why was she out here?
Her mind raced for the first time at this new puzzle, and her brows drew down as she pulled away the dark green cloth and chewed her chapped lower lip.
No moonlight could reach her, and the golden glow of the fire on the forest floor barely filtered enough through the leaves and twigs to alight her eyes. As the sparks flew, the deep green followed them as they nearly singed the fiery head of hair. Her ears felt hot as though the riddle of a prince's desire to befriend a thief was sending wisps of smoke from her ears. Being confounded at his person stoked her frustration and even anger.
So why was she out here?
"What would a prince want with a thief..."
A breeze blew and the flames flickered. Merit watched as the knight lay down and Eric remained awake, surveying the woods. He at least knew he was in danger.
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Damsel Indeed
الخيال (فانتازيا)Damaris Drakkis has lived her whole public life at her father's greedy bidding. Poise, elegance, grace, and wit to make anyone understand you're not to be trifled with. But although her twin brother Damian is the one being groomed to take over the b...
