In The Woods ➳ H.S.

☙ | f i f t y - f o u r |

I sighed, the small hope that momentarily sparked up in my chest is ripped away from me as fast as it came, leaving me feeling heavier than I did before.

It has only been hours since I haven't seen Anna, and I'm already going insane with worry.

I want her here with me so I know she's safe. So I can protect her - despite the fact that I know she hardly needs my protection.

I shook my head, trying to remain calm and not slip into that dark area in my mind. Instead, I look towards the direction I sent Niall in and started walking.

This time looking at the ground and easily following his obvious trail. I did find something odd, though. Beside it it seems like something was being dragged. The obvious disruption making me curious but I decided to shrug it off.

"Wish us good luck." I hear his voice before I actually see him. I push at a few branches and finally seeing Niall standing by himself just by the edge of the forest.

"Who were you talking to?" I ask, he doesn't turn around immediately, only after he a few seconds had past does he face me.

"No one." He shrugs, eyes not meeting mine as he stared at something behind me.

I narrow my eyes at him, the hair on the back of my neck prickled. It's exactly the way you feel when someone's watching you, so turn around quickly to see what Niall was looking at, only to be met by rustling leaves.

"Who's there?" I demanded, but I saw and heard no one. I stomped towards that direction, pushing at branches and leaves trying to find the person that had obviously been there.

I hear Niall following after me as I moved, sword raised in case I chose the wrong guard to trust and this was all some sort of a trap to kill me.

Only a few minutes had past and I saw no one, aggravating me but also making me realize I wasted precious time that I could have used in running after Anna.

I turn around all of a sudden, catching Niall off guard and almost making him bump into me. "I heard you speaking." I accused, raising my sword to his neck. "Tell me who you were talking to."

Niall's hands are up in surrender, blue eyes looking straight into mine as he spoke. "No one, I swear, my lord. I was just praying." He says, tone quivering as if he as scared, but oddly enough I saw no trace of fear in his eyes.

"Praying?" I asked, actually confused by that concept, I was never a religious man. Niall nods quickly and sighs in relief when I lower my weapon.

Without a word I begun walking again, eyes now on the ground trying to find any trace of them. I glanced up once in a while to make sure I wasn't walking right into a pack of wolves.

"Where do you think they are now?" Niall speaks up. Honestly, I didn't know. I had no clue where they could be but I was sure they wouldn't make it past the Guard Wall. It went around the entire middle of the mountain, even through the woods, and I would seriously behead everyone on that wall if they are to stupid enough to let them pass when they know a battle is raging a few towns past them.

I mean, Anna is with Gemma after all, and she's the princess. I highly doubt those men would let someone as important as her walk right to her death.

Instead of answering Niall, I shoot him a question of my own. "Did you see the marks on the ground a few miles back?" I ask him. "The ones that seemed like someone was dragging something."

"Yes." His answer was clipped. I glance at him quickly to raise an eyebrow at him about his suspicious behavior but he merely shrugs and readjusted the bag he carried on one of his shoulders.

"What do you think caused it?" I asked, continuing walking.

"I have not the faintest idea. I've never been out here before." He was lying - or at least I think he is. I may not pay much attention to which guards I go around with but I'm fairly certain he's been along with me at least twice before when I went to my cabin. But I decide to say nothing much of it.

I sighed before speaking. "Lie to me one more time and I will have your head spiked at the castle's walls, got it?" I say. It felt strange saying that. I guess it's been a while since I even handed out a death sentence to anyone, and doing it again now made my stomach turn.

Anna would be very disappointed in me if she heard that.

From the corner of my eye, I see Niall's hands ball into fists. His tone strained when he replies. "Yes, sir."

His whole demeanor got stranger and stranger as the time past. I guess these woods don't just have an effect on me and Anna. It does seem to give everyone a false sense of security. The thick leaves and many intertwined trees make you feel like you can do or say anything and it will remain a secret.

But this man's behavior was on the bottom of my ever growing list of problems.