Daughter of Night

Chapter 5

Mary's POV

Ow...ow...ow I thought every time the horse landed after a gallop. My side was killing me. To be honest I wasn't really going out hunting. There was plenty of food at home. I just needed to get away and think for a few hours. All these feelings inside me were just too much. I stopped Dartagnan at a clearing and tied him to the closest tree. We were at least two miles away from home, but the light fluttery feelings in my stomach and chest remained constant and terrifying.

I took a moment and looked out at the clearing. Only grass and dirt clumps. Not a tree for half a mile all around. Without thinking I ran full speed across the plane, releasing pent up energy with every step. I stopped in the middle and screamed at the sky. Screamed out of confusion. Screamed out of joy. Screamed out of pure bliss. For the first time in my life I was so happy to be so confused. I laid down on the grass spread eagle and looked up at the sky. It was brilliant blue, cotton soft clouds gliding slowly across the blue canvas guided by the wind. I sighed and closed my eyes. Behind my eyelids I saw a vision of Thomas and I laying in the clearing. He was holding me in his arms, both of us sitting up. I was in between his legs, my back facing him and we were laughing. I could almost feel his warm breath against my ear. I opened my eyes. Thomas and his infinite warmth had disappeared.

After a while I stood and took a deep breath. Unpleasant thoughts began running through my head, focusing on my first love. The images were me, screaming, rivers of tears running down my face. Him, Daniel, storming off and leaving me alone in this very spot. The twisted pain I felt two years ago came back. My vision blurred and tears started trickling down my cheeks. I did not break down. I just stood there calmly and let the tears fall. Once there were no more, I dried my face with the back of my hand and promised myself I wasn't going to get close to Thomas. I couldn't go through that agonizing pain again. I sunk to my knees and screamed into the earth. But it wasn't the same kind of scream as before. It was a scream of pain and feelings I couldn't get out any other way. I sat on my knees and buried my face in my hands. No... I thought. No more. I stood up and walked at a quick paise to Dartagnan. I got on his back and firmly grasped the reins.

"Come on, boy." I said and turned to go back home, wondering how I was going to deal with Thomas when I got there.

"Come on now, men!" A male voice rang through the trees. Rough and familiar, and very close. "The Huntress might have him hostage! The poor bloke." I rode a little closer to try and get a better look. I caught a brief glance when he walked by a tree. Though I only saw the back of his head, I could tell it was the man that accompanied Thomas the day he stabbed me. But there was something more to him...He was being followed by hardly an army of men. Ten or eleven at most. I huffed and rolled my eyes. One of the other ones spoke up.

"David, do you think The Huntress is watching us now?" I stiffened. David (the man who was with Thomas) hesitated.

"Possibly. You can never tell with her. She's always in some nearby tree or cleverly hiding behind a bush." I smirked and nodded. "She could be aiming an arrow at one of us this very moment...well, lets carry on shall we?" He started walking again, ten now tense and frightened men following close behind. It was amusing watching their gazes fall upon any direction of sound, no matter how soft. I smirked again and slowly, silently rode in the direction of home. Once I was out of hearing range I got Dartagnan to start galloping again.

The pain of my wound muffled my thoughts, as all I could think was ow...ow...shit...ow... And a few other choice words until I finally arrived at home.

"Finally!" I yelled as I dismounted and winced from the force of impact. "Damn it." I whispered and half limped through the door. My eyes swept over the room and landed on a shirtless Thomas reading one of my books from the shelf. Oh f***.

"There you are. How long does it take to hunt?" He said standing up and putting the book down. My eyes involuntarily explored his well toned body. He knowingly smirked but there was redness on his face.

"Uh." I said dropping my bow and arrows and leaning them against the door without taking my eyes off him. "I went a couple miles away." He shrugged.

"Why? There's plenty of game in these woods." Why did I have a feeling he was doing this on purpose?

"I...uh wanted to see if I could get bigger game somewhere else." Of corse I wasn't going to tell him the real reason I was out so late. Or why I went so far. And I definitely wasn't going to tell him I saw his comrades searching for him...then he would leave. I know it was foolish of me but....I'm not very sure of anything. He nodded.

"So what did you get?" He sat on the edge of the dining room table and looked up at me expectantly. I froze.

"What?" Brilliant, I know. Good job, Mary.

"I said, what did you get?" He repeated.

"Oh." I said after a moments hesitation. "I was wrong. There was hardly any game farther out." He nodded again, and I braced myself for an interesting and awkward evening.