Lillian's Mercy: King slayer

Chapter 1

I ran through the village, the thudding steps of my pursuer growing louder by the second. I quickly darted through the trees, weaving left and right, jumping over any obstacles in my way in a desperate attempt to escape the determined man behind me.

Soon his heavy footsteps faded away into the distance, but I continued to run, afraid that he had called over some of his companions. 

Deciding that I had ran far enough I jumped behind a large bush, sinking to my knees on the rough floor carpeted by twigs and fallen leaves.

I sighed lightly, grateful that I had learned as much as I could about this forest before my father forbid me from returning.

Ah my father. How unpleasant would it be if he found out that I still enjoyed my secretive walks through the thick green foliage? He would banish me to the towers for sure.

A twig snapped behind me, my body freezing itself to the spot, much too afraid to move.

"Ahh there ye are. I was beginning to think ye actually managed ta' get away! How fortunate fer me that yer wearing a  dress, don't ye think?" His voice alone seemed so malicious. Slowly I turned around, my frightened gaze quickly examining his equally frightening features.

A chill ran through me as I took in his scarred face, thick scars lining his gaunt cheeks and a fresh pink one ran from just under his left eye to his jaw. He wore no shirt, exposing even more scarred flesh on his tanned chest. His eyes, although green, seemed cold and merciless as he grabbed a fist-full of my hair effectively yanking me to my feet.

"Let me go you bastard!" I cried out as I tried to pull away from his painful grasp.

A rough hand descended on my cheek, the impact sending me back to the muddy ground.

"Mind yer tongue or I'll cut it out o' yer pretty little face wench!" He snarled as he unsheathed a very sharp looking dagger. "Now get up."

I could feel the burn of fresh tears building in my eyes, and my lips felt warm and tingly, a small bead of blood dripped from the split lip, but I wouldn't show him that I was weak. Slowly and cautiously, I stood. He lunged at me, pressing his dagger to my throat as he tied my hands.

"They're too tight." I winced as he finished an impressive looking knot.

"Can't have ye runnin' away now can we?" He smiled darkly as he tied a longer rope to my bound hands. Once he was done he tugged me along back the way we came.

"Please, release me and I'll not tell a soul." My voice held no sign of the fear that had built in my gut.

A deep gutteral laugh rang out from behind me. "Not a chance lass, yer mine now."

I tried to swallow the lump that had formed in my throat at his words, but it would not budge, and with it came an uneasy feeling in my gut.

We continued in silence at a quick pace as the sky darkened. Although I knew these forests well, one did not want to be lost her at night. Several creatures hunted in these woods after dark- several vicious predators.

Soon the air turned salty and the sound of the waves rushing back and forth from the shore could be heard. As we stepped out from the lush foliage, a small boat came into view, bobbing on the waters surface. The boat was small enough for a few men, but with the barrel that sat within it, I couldn't see how we would both fit.

"I am not getting into that thing!" I tried to dig my heels into the soft sand as he tugged harder at my ropes.

He aggressively grabbed another handful of my hair and pulled me towards the boat with ease. When I tried to back away, his hand came down across my cheek again, the same side as before, causing the burn to increase and the sting to turn into a steady throb. He pushed me to the ground and pulled a small scarf from his trouser pocket, stuffing it into my mouth and securing the ends behind my head so I couldn't reach the knot. He then scooped me up and roughly dumped me into the barrel before placing the top back on and slamming his fist against it to secure it in place.

"Ill be back fer ya' later lass. Jus' gunna hide ye in the cargo hold ta' make sure no one finds ye." He chuckled sinisterly as he rowed the small boat to an unseen destination.

I tried to scream, but only muffled mumbles could be heard with the scarf stuffed and tied around my mouth. The air within the tight barrel became thick, my lungs struggling to get the oxygen my body needed to remain conscious.

Shouts of nearby men could be heard, but I couldn't find the energy to shout anymore as the barrel began to sway. Although it was dark within the barrel, I knew I was being hoisted up, swinging freely in the air. As my wooden prison made contact with solid ground, my head hit the back of the sturdy wood hard enough for my mind to be covered in a thick fog, unconsciousness tugging me into its depths.