Chasing Phoenix

Chapter 15

               Sweat dripped down from my face and exhaustion threatened to consume my body. The blinding sunlight cast down mercilessly from above as I dragged myself along the gravel path.

I had fallen asleep last night out of nowhere, too stressed to even attempt talking to Harlequin.  My honey brown hair was messy and leaves entwined themselves in it. I was covered in dirt and starving, hoping to reach the village very soon.

As if my wishes had been granted, I approached a crossroads and a sign in the center which read:

Right- Arkidio Village.

Left- Royal Palace.

Ahead- Forbidden Forest.

As if new had been energy restored to me, I swerved instantly to the right and began running unsteadily down the path, clinging to the last bit of strength I had. The village soon came into view and the savory smell of cooking meat wafted towards my face.

Nose twitching, I clenched my fists and pushed off with such speed I was astonished at myself. The content chattering of villagers filled my ears as I finally arrived at the village. Two guards were on watch at the front entrance.

My heartbeat increased dramatically and I looked at my feet, slowing to a walk and strolling forward.

"Name?" One of the guards asked as I approached them.

I couldn't say Phoenix Arkidio, no, that would be stupid. They'd take me back to the palace and who knows what would happen to me.

"E-Emma... Emma- White..." I spluttered wildly.

The guard looked through a scroll he had been holding.

"You do not live here. State your purpose for visiting, Ms. White." The guard looked skeptically at me.

I hadn't looked up once.  I twiddled my fingers nervously, still hot and starving, holding back the insane urge to knock them both out and walk into the village.

"U-Uh... I'm visiting my cousin. She's sick."

The other guard leaned sideways and whispered into the main guard's ear. 

"You're Juniper's cousin?" He glared down at me.

"Yeah," I lied, shuffling my feet in the ground. 

There was a tense moment of silence, but the guards soon stepped sideways and let me in. Relief flooding throughout me, I took a deep breath and hurried inside the village.

I had only been here twice in my lifetime. Once as a young child, when my parents had showed me around for the first time. Second to talk with the villagers and fix their problems; a mission my father had sent me on.

People bustled past me as I strolled through the market, different smells wafting past my nose. People yelled and it was very loud, smoke clogged the air everywhere around me.

I saw it then. A huge piece of meat roasting above a massive, glowing fire. Pushing past people, I slid right up close to it. A crowd of people surrounded the meat and nicely sized pieces of it were being given to people with coins in their hands. I didn't have any money.

I stole things from my mother as a child, fascinating things to my little five year old self such as glittering hair clips or shiny coins. But i've never stolen food before. Especially in a huge crowd of people. It was my only choice. Steal or starve.

Sliding into a group of people all shouting for food, I approached a table filled with slices of savory meat. My hands twitched hungrily and I gazed around me to see if anyone was watching. The seller of the food, a rather large man with a nicely groomed mustache, was shouting at the crowd to back off a little bit. This was the perfect chance.

But an older man shoved me to the side before I could grab a slice. More and more people were pushing forward to get food. They all looked like hungry animals.

Anger began boiling inside of me as I was shoved to the very back, a woman elbowed me in the side and a young boy kicked me in the shin in their attempt to reach the front. My hands were twitching uncontrollably and I felt myself losing control. "No," I whispered firmly as people rushed past me. "Quinn, don't-"

It was way too late to negotiate. I was a starving, pissed off werewolf princess, and nobody was getting in my way.

 I couldn't control anything as Quinn rammed through the crowd, pushing people to the ground and snarling viciously.  

"Watch it little girl!" A man cried as I shoved him sideways. 

Reaching the front, I glared at the seller, unaware of the commotion around me; blinded by hunger and fury. My foot slammed into his large belly and he choked, slamming backwards into the table as it toppled to the ground. Storming forward, I grabbed a huge slice of meat and bit into it, chewing ravenously, turning around to look at the crowd.

What I hadn't realized was the noise change. The crowd around me was eerily silent and all eyes were locked on me. Coins were scattered on the floor as people gaped at me warily, backing away.

"Her eyes!" Came a distressed wail from a woman near the front.

"She just knocked that man out!"

"Is he okay?"

"What's wrong with her?"

By now the meat in my hand was finished. My own control had been restored as the hunger dyed down. I gazed nervously around the crowd, wiping my face with my hand, heart pounding.

"I-I'm sorry," I whispered, backing up. "I didn't mean to-"

"She looks like princess Phoenix," Came a quiet voice from a very little girl in the front of the crowd.

Mumbles of agreement arose from the people and my mouth dropped open. What had I done?

"But her eyes are different," A boy argued back.

My eyes? They must have changed to my wolf's eyes during that craze. Arguments began erupting from the crowd and people stirred restlessly.

"Everyone calm down!" An assertive, royal tone filled my voice. "I apologize for what I just did. It was an accident." 

The people around me quieted for a minute. All I could do was apologize, I couldn't explain to them what just happened. 

"You knocked out a man on accident?" Came a suspicious call from the back of the crowd.

I had no response to that, and people began talking wildly and moving closer to me. They got closer and closer, grubby hands reaching out to grab me and take me away...

"Everyone step away from the girl!"

Screaming, yelling. People hurried away in a terrified frenzy as a woman pushed through the crowd with surprising strength. She had dark, chocolate brown hair and gentle green eyes. 

I backed into a wooden stake, afraid, covered in dirt and coughing through the smoky air.

"It's alright," The woman crouched down and held out a welcoming hand. Her voice was soothing and warm.

She took a few steps closer to me, leaning forward to whisper as people watched intently around her.

"I know what you are, young one." She whispered this, so only I could hear.

 "If you don't come with me now, the guards will take you away."