The Lost Princess of War

The Lost Runaway.

...run, run, keep running no matter the sting in your throat or the scratchiness of your eyes, you must keep moving, you must not let them get a hold of you. I ran and ran, over housetops and through backyards. I didn't know where I would end up I just needed to escape. The sound of footsteps echoed behind me but I kept going. Soon they would be off my trail. I look behind, their off in the distance, they mustn't catch up to me. I found a hidden door, go inside before it's too late. I hide shaking, shallow breaths emanating from my cold body. I hear them above, have they found me? No they stop and look around then continue away. Their footsteps soon come to a silent distant sound. I shook as I relaxed not knowing where I was. My vision was becoming hazy from the cold? Was this the end? No it must not be. I need to survive. There's a cloak over there I must get to it. Crawl, crawl, I reach it. My vision darkens and I fall asleep, the cloak resting around me.

I had awoken shortly after that memory passed through my mind. Not long ago did that happen. Sadly, it was the most freedom I had felt in a long time that night. I had been gone, running away for what seemed like days. There were so many streets throughout this place it was like a maze trying to figure it out, and when you finally thought you knew what you were doing you would end up somewhere new you had never seen before. It was honestly endless. I ended up deciding to get up from the corner I had been resting in and realized it was still night. I look to the moon and saw it was closer to the west than the east meaning it must be around 2 am by now. God I wish I was able to sleep more. But ever since I left I've always been cautious.

As I stood up, I pulled my brown hair away from my porcelain skin that was dotted with dainty freckles across my cheeks and the bridge of my nose. I pushed my hair behind me so it rested on my back as I slowly pulled the big hood up over my head. It helped me hide my face from knowing eyes so that I wouldn't be called in. The cloak was a crimson red color, something I did really like, plus it kept me warm whenever I was walking or resting the little I do. Being tired meant my guard isn't as sharp sadly which was never a good thing especially in these lower sanctions of the city. But I was hungry and needed to find some type of sustenance for my growling tummy.

I walk to the end of my little nook that rested between to worn down buildings. I look back at the darkness where I had good coverage then look in front of me at the dull light that seemed to flicker in the night. I breathed and walked towards it so I could get my bearings again about where I was, understand my directions again. I look up to the sky seeing that soft snowflakes slowly began falling onto the hard earth, or was it ash, I was not certain. as I look around, I don't really see anyone out in the streets but again it was 2 in the morning, no sane person would be out at this time, which was exactly what I feared.

I relax and look down at my gloved hands. The leather had worn down from use over time but they still were one of my favorite pairs. They reached up to my elbow and had buckles along the wrist and up towards my forearm. On the hands there were pieces of thicker leather and had small clasps that went across my hands. For me they were one of the coolest things I owned. I put my hands down and look from my left to my right, the moon was near northwest and I wanted to head eastbound so I began walking away with the moon behind me.

With me I had a small bag that clasped around my waist and rested on the outside of my right leg. The leather belts held it on around my leg and waist so it wasn't going anywhere and was harder for anyone to steal especially because I kept it hidden beneath the cloak. On my left leg I held a small obsidian blade that my parents had left me for when I was older. Now it never left my side as it was one of my best protections I had at this time and it was a special gift to me.

As I continue to walk I get lost in my own thoughts and didn't realize where I'm going. as I continue the lights seemed to get scarcer and the wind had began picking up. It howled and bounced off the buildings that surrounded me and when I finally snapped back to reality I was somewhere I'd never been before. In this area the roads were cracked with dead plants poking through. There were cement stoppers scattered around, some cracked others broken right in half. I didn't realize until I looked around but the buildings here were worse then they were in sanction 19 where I had just been, I didn't quite know which part this was exactly but it did not look inviting. Small barrel fires made the cold and dull street glow looking like bright stars on a dark night. People shifted their gaze towards me but I hid my face and kept my head down as I carried on.