The Hunt-*Sample*

Chapter Two

{Imaginative Pic of the Cold Sprites Queen above}

Turning to a worried General Caspian, Angelique commanded.

"Send word to the King."

Bowing, General Caspian quickly rushed into a tent.

Facing a small lad, who had rushed towards her when he heard the loud commotion, she sternly murmured, her hands still squeezing the whimpering man's to enforce comfort.

"Fetch my unicorn and the carriage, Stefan."

Bowing with the utmost respect in her direction, Stefan was obedient.

"They are killing everyone, your highness. The Lycans burnt down our houses and pillaged our farms. We have nowhere else to go. Oh, what should I do? We have no money. It was all salvaged by the barbarians."

Feeling the farmer's hands were shaking as he loudly sobbed; she bristled for his murmurs alerted her that the destruction on his village was intolerably bad. Tears pricked her eyes, but she refused to allow them to fall.

Turning in the direction of Sunny, she murmured.

"Sunny, bring me my coins."

Curtsying, Sunny rushed into a smaller tent a few feet away from them to achieve the items. She returned as quickly as she went and placed it in Angelique's outstretched hand.

Turning her undivided attention to the man in front of her, she passed a hand over his head. This action secreted calmness throughout his body.

It was a calming technique her mother had taught her, and it worked instantly. His shoulders sagged, and he was able to breathe. Placing the pouch of coins in his hands, she murmured.

"Please return to your family, and seek safety in another village. Everything that you lost will return to you with this."

Falling to his knees once again, the man whimpered as he held tightly onto the pouch. He was eternally grateful.

"Thank you, your highness, oh thank you so much. Oh, how can I ever repay your kindness, your highness?"

Shaking her head, she once again pulled him to his feet, which he quickly obliged.

"Please brush away your tears, good sir. Do not worry about repayment. Your family needs you. You can repay me by staying safe."

Brushing the falling tears from his eyes with the back of his hand, he hastily nodded his head in agreement. However, he was worried about his Princess's safety.

"What of you, your highness?"

"Go, good sir, and do not worry about my welfare."

"I will never forget your kind deed, your highness."

Bowing twice more in extreme gratitude, the man ran away, as if his legs were of fire, back into the forest and most likely to his family with a new plan in mind.

"Princess, I have saddled the unicorn, but the carriage will take a bit longer to get here."

Nodding, when Stefan had returned, Angelique continued to watch the empty place where the farmer had disappeared until she heard a soft clattering near her side.

Diana.

Telepathically murmuring, she grasped onto the rein of Diana's saddle—her unicorn, who was now standing next to her.

What ails you, my pet?

Observing smoke was lifting into the sky beyond the forest; her heart was wary with worry. The enemy had most likely conquered the village.