(Please feel free to comment, I always enjoy reading critiques, suggestions, and/or such)
Chapter Seven
"Princess," Willem said while we both lay on the ground that night.
I stared up at the leaves above, just barely able to see the stars through them. The night was cooler and I wrapped my arms around myself to stay warm and snuggling into my bedding, which had become damp over the day due to my clothes in the bag as well.
Princess...I did not want to hear that title again. It only served to remind me of the trap my life had become. Of the expectations put upon me. Of my horrible duty to Prince Jakys.
"Please, call me Ilona," I said.
"Princess, I do not thin - " Willem began, but I cut him off quickly.
"No, it is what I want. I am tired of that word. Princess," I said as if it were a disgusting animal, slithering and destroying all in its path. "It is nothing more than a synonym for a captured being. Nothing more than a word turned into a cage. You will call me Ilona wheter you wish to or not." I sat up and looked to him, wanting to make my point clear.
Willem remained still on the ground, laying on his back with his gaze turned upward and hands folded over his chest. He did not move to look at me as I stared him down. And then he nodded his head. "As you wish, Prin - I mean, Ilona," he said, the name sounding awkward on his tongue. But, it was better than Princess.
Feeling satisfied I rested back on the ground. Despite all the restrictions that came with being princess, at that moment I did miss my comfortable life, especially my bed and the food. Soon we would need to find more food. My stomach growled in agreement and I wrapped my arms around my middle, willing the hunger to dissipate.
"Ilona," Willem said after a few minutes of silence.
"Yes?" I asked still gazing up at the leaves. The wind was cool on my face and I watched mesmorized as it pushed the leaves around, their dark colors barely a visible contrast to the black sky behind them.
"Where are we going?" he asked.
A few more minutes of silence stretched out between us and out of the corner of my eye I saw him sit up. I turned my head just a little. He rubbed his hand, messing his hair up further and looked around him.
"The Firebird," I said turning to up above again. "I want to find the Firebird."
"Your brothers, I mean the princes, they tried to find it but..." Willem did not need to finish his statement.
"They did not find it because they had nothing to lose," I murmured.
"Did you say something Prin - Ilona?"
I shook my head, feeling the hard earth beneath my neck and head. "No," I lied. "My brothers, they told me of what happened and I think that I can make the right choice. There is a path where either I will die, or my horse will, or I will know hunger and cold. And..." Did I tell him that I had almost caught the bird when my brothers had failed to?
"Yes?" Willem prompted.
"I...I was the one who caught the feather of the Firebird," I said in a rush. What would he think of me now? A disobedient daughter not content with her place in life? That I was unladylike?
"And no one knows that you did so?" he asked sounding curious, not judgemental.
"No one but my family and Maud. My father, he was...disappointed in my actions," I confessed.
"Why do you continue to look for the bird then?"
"Because I cannot let a stranger take over our kingdom," I said, not betraying my true intentions. I do not know if Willem believed me, but he did not continued to interrogate me.
* * *
"I will go into the village," Willem said as we stood together, hidden in the edges of the forest.
Before us, tucked away from most of the world, was a small town. Smoke rose up from the the chimneys and people were wandering about a small market that was being held. I watched them with envy as little children raced around and women and men who laughed amongst themselves.
The horses were tied up some paces back, not wanting their neighing to give away our location.
"And I will by myself a cloak," Willem continued. "It will be getting colder. Maybe we will need a tent. I will check and see if they have any of those."
I pulled some coins from my bag and handing them to Willem. "Do you think that will be enough?"
He accepted the coins without looking first and then when he did his eyebrows went up. "Yes, Prin - Ilona. In fact, it will most likely be more than enough. It will get us several pieces of bread and cheese. I will purchase another bag and some more clothes for us, too."
I nodded. "Go."
Willem nodded his head and then he was walking towards the village. Letting my shoulders drop I went back to sit with the horses. Would I be able to let them die for us? In order to further my journey? I stroked the spot between their eyes, letting my finger trail down their coarse, but soft fur. They nuzzled closer to me and I smiled sadly. It would be hard, I knew.
I sat down on a nearby rock. Propping my elbows on my knees, I rested my chin in my hands and stared through the forest and the now distant village, barely visible through the trees. What was happening now back at the castle? What were my parents doing now that they knew I was missing? My mother would be in hysterics, I knew. But, what about Father? I hoped that Maud had not been punished. What did Godfrey and John think? Had this been a crazy plan? Should I turn back now? I covered my face with my hands and closed my eyes tight, blocking everything out but the sounds of the forest. One of the horse's placed their wet nose on my cheek and I did not recoil from the contact, to engrossed in my situation.
"What do we have here?" a scratchy voice said.
That brought me from my thoughts.
When I looked up there were two men standing there; rucksacks thrown over their shoulders, their clothes tattered and worn, and their faces covered in stubble. The taller one was smiling and revealing his missing front teeth. The other, more stout one who may have been my height, had a hand on his hip and wore smirk on his lips.
"A pretty young lady waiting out in the forest," the tall one said, the air whistling between his teeth when he said forest.
"Yes, and alone, too," he shorter one said.
"I am not alone," I said trying to keep my voice even, but the fear hitched it.
The men turned to each other and then back to me, grinning. "Then, where might yer escort be?" the tall one asked, his teeth still whistling over the s's.
"He...he is in town," I said, stuttering a little.
"Well, then he is quite a ways away," the shorter one said. "What kind of treasures do you have on you? You look too soft to be a worker, so you must have some money." The started stepping towards me.
My heart pounded against my chest. They were most definitely not friendly men. I stood up from the rock and started stepping back. The horses neighed and the men began to walk faster. Without thinking, I turned to run. Behind me I heard the men chuckle and then their quickening footsteps. The wind rushed past me as I pushed myself through the trees. Low tree branches grabbed at my dress and the sound of crunching leaves that had already fallen and snapping twigs under my feet echoed through the forest. All I could hear was my breathing. The cold air filled my lungs and I tried to ignore the pain in my lungs and throat.
"Ahh!" My scream disturbed some nearby birds and I tumbled down a hill. The wold around me whirled and I closed my eyes, feeling sick from the dizziness. The rustling of leaves filled my hearing and I continued to scream all the way down until I hit tree. I groaned in pain while slowly standing, my vision still spinning.
When I looked towards the men, seeing a double of each, I turned to run, but saw that a ravine blocked my path. The men were running down the hill, looking more graceful than I ever would have. Without thinking I bent down and started collecting heavy rocks. I had never had very good aim, but I still managed to hit the men with a few of the rocks. The were unfazed by my attempts and the taller one looked angry after I had managed to hit him in the eye. I reached down for a heavy, fallen branch. When the taller one came rushing at me I hit him square in the middle. He fell to the ground, clutching his middle. I tried the same move on the shorter one, but he was ready and dodged the branch. I dropped the branch and took up a different tactic. I pulled back my right leg and hit him in the crotch. His hands isntantly went to where I had hit him and he crumbled to the ground. The taller one was beginning to stand again and I did the same move on him.
Before they had the chance to recover I scurried up the hill. At the top I looked back down at them, feeling a little satisfied. I had been able to take care of myself. I turned to run through the forest, putting as much distance between myself and the two men as I could.
* * *
I had no idea where I was going. The air around me was growing cooler and I could see bits of the darkening sky through the treetops. I hugged myself, wishing I had the cloak. My breath was turning into a fog with each exahle of air I let out. This was simply horrible. What if I never found Willem? I was so hungry, too.
Exhausted I collapsed on fallen tree.
"Princess!"
The voice echoed all around me and I stood, spinng around trying to locate the voice.
"Princess Ilona!" the voice called out.
And then there he was riding on his horse and leading the other. I had never been so happy to see anyone in my life before. Willem spotted me and his expression turned from worried, to angry, and to relief, still with a little frustration.
I rushed to him as he vaulted off his horse. It was not appropriate, but at that moment I did not care. I threw my arms around him as relief overwhelmed me. I held back the tears. We remained that way for a moment before I pushed myself away, wiping away a few tears that had managed to escape.
"Where did you go?!" he demanded looking angry.
"There were two men and they chased me," I said defensively.
And there was the worried expression again. "Did they hurt you?" Willem reached out and grabbed my shoulders and stared intently at me. I looked at his hands suprised. He seemed to gain his senses and dropped his hands, but not the stare.
"No," I said proudly and lifting my chin.
"What happened?"
"I smacked one with a branch and kicked both of them in...a sensitive spot," I said, murmuring at the last of explanation.
Willem frowned and then apprehension dawned on me. The corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. "Well then," he said still smiling a little.
I could not hide my own smile as we started back on our journey.