Angel switched her mindset immediately. She needs to stop pitying herself just like she did for the princess whenever she thought of the princess. And she is the princess. Yes, the whole story saddened her so long longing within her that she would help the girl, but now that she knew it was her, pitying again wouldn't help and she knew it. Wallowing in pity never really helped anyone.
She just began running back. As she ran, she didn't think of the princess. She thought of the time when Fatenturia began falling apart, remembering the people that suffered and fleed for safety. She sped through, her eyes aware of her surroundings even if they seemed to only look straight ahead.
Duck. Branch. Jump. Root.
The wind whirred swooshing right beside her almost as if to coach her to keep on going. Tears wanted to burn in her eyes, but she blinked them away along with a quick swipe all the while placing that focused stare she always had seen in Archie.
Her thoughts became almost blank. She just ran, the chatters of leaves accompanying her mind in a sort of white noise. She dodged another branch ready to smack her face. Angel looked ahead zooming in as if she was able to touch it. She knew she ran for quite a distance all the while knowing her direction.
Voices filled her mind. It wasn't hers. Angel slowed her running trying to make the leaves and grass cover her noise. The wind and leaves succeeded in helping, but soon died out. The chattering of leaves stopped on cue as if to hush at the voice of human voices.
Angel jumped over a large rock to get a good look around her. She crouched and then stood to see where it was coming from. The voices weren't familiar to her ears. Gruff men voices, neighing of horses, the sound of many feet syncronized in marching accompanied the sound of moving wagons and wheels. She soon spotted what she was hearing.
Greanger men?
No more time to think. They were close. Real close. She was surprised not one spotted her. Maybe it's my clothing..In fact, she was wearing shades of green and brown that blended well within the woods. She needed to hide. The question was totally irrelevant at the moment. They were heading her direction facing slightly to her.
She hid behind a tree. It was really close to the path that they were taking, a path that she didn't entirely recognize. Did I really go that far? Her mind wondered how she has never seen the path before. She told her mind to shut up for one second and crammed close to the tree. Roots laid beneath like popping knees and Angel fidgeted to get her feet properly placed behind it.
The trotting of horses got louder.
Angel fixed her footing awkwardly on the bumpy roots. Voices. She tried getting her feet placed firmly once more. A crunch came to play as she did so. Crap. She gasped then caught herself.
They were three feet away. They kept walking as if they had not heard and Angel made a short sigh. She then mentally slapped herself for doing so. But as she tried to get a small peek, she realized one man stopped walking.
~~~~~
Definitely not the best hiding spot. Her foot felt cramped and she had to stay straight aligned with the tree in the process.
Plus they were close.
No time to pick a different hiding place. "Halt!" A manly voice spoke out. It was the guy who stopped. The horses halted their galloping right next to the tree she hid behind in.
Why in the world of all places would they stop right there? Did they hear me? She thought, as she tried to lower her gasping breath.
She heard their voices much more clearly now that they were near. She stood quietly and leaned on the tree. Her clothing rubbed against the bark emanating a scratching sound in the process. Angel abruptly quit moving.
"Wait." The same manly voice spoke again."Did you hear that?"
"What sir?" Another voice replied.
"Shh..."
Angel tried to lower the sound of her breath more, she listened quietly, but the dirt beneath the soles of her feet were crumbling. She was on top of some of the roots partly emerging out the tree. A twig lay close to her foot. As her foot began to slip, Angel tried to keep it up, but she couldn't hold it on the root any longer.
"Nah...It's nothing.." The manly voice spoke again."Maybe I'm just hearing things.."
"You need to stop worrying so much!" A man slapped his companions back. "All that mystical, magic stuff you hear about in these woods is just legend. Plus I don't believe that legendary Fate soldiers are gonna kill us. The worst thing that could happen are burglars and crooks. Remember, were just here to scan the area for possible expansion. Those Fate people are dead already, remember?"
"Yea..I guess so." He began walking away the other man patted him once more for assurance.
Angel sighed at what she heard. The soldiers believed Fatenturia is dead... Angel then sighed. However, she realized her sigh came out louder than she thought it would.
They found her before she could run.
~~~~~
"Oh, hello." The man that spotted me taunted. Soon, two of the men came along with him, all of which had their swords already pointing to my torso.
"Hi." I waved my hand up cautiously, bringing my left eye brow up also along with a smirk smile. "Hello, men.."
The man didn't care for my smirk. "Who are you? And what are you doing here?" He spoke authoratively as he scanned my attire. Another man in the corner looked at me with a devilish smile growing on his face and whispered something to his friend next to him. I squirmed. They both chuckled and my nerves inside me wanted to pluck their eyes off so bad. Evil minds..
"You don't know who I am? Wave your swords away from me this instant or I will tell Prince Abason many things about you..." I placed on a strong front towards the decorated leader before me. It was obvious he led these men by just his demeanor. I soon took my hand and pushed the sword away from my torso. I took a bold step forward. He did so in return, his musky wood and mud smell reached my nose and I could feel the air from his nostrils. I kept my glare up trying not to blink and so did he.
"Oh, yea? How do you know Prince Abason?"He taunted once more, nearing my face bit by bit. "Look at you...you are but a young lady. How would Prince Abason listen to someone like you?" Their swords soon gone back up towards me. I could see the glint in the man's eyes how it humored him so, that I would know the Prince. But I knew what to say..
"I'm the huntress of Alleyal." I glared at the two men pointing their swords and then to their leader. "And if you don't put those weapons away, there will be consequences."
"Is that soo..." The leader edged closer to me dangerously, enough to try my patience in not lashing out at him. He looked within my eyes, looking for any sign of lie. "Your outfit..doesn't scare me." His eyes scanned once more.
The men that had the swords out laughed readily at what I had said. One of them mocked, "The huntress of Alleyal!" he mummbled as he couldn't help to laugh at the same time.
They don't know...
I placed my hands on a dagger that I had taken hidden behind my back. I gripped at it as he neared me also as I backed closer to the tree. "Try something bad, you will get hurt..." I muttered, uncomfortable to his cold stare.
"You don't scare me..I think it's cute.."
Cute? Cute!? He thinks it's cute!? That's it...
I grabbed his clothing above his chest and gripped hard..real hard. Instantly, I turned him around making me headlock him, as I placed the knife to his face. The dagger touched his head dangerously close that I drew some blood immediately. The men with the swords were more alert and stopped their laughter as I cut a bit through his chin.
"Okay...calm down." said one of them as they neared closer with their swords.
"Put your weapons down and no one gets hurt. You'll be lucky if I leave you here all safe and uninjured.." I watched their swords lower slowly, "But you will be sure that the Prince of Alleyal gets a word about all of you.." Their emblem upon their uniforms gave away that they were from Alleyal, but the word that I was the huntress must have not spread very far yet. "Now..if you'll excuse me. I am the huntress of Alleyal, and don't you dare, try or even think of touching me!" I let the dagger go quickly releasing the man away from my arms along with a nice large budge away from me. I knew I had to leave quickly so that the rest of the soldiers wouldn't bring him courage to take me under as prisoner. I went a different direction than I would to go back, again to divert my path just in case of the thought to ever come into his mind to follow me. It was swift, my leaving, but it hadn't been swift enough. They had horses and soon they spotted me once more.
~~~~~
The horses galloping followed after me and no matter if I ran faster, they got to me. Soon two horses blocked my path in front of me. I turned to go to a different direction, but horses ringed around leaving me in the epicenter of the circle. I didn't like to be surrounded, especially by enemy men..
Now there were many new faces besides from the three that I just saw. They eyed me like a hawk, some giving me looks I would not approve...
Ughh...
"Why are you following me for? And why the ring of circle?" I swirled my finger around indicating the horse fencing they made around me.
"The huntress of Alleyal."
Now they call me that..
"What?" I said in an irritated manner.
"You are but one-and if I might say..a girl. May you need some assistance?" He offered a hand so that I may mount behind him on his horse.
Now he's giving me assistance? I don't want it...it's dumb to lead the enemy to the very place that needs protected!
"No." I began to walk towards the horses awaiting for them to part. But they didn't... "Part your horses." I said demandingly.
They didn't move.
"Fine, then..." I muttered.
"Is that a yes?" the leader asked.
"No, I was just saying that to them." I pointed at the two soldiers. I ducked and crawled underneath the horse to get out from the little encasing that was made around me.
As soon as I was out however, they encased around me again.
"I wasn't done speaking with you.." the man grumbled.
"Well, I was done speaking with you." I flipped my hair and then crawled underneath once more.
"No," The man made a pinching motion with his thumb and finger to the soldier above me when I wasn't looking. He grabbed the top of my back eliminating my ability to move underneath without having my top pulled up..and I didn't want that.
"Let go! Let go! Okay, okay, what?!" I smacked the persons hand that held the back of my top and turned around. I must have looked ridiculous at the same time. His hand snapped away as I have done so.
"Why do you want to assist me so badly?!" I was annoyed-beyond annoyed.
"I do not." He thrusted his hand into his dark black hair with a prideful look.
"Then let me leave." I turned again glaring at the soldiers on the horses to open the way. Then the light bulb lit. I turned back around to see speak to the leading man. "Oh....you just want to assist me because you took hold of me awhile ago didn't you? You just want good word to Prince Abason about your men." I laughed as if I were one of those taunting rulers in the high places of the enemy. "Fine." I replied. "Will you leave me be, if I spoke of good report to the Prince?" I bartered.
"It's a deal." He paused and looked at his men. "Move." He began. He looked back towards me once more and winked. "May we meet again.." He smirked and trotted his horse away.
I cringed and watched them turn away.
Finally...I can leave in peace!
~~~~~
First, I strolled calmly away until I was sure all their heads were facing away. I began to run like the wind right after they turned their backs. Yea, that would have looked like I was trying to get away, but I didn't care. That was what I wanted to do. I felt sick after how one of the soldiers kept eyeing me like a piece of barbeque he was drooling for.
After running for a little while turning, switching, zig zagging paths just in case they went to look for me again, I realized that I lost my direction.
Good going princess...I thought to myself. While diverting the enemy trying to lose their tracks, I lost mine and now I had no idea where to go next. But I wouldn't let myself stay in that spot too long, I had to retrace my steps. I stared at the ground and twigs for my very own tracks. As I looked around, I found familiar landmarks that I could remember. Dusk was on it's way and soon night would fill the sky. The trees rustled more quietly than ever and the dark forest green of the ground and trees around me just got darker with another filter. The quietness only got more oddly quiet around me as I looked around me into the vast crowds of trees. They seemed to tower above more every time I took a glimpse of the sky. Shades of blue blurred into the bit of bright light above me. I began to hear men singing battle songs in the distance. I soon heard boisterous laughter and hooves of galloping horses. In the midst of the darkening forest, I saw flickers of light around. Men with torches. They appeared to be searching.
I knew that wasn't good.
I walked closer to get a better look.
As I did, camps began to show, all of which were Greanger men.
Surely, they were search scouts and warriors..
I neared the camp hidden in the shadows of the thick, and peeked as to who it might be. More Greanger men. I felt partially in relief in it all, seeing that it hadn't been the men I had met earlier, but of course I still had to stay on my toes. I crept behind a big trunk of a tree and saw a makeshift fire pit. Men gathered all around, all ages and sizes singing a song. I slid down to the bottom of the tree and sat down to take a short break from running. I listened to the song that was sang by the men as the fire wood crackled in the heat. All their hands across behind each others backs as they swayed with the song. The song melodically swayed with them smoothly and gently.
When we go home,
We will bring home victory-
When we go home,
We'll see our family-
Better days will come
After the war is done.
They say their is hope in the forest,
Hope in the forest,
Hope in the forest-
For us.
Something about the song seemed comforting, as I listened. Something familiar, something that struck a cord with my heart. I couldn't get myself to figure out what it was, but even in the midst of enemies, I felt safe. Perfectly safe. As I stared at the midnight sky, my eyes slowly blinked and opened looking at the stars and constellations around me. I whispered along as they repeated the song and soon fell asleep...
~~~~~
I felt a nudge on my arm. I moaned in response, but I wanted to sleep longer. The fresh air and the way I felt snug in my travel blanket I always brought with me made me happy with lying down. I took it out last night when the cold air came, but now that the sun was shining upon me I felt happy and safe in it's warmth. I felt another nudge on my arm, but again ignored it. I took a deep breath then turned away from what was tapping me, and snoozed back to sleep. Murmurs and whispers went through my ear, but never really got to me due to my comfort of sleep.
"Shh..she's sleeping." A quiet voice of a boy whispered.
"Who is she?" One boy questioned.
"We don't know." Another replied.
"Stop poking her arm, she doesn't like it." Someone defended.
"Why?" He questioned once more.
"Because...You wouldn't like someone to keep poking you while sleeping don't you?" The first again spake.
"Hey, stop poking her..I think I see a knife in her hand.."
I was beginning to be bothered by the voices. I ignored them the first few times, not thinking of them as much due to my slumber, but they were now nagging the silence to disappear.
"What?!" Irritated, I flung the dagger in the air in my hand unexpectedly.
"Woah!" The one poking my arm backed away.
"Can't you see I'm slee-" I stopped in my words.
Greanger soldiers and men...
"Back away! I'm not afraid to use this you.." But in fact, I was. I lost my guard sleeping behind that tree last night, and now I was next to the small fire pit that already had died. I skidded with my back as I faced them with my dagger still in hand, crawling farther and waving the weapon in the air.
My bow and arrow...my backpack...where-where is it?
I stopped crawling and searched with my free hand around my body. In response to not finding it, I scrambled to stand up and kept my dagger to their faces.
They must have not gotten my dagger because I had it hidden in my boot. My hand always naturally found the knife there and brought it up closer when my body heard sounds or was alarmed. Usually, I wouldn't know consciously; I just did it like a reflex.
"Hey, now...we weren't going to hurt you." A man, probably 23 years old, went to retreive the knife off my hand by slowly approaching me.
"Where's my stuff!?" I gruffly said, pushing aside his affirmation of safety.
"Calm down..We have it-" He was abruptly stopped by me.
"Where is it?!" I approached making my voice boom louder than the last time. I gazed to the side of his head, and saw the other men, but also saw something else in the background. Two men in an open tent with my bag and one of them took out a book from inside it beginning to open it and look it over.
No...
I remembered Saber giving that to me. It had to be important. He gave it to me before I figured out who I was.
"Noo!!!" I charged and pushed the man in front of me aside. I ran as fast as I could through the many men, now reacting to my action. Some began trying to tackle me down and I tried keeping myself to get through without being stopped. It wasn't a whole big army of men, but it was enough to block and slow down my way towards the book and my stuff. But if the book mentions anything about Fatenturia and who I am, I know that I'm dead.
I thrusted through pushing, pulling, using my dagger when needed without hurting anyone. I was very close to the tent now.
"Hey! Put that down!" I hollered.
I waded and yelled, but didn't get there in time. I was tackled.
I punched and kicked, but I couldn't move towards my stuff any closer. "No! Ughh!" I grunted as I thrusted myself in the person holding me from behind. It didn't work. I twisted and soon punched him in the gut along with the handle of the dagger. He let go of his grip and groaned, but then I soon charged the man with the book. But he thought it was funny. He looked to be around my age, but taller. He held the book above my head as I tried to jump up and down like a kid who wanted to grab a piñata. Everyone stopped and watched as he chuckled with it in his hand.
"Give it to me." I commanded. My eyes focused on the object and not on him.
He brought it down to me, and as I went to grab it, he brought it back up. The men laughed, and then he spoke. "Why do you want it soo much?" He held it up and down teasing me with it. "Is this a diary?" He chuckled and so did the men.
"Yes! Now give it to me!" I lied just so he would, but it did the entire opposite.
"Let's see..." He flipped it open as he backed away. The men seemed to agree with him and as I analyzed he was dressed differently from the soldiers. I noticed it that he seemed to be some type of royal, but I wasn't really thinking too much about it. The book opened by now, but before he could get a glimpse I did something, that I might regret.
I punched him in the face.
I knocked his pretty face, and blood dripped down his nose. It was funny that I only managed to realize that his face was pretty good looking the second before my knuckles hit it. But it happened, then everything went into slow motion for me. He dropped the book and I caught it, instantly grabbing my sac and bow and quiver. I saw the men coming to assist whoever the guy is, but I bolted.
"Get her!" Someone responded. They were all behind me and after seeing that I was quite a good distance, I turned and ran backwards away.
"Ha!" I scoffed. "You can't get me!"
Then I turned and ran into someone.
It was the man I met earlier...
"Hey! You came to join!" He smacked me in the back playfully and I wobbled towards the camp again.
"Uhh..."
"Why you leaving?" He turned me to those I was just running away from as I placed the book back into my pack.
I shook my head as a 'no.' "Oh-no."
"Why?" He smiled, "We just got here."
"But..."
The guy that teased me with the book earlier interuppted. "Nice to see you again, Wyman."
"Good to see you too, Prince."
What? Prince? Crap...
"I'm sure you've met the huntress of Alleyal." Wyman pointed towards me.
"Oh, yes. I have indeed." He chuckled.
For some reason, I found his chuckle annoying, but attractive. I shunned at the thought of liking it.
"Wait..huntress?"
"Uh-huh."
"Alleyal?"
I pinched my lips together trying to find a moment where I could get away, but Wyman had his arm around me. Ughh..
"Huntress of Alleyal..so you know Prince Abason! He is a friend of mine. I'm sorry we didn't have a proper introduction." He held out his hand for me to shake; I just pretended I didn't see it and stared at him blankly.
"Well then.." He lowered his hand, "You do know who I am right?" He questioned,"Surely you do...I have heard of you only recently."
I kept my mouth shut and crossed my arms in front of me.
He smirked. "Wyman, the huntress of Alleyal is very disrespectful..I'm disappointed."
"I'm sorry Prince, she was the same way with us. May I speak with her alone for a second?"
"Yes, Wyman. I'll be right here."
There was something in the eyes of the prince that I couldn't place. It's like he knew something he shouldn't, and it was making me feel antsy.
He turned his back and began looking through a map that looked just like the one me and Abason had. They were helping in the search? I thought it was Abason's and my job.
Wyman looked at me straight in the face. "Huntress, I don't know if your always like this or not, but please, don't get on the Prince's nerves. You know it wouldn't do you any good. You know the rules.."
I nodded in reply, but I had no idea what rules he was referring to. So I went with it so I wouldn't ruin the cover.
"Good." Wyman turned around back to the prince. "Sorry about that, I'm sure she won't do it again. Right huntress?"
"Right." I had no idea what I was agreeing to..
Wyman accepting my answer interuppted, "Prince, may we speak later?"
The prince nodded and Wyman left, going back to his men.
"So shall we do this again? Uhh.." He held his hand out for a shake waiting for me to answer with my name.
I just took his hand and shook it. I pretended again not to know that he wanted to know my name. He laughed. "What is your name huntress?"
I thought quickly and knew I shouldn't give out my real one. My instincts told me he knew something I didn't want him to figure out.
"Maple." I glanced at a tree for reference.
"Well, Maple. Truly, I am sorry for our introduction to each other..." He eyed me with a slight suspicion in his eyes,"I'm sure you already know who I am...I mean surely you do.."
He knew I didn't know, he was just pretending I did, but he knew..He knew because of how I treated him earlier. I'm busted..
I had to think of a way to recover quick.
"Is Prince Abason with you?" He stopped my trail of thoughts.
"No."
"Tell me, Maple..why were sleeping behind that tree?" He pointed.
"Funny story..I was here before any of you." I lied.
"Really?" He paced behind me and I turned my head to face him, he continued, "because we checked this area before settling our grounds. We have watchers you know."
"Yes, I know. But they didn't see me." The first part was real, other half...
"I know your lying." He smiled and then held a piece of my hair in his hands to feel it. He released it. "You didn't recognize me from the moment you saw me..."He circled around me, analyzing. I turned to keep my eyes on him as he did so.
"No, I am the huntress." I said it firmly. My heart was slightly pacing at his suspicions.
"Well then, prove it to me. If you are the huntress of Alleyal..answer this question.." He stopped his pacing and leaned close to me, his face practically touching mine.
"Do you know who I am?"
~~~~~
I didn't know who he was. I couldn't answer. I blinked as his face neared mine making me more uncomfortable. I saw his dark blue eyes as he did. They searched the inside of my being, but I could tell that what he thought wasn't what I was worried for. However, something in his eyes burned in them, something unknown, yet somewhat familiar.
"Do you know who I am?" He repeated.
I had fear in my eyes. I tried to answer..my mouth trembled as I did. He grabbed my arm making sure I won't run anywhere. I pinched my lips closed. He saw them, his deep blue eyes intent;he was smart to know what that action meant. I could see it.
"You don't know." He said to me almost in a whisper and then he paused, making me tense at the quietness that seemed to end forever. "You-you don't know.."
I winced, my eyes closing shut just waiting for some punishment to happen, but as I waited, it never came. I opened them up. His eyes softened, the opposite I thought they would appear, and his head hung low in thought. He gazed back into my eyes and he saw the fear in them.
"How do you not know who I am?" He gripped on my arm harder. I tried to jerk away feeling his fingers dig into them. He noticed my pain as he had done so, and then let my arm go. "Sorry."
I was utterly confused. I didn't know how to reply and didn't understand his reactions, but because of the way he acted, I stayed put instead of leaving, wondering what he was thinking.
He continued. "Come into my tent. I don't want anyone to overhear us."
My curiousity sparked, but also caution stood in my guard. He was being kind to me, and it wasn't what I was expecting.
I followed him inside.
~~~~~
He let me in and peeked out the door secretively. I just stood there wondering more and more as to why the secrecy. There must be so much I still don't know and understand. Everytime I find and learn about something, more questions just tend to come through after the other.
I took a quick glance inside as I entered in as soon as he began to check the outdoors. A small cot with a few sheets of blankets laid in the corner. The floor was partly covered with fabric leaving grass sprouts in the edges. A small movable table sat next to the bed carrying a couple of books above it's head. The books were well used and surely read many times. I went to go look at the books more closely when his head was away.
After he was done checking the outside, he closed the thin fabric that acted as a door to the tent. I didn't get to see the books clearly, but it was about kingdoms and I saw a part of the title containing the word "history." I stood erect when he turned to face me.
"You must be quiet. I don't want anyone to know about you here until I know why."
I just nodded as I tried to side glance at the book on the table. It really looked familiar.
He paced around the small space allowed in the tent. "Have a seat."
I looked around for a seat, but then soon figured he meant the bed. I sat down making a small creaking sound, but made sure my hand could reach my dagger quickly...just in case. He had forgotten to take my stuff from me. But he seemed to not mind that I had them. My backpack wasn't hidden, but out in the open and so was my bow and quiver.
"Who are you really? You're not from Greanger. I know it." He stopped his pacing and stood with impatient eyes.
"No, I'm not from Greanger. I'm the huntress of Alleyal." I just stayed with my cover.
He paced again, "No..no. That's not what I meant!" His temper rose, he grabbed on his dark black hair and messed it up frustratingly. His hair looked better than ever as I got a better look at him; in fact, I considered him as good-looking, however, there was nothing more to that thought.
He stopped moving and faced me again. "Who are you really? Stop with the cover."
He obviously saw beyond it. My eye's grew wide as he neared me; I spotted his hand clench and white's appeared on his knuckles leaving pink traces through his hand. I could see his hand wanting to grip at me, but he withheld it at the time being. I was going to respond, but he interferred before I could say anything. "Tell me!" His voice got louder, but he kept it at a quiet volume. He really didn't want anyone to hear what was going on in the tent. His hand went to grab for my neck, but I held his wrist before it could get to it. I pushed it towards him as he tried to push his hand to grab me. In the process, the force thrusted me to the bed. I reclined, but pushed my abdomen up using it's strength to push back. His hands pushed more and more.
"Okay! Okay!" I replied.
His hand loosened, my hands telling me that his wrists had released. He slipped his hand away, fire that was burning in his blue flared eyes, now dwindling.
"Sorry. You just have to trust me. I need to know." His eyes connected to mine. He was still leaning in towards me as I was bent into the bed, waiting for him to stand up so I can get up.
Right then, someone opened the tent door.
It was Wyman.
Wyman's eyes were wide like he wasn't supposed to be there. He paused with his mouth open, stopped in the process of something he was about to say.
The prince turned and saw what I was looking at as I was scooted to the edge of the bed. The prince stared at Wyman for almost two long seconds and then looked at me then him again. It was like everyone was frozen. Finally, he reacted.
He cleared his throat. "Wyman!" He tried to speak boldly, "Why-why are you here?!"
"What..what are you doing?" words that he wasn't going to say before, now came. He looked at me seeing that I was still a little shaken, but he had no idea what for.
"It's not what it looks like, Wyman."
The prince's face turned furious when Wyman snickered.
"Seriously Wyman. It's not what you think." He shook the hairs of his head again combing it messily with his hand.
Wyman laughed.
"Whatever." He said sarcastically. "I know how you are."
"Wyman...I'm serious. I don't do that anymore."
"Do what?" He winked at me jokingly leaving my face pink.
"Shut up." He turned back to me to see my reaction to Wyman's wink. He saw my pink face, and then soon turned angry.
"Wyman, what do you want?" He faced Wyman.
"Okay, Okay...but it's serious news."
Before Wyman continued, the prince barged in. "Serious news?! Now you're telling me?"
"Sorry, I thought you were busy.."
"Just shut up and continue.." He sighed aware that I was in there listening.
"Alright, well, there is a change of plans. The news came late..."
"Please..get to the point." The prince rubbed his temples.
"Uh..well, we're not the one's searching for the village anymore."
The prince lifted up his head. "Then who is?"
"Prince Abason and his companion on the mission. They're going to search for the princess."
"Companion? Princess?" The prince scoffed. "Abason knows the princess is dead! And he surely does not go to quests with other people! When did he start doing that? I thought he hated having someone to quest with! Of course, besides me..I'm his best friend."
My eyes shot open wide at what I just heard.
~~~~~
"Angel will be back, don't worry. She knows she needs to do something. She knows she's in danger." Saber said untroubled.
"But that's exactly it! She get's careless and always gets herself stuck in some trouble, even troubles she never even started!" Roy spoke.
Daven entered in, "Plus she's the princess! Doesn't that make her more vulnerable?"
"Yea!" Peter agreed.
"I think they're right, Saber. I know that you trust she can do it, but it's been a whole day already and yet she hasn't come back." Neil tried to convince Saber.
"Angel is like that, I know. But she will come back. I understand your worries and I am worried for her too, but she knows she can't run away for ever. She needs to think." Saber concluded. "We have our duties here. We have to be ready. We will search for help today from allies, but we have to do it secretly. I have heard Greanger men roam other kingdoms freely because of fear of them."
~~~~~
"I don't know sir. That's just what it says on the message." Wyman's scanned a piece of paper in his hand.
"Let me see that." The prince grabbed it from Wyman's hand roughly.
The prince began mummbling the words as he read. I didn't understand them though. Wyman was bored and soon got my attention. He winked at me again and kissed his hand as if he was blowing it to me.
Eww..
Wyman was not looking charming at all. His flirts were pointless and they only made him look all the more disgusting. His hair looked unkept for probably a long time, his face was gruff, and appeared to be prickly. On the other hand, the prince was well beyond well groomed, his hair obviously ravishing, and he still had his baby face along with a hint of manliness. I found it disturbingly attractive including his smile. He seemed to smile freely, but he managed his temper much better than most men understanding that he does so many things as a prince.
But thinking all this, bothered me.
In fact, it weirded me out. He's the enemy for heaven's sake! But his voice..his scent..his demeanor. It showed something about him that I have yet to discover. It was like I remembered something familiar about him.. But I still don't even know what is his name.
Why does the enemy prince have to be so good-looking!?
I smacked my face to snap myself out of it.
And I did...for real.
The prince was actually done reading the letter and has been staring at me this whole time along with Wyman. Wyman kept looking at me then at the prince having seen my dazed face the entire time. I turned pink. I realized that I had been studying the prince's face, that I smacked my face, and that humored him. A smirk smile entered his face after I had slapped myself.
"Daydreaming?" The prince chuckled.
His chuckle..
Get back to reality! I told myself.
"Huh?" It came out.
He chuckled again, and Wyman laughed. The prince noticed that Wyman was still in the room; the news had been received so he no longer wanted him inside the tent. "Wyman," He turned to him, "You may leave."
"Yes, sir."
Wyman closed the tent door behind him leaving the prince and me alone.
"Now.." An amused smile again appearing on his face, "Who are you?"
"Tell me who you are first. Then maybe I will tell you who I am."
"We already had a deal. You said you were going to tell me." Now I have struck his nerves once more.
I stalled. "When was that?"
"Don't play games with me.."
I twirled a piece of my hair entirely ignoring him.
He smacked the small table; it stunned me grabbing my attention. The books on top of it toppled above the other. I recognized it immediately.
It was the same book that Daven and I had found in the secret room.
"Where did you get that." I pointed at the book of history.
"Why is that important? You totally ignored my first question!.."
"No. Tell me, where you got that and who you are, then, I will tell you."
"Fine."
I mentally laughed at his acceptance. He did not seem to be the type to accept deals; yet, I got him to make one for me.
"Why are you smiling about?" He muttered.
"Nothing."
His shoulders rose and went down signalling that he just shrugged it off.
"Okay, I'm the prince of Greanger and that book..." He paused, "I have no idea where it came from. I found it in the woods. Now your turn, who are you?"
I didn't know there was a prince in Greanger..
"Hello?" The prince budged. "Who are you?"
"I already told you. The huntress of Alleyal. I wasn't lying."
It was necessarily true. The name was given to me by the Prince Abason himself.
"What?! You know what!? Enough silly games, I've had it with you..."
He pushed me on the bed and grabbed my backpack forcefully. I tried grabbing his head trying to keep him away and soon I rolled him over. I was on top beginning to pound on his face. He rolled me back over and aimed his fist high above my face. I jerked my knee up hitting a spot that made him squirm. I grunted pushing him off me and ran towards the door of the tent. I didn't look back, but soon felt something hook to my back.
His hands.
He weighed me down with his strength. I hit the back of my head on the ground, glad that it was not rock. It hurt, however, leaving a faint throb behind my back. I laid prostrate on the floor and he got on top of me pinning me to the ground. A little blood seeping out of his lips, he smiled with pleasure seeing that he got me. His hand lifted high up into the air once more, but before I could react, I saw his fist come down at me.
I flinched and then light disappeared.