We eventually got to work, finding dry wood for the fire - it was going to be a cold night even though it was mid summer.
I could see a dark shape of Wymond an arms length from me. All the details drowned out by the darkness.
That is when we heard it: the sound of snapping branches and horses and their riders. I turned to look at him and even if I could not see his face, I knew he was worried. I dropped the wood and reached around me to retrieve my bow from my shoulder and I removed an arrow from the quiver. We moved together and with our weapons ready, we prepared for the kill. I strained my eyes, fighting the blackness, willing them to see more.
"We should go before they get closer." Wymond breathed into my ear.
"We-" I could not finish whatever I was saying as there was a shout right by us that cut me off.
"There is someone there." They yelled to the other riders.
I had never heard anything like the sound of crashing through trees like I heard then. More horses stopped near the man.
"Shit." Wymond muttered.
"Have they seen us?" I whispered.
"There." The shout answered my question.
All the men turned to look at us. Who I assumed to be the leader came forward.
"What are your names?" He asked.
We answered with silence.
"What are your names?" He pushed.
"Where do you come from?" Wymond said.
"Do not answer my question with another." The man sounded agitated. "What are your names?"
"You know we will not tell you unless you answer me first." Wymond said.
The man seemed to ponder this. "Very well. We come from Mythgrave, sent by King Malcom."
***
Lena lay in Kamden's warm arms drifting in and out of oblivion when she first heard the shouting.
"Can you hear that?" She asked.
Kamden came alert and tensed. "That sounds close to where Hilda and Wynond went."
Lena rose to her feet, shortly followed by Kamden who grabbed her hand after picking up some weapons. Lena found her bow and together they let their ears guide them to the voices.
"...sent by King Malcom." Were the first intelligible words.
Lenas breath caught in her throat and she let go of Kamden's hand to ready her weapon.
"Fuck this, Esmond." Another man said. "Just go up to their faces and see for yourself."
There was the sound of movement and snapping twigs before a brief period of nothing.
"Well, fuck me." The first man said - Esmond. "It is her."
"Now what?" The second man said.
"You heard him, Christian." He replied as if it was painfully obvious. "Take them." This this was a shout - an order.
Through the shadows Lena could see her sister being taken, closely followed by Wymond, both were being held roughly and chains were being placed around their wrists.
She was about to call out when a hand came around her mouth. Kamden hushed her and his strong arms prevented her from moving.
She could only watch.
YOU ARE READING
𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴, 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘪𝘦𝘴
FantasyIn a world full of lies and secrets, Hilda, a princess, comes of age. Through the darkness of being told who she should marry, she falls in love for the wrong man. Her mother would describe him as filthy, good for nothing. Hilda would describe him a...
