The Kingdoms of Blue and Green.

Part 46

"Have you ever picked up a bow before?" Evelynn chuckled fiddling with the stands of her black hair. She wrapped her honeyed hands around the bow the wood splinting under her hands.

"Wanna bet?" Azrael smirked pulling the bow back, the wood creaking in his calloused hands. His green eyes flicked to her. He shot the arrow. The head embedding itself into a tree across the open plain. "Bullseye," His teeth bared.

Evelynn shook her head and pulled her bow back, the arrow snapping in the crisp air, landing next to his. "Bet," Evelynn kicked her horse and took off over the open green plain. The beach is in the distance.

Azrael on her tail withdrew another bow out of his quiver, pulling the fletching across his cheek, sending it flying next to her. Evelynn whipped her head to the side, the soft crackle of the arrow flying beside her, the arrow landed several paces in the tall pale grass in front of her. A teeth-baring smile covered her face. Evelynn hosted herself to the side, leaning as the tips of her black hair lapped the grass as she swiftly grabbed the arrow by the nock. The wind threw her hair back as she dangled from off the saddle.

Azrael lowered his head as she displayed that wicked smile of hers. Her face flushed with colour. Azrael wrapped his hands onto the reins of the horse and forcefully pulled it back as she placed his arrow into her bow, and pulled it back dangling from the horse. The side arrow nock pressed against her bottom lip. The bowstring snapped back sending the arrow towards him.

Azrael's brown hair ruffled as the arrow shaft skimmed across his dark brown hair. Swearing under his breath Azrael swallowed, "You've got good skills. I must admit,"

Evelynn pulled herself up back into the saddle and turned to him. "I've learnt from the best your Kingship," She mockingly bowed. She withdrew an arrow from her quiver and followed a bird with an arrow, posed in the bow.

"Kingship. That's new," Azrael exhaled trying to calm his pounding heart. He shook his head at her. Evelynn screwed up her face in return.

                                                                       ~

They walked along the hills crowed by trees. The tall treetops guided the sun down to the dirt in streaks. The warm streaks of sun, drifting along their skin as they passed.

Evelynn's heart pounded, hidden half-heartedly in the trees ahead was Azrael. Trotting along the twisting and curving road. Evelynn inhaled a shard of guilt as she grew her final clean arrow from her quiver. She placed it in the bow. The nock clipped into the string as she pulled the string back aiming it at his back. This was her chance. Evelynn hands twitched on the bow, unable to focus her shot Evelynn lowered it away from him. Azrael drifted in and out of view of Evelynn. Clamping her hand together she wiped the sweat on her pants. Evelynn arched her back as she placed the arrow in the bow to her cheek. Her heart throbbing in her stomach. Let go. Evelynn shifted again focusing the arrow on him. Let go. The arrow embedded itself into the back of him. Between the end of his latisimus-Dorsi and his scapula. The direct hit would kill him reasonably quickly.

Evelynn lowered her bow, pulling the arrow out of the string. Rolling her tongue in anger. She crossed her eyebrows and bit her tongue. Exhaling a curse.

I can't.

                                                                                ~

The province of Kerton hovered over the horizon. "Such a beautiful place for such disgrace," Azrael hummed.

Kerton had been strongly a republic for a few years now. The officials and small government they had gathered opposed both Royal families. The trade route through the town to Athrolila was the only thing stopping the outbreak of war. The tensions rose as the past King of Eramada looked down on the common religion in the province. Evelynn gulped as she rode into the Central City of Kerton, on edge.