I can't help but be impressed by Annett's boldness. No other servant or even girl has ever spoken to me with such bravery. The image of her red cheeks stays with me as I walk out to the stables.
James greets me and hands me the reins to my amazing horse, Banter. He's a chestnut brown stallion with almost just as much attitude as my sister, Rosaline, when other people handle him. Except for when I ride him, of course.
I jump into the saddle and James get's on his horse. He struggles, as usual. I wouldn't say he was the most graceful at, well, anything. He looks at me as if he's trying to read my thoughts.
"I think I've known you long enough to realize when something's bothering you." He says as we trot over down the streets to meet up with Rosaline-who decided it would be a fun idea if she were to go with me this morning to 'admire the beauty of nature'. "Is it Annett you're thinking about? And don't act like you don't have feelings for her because I've seen the way you look at her."
"Oh yeah? How is that?" He moves his eyebrows up and down and makes a kissing face. I through an apple I was going to eat at him and he laughs.
"I do not look like that." I say straightening up, but as I do I hit my nose on the sign to a tavern. He laughs and I rub my nose as it aches.
We ride up to the gates where Rosaline is sitting on her horse with Annett next to her-getting into the saddle of her very own stallion.
"Annett... " I say shocked. I try to regain my calm and sit up a little straighter as she giggles. "I didn't expect you to be riding with us on your first day."
"Yes, well," Rosaline says in an as-a-matter-of-factly tone. "Since you're bringing your servant I thought I would bring mine. I'm becoming quite fond of her. Is that a problem, Nicholas?" She asks with a playful tone, as if to say, 'Let the games begin.' I shake my head no and we ride off down the trail, into the forest.
Annett rides next to Rosaline as we travel through the forest to the outskirts of the city. I kind of hoped that she would ride with me but there was no need to get worked up about it. In fact, I don't even know why I am becoming so fond of her. We'd only met yesterday when I'd punched that cruel Lord for her. He didn't deserve such a sweet caring girl like her to come at his beck and call.
We rush past a sign that shows we've long past the borders of Auchendale and I tell Banter to slow down.
"Why have we stopped?" Rosaline complains, "Didn't you say we'd hunt at Fern's Creek?" I hold up a hand for her to stop talking and scan through the thick brush of the forest.
"Something doesn't seem right." I say and I see four-no, five men poke out from trees. Their hands ready an arrow in their bows and aim it at my head. My eyes widen and I yell for everyone to run.
We ride down the path at full speed and more of the men come out of the brush on horses which are just as fast as ours. We ride to a fork in the road and take the far left path which I think leads to a town, where we can take refuge or ask our allies for help. But as we ride I look over to Annett and one of the men hits her with an arrow in her side. She hunches forward in pain, and her horse veers off the path and into the forest. I ride after her and Rosaline and James turn with us just in time.
Her horse slows down next to mine and I pull her onto the back of Banter. He knickers in protest as she holds onto me for support, groaning.
James and I ready our hunting bows and we shoot off as many men as we can and ride through the forest. Rosaline spots a path covered by the brush in between two boulders. We ride into the brush and cover the horses as best we can just as the men ride along the main path. I watch them ride until I know their far enough and then I turn to the group.
Annett is laid on the ground and James has taken the arrow out of her back.
"She's losing a lot of blood," James says as he wraps bandages around her wound. The white cloth is already stained dark red. "There's a poison in the arrow tip. It works slowly but there's no way we'll get her back to the castle."
Everyone looks at me and waits and I realize that they don't know what to do. The problem is, I don't have a clue either.
I kneel next to her and she grips her side. She closes her eyes and her head starts to roll to the side. "No, she can't be dying!" I yell panicked, I've never let any of my men die on me. I check her pulse and it's faint, but it's still there.
I look over to James and Rosaline but I see them asleep on the ground, propped up by the rocks as well.
"Don't worry Prince Nicholas," A voice says behind me. I turn and a man in robes with a hood stands over me. Seven other men dressed the same stand behind him. "We can help her. But you must not know our camp location. So just relax and we'll take you there."
I start to protest but he puts his hand on my forehead and I feel so weak I just about pass out.
"Sorcery," I muster and then he smiles as I fall unconscious.
What did you think? Leave me a comment!
