Runaway

Chapter 7: Long Run

CHAPTER 7: Long Run

The ride was longer than I expected. It was already so dark in the middle of the night, making it hard for me to see where I was going.

I was in a middle of a forest still far away from The Hills. People from the palace call this forest 'The Lurking Woods" because of the thick fog that appears almost every night and the most of the delinquents that escape would hide and some even would live here at the woods.

I could hide here but not forever because sooner or later when they find out I'm missing, the Royal Clan will surely dispatch several search parties to find me; dead or alive. I need to run away as far as possible from the palace and the Praesidium, maybe even out of Midst.

The trees were tall and the air was cold, making me shiver. All I see was the fog obscuring my vision. I climb down from the horse and leashed Macey to a tree nearby. It was so silent; I could almost hear my breathing. I slowly walked on the ground to examine the place.

The fog was so thick that all you can see a meter from you is blurred and unclear. In the corner of my eye, I saw something move. A shadow, or a person or a shadow of a person; was moving quick and stealthy manner. I cautiously grabbed my dagger from the inside of my cloak. Whoever or whatever it is, I will have to face it on my own.

Good, because I didn't study knife throwing and martial arts for nothing.

As I expected, a hand was already covering my nose and mouth as if the person was trying to kill me. I sucked in a deep breath as hard as I could and pretend that I was passing out. I felt the person's grip weaken and I attacked the person from behind.

He was caught off guard as I pinned him down into the ground, pointing the sharp tip of my dagger in his throat. He tried to lift me off the ground and before I knew it, I stabbed his left shoulder to keep him down before choking him in the neck.

"Shhh, stay down." I whisper-shouted in my most demanding firm voice, "Who are you and what do you want with me?"

When he didn't answer, I took of the mask that was covering his face. He looks like my age, though I'm not sure because the moonlight was the only source of light in here right now; I could see dark patches of bruise and cuts in his face and he looks like he is going to pass out.

What happened to him? Who did this to him? Who is he? What does he want with me?

His hand traced my arm and I hurriedly shove him off but he gripped me tight only to whisper something in my ear.

"My name is Syron and I'm here to serve you, your majesty."

As soon as those words left his lips, his grip faltered and his eyes shut close. Oh my goodness, what have I done.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't die out yet." I said, panicking. "C'mon I'll take you somewhere safe... j-just tell me everything you know and we'll be fine."

Syron nodded slightly and I place his arms around my shoulders to support him as he shakily walked. I strapped him in to Macey's back saddle before I did and we blindly travelled towards The Hills.

Something about him feels right. I could kill him right there but something inside my head tells me not to. I don't want to set him free because he might lead a search party to me and at the same time I don't want to kill him because something about him intrigues me.

How did he recognize me as the princess?

How much does he know? Why did he found me?

And most of all, who is he?