Hey friends! I hope u all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and Black Friday (if u worked, God bless u). This chapter isn't very heavily edited because I wanted to post it. Hope yall enjoy!
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There are moments in your life when you should speak up. If your food has a hair in it or you need help reaching something, those are perfectly good times to say your piece and make yourself known. This is not one of those times.
Unfortunately, I am a fool. I had already made myself know. Why did I ask if someone was there when I was hoping for a rabbit? Too late for silence, I suppose.
"Who says I'm alone?"
The men look at me. Then they look at each other. Great. This is great.
"Well, there's no one else around," one of the men say. "I do believe that would mean you're alone."
"My partner is just checking the traps we set," I lied. "He'll be back in a minute. So you can just move along."
I am not great at lying but this is going better than I expected. Maybe they are nicer than they look and will just keep going. I hope I do not look as terrified as I feel.
"Really? Because we've been in these woods all day and haven't see any traps. In fact, the only other person we've seen is you," the man says, "and you don't seem like the hunting type."
Or they are not buying it.
"I don't have to explain anything to you." I take a step back. "So if you don't mind, I'll be going now."
Suddenly I feel arms around me as I am lifted off the ground.
"Now you see, I do mind. These are my woods, so anyone that comes into them, well, they answer to me. So let's start again, shall we? Who are you and why are you here?"
Yikes. I cannot tell them my real name! They would turn me in for the reward money in an instant. I have to stall them until I figure out a plan.
"My name is... Astrid. My family was traveling to the city to sell our wool at the market and we stopped to rest and I got lost," Oh yeah, it's all coming together.
It was not totally lie. I am lost. Just not with my family. And I am trying to leave the city, not enter it. And I have never even touched a sheep, let alone tried to sell their wool.
The men did not say anything for a very long moment.
"Okay. Put her down, Samson."
The brute named Samson lowered me but held onto my arms so I could not escape. All I could do was watch as they searched through my satchel. I did not have much. Everything I had, I found at abandoned campsites. There was a knife, a few pieces of bread, a compass, and a few questionable mushrooms.
"This forest is home to many... unsightly creatures. It's a good thing we found you before one of them did," he said as he rummaged through my bag. He stopped and pulled something out. "The princess's tiara? Now, why would a wool trader's daughter have this?"
Shit. I had ditched my wedding gown at a campsite, I should have gotten rid of that too.
"I found it!" Because that is believable.
"Right. So you're telling me, you got lost on your way to the city and just happen to find the princess's crown. How dumb do you take me for?" He asked, demandingly.
"...very?"
This is going phenomenally well. I guess I will not have to worry about getting turned in for money anymore. These men look like they are going to kill me themselves.
YOU ARE READING
Between Two Vines
Adventure(Formerly The Forest of Life) Saviors aren't always as expected. They're people too. They make mistakes. But how they choose to live with those mistakes is what matters.
