Enemies of The Forest

Chapter Three

"Lyla!" I turn to the sound of my father's voice again, this time seeing him standing at the edge, an angry look on his face, one I can't help but wince at seeing.

"Coming father!" I shout back as I quickly jog over to the tree holding two of my arrows. I quickly shove them in my poorly made quiver before rushing back to the tree line, where the market seems to have gone still, the air almost suffocating with a tension that I am sure you could cut with a knife. I ignore the strange looks from vendors stood near as I rush through the crowds towards my father's cart, where a group has gathered.

"Lyla, hurry now," I slow my pace at the apprehension in my father's voice as he calls out for me over the crowd, which quickly part to let me through, giving me a full view of why everyone is so on edge.

Standing infront of my father's cart are seven guards adorned with the royal seal, all of which are semi-circled around two figures standing in front of my father. One is larger than the other, not only in height but also in girth; I can see his protruding stomach from here, which his breeches are finding difficult to hold in. The second is leaner, even from a distance you can see that this man has trained ever second possible of his day to achieve such a well defined muscular build. Although he is not as tall as the other man, he most definitely seems more powerful out of the pair. As if sensing my eyes on him, he turns to look at me, and my breath is stolen at the beauty of his face. Such strong masculine features, framed by the lightest of yellow hair which sways gently at his shoulders. I find myself paralysed under his gaze as we both stare at the other, not caring about anyone else around us; the only thing that truly matters is the piercing blue eyes that stare unwaveringly into mine. Who is this man?

"This is my daughter I was telling you about, she helps me to hunt the game that we sell; her aim is like nothing I've ever encountered before," I jump at the sound of my father's voice, my cheeks heating as I realise I have just been stood in the centre of the villagers who have been watching me and this man have a mild staring contest with the other. I will my feet to move steadily as I make my way over to my father's side, my head down as I get closer to the two men in front of me. I am already doomed to be questioned about my hair; I will not be interrogated about my eyes as well.

"Is that something that you are told to be ashamed of as well?"

"A woman hunter, now I believe I have seen everything," the stout man chuckles and it takes all of my will power not to bite back. I don't know who these men are, but they have to be important if they are flanked by the royal guard.

"Father, times are changing," a spider shivers its way down my spine at the sound of the beautiful man's voice, so deep and rich, laced with the finest things in life. I find myself envying anyone who gets to hear that voice every day.

"The day I let a woman hunt for me is a day that I will no longer be seen as a man," my head snaps up at the obvious insult to my father. Who does this man think he is? He knows nothing of the struggles that we face outside of the city walls, he knows nothing of how we have to fight to survive every day just to live to fight for the next.

"I doubt you would be able to hunt anyways, let alone lift a bow," the snarled words cause a deafening gasp to ring out from everyone who has surrounded our cart to watch the spectacle. My father's gasp is the loudest of them all. I ignore them all, keeping my eye locked on the stocky man who is seething from beside the beautiful man; how can they possibly be father and son? They seem so different. One of the guards goes to unsheath his sword, but the stocky man puts his hand up, effectively stopping the guard, who just returns to his position in the semi-circle surrounding the two men.

"Do you realise who you are talking to, girl?" The way he spits 'girl' tells me everything I need to know about him. A pompous, wealthy, entitled prick is who he is; but I'd like to keep my head so I just reply simply with;