|| Frost bite ||

❄️Prologue❄️

“To live is the rarest thing.
Most people just exist.”
❄️
_________________________________
_________________________________

Running. That could best explain her situation. Running for her life. Probably the most common occurrence of her life.

Blood dripped from her side where a shrapnel had pierced it deeply. But there was no time to stop. Stopping meant certain death. Not only of her, but of much more that she didn't want to risk.

The way was dark. But years of training had had her eyes well adapted to pierce the deepest darkness. The ground was slippery and rough. Each footing was sure and practiced with precision. Silent. Swift.

Suddenly her foot stuck into a unseen puddle. Small thing, yet dangerous in high speed. She nearly face facedown into the mud. But a pair of strong arms cought her.

Ever present alertness and instinct instantly regained her balance. Hand drawing out a hidden dagger without the need of seeing, she wheeled around, pushing the person back and holding the dagger near their throat. Simple move. Yet effective.

"Considering last time, I'd have expected a bit more carefulness from you,"  a masculine voice broke out from them, "if I didn't know you well enough."

A flash of lightning tore through the sky, momentarily falling of the unmistakable grey eyes of him, so alike to her own. He was grinning, with hands held up in surrender. Then darkness covered up again.

"Now, however much you hate me, you wouldn't want to kill your own brother, would you?"

Twirling the dagger, she put it back in its sheath. There was no time to talk. Grabbing his hand, she broke into a run once again. Thankfully, he understood the situation, and didn't protest.

But her breath was running short. And there was still some distance left before safety. She had to make it. Otherwise—

Well, there was no need to tell what would happen otherwise.

Her brother suddenly became unusually kind. "El, we can stop for a moment," he said, slightly pulling her back and extending his hand.

But she at once pulled him down along with herself, even as two arrows hissed overhead, missing them by a fraction.

" I don't wanna die yet," she panted, before resuming the run.

And so they ran. For how long they couldn't tell. But the sound of following hooves never seemed to fade away.

"Why on earth didn't you stay where you were supposed to be?" she asked, still running despite failing strength, "nothing would have been so messed up if you were there."

"And whose idea was it to shut the gates before I got in?" he retorted.

"Hell," she muttered. The way now seemed unending. The sharpnel was digging a bit more into her flesh with each long step. She wondered if it could be taken out without cutting the flesh after this.

"If they don't lose us," her brother panted from behind, "they will get to there with us. That's not a good idea."

" Where on earth did you tie the horses?" she asked, "or did you tie them at all?"