Away ⥃ Nishimura Riki

.One.

"CATCH HER!!!"
A HOARSE VOICE echoed in the outskirts as the sound of horses galloping approached the running girl. The vast forest came into her sight, indicating she was nearing the border of the county. She had to get out. She must. Or else she'll die.

From the corner of her eyes, she saw two knights dashing over towards her directions, both holding onto their swords. "Shit." She cursed as her mind raced in panic. How was she going to go into the forest without getting hurt or killed!

Biting her lips, she mustered up her energy and swiveled to the right, taking a sharp turn causing the knights to stop abruptly as their feet raked the grass. She took the opportunity to enter the forest. This way, it will be much easier for her to lose them. "She entered the forest!" One of the knights shouted.

The girl avoided the jagged branches as her body maneuvered through the precarious path. She didn't know where she was going but she had a destination. "I see her on my left!!"

A gasp left her lips as an arrow passed by her, missing her by mere inches. How were they so fast?!

"Kim Seulhyun, surrender yourself this instant!"
The latter disregarded the order, turning her head to glance at her proximity of her and the knights. Seeing their figure enlarge as they closed the distance, Seulhyun gripped her dress tightly, searching for an obscure place where she can hide in. She won't be able to lose them with her current pace and she didn't have much energy left.

Can she reach the seven princes before those knights manage to slaughter her?
In that moment, she recalled the incident in the castle which had led her to this moment.

Her arm was harshly tugged and Seulhyun yelped in surprise, stumbling on the hem of her dress as she heard a door shut close behind her. She took a look of her surroundings, finding herself in a familiar room. The globe stood still as the magenta smoke float around the room. "Mrs.-"

"Here," The lady with sleek, dark red hair handed her a scroll which was rolled tightly, a thin rope tied into a bow. "You must go to the seven princes and hand them this letter."

"What?-" Seulhyun uttered, immensely confused. Why is she suddenly talking about the seven princes?

"There is no time for questions!" Mrs. Kang fret as she pushed the girl towards the corner of the room, unlocking the trap door underneath them. "Go there and give this to the king. Quick!"

This was the first time Seulhyun ever saw Mrs. Kang, a poise lady, acting so alarmed. "But how- their kingdom is far away!" She retorted.
"Please. You're the only one I trust."
Before her question was answered, she was pushed down into the hole as she shrieked out of fear. The slide way down was rough, but she made it to the back door safely.

Seulhyun winced as she felt her arm stung in pain, its hold on the scroll loosened before she regained her strength. Mrs. Kang wouldn't have panicked over a simple matter so this scroll must be extremely crucial. She tightened her grip, eyes determined to get to King.

You're the only one I can trust! Her words rang in her ears. She shouldn't let her down.

She noticed how the branches looked darker, thinner, and longer than the ones before. Unlike the previous forest, this one has no leaves, and a thick layer of mist covered the sky making it harder for her to see clearly. Where was she?

Then, she heard a yell behind her. It was distant but familiar. She glanced at the forest behind her. She has reached the borderline. They can't catch her now. Deciding to find a place where she can rest, she let her feet lead her. It was blurry. She couldn't see a thing. Honestly, she was scared out of her wits. She was in the middle of the woods with no proper weapon to defend herself with, and she has no sense of direction on where she was.

A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of spending the night in this eerie forest. That's a suicide mission.

As she walked through the woods, her sage green dress kept tangling with her legs causing her to stumble every once in a while. Exasperated, she held the hem of her dress and collected it until the dress reached her knees, tying it into a knot.

Glancing at the scroll in her hands, she sighed. How on earth was she supposed to send this to the seven princes if she doesn't have a map to read?

So many thoughts nagged her mind as she took cautious steps forward, the pain in her arm travelled through her whole body with every movement she made. An arrow had grazed her arm while she was running earlier.

"That will leave a scar.." Seulhyun mumbled, twisting her arms inwards softly to see the scar properly.

Passing through the repetitive-looking trees, Seulhyun exhaled deeply. "Where am I?! I've been walking endlessly without seeing the finish line!" She exploded as her left arm moved around furiously.

Just as she heard a rustle from a bush nearby, her foot missed a step and all of the sudden gravity hits her as her body crashed into a hard surface. The pressure around her frightened her as the void around her greeted her, small pockets of air floating up to the surface.

Seulhyun gasped but water only entered her throat causing her to cough violently, making it even worse as water continued to choke her throat. It hurts. Her eyes watered at the saltiness of the water.

She was taught how to swim theoretically but she has never tried doing it since she never got the chance to. As the liquid continued to enter body, her figure grew more distant as seconds passed by, the light growing dimmer as her vision turned hazy.

The latter heard a splash above her. She couldn't hear properly as the pressure on her ears increased. In that moment, she saw a black silhouette approaching her and its arm snaked around her waist as he struggled to bring them back to the surface.

Her chest dropped rigidly, and she felt her body lightened in weight. Before her eyes decided to give up on her, she heard a muffled voice.
"Hey, can you hear me!"

Black out.

It's been a while, hasn't it?

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