Hunted

Chapter 1

12 Years Later...

-Neve-

I was born to ride free.

My father instilled it in me from a young age, taking me on outings throughout my childhood. From my first pony to a beautiful stallion, I made it a daily routine. I felt close to him that way, especially as my hair whipped against the wind, my horse galloping across the grassland. It felt so nice to ride without my crown, without expectations. I wasn't a princess that day. I was just a girl who wanted to win the race.

Audra wasn't far ahead of me. I could see the back of her red braid coming loose from the speed of her horse. Her head bonnet was long gone, lost somewhere in the grass.

"You're not beating me this time, Your Highness!" Audra looked back at me with a competitive grin on her face.

At this comment, I rapped the reigns against the horse, patting its neck to go faster. He galloped with explosive energy, and I could feel his spirit in every beat of his hoof against the ground. I neared Audra. Closer. Closer. Almost there.

Audra's auburn hair was close enough to brush against my face. I reached my hand out and gave it a good yank. Her head whipped back, causing her reigns to pull and slow down her horse.

"Hey, that's cheating!" Audra grabbed her head as I raced past her, unable to control my laughter.

"Since when are we following royal customs out here?" I yelled back before focusing my attention on the hill that was approaching. The finish line. I lived for this moment–when I felt like I could fly.

"Neve! Neve! You're going too far!" Audra yelled from behind me, but it was all fuzz. I raced over the grassy hill, and the sky opened up, vast hills appearing before me and—the endless trees. I knew them very well.

I could see the edge of The Forest, and the horse skidded to a stop like he knew that he couldn't go any further. He snorted, and I patted his coat.

"It's okay, boy." I tried to catch my breath as the rustling of the trees caught my eye. The wind whipped my hair in my face, and I had to swipe it behind my back in order to see properly. Left and right, The Forest was endless, like an eternal wall facing the palace. I never understood why people were afraid. I knew the rumors. The legends. I knew that I should have been afraid, but for whatever reason, I was only curious. I felt a pulling to The Forest like something was calling me to its depths.

"Neve." Audra's voice broke me from my curiosity, and I looked back. My handmaiden, though I didn't like to refer to her as such, was slowly trotting toward me on her horse, keeping her distance from the edge. I could sense her fear and hesitation.

"We shouldn't be here, Your Highness. It's not safe. And besides, we shouldn't be riding beyond the palace grounds, especially without a chaperon."

I gave her a look. "Audra, how many times have we followed that rule? And I always carry my dagger on me, you know that."

She didn't have an answer because I was right. We had crossed the boundaries of the palace many times on our outings.

"I'm sorry. I suppose I got a little carried away. I just... I've never understood why people fear it so much." I looked back towards the dark trees.

"Don't you remember all the rumors? The creatures in there for starters, and the poacher? He slaughters anyone who comes into his sight."

I remembered them well. I was told to always stay away and not let curiosity get the best of me. Ever since I was a little girl, the whole kingdom had feared this place. Anyone who entered supposedly never came out again. Some people thought it was magical, even haunted. But the majority of the kingdom feared it as something darker.

"Rumors, Audra. Rumors. We don't know that they're true."

"Princess... you know why I fear it don't you?" Audra looked broken when she said this. "You know that I–"

A crack sounded from the trees. As if the Forest was warning us to leave.

"Let's go," I said frantically, snapping the reigns for my horse to run. We both rode away back toward the palace grounds. Whatever was behind those trees, I had no intention of meeting them face-to-face.

But I couldn't help myself from looking back at The Forest, taking one last glance at its immensity. And for a moment, just a moment, I swore that I could see a shadow.

***

-Elias-

I watched them ride away.

The trees concealed me well, but they could have seen me if they approached any closer. It didn't take me long to know they weren't a threat. Only curious. It was intriguing though, that they came this close to The Forest. How bold of them.

I ducked further behind the tree when the girl with strikingly raven-black hair looked back again. So close to catching my eye. The royal emblems were sewn onto their cloaks, the signature blue and gold. I wondered who they were. Servants from the palace, most likely. That could only explain their clothing. Even bolder for palace servants to approach this close.

Dropping the branch that I cracked against the tree, I continued back into the Forest, bow at the ready. As I stepped along the overgrown grass, I couldn't help wondering what they were talking about. They were far enough away that I could only make out the outlines of their faces. Young. Not much younger than me, I would guess. Unblemished. Unharmed.

I turned my head at a sound in the distance. A buck, tall and strong, was standing off in the distance like a trophy. It felt as though a light was beaming down on him. I quickly crouched down, readying an arrow. I took a good look at the deer before drawing my bow back. Fingers tight against the fletching. Arm drawn back. Forearms clenched.

Both eyes open and...

Release.

In an instant, the arrow plunged into the buck's side. Kind and quick. The deer stumbled around for a minute before falling to the ground, chest heaving.

I dashed toward my target.

I crouched next to the deer as its life started to fade from its eyes. I was already thinking of how I would use the skins, the meat, the bones. Then I closed my eyes, pulling the arrow from the deer's side. I retrieved the dagger concealed in my belt.
"Thank you, my friend, for your sacrifice so that I may live. Go peacefully." I whispered, plunging the dagger into its heart.

***

Author's Note: Thank you so much for taking the time to read the first chapter of my book! I have been working on this project for over a year now, and I hope to get it published someday! I hope that it brings some joy to your day :)

- Brynn