The Four Realms

Chapter 18: Hunter

I had to force myself to breathe, it all happened too fast, yet I remember it in slow motion. We sat silently in the carriage; Nicholas was looking out the window glumly. The land passed by in a blur of yellow wheat fields. Farmers stopped their work to watch in curiosity as we rode by. Normally I would enjoy a journey through my home Plaines, but the circumstances were unpleasant. Augustine was fuming. Her eyes were lit with rage. Nicholas had been lieing to us this entire time, he let Cassiopeia die for nothing. If he had only just told us, then maybe it would have been the four of us together. Looking back on my life now had me in ruins, I could have spent my days in spring and all year, but the king put a spell on us. Did he even think about how this would hurt his subjects. My shoulders slumped. This was not how this story should have ended. I never had a best friend in school growing up, I left early to work on the farms after my father left. Friendships never came easily; I was constantly busy and spent more time with my sisters than anyone else. That's how I liked it. But these past few weeks I made two incredible friends. Augustine and Cassiopeia. And one of them was now dead alone in a cave. I shuddered trying to force the image of her still body out of my head. Why did this happen! Why didn't I stop it, it was all my fault. If only I had jumped into the water earlier and maybe if I hadn't forced her to jump the cliff she could have gone safely back to her family. I was reminded of something Cassiopeia said the night we arrived at her house in Aldea. "Hunter if anything were to happen to me, I need you to give something to my sister. I trust you." she said. "Nothing is going to happen to you." I chuckled softly. "Still." she pleaded. I agreed and tucked a small photograph of her mother, sister, a man she said was her father and herself into my pocket. They were standing outside their house, smiles showing teeth and shiny new clothes. "That was the day we moved into our home. My sister was four and I was twelve, we played in our backyard for hours and I stayed up late reading to her." she explained. I smiled, tapping the photograph in my pocket safely. "I'll give this back to you after we break the curse." I said. She had smiled hopefully but something I wish I hadn't missed twinkled in her eye. I turned the photo over in my hands to find writing in Canain on the back, at the top she had written Anilyn, her sister's name, and on the bottom, she signed her own name in swoopy lettering. "What are you looking at?" Augustine asked. "Nothing." I said nonchalantly. She snatched the photograph from my hands and tears began to well in her blue eyes as she examined it. "Oh." she said, her voice shaking. "How do we tell her family?" she questioned. "I have no idea." I responded softly. "Please forgive me, you know I couldn't have-" Nicholas began but Augustine cut him off with a finger jabbed toward his face. "You shut up; I can't even look at you!" Augustine scowled. Nicholas clenched his jaw but stayed quiet. Augustine's knee bounced nervously as her eyes darted around the carriage. "Stay here, I'll meet you back at the castle." she whispered. "What?" I said as she unlatched the door and threw herself out. "Augustine!" I shouted, was she out of her mind! She sprinted through the fields and was engulfed by the tall corn plants. The carriage jolted to a stop as they slammed the door from the outside and locked Nicholas and I inside. We peered out the window. Hot in pursuit of Augustine were the palace guards. They were slowed by the weight of the armor, and she had a massive head start on them. I don't doubt she will escape deep into the fields before they can track her down. The king won't be happy. "She is going to get herself killed." Nicholas shook his head across from me. "What do you care?" I grumbled crossing my arms and slumping back into the cushioned seat. And then there were two I thought glumly.