Suburban Legends / Alicent Hightower / Criston Cole

27. Goddess

''Ara come here love.'' Alicent declared. Ara stared up at her mother as Alicent fixed the bow in her hair. "Alright, go on." Alicent agreed as Ara ran off.

Helaena's obsession with insects fascinated Ara. So wanting to impress her sister she ran out into the woods, Jace chased after her. Harwin swore that wherever Ara was Jace was two steps behind. But no one saw the prince and princess leave this time.

"I saw something last night." Ara told him peering under rocks and looking in logs.

"Last night?" Jace questioned. "You were out without me?" He asked incredulously, Ara smiled a big toothy smile back at him.

"I saw something, I should have grabbed it." Ara went on. "Hela would love it."

"We should go back." Jace remarked looking around.

"Nonsense, we are perfectly safe." Ara assured. At 5 Ara thought herself invincible. But why wouldnt she? They had guards and knights they followed them everywhere, kept them safe. Jace looked around nervously. He didn't see any guards or knights though and they were far from the castle.

"Ara..." Jace said nervously.

"I see it!" Ara exclaimed trying to climb up the tree but a man jumped out and ara stumbled back with a shriek.

"ARA!" Jace shouted moving to her.

"Oh boys, we caught a prince and a princess." the man's teeth were yellow and rotting as he ran his tongue over his teeth, his eyes twitched as he stared down at them. "We are eating good tonight!" he hooted and Ara scurried back.

"CRISTON!" Ara screamed

"HARWIN!" Jace declared.

"CRI-" Ara began again but the man put a rusted blade to her neck.

"Not another word, or I slit ye throat." he told her. Ara's eyes drifted to Jace as he raised his hands slowly. Ara followed suit raising her hands up. "Good... good." he smirked, Ara's hands felt tingly they tremored slightly and she noticed the vines and branches moving behind their assailant. Her eyes glowed green as they were circled.

"How much you think we can sell her for?"

"A princess would fetch a high prince if we bring her across the narrow sea." another told him and Jace swallowed the lump in his throat his eye gaze shifted to Ara. Her hands tremored but her gaze was locked.

"The pleasure houses there... yeah, top rate to fuck a princess."

"Ara..." Jace whispered.

"DON'T TALK!" he shouted and Ara fisted her hands the tree pulled the closest man into the tree the bark of the tree wrapping around him. The other men snapped their heads around as the vines and branches started consuming them. A vine wrapped around the man closest to Ara, pulling him back, they wrapped tightly around his arms and legs restraining him. Soon all the men were either consumed, their faces frozen in place, as though they were apart of the tree itself, while others were dangling pulling uselessly at the vines.

"Ara?" Jace questioned as she grabbed his hand and ran back to the castle.

They were panting for breath when they got to the courtyard.

"ARA!" Criston declared moving to her. "Where were you? I've been worried sick." Criston told her as she hugged him tight.

"Ara was- and then we- oh and you should have-'' Jace couldn't form complete sentences his mind spiraling.

"Seven hells, what happened?" Rhaenyra questioned coming up to them.

"Ara?" Aemond declared seeing her panicked self. He was supposed to be studying but when he heard his mother demanding the castle and ground be searched he was intrigued. He liked being an older brother. He liked that he would be the one protecting Ara and Daeron but he felt like he failed when Ara ran off again.