Earth and Sky

Chapter 7

Araquiel

My eyes shoot open as I am carelessly dropped onto the ground. Confused, I try to sit up.

"Not so fast, my lady." A rough hand pushes me back down.

Pain shoots through my arm and I immediately recall what happened to me. I snap out of my groggy state and look around. The horse grades nearby a small campfire. It's still dark out, but the first lights from the sun could be seen poking out from behind the horizon. My capture kneels down and starts digging through his bag.

I clear my throat, wanting answers. "Who are you, sir? And what do you want from me?"

The man continues digging through his bag.

"Who I am is really not a concern to you, my lady."

"Actually, it just might be since you tried to kill me!"

He chuckles. "I wasn't the one who tried to kill you, my lady. I was one of many."

I sit up, curiosity radiating off of me. "Are you in a group?"

He drops the bag and turns towards me. He takes a few steps towards my paralyzed body and picks up a strand of hair that fell into my face.

"My lady," he whispers into my ear, "it's a competition. There are two competitors."

Shivers creep up my body.

"A... Competition? That's sick!"

He stands up. "You wouldn't understand. I need the money. You get to live in a castle. People wait on you all the time. You don't know hardship."

I glare at him. "I've just been kidnapped and I don't know hardship! I mean, where do you live that it is so bad that to earn money, you have to tear multiple countries apart. How bad is your hardship that you would leave my subjects without leadership."

His hand smacks against my face. "You don't know anything. The only reason you are still alive right now is because I need to kill you in public to collect my dues. Now, shut up before I decide the money might not be worth it."

My hand flies up to caress my swelling cheek. Tears sprang to my eyes for the hundredth time in the past two days. The man's words echoed in my brain.

'The only reason your still alive...'

This man didn't have a heart. But as long as he was my capture, it would seem I would have to do what he says.

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Scarlet

My horse bumps along as Zeru and I travel through the forest. And... Five knights travelling with us for our protection. The only way Araquiel's and my parents would let me go was if the accompanied me on my journey. I also know that as much as they are bothering me, they are bothering Zeru a hundred times more. Whenever they step on a branch or stop for lunch, he groans and glares at me. But its not my fault my parents are extremely overprotective. I sigh and glance behind me at the parade of knights. We would have been travelling much faster if they weren't here. Which may be an option...

I face my horse sideways, forcing the following soldiers to stop.

"Let's break for lunch. Zeru and I will be coming up with tactics on how to catch the bandit so we will go on for a bit. Don't come looking for us unless of it is of the up most importance. Now break."

With the final word the knights dropped from their horses and took down their travel bags. I pulled my horse up to Zeru's.

"What are you planning?" He asks me suspiciously.

"If you trust me, I'll get rid of what's bothering us both." I examined his face for a sign of uncertainty. "Are you a hundred percent certain that this is the way the assassin took Araquiel?"

He nods. "I can see his tracks. They aren't the freshest since we had a couple of hours delay, but they are his. See how the hoofprints are far apart? That means that the horse was running. What normal person would bring a horse into these beautiful woods and then canter along and miss everything?"

"Oh... Then according to your ideals, I'm not normal."

"What does that mean?"

To answer his question, I dig my heel into my pony's side and race in front of him. In the few seconds I had been running, he and the knights had faded out of sight.

'Here I come Araquiel.'