Rise of the Scaled Ones

Chapter 10

Just as she and Nutmeg began to gallop into the forest, Anjaleen heard a trumpet sound. She gasped in horror as she heard what came next, "Prince Derek's bride has escaped," A voice boomed, "All squads report to the armory!"

"Go faster!" Anjaleen hissed at Nutmeg as they sprinted deeper into the forest. Branches threatened to behead her as they raced further into the darkness. The sun had long set under the horizon and the only light was provided by the full moon and the fireflies that danced around Nutmeg's thundering hooves.

It wasn't long before she heard the shouts of soldiers mounting their own horses while hunting dogs caught her scent.

Please, she prayed to any god listening, I need to flee Prince Derek! Please assist me!

A branch tore at her cheek and she felt warm blood trickle down her face. She grit her teeth angrily. Twigs and leaves got stuck in her honey blond hair and the mud kicked up from Nutmeg's hooves stained her back and legs.

She looked behind her and cursed. She could see the torchlight in the distance between the trees and she knew she couldn't go towards her meadow anymore. Her scent was all over the trail she used!

Making up her mind, she turned Nutmeg in the direction of the stream. "The stream leads downhill," her father had told her one day while they fished, "the further it goes the wider it gets." She remembered her father chuckling, "Yes, sweetling, this tiny stream leads to huge lake."

Smiling grimly, she drove Nutmeg faster. Her horse's hooves kicked up more wet mud but this time Anjaleen was glad. It meant she was closer to the water.

Only did she relax slightly when she felt the cool water of the stream hit her back and the splashing of Nutmeg's hooves in the water. She pressed herself closer to her horse's warm neck and buried her face into the soft mane.

The further she got and the deeper the water became she saw less and less of the torchlight. She heard the dogs' confused barks and howls. The fireflies flew up to greet her and the clouds drew back as the moon praised her.

The crisp night air engulfed her and she shivered. Her arms and shins were bare and she scolded herself, hugging Nutmeg. She was tired but she dared not stop to rest. She'd stop once daybreak hit, she told herself, no sooner.

It was when the moon was saying farewell and the sun was singing it's greeting when it happened. Anjaleen had seen the torchlight in front of her and started so badly that she'd pulled too hard on Nutmeg's reigns. The poor mare jerked and tripped on a submerged tree root, sending them both tumbling onto the rocky coasts of the now calm river.

When Anjaleen opened her eyes again she blinked out sand and grit. Nutmeg was nowhere to be seen. She cursed as she realized that for the few minutes she'd been out, her horse had been spooked and ran away from her. Her pack lay a few paces away and she grabbed it and swung it onto her back. Sighing defeatedly, she began her trek further downstream.

The morning sun beat heavily upon her and sweat ran down her forehead. It was then when she found out she had no idea where she was going. Nutmeg was gone, Rhydian had left, and she was all alone.

She smirked, at least she wasn't dead. That was when an arrow went straight through her calf.

Her scream was cut off when a knife was pressed up against her throat.

"Not another sound, wife," Prince Derek purred. 

A/N: Shortshortshortshort. Well, I did leave you hanging on a cliff here, didn't I? ;)

~ Alex