The Evil Hour

06: The Evil Hour

.:. Asher’s POV .:.

“I suppose I could always carry you. You don’t look that heavy anyways.” Why the hell did you say that! I mentally yelled at myself. She looked shocked and then angry. And then she punched me. Hard too.

Then smiling sweetly she said, “Oh I think I can keep up, I once had to fight ten men at once and had one leg broken but I still managed to run, well limp five miles afterwards. So I think you can keep your offer.” Okay so that shocked me a bit.

She then got up and walked over to her makeshift bed. I watched her as she walked away. Man, she was something. She looked back at me and gave me a small smile before laying down. Just that small smile made my heart beat faster. Great, I was turning into a girl. 

I won’t deny it, she was pretty. Okay, pretty was an understatement. More like beautiful. With these thoughts swirling around my head I continued my watch.

..........

With what felt like hours later, well it probably felt that way because it was hours later. My father came and sat down next to me. He looked better, but still had a weary look on his face.

“Dad, I’m going to go with her to the Western Kingdom border. Just to make sure that she gets there safely, after all she is our last and only hope.” I started scratching the back of my neck, it was a nervous habit of mine.

“I know Ash, I know. You have to do your duty to the King through his daughter. I will keep your mother and sister safe. Don’t worry about us. You just get her to the western border safely. You hear me? The fate of the Kingdom rests on your shoulders as much as hers.” My father had never looked more serious in his life.

“Thank you father. I won’t let you down. I must rest now.” He nodded in response, but seemed to be elsewhere in his thoughts. I walked away over to my makeshift bed, it just so happened to be next to the Princesses. I felt bad because of what she was probably used too, although she didn’t seem to be complaining.

She looked so peaceful, innocent and beautiful in her sleep. Her hair was sprawled around her face to make her look angelic. I just wanted to reach out and run my hand through her soft curls and - wait, what am I thinking! She is a Princess, I am a commoner, we could - can never be!

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t even hear her stir until she said, “It’s rude to stare you know.” Her voice was soft, husky from sleep and quiet but it was still enough to startle me.

Crap. She saw me staring. This is bad, this is really bad. Oh man, she’s going to think that I’m some sort of stalker now. Her light snoring brought me back to reality. She had fallen back asleep. She probably wouldn’t even remember this later. Thank god!

I lay down in my bed and fell into a dark void of a dreamless sleep ...

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“Hey sleepy head! Wake up! Rise and shine princess!” I was never much of a morning person. So you can imagine my annoyance to being woken up after a restless sleep. Whoever it was that was attempting to wake me up seemed to have retreated.

All of a sudden I heard light footsteps approaching and then I felt a sheet of ice cold water drenching my skin. To say I was awake was one thing, to say I was happy was another.

“What the -?” I looked up to see the culprit. It was her. The princess. Katanya. Or Lady Angelica. It was confusing she had so many different names. I gave her my harshest glare, to which she smiled innocently at.

“What! Don’t look at me like that! I was trying to wake you up for a good ten minutes. I had to resort to desperate measures.” She looked at me exasperated like I was the most frustrating thing on earth.

“And might I ask, why did you have to wake me up using ‘desperate measures’.” I huffed.

“Well it might be because I have to get to the Western Kingdom border as soon as possible, and you just so happen to be my tour guide. So I need you, I don’t know, awake so that you can do your tour guiding stuff!” Okay, so she had a point.

“Okay, okay. Just let me get changed and we can go.” I replied seeing a second rust sack on her shoulder.

After I cleaned myself up, which involved washing myself (although I was pretty clean already seeings as I was drenched from head to toe), changing into another pair of clothes and saying goodbye to my family.

Things got a bit emotional on the female side of the family. “Honey stay safe. You promise me, don’t do anything stupid. Drink lots of water. Eat well. And promise me you will come back!” My poor mother who was in tears told me as she was hugging the life out of me.

“Yes ma I will and I promise. This is just something that I have to do, okay?”

“I understand sweetie, I just can’t help but worry.” She offered me a small watery smile. I then went and hugged my sister.

“Love you big brother. Come back as soon as possible. Okay?”

“Okay.” I replied before moving on to my father.

“Look after her and yourself. I’m so proud of you son. Protect her with your life.” I nodded and gave him a hug.

“I love you guys.” I said whilst blinking back tears. This might be the last time I see my family, don’t blame me for getting emotional. Katanya had stepped to the side to give me and my family some privacy, which I was grateful for.

Turning my back on my family I walked over to where Katanya was standing and took a compass out of the rust sack. It was packed with all of the essentials. Food. Water. Basic medicine. Weapons. Clothing.

I lay the compass flat on my palm and turned myself so that I was facing South-West. Katanya, who was looking over my shoulder shot me a questioning look.

“Don’t we need to go West, not South-West?” She questioned.

“Yes we essentially have to go West, but there is thick forestation there with dark things occupying it. By going South-West we cut off any potential dangers, and cut time. We will eventually loop back around to West.” I answered her.

“Right well lead the way Mr. I-am-not-a-morning-person.” She looked at me with a small smile and started walking.

“South-West it is.” I replied looking back down at the compass, and then back up at her retreating figure that was already quite far ahead.

“Are you coming or what slow poke?” She questioned. I couldn’t make out her face from where I was standing, but I would imagine her raising her eyebrow in question.

“Yes, I’m coming.” I replied lamely.

As I approached her I heard her say loud enough for my ears, yet quite enough not to disturb the peaceful environment, “So not only are you not a morning person, but you are also a slow person. This will be an interesting trip.”

That made me crack a smile. For once I wasn’t thinking about the war going on around us, or keeping my family safe, or keeping her safe for that matter. But I was thinking about spending time getting to know this girl that never ceased to amaze me ...

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A/N: So the journey begins! Dun, dun, duh! Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Again this is more of a filler chapter to kick start the adventure! Remember to Vote, Comment & Love! ~ Owlet.