The Roaming Archer (NaNoWrimo13&14) Complete

Cross Roads

Angel switched her mindset immediately. She needs to stop pitying herself just like she did for the princess whenever she thought of the princess. And she is the princess. Yes, the whole story saddened her so long longing within her that she would help the girl, but now that she knew it was her, pitying again wouldn't help and she knew it. Wallowing in pity never really helped anyone.

She just began running back. As she ran, she didn't think of the princess. She thought of the time when Fatenturia began falling apart, remembering the people that suffered and fleed for safety. She sped through, her eyes aware of her surroundings even if they seemed to only look straight ahead.
Duck. Branch. Jump. Root.

The wind whirred swooshing right beside her almost as if to coach her to keep on going. Tears wanted to burn in her eyes, but she blinked them away along with a quick swipe all the while placing that focused stare she always had seen in Archie.

Her thoughts became almost blank. She just ran, the chatters of leaves accompanying her mind in a sort of white noise. She dodged another branch ready to smack her face. Angel looked ahead zooming in as if she was able to touch it. She knew she ran for quite a distance all the while knowing her direction.

Voices filled her mind. It wasn't hers. Angel slowed her running trying to make the leaves and grass cover her noise. The wind and leaves succeeded in helping, but soon died out. The chattering of leaves stopped on cue as if to hush at the voice of human voices.

Angel jumped over a large rock to get a good look around her. She crouched and then stood to see where it was coming from. The voices weren't familiar to her ears. Gruff men voices, neighing of horses, the sound of many feet syncronized in marching accompanied the sound of moving wagons and wheels. She soon spotted what she was hearing.

Greanger men?

No more time to think. They were close. Real close. She was surprised not one spotted her. Maybe it's my clothing..In fact, she was wearing shades of green and brown that blended well within the woods. She needed to hide. The question was totally irrelevant at the moment. They were heading her direction facing slightly to her.

She hid behind a tree. It was really close to the path that they were taking, a path that she didn't entirely recognize. Did I really go that far? Her mind wondered how she has never seen the path before. She told her mind to shut up for one second and crammed close to the tree. Roots laid beneath like popping knees and Angel fidgeted to get her feet properly placed behind it.

The trotting of horses got louder.

Angel fixed her footing awkwardly on the bumpy roots. Voices. She tried getting her feet placed firmly once more. A crunch came to play as she did so. Crap. She gasped then caught herself.

They were three feet away. They kept walking as if they had not heard and Angel made a short sigh. She then mentally slapped herself for doing so. But as she tried to get a small peek, she realized one man stopped walking.

~~~~~
Definitely not the best hiding spot. Her foot felt cramped and she had to stay straight aligned with the tree in the process.

Plus they were close.

No time to pick a different hiding place. "Halt!" A manly voice spoke out. It was the guy who stopped. The horses halted their galloping right next to the tree she hid behind in.

Why in the world of all places would they stop right there? Did they hear me? She thought, as she tried to lower her gasping breath.

She heard their voices much more clearly now that they were near. She stood quietly and leaned on the tree. Her clothing rubbed against the bark emanating a scratching sound in the process. Angel abruptly quit moving.