Rue

Chapter 12

Henri

Rue of the Winter Colored Hair was as beautiful as she was dangerous. Her lack of emotional expression made it impossible to determine her plans. She was angry I had killed one of her wolves. I had done it to gain the trust of my villagers. I didn’t expect them to belong to a Faerie. If I knew of her, this would have never happened.
Felken was another story. He seemed confident the moment he confronted me, but when Rue approached, I understood why he spent so much time in the woods. The way he looked at her told me everything.
My crown was being threatened. If Felken gained the help of a Faerie, it would be easy for him to take it. The small hope I had was left in the deal Felken had made to stop her. But was that true?
“Your Majesty?”
I turned to the sound of Mayfield’s voice. He stood a few inches taller than me, with broad shoulders. Brown stubble covered his face.
“Mr. Mayfield,” I smiled, greeting him. I knew why he was here, and I wanted him to leave. He was the Alpha of the American packs, but he still had to answer to me.
“I’m sorry to hear about your father. Is your mother doing well?”
“Well enough,” I offered.
Satisfied that he had my attention, he gestured to the bright-eyed blonde beside him. She was short, even for a werewolf. Her pink dress was decorated with a black ribbon around her waist. Her shoes matched the shade of pink on her dress. My eyes lingered on the sparkling tiara on her head. I wanted to scoff. Mayfield wasn’t exactly giving subtle hints.
“Excuse me,” I took her outstretched, waiting hand and kissed it. “I was distracted by how beautiful you are.”
Her cheeks turned rosy pink as she took back her hand. She was the same age as August, if I remembered correctly. I wanted nothing to do with her.
“You remember my daughter, Antoinette, yes?”
The last time I saw her she was a little older than Elsbeth. She had grown up with a pleasant face, but I preferred women, not children. “How could I forget?” My smile didn’t falter, even knowing what his next question would be.
“Say, will there be a queen crowned soon? As king, you should have an heir in case something happens.” He rubbed his chin, pretending to think. “Would you consider Antoinette? I’ve been trying to find a suitable husband for her, but can’t seem to find anyone worthy enough.”
Liar.
Mayfield was never strong enough to take the throne from my father or uncle. If he could weasel his way into our family with his daughter, he would. Perhaps he would try and get close enough to strike me down.
Antoinette looked startled. She glanced at her father, then to me, looking hopeful.
She would never be queen, but I could at least make her think she could, to satisfy her father.
“I never thought of that. I will have to think about it, but with such a lovely woman, I don’t think I could say no.” I turned to leave, giving Antoinette and her father a final grin.
Perhaps Felken would want Antoinette. If I gave him a bride to worry about, Rue would be a distant thought. Antoinette wasn’t as appealing as the Faerie, but she could talk.
I met and greeted as many council members as I could. They all offered thanks and words of how great my father had been. I gave them sad smiles and moved on.
“Enjoying yourself?” Rosaline, dressed in a white silk dress, offered me a glass of wine. As I accepted, I remembered that she made a deal with Felken.
“Your parties are as grand as always.” I sipped the drink.
Rosaline smiled, her eyes lingering on my crown. Someone else caught her attention and she walked past me. I turned and grabbed her arm. My palm started to burn—a searing pain shot up.
“Did you need something?” She swatted my hand away. Three of my fingers snapped.
I cradled my injuries, keeping my face as steady as possible.
“Curious,” I said through the pain. “What did Felken ask for when you made him that deal?”
Rosaline shrugged her shoulders, a smile creeping up on her face. “I haven’t the slightest idea about what you’re talking about.”
Rosaline wasn’t about to make me the same offer, even with the crown on my head. My lip twitched.
“Please don’t feign innocence. I know you made a deal with him. He will say yes when the time comes, just like all of the other heirs. Now, why didn’t you offer me the same deal?”
Rosaline swirled her wine, then sniff it. She examined the glass, taking her time to answer. When she did look up, her pink eyes stared into mine.
“I don’t need you.”
I frowned. “Why not? I’m king.”
Rosaline shook her head. Her hair swayed, the scent of lavender wafting to my nose.
“Allow me to rephrase what I said, since your head seems to be filled with air. I don’t need you. I will never need you. I have no use for a child with a fancy hat.”
My heart started to race. I had hoped what I was thinking was not true, and that I was just overthinking everything. I had it set in my mind that Rosaline would pull me aside during this party and offer me anything I wished as long as I promised her a yes.
“What did you promise Felken?”
Rosaline drained her glass. She seemed satisfied with the drink and took time once again to examine the glass.
“I promised him he would be king.”
Rosaline was swept away with the crowd before I could demand more answers.
Felken wanted my crown. My crown. The bastard had made a deal to get it. He was no longer at the party, but I would find him and I would kill him. The only thing he had was Rue, and she could not hurt me. I bit my lip, thinking about how he always acted like he wanted nothing to do with it.

The party ended and I returned home. Mother had left early like Felken, unable to handle her grief for much longer. I had a plan, and for it to work, the house had to be empty.
I knocked on her door. Mother sat in the chair she had stayed in for the past few days. She stared at the spot Father had rested and died in. The room still smelled of him.
Mother looked over at me, forcing a smile. She spread her arms, offering me a hug. I flashed a sad smile, and wrapped my arms around her.
“I’m so proud of you, Henri.” Her voice was soft.
“Thank you.” I pulled away.
I had to tread carefully. Mother was sensitive at the moment, and one wrong word could throw my plan off.
“Mother? I would like to tell you something.” I did love my mother, but I wouldn’t tell her the details of everything going on in my life. I kept those private. My goal was to pique her interest, and I succeeded. “Do you remember Mr. Mayfield? The American Alpha?”
“Of course,” she nodded. “Why do you ask?”
“Mr. Mayfield introduced me to his daughter, Antoinette. She is quite lovely, and Mr. Mayfield suggested that, in the future, we might—”
“Marriage?” My mother’s eyes lit up. For the last two years, she had been hinting that she would like me to find a woman to settle down with. I believed I was too young, but she wanted grandbabies.
“Yes,” I lied. “I wish to invite Antoinette to live here for a while, so she might decide if she could enjoy having me for a husband.”
Mother pulled me into a tight hug. “Oh, yes, of course! But…Are you sure you want this? Your Father…” She glanced at the bed.
I nodded. “I am. May I make a suggestion, Mother? I want the best for you, and being in this house is no good for you right now. I’ve already talked to Aunty, and she said you, August, Jan, and Elsbeth are more than welcome to say with her.”
Mother looked hurt for a moment, taken back. She must have thought I wanted her out of the house so Antoinette and I could be alone. What she didn’t know was Antoinette was never coming here.
“Being in this room is clearly too hard for you. How do you plan on sleeping? In that chair? Go see your sister and take some time away from your memories.”
We sat in silence. I waited for the fish to take the bait I was dangling with patience. Mother eyes moved back and forth. She mentally debated with herself about my offer. I could offer more words, but even one more would make me seem pushy.
“Yes,” she finally said. “I think I will. Wake your siblings, will you? Tell them to pack. We’ll leave in the morning.”
I stood and grabbed her arm. I pulled her to her feet and escorted her out of her room and to Lore’s. She had returned home from London for the funeral but was leaving in the morning. My sister was strong, but deep down she was still just a young girl. Father often nitpicked at her choice of hairstyles or clothes, but it was easy to see the two enjoyed the fighting.
Lore sat up at the sound of her door opening. Her lack of tiredness told me she had been up for hours, unable to sleep. I couldn’t blame her.
“Mother?” She whispered.
Mother rushed over to her bed and climbed in. She pulled the blankets over the two of them, just as Lore started to cry. I closed the door, mentally applauding my sister for being strong until now.
I walked down the stairs to the front door and pulled on my boots. Rain pattered outside gently, soaking the ground. The clouds made it darker than usual, but I knew where I was headed even without much light. The small storage shed sat at the edge of our property. Anything worth keeping was stored in Felken’s room; this shed was just full of rusted tools.
I yanked the door open; the old hinges screamed. The sound of rain covered the noise. I ducked inside and located a hammer. Finding the bucket of nails was the hard part. I went through an old bag, saws, and shovels in search of the small tin can. I finally found it hiding beside an abandoned tire.
I turned to leave, but a flash of lightning lit up the shed.
Back when I was a child, I remember Father taking me to one of the villager’s houses. The man was getting a new fence built and had no need for the iron poles dug into the ground to mark where the wooden beams were going. Father said he would take them, and they had been sitting in this shed ever since. They would do well against Faeries.
I slung rope over my shoulder and walked out into the rain. My smile was returning. As of tomorrow morning, my crown would be secure from Felken, no matter what deal he made with Rosaline. You couldn’t be a threat if you were dead.
I dropped everything on my floor and headed to fetch some paper and pencils. Felken always liked drawing, but how would he like writing instead? He had nothing to his name, but I promised myself I would at least honor his final wishes if he chose to write them down. He was a thorn in my side, but he was still my little, annoying cousin.
I looked over everything, satisfied I had everything I needed. I grabbed the paper, pencils and rope and headed for the attic stairs. Felken had left them down, to my luck. Trying to haul the door down would wake the whole house, including Felken. I took care in my steps; I wanted to be as quiet as possible.
Felken slept on his bed, facing the wall. I placed the paper, rope, and pencils in the middle of the room, wincing as a pencil rolled across the floor and stopped as it hit a box. I held my breath. He didn’t so much as move.
I wrinkled my nose. For the past few months, I thought Felken’s constant running around in the woods was the reason he smelt of pine. Even now, the scent lingered in the air, more potent than anything else. I made my way to the door, hoping Rue’s scent would linger for at least a little bit longer. I wanted my cousin to hope and pray to Aldreina for Rue to help, only for her to never come. The iron bars would see to that.
“Farewell, cousin.”



                 Felken


My ears itched with the sound of tapping. It came from the door, but it wasn’t knocking. There was a distinct pattern to it. Rolling over, I peeked over my shoulder, squinting my eyes in the dark.
Dark?
The birds chirped outside and a small filter of sunlight squeezed through the wood that covered my window. I bolted up, clawing to get the window open. Whoever nailed the wood on made sure I couldn’t get it off.
I ran towards the door, throwing my weight against it.
“Oh, you’re awake? Thank goodness to that, cousin.”
“Henri?” I wiggled the door knob, but there was no use. The other side of the door had been barred like the window. “Open up! What’s going on?’ Henri pounded another nail into the wood. I could almost see his smug face behind the door and I pushed against it.
“Well, after last night, I got to thinking. I can’t have you running around the woods with that Faerie. I thank you for the deal you made, but this is for the best.”
My foot slammed into the wood, not even making a dent. “What, do you mean to let me starve to death? If you’re going to kill me, do it yourself! Don’t be a coward.”
I didn’t want to die. The thought sent shivers up my spine. Dying alone in my room, before I could see Rue one last time, felt like the end of the world.
“Kill you? Oh no, cousin. You’re going to do that yourself. I made sure to leave you a rope and some sheets of paper and a pencil so you might write your final wishes. Such a tragedy. My dear cousin so devastated by the death of his mother, uncle, and father that it drove him to suicide.”
My face paled. “You can’t possibly make me die, Henri.”
“No, I can’t, but you will. That deal you made involved that Faerie not killing me, but I can still kill her. I don’t have to hold back anymore. I can hunt her at full force and kill her pack, and she can’t touch a single hair on my head.”
I pounded at the door. I tasted blood; without realizing, I was biting my tongue.
“If you touch her, I will kill you.”
“No, no, cousin. You will kill yourself if you don’t want her to come in harm’s way. You’re too much of a threat to my crown, and too close to the Faeries for my liking.”
I gave up trying to break the door down for now and paced back and forth. I could see Henri’s faint shadow under the door as he moved.
“What of Aunty? She will know something is wrong when she finds me locked in the attic,” I called, digging through the boxes. I had stashed away some candles, but I never thought I would need them for this reason.
“Gone. Mother went to stay at her other sister’s house and took Elsbeth, Jan, and August with her. Lore returned to that school in England. It’s just you and me in this house, cousin. No one will notice you’re gone.”
“Rue will hunt you when she realizes what you’ve done,”
Henri laughed. I wanted to light the candle and burn the door down, but setting the whole house on fire to escape was the worst idea I could come up with.
“Do you really think that is true? That she’ll come to your rescue? I know you’re in love with her, but can the same be said for her? Does she return your feelings?”
I stopped searching for the match box.
“I’m not—” denying it would be a lie. I didn’t want to give in to Henri’s nonsensical banter, but I didn’t want to lie about how I felt either. He already planned on using her against me, so admitting something he already knew couldn’t do more damage. Henri knocked on the door twice before turning to leave. The floor groaned under his weight, the sounds getting quieter until he found the ladder leading down.
“Good day, Felken.” He called, his voice sounding a thousand miles away.
I punched the floor, shaking. How was I going to get out of this mess?
I hated that Henri left. Not that I enjoyed talking to him, but he provided extra time. The longer I stayed talking to him, the longer Rue was safe in that moment. I would be a difficult task to hunt the elusive Faerie of the forest, but he just might use my captivity as an excuse to lure her out.
I didn’t want to think of Henri’s words. The question whether Rue loved me back echoed through my head. Her actions were questionable, but without her voice or facial expressions, it was impossible to know for sure unless I asked her. I wanted her answer to be no. I wanted her to run as far as she could, never to return to where Henri saw her as nothing but prey. I wanted her to be safe.
After lighting the candle, I had six matches left. The candle would last a few days, if I was cautious of how long I used it. I dug through all the boxes, searching for anything that wasn’t junk. I uncovered several clothes, lamps, books, and other meaningless items. I found nothing that would help.
I brought the candle to the window, looking for any gaps. Henri must have put several layers of wood—he’d left a gap so small even my small finger wouldn’t fit in it. I picked at the wood with my fingers, but nothing would budge. I frowned, returning to the door next.
I pulled and pushed at the door, but like the window, Henri had made sure I wouldn’t be able to escape from here. I imagined him having his morning breakfast, a smug grin on his face as he thought of ways to hunt Rue. I hoped she would break our deal and kill him where he stood.
I placed the candle on the floor next to the stack of papers. He left me enough to write a novel, along with a handful of sharp pencils. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of hanging myself and leaving a letter stating whom my few belongings would go to.
I picked up a pencil and stacked all the papers. If for the first time in my life I had more paper than I could dream of, and a pencil I didn’t have to nurture until it was a mere inch, I was going to use them. I was going to draw.
I sketched Rue first, and unlike the first time I drew her, I kept her face natural, as the face I knew. Next, I started a picture of Rosaline. She too was beautiful and deserved to be immortalized on my paper. Titania followed. Although my hatred for what she had done to Rue stayed, Faeries seemed to like their portraits done, and perhaps I could convince her to undo her spell on Rue if I showed an example of my skills.
I drew until my hands ached and the small ray of sunlight disappeared from my window. My eyes weren’t heavy, but saving as much energy as possible was for the best. I was hungry and thirsty, but years of having one meal a day seemed worth it in a moment like this.

Three days after Henri locked me in my room, there was a knock on the door.
“Are you still alive in there?” Henri called.
I didn’t answer. My throat was dry and my body heavy. I could outlast any human when it came to starving myself, but the effects were starting to take a toll on my body.
“You’re a stubborn fellow, so I will just assume you are still alive. Even if you are dead, at least you will listen to me. I’m sure you would be happy to know one of Rue's wolves is dead. It was an old thing, so hunting it was easy with the village men. I plan on having it skinned and leaving it at the edge of the forest. I’m sure the princess would like that.”
I dropped to the floor, half dragging myself with the little energy I had left. I made it halfway to the door before my lungs started to burn, and my throat felt as if it was torn. I coughed.
“Ah, so you are still alive. Good.” His footsteps echoed down the hall, leaving me lying on the floor, cursing his name.

Days started to blend. It had been at least six since Henri’s last visit, and like before, he brought news of another dead wolf. My heart ached with every news of death he brought. How long until it was Rue’s body he had left to rot in the woods?
I tried to stay awake for as long as I could, fearing that I wouldn’t wake up if I fell asleep. My stomach stopped hurting on the fourth day, so that wasn’t a problem, but even sitting up was hard. I became dizzy and would fall over. I was thankful I was not human. I would have been dead days ago without water.
The rope on the floor was starting to look better. I had tried to eat several sheets of paper and half the candle just to fill my stomach with something, but it was useless. I don’t think I would have enough energy to hang myself.
Two weeks passed, and I started to drift off into a dream-like state. I didn’t hear Henri proclaim his victories against the wolves. I had a vague memory of changing into a wolf, but I couldn’t remember if it really happened or not. I ignored the rain falling outside, enough to revive my poor body. I didn’t think I was hearing the sound of scratching on the wood.
I dazed in and out, but each time the scratching sound would awaken me. I almost wanted to yell for it to stop, but my voice was long gone.
A tearing sound brought me back to reality. I wasn’t dreaming. Someone was outside. My heart raced for a moment, before realizing it was just Henri making sure I wouldn’t escape. How could I in this condition? The smell of rain filled my nose. Another snap and a thud. My mind drifted off once again.
My dream was simple. I had died and the last thing I smelled was Rue’s pine fragrance filling the air. My nose twitched. What a cruel way to die. My brain was so malnourished the hallucinations it conjured were distasteful.
One heavy knock woke me from my slumber. Henri must have returned, boasting how yet another wolf had dead at his hands; and I would simply drift into my near-dead state.
Thump.
Henri’s didn’t start speaking yet, but I was sure he was trying to determine if I was still alive at this point.
Thump.
I forced my eyes open a crack. Rue sat on the roof, all the wooden barricades torn down. The rain had stopped, but her scent brought life back into me. Her eyes stared at my malnourished body. She formed her hand into a fist and knocked again.
I wasn’t dreaming. She was here. She didn’t move, but continued to knock every few minutes. What did she want; to just watch me die? I couldn’t move. If she wanted me to leave with her, she would have to help carry me out—
She didn’t because she couldn’t. Faeries must be invited in to enter, no matter how dire the situation. If I couldn’t find my voice to speak, Rue would be forced to watch me die from the window.
I swallowed, trying to find enough energy to speak.
“Co…” I wheezed. Speaking with a voice was too much. Breathing the words and praying to Aldreina it counted was all I could do.
“Come,” I took a sharp breath to finish what I was saying, but Rue had already stepped in through the window. She was at my side in an instant, feeling my fever with her hand. I blinked, noticing the black smears and blisters on her hands. Blood.
I didn’t realize Henri had used iron nails and probably a few iron bars for safe measures. Rue’s fingers were torn to ribbons, but without her emotions, I would have never known she was in pain.
She slipped her arm under my back and scooped me into a seated position. My body flopped like a ragdoll, my bones seeming to have melted away. Rue sat in front of me, and put one of my arms around her neck. She stood with ease, my weight nothing to her. She half-dragged me to the window and pulled me out. The difference in our height made things difficult, but eventually I was free of my prison.
I closed my eyes, thanking her a thousand times in my mind. No amount of drawings or honey-dipped apples could repay for my saved life.
I closed my eyes, feeling sick. The air around us became lighter, and I knew she was taking me back to the den the quickest way possible.
Water trickled down my throat. It wasn’t enough to quench my thirst, but it provided enough relief. A lake full of fresh, crisp water could be poured down my throat, and still the only thing I would notice would be the lips pressed against mine. The smell of smoke and wolves gave me the illusion we were back at the den. I was warm for the first time in days.
Rue hovered over me, her hand resting on my chest. She took care not to add too much pressure even as she pulled away. She took several more sips of water before returning to my lips.
I never imagined my first time kissing Rue would be when she was trying to save my life because I was too weak to move. Regardless, the gesture made my heart double in speed, and I wished I could remain half-dead forever.
After giving me a few more mouthfuls of water, Rue left the cave. My lips tingled, the feeling still present.
It was only a few minutes before she returned with a skinned rabbit in hand. Soon the smell of cooked meat made my long empty stomach growl. It could be bland and still taste better than my last meal of candle wax and paper.
I struggled to roll over on my side. I was strangely fine at receiving secondhand water from her, but I was determined to chew my own food. Rue knelt at my side, offering a chalice of water. I didn’t question where the gold and ruby crusted cup was from; I just drank. Water slopped down my face, but I didn’t stop until not a drop remained in the cup. Rue fetched me more water, and I felt my strength returning.
Once the rabbit was cooked, I drank enough water to put enough life back into me. Rue held out the stick with the roasted meat. I accepted and tried to savor the meal, but I couldn’t. After the first bite, the next came all too soon, until I was stuffing meat into my mouth like a beast.
Rue watched, making sure I was returning to myself. I licked the grease off my fingers, wanting more of the meat.
“I know your people don’t like it, but I have no other way of saying it. I promise I don’t mean to offend you in anyway, but thank you. Thank you for saving my life.”
Rue tilted her head to the side, before nodding.
I looked around the den, examining the remaining wolf. It was curled up, its back facing us. Its chest rose and fell, but the pattern was too quick. It wasn’t sleeping.
“Are the rest hunting?” I questioned, the blood draining from my face.
Rue shook her head, and I knew the worst had happened. Henri had killed all but one. She watched as her family slowly dwindled in numbers, without anything she could do.
“You must hate me for making that deal with you. I didn’t know he was going to do this. I swear. I would have killed him personally if I knew.” Her head shook. She moved closer and placed a hand on my cheek, forcing me to make eye contact. There wasn’t fear or anger in her eyes. She didn’t hate me.
I let out a sigh. “How on Earth are we going to get out of this mess?”
I knew exactly how. Talking to Henri was out of the question. I had tried, but he wanted to hunt Rue, and for that, I could not forgive him.
I wasn’t ready to kill Henri. He was my cousin; but now he was also my king. Getting him alone would be easy, but putting the knife in his chest would be the hard part. For him, killing me wasn’t an issue—another day or two and I would have been dead if not for Rue. I wished I could see the look on his face when he found out I was no longer in the room, but by now, he thought I was long dead. I stopped replying days ago, and even the muted sound of my breathing wouldn’t have been heard by him.
Rue should be the one to kill Henri, but that’s where the laws started to mingle. Our traditions were that the killer of the current ruler becomes the new ruler. If I killed Henri, I would become the next king. If Rue killed Henri…I couldn’t remember a time when another species killed the current ruler. Rue wasn’t a werewolf; she was just a wolf-shifting Faerie of the woods. Having her become king was out of the question. August would take the throne, but that would be an accident waiting to happen. During the party, other werewolves had looked at Henri as an easy target. Adalwulf had been the ruling name for a while, but because outside challengers had failed. If August became king, it meant a sixteen-year-old boy would be throwing his life away. My father and Uncle had been hard to kill. A mere boy wouldn’t be.
Lost in my thoughts, I noticed Rue returning. I didn’t question where she went, but she just sat on the opposite side of the fire, looking into the flames.
“I will avenge your wolves, Rue.” I promised.

After a month, I returned to the edge of the woods and stood peeking at the house. I sat in a pile of leaves, just behind a small bush. Rue had patched the window, and looking up, you couldn’t tell it had been torn apart.
I smiled; Henri must have thought I was long dead. Surprising him was the best bet—catch him off guard and then end his life. I had yet to see him the few times I examined the house. He must have been spending his time in council meetings.
I dashed into the woods, returning to the den. The single wolf that was left sat outside the door. Rue had brought the wolf food so she wouldn’t risk its life by letting it hunt. She stood waiting for me to return. I had asked her to give me some basic fighting knowledge if she had any, in the slight chance I would need it. Henri would prefer a gun or knife before hand-to-hand combat, but it would help in the smallest way.
I took my place in front of her, raising my arms. I told myself I would go easy on her, not wanting to harm her.
Rue swung her fist faster than I could see. It landed just under my ribs. If she had hit the bone, they would have broken. I coughed, resisting the urge to vomit. My knees slammed into the ground, small rocks cutting my skin.
I spat out the blood in my mouth from biting my tongue and pushed myself up. Rue didn’t flinch at my counter attack and grabbed my arm, pulling me forward and thrusting her leg out, throwing me back into the dirt face first. I wiped the dirt from my mouth. I winced as I applied pressure to my wrist as I stood. Still, I stumbled to my feet.
“Can we take it a little slower, please? I could attack and you slowly show me how to counter it.”
Rue nodded and waited for me to catch my breath. Not even five minutes against her and I wanted to quit.
I rushed forward, once again prepared to have my ass kicked. I aimed for her gut like she had. My arm shot out. Rue took hold of my wrist, stopping me dead in my tracks. I applauded her for listening to my request of slowing down, until her other fist drove into my neck.
I groaned, cradling my fractured bone. It would heal in a few moments, but the pain still remained.
“This isn’t working,” I admitted. “Do you have any other ideas?”
Rue nodded once, dropping her defense. Maybe we could try again later, but for now I needed a rest. I had recovered from my near death experience, but my strength was still pathetic from years of neglect. One month of freedom still wasn’t long enough for me to build my strength. I couldn’t rely on Rue forever.
“Are you hungry? It would take a while, but we could walk to the next town and find something.”
Rue stared for a moment, thinking the suggestion over. I thought she would agree, but her head shook. She grabbed my hand, and we dashed off into the forest.
“Wait—”
My shoulder protested, but she didn’t stop running. My body became light and the trees started to blur. A jolt rushed through my body. I lost my balance for a moment but recovered. Rue had stopped running, allowing me to look around.
The trees were different—taller and broader with bright green leaves. They blocked the sun, but the temperature was still rather warm. We had been running for quite a while.
“Where are we?” I questioned, but her hand was pulling me once again. The smells of the forest awoke my senses. Flowers spread across in every patch of sunlight, reaching for the sky. Rue drove me to run faster.
Ahead was a patch of blue, the color of the sky. I pushed myself to the limit, finally able to catch up with Rue and run beside her. The gap got closer, and I could smell the ocean. The trees grew thinner and scarce, and as the dirt beneath my feet turned to rock, I could see why. I slowed my pace. Rue’s hand tightened, dragging me beside her again.
My heart couldn’t beat any faster than it was now beating. The air was salty. The ocean spread farther than my eyes could see, and it filled me with a rush. The cloudless sky followed it, merging at the horizon.
“We need to stop—”
My foot left the edge of the cliff, at the same time as Rue.
I had hoped it was a short fall, but the moment I left the ground, I understood my mistake of following Rue. It took gravity a moment to wrap its claws around me and have me crash into the water below.
My knees hit the water first. I sunk deeper than I thought I would. I kept my eyes closed from the stinging salt water, kicking my feet in the hope of reaching the surface. My hand was forced out of Rue’s grip upon impact.
I gasped for air. I coughed in return, spitting out the little water I inhaled. I wiped my eyes with a hand and spun around. Rue sat on the cliff edge, wringing her hair.
I was never a strong swimmer, but Rue couldn’t have known that. Maybe she thought by building up some strength, our fights would go better. I kicked my feet, paddling towards where she sat. She lifted her hand, telling me to stop. In the sunlight, her pale skin looked almost white. I stopped, continuing to kick my feet. My wet clothes made my body heavy. Every time I stopped kicking, there was the threat of sinking.
Something brushed against my leg. I steadied my breathing, calming myself. Water was flowing around me; it would be easy to mistake the water for something else—
A hand grabbed my ankle and pulled me under. I swallowed a mouthful of water. My lungs burned as I seemed to be dragged further down. Scales brushed my face. Another set of arms wrapped my chest from behind. Something like rope tickled my neck.
I was let go. I swam for the surface, coughing and gasping. I managed to suck in another lung full of air before I was pulled under again. I kept my eyes open, hoping to catch a glimpse of the creatures.
The water burned my eyes, forcing me to close them. Two sets of arms held on to my legs for a brief moment before letting go. One set brushed my face, one more grabbed my arm.
When I was given more air, I paddled, trying to stay afloat for as long as possible. An orange and black fin moved a few feet from my face. My heart rate doubled, and I kicked my feet, moving as fast as I could.
Mermaids.
Rue had dropped me in the ocean with mermaids. My knowledge concerning mermaids consisted of the fact that they were destructive, loved gifts, and had a taste for human flesh. I wasn’t human, but I looked like one, and until they took a bite, they wouldn’t be able to tell.
My back slammed into something. I spun. A girl with brown hair was under water up to her nose. Her eyes were the biggest I had ever seen. Her pupils took up the majority of the sockets, giving her an eerie feeling. She dipped under the water and disappeared. I took my chance and swam towards the shore. I felt a pair of arms wrapping around my torso and dragging me under. Scale-covered hands rested on my cheeks. The mermaid pressed her lips against mine. I pushed her off, and found another one was there to pull me deeper.
My back collided with the sandy bottom of the ocean. The rest of my air escaped my lungs, bubbles tickling my face. The mermaids let me go. I pressed my feet on the bottom and pushed up, rushing to my source of life.
Rue sat still, watching me struggle. The mermaids seemed to be enjoying their game, and I wondered how much longer it would go on before they got bored enough to kill me. I was dragged under again. My fists made contact with as many mermaids as I could. Moving used more energy, and the moment they released me for air, I took the chance to gulp as much air as possible.
My head ached. My moves became more sluggish the more I was dragged under. The shore was getting closer, but not fast enough. At this rate, I would drown before I was eaten.
A set of teeth dug into my calf. I cried out but didn’t have time to take in more air. I kicked with my good leg and was let go. I rushed to the surface, the water sporting swirls of red. The fins and tails splashed around me, arms flailing and growls emanating. A mermaid held the bitten portion of flesh above her head, out of reach out the others, before diving under the water.
I swam for the shore, thanking Aldreina for the distraction. I reached the cliff, and with the little strength I had, I pulled myself out. I climbed higher until I reached Rue’s ledge, limping on my wounded leg. A trail of blood followed me, but I was more concerned about the fighting mermaids. The smallest one ducked under the water, only to surface a moment later. She dropped my flesh in the water, a sour look on her face. Another grabbed it, stuffing it into her mouth, spitting it out soon after.
I chuckled sarcastically, not finding any of this funny. I just fought for my life to find out mermaids thought I tasted disgusting.
The ledge was several feet wide. I lay down, nursing the missing portion of my leg. It was already healing, but with the salty water and its depth, the pain burned through the wound and brought tears to my eyes. Rue looked at the bloody mess, and deciding it was bad, tore a strip off her dress. She covered the missing portion, tying it tight. Red seeped through the white fur, dyeing it all in a few moments. First I almost drowned, and now I might just bleed out before I ever had the chance to face Henri.
“Was all this necessary?” My tone was harsher than I hoped, but my anger was hard to hide. Rue had almost gotten me killed, and for what? She nodded, applying more pressure to my leg. I groaned, not wanting her to be near it; but dying wasn’t an option.
I said nothing long after the sun started to set and my pain became a small throb. I untied Rue’s fur and examined the cut. Red and shiny, it had almost healed. My leg had a slight indent where the teeth had sunk in, but it was healing fine.
I stood and added weight on my leg. It throbbed but could support me.
The sky shone red, the ocean as red as the blood I had offered it. Now and then a flick of a mermaid’s tail reminded me they were still there, watching. I wanted to leave this place as fast as possible.
“Can we go? I’m tired and hungry, and I just want to sleep somewhere that doesn’t involve straw.”
Rue didn’t seem bothered by my new snappy attitude. I blamed her for this whole mess— and now we were far from home, and watching Henri was out of the question.
She pointed her finger up. I looked over the cliff in the dying light. It was ragged and had many ledges and small trees that grew from the rock. To the left and right, the cliffs shortened to a beach, but I didn’t want to risk swimming it.
“You want me to climb this thing?” I groaned. “Can you just take us home, please?”
Rue shook her head and faced the cliff. In a swift movement, she jumped from the ledge and took hold of a smaller one a few feet above. Pulling herself up with ease, she balanced with one foot and reached out for another and another. Before I knew it, she was half way up, looking down.
I didn’t follow. I was too worn at the moment and my empty belly groaned. I sat at the base of the cliff, my back against the wall, and watched the sunset with a frown on my face.

Rue jumped off the top after a little while, landing beside me. She had a few plucked birds in one hand and enough wood to start a small fire in the other. She dropped the wood and started to build the fire. The sun was long gone, and in the dark, I could just make out her white dress and hair. A few sparks flew, and one caught. Feeding it a little at a time, soon we had birds roasting over the fire and my mouth watering.
I tried not to make eye contact with Rue, still upset about my near-death experience thanks to her. I took my meal without thanks and filled my belly.
The skin on my leg returned to its smooth self, fully healed. I would face the cliff tomorrow morning. The worst thing that could happen was that I would be tortured by mermaids or break my neck on a ledge. If that happened, I wouldn’t have to worry about Henri, or the possible crown I would be taking from him with his death.
I dropped beside the fire and closed my eyes. My lungs felt heavy with the water that still sloshed around inside them. My stomach churned and my head seemed to follow the motion of waves, almost making me sick.
But sleep was all I needed.