Bandit Queen

Chapter Eight

Percy was subtly shaking and his face had become ghostly pale. He held Lia and the trunk of the tree tightly. Lia leaned over and whispered into his ear.

"You'll be alright," she soothed, rubbing her hand in circles around his back, healer-mode kicking in.

"I'm not scared," he grumbled, his ego hurt.

"Hush, they'll hear us." She eyed the ground bellow them. Percy attempted to follow her gaze, but she gently lifted his chin up with her finger. He stopped trembling. He stared intently into her eyes. She blushed, noticing how handsome he was with his  grey eyes and wild dark brown hair.

Percy concentrated on her emerald green eyes with specks of gold that seemed to float around near her pupils. Freckles dotted her cheeks and to him, it felt as if the stars were reflected through her image. He noticed the slight blush washing over her face, beginning to feel his own heat up. His eyes travelled to her lips, the color of the freshly picked roses that he and his mother had plucked from the garden around their cabin when he was young.

 Distant memories flooded his head. His eyes travelled back to the faraway forest floor. His throat tightened, as he remembered the last time that he had been this far away from the safety of the ground. He shut his eye's tightly.

"They'll pass soon," Lia said, pulling him out of his reminiscential hell.

A cadet marched under the large pine. Wiping his sweaty forehead, he lowered himself onto the grassy surface in front of the trunk. Lia rolled her eyes.

"He just had to nap under our tree,"  she thought.

Percy laid his head onto her shoulder, and she rubbed his back. They stayed like that for 30 minutes, quietly waiting to be found out. Eventually, another soldier came through the line of tree's.

"What do you think you're doing Luden?" she said, with both hands resting on her hips and teeth gritted together. The man's lazy eyes fluttered open. He shook his head.

"Five more minutes," he muttered, eyelids falling back down.

"Get up now," she ordered, gesturing with her finger to move.

He opened his eyes again, clearly annoyed that somebody would dare wake him from his much needed slumber. That expression melted away faster than an iceberg tanning on the sun, when she marched over and grabbed the neck of his tunic.

"Do you dare defy me cadet?"

The man's eyes widened in horror. He shot up instantaneously.

"Commander, I didn't realize..."  He stifled a yawn.

"Did I give you permission to nap? As you slumbered, that brat of a princess escaped again." The commander folded her arms across her chest. "Well what are you waiting for? We're heading east. You've delayed us enough. Move."

Luden dusted off his uniform before disappearing into the endless line of trees. The commander shook her head, following behind.

Lia listened closely, until she could no longer hear the twigs that snapped under the soldiers' feet. Once silent, she heaved a sigh of relief.

"Let's go." She lowed her foot onto a branch bellow, refastening her cloak. Percy looked at his surroundings nervously.

"I don't know if I can," he insisted, clutching the trunk tighter.

"We don't have much of choice. Put your foot her." She bent down, patting the sturdy branch. He reluctantly followed her instruction.

At one point, a branch creaked and he threw his long arms around the trunk to steady himself.

"He's worse than a cat," she noted.

At last, he stepped off the final branch. He fell to his knees, incredibly relieved to touch the comforting ground once more.

"I'm sorry," he said, guilt and embarrassment in his cheeks.

"I understand why you're afraid. I'd climb trees often when I was younger, so I've always been used to it." Percy frowned.

"I did too." Lia bit her lip. Something terrible must have happened to him. They walked the final two miles to the cave in silence.

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Odeon, General of Ezliar, stirred his scalding tea with his pinky finger, before dropping in two more sugar cubes. 

"Doesn't that hurt your hand?" Thoren asked, sipping his wine.

"I would think so." Ezliar held up his metal finger.

"How in God's name did you lose that?" The general scoffed.

"It was a bet." Thoren raised an eyebrow.

"So you lost? Whatever was it about?"

"Actually, this was the bet," Odeon said,  admiring his shiny extension. "I was drunk with an acquaintance of mine, and he said that he'd give me 4000 lucks, if I chopped off my finger. I agreed and completed the deed. The next day, once sober, I took his end of the bargain and an extra souvenir. "

Thoren twirled his beard. "And what was that?"

"His head, of course." The king clapped his hands, chuckling.

"You sure love your money." Odeon nodded.

"I am to marry your daughter. Have you announced the news yet?" Thoren smirked, clasping his hands together.

"That is actually why I called you here today," purred Thoren. Odeon licked his lips.

"Wonderful."

"I have recently discovered that Elicia has another secret suitor. I believe that he has corrupted my innocent daughter's mind with his silly words and gifts."

"I'll have his head too. Who is this man?" Odeon hissed, crossing his arms.

"Sadly, you cannot take his head. It is Prince Myron of Isdole." Odeon lifted up his hand to scratch the back of his head.

"What would you like me to do then?"

"Please make her forget about that silly boy," said Thoren, sipping his wine.

"It would be my absolute honor."

Thoren picked up the servant's bell, noisily ringing it. A quivering servant stumbled into the room. He was breathing deeply to calm his nerves.

"Whatever is the matter? You look like at me like I might kill you," questioned Thoren.

"Oh no your majesty. I am just in awe of being chosen as your new personal servant," he said, his voice thick with fear.

"Of course. Well it is always a pleasure to meet one of my fans," he said, reaching out his hand to shake. The boy took it reluctantly, a fake smile plastered onto his face. "Now, please fetch my daughter Elicia."

Hi guys! Thank you so much for reading my story. You all are so awesome for taking the time to read it. Please remember to show the love and have a fantastic day!

-XOXO Meaghan