Anya

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

   Who did Dimitri think he was? Calling her family with no good reason to! She felt just as much of a victim of King Brokova than anybody else did and yet just because she belonged to the family - and she was not ashamed in the slightest - she was tarred with the same black brush that her grandfather was.

   She had the courtesy to not place him into the same stereotype that all sorcerer's were placed in and yet he could not do the same? She could not allow herself to stay in the same company as a man who did not see the whole topic the same way she did.

   The cave was her only escape from her world of royalty and she did enjoy it - she truly did. She could act herself without fearing that her grandfather would catch wind of it and punish everyone for her actions, just like he did with the seventy-five people who were cruelly sent to Anceps just because she said what everyone was thinking.

   She had a responsibility to the people to make sure they managed to get back into their usual surroundings without a single casualty. They had been in there two weeks and the longer they were in there the worse it was. These seventy-five people could be mentally scarred and not only that, there was enough of them to cause an uprising and when the people find a cause they believe in with a common goal it is extremely dangerous and in that insistence, she had to think of her family

   The first king in their name, Terchev had battled against the weak Illinov Royal family and had gradually made it better, Anya truly believed that her family had made Daighte a better place, just because they had had a bad King does not mean they are all bad and she hoped those who could remember a time before Brokova would convince them to not battle against them.

   Sending a quick look over her shoulder, the cave entrance was empty - Dimitri had gone and with a frown, she faced forward and started to walk at a faster pace. Deep down she had hoped that Dimitri would come after her but she would still ignore him because she was beyond furious but if he did come after her, it would give her a sense that she was not in the wrong.

   Relegating herself to the fact that she would be walking the next hour and a bit alone, she pulled the hood over her face and kept her head down, the guards would be more on patrol now that the storm was starting to calm down a little so she had to be more careful and she didn't have Dimitri this time.

   The hour passed slowly but she soon reached the tree that was shaped like the letter 'Y' and stood behind it. Anya and Darya had decided a year or so ago that this was the midway point between the cave and the Zafiro faction during one of their many trips to the cave with the younger children.

   The cold was starting to feel like it was hitting her bones and she could hardly concentrate on anything else but the cold. Her feet were still warm from her boots but the cloak was a little big and any open space the cold bit at her.

   Standing on her tip-toes, she peaked through the tree and stilled as two guards started walking down the path. Ducking, she sank to the floor and brought her knees up to her chest and placed a hand over her mouth. The wind was not as loud as it had been and she could hear them speaking.

   "It is bloody freezing!" Guard one said.

      "Is this spoiled cow even worth finding? I mean if I had a big palace to sleep in every night, why would you leave?"

   "Exactly, she is probably just trying to prove that she can survive on her own but in this weather I wouldn't be surprised if she was found dead under the lake." 

   "And let us be honest, it would be a waste as she is hot."

      "Oh I know, her sister has nothing on her." Guard one, in his squeaky voice laughed. "My brother works in the palace and say's that he see' her walking around the palace and doing everything herself like she doesn't trust the dozen servants who serve her every whim. Talk about haughty!"