Everheart

From the Dragon's Eyes: Chapter 2

 The moon was only a sliver when I began my journey. The air was cold and damp and the ground was hard. A horrible combo. I dreaded having to sleep later that night. I could barely see where I was going because of the lack of visibility from the moon. Everything in front of me was just a dark figure on the path. Everything looked the same, trees, large rocks, people. People? I froze. Is that the Royal Guard? Do they already know? How could it be possible? I had only left hours ago. Unless they came during the night anticipating this would happen. 

I looked around for an escape, only finding a bush. I jumped behind it, thankful it was large enough to conceal me until they passed. I got behind the bush with seconds to spare. I inhaled sharply and held my breath, afraid of what might happen if it really was the Royal Guard come to imprison, or worse, kill me. As I kept silent, I heard running. How did I not pick up on that earlier? Was I just to frantic and concerned about myself? It was only one set of footsteps, but they were heavy and uneven. The breaths were short a shallow, more like a panting dog than a human breathing. I didn’t hear armor or the clanking of weapons being flung to and fro due to the running. A civilian? An escaped prisoner? A possible recruit for my army?

As I sat silently, a thought crossed my mind. Has anyone ever escaped from the Royal Guard’s imprisonment before? Successfully? I listened carefully and sure enough, I could hear the faint footsteps of more people running. This time armor clanked, swords dinged and mens’ voices called orders and updates to one another. Whomever just ran passed was being chased by the Royal Guard. Every fiber of my body told me to stay away from the scene that was about to unfold. I didn’t need anymore trouble. I was already running away from them, why should I go get involved and run towards the Royal Guard? But then I realized, blessing or not, I needed an army, and how else would I do that other than to gain respect for helping those targeted by the common enemy?

Unfortunately the only weapon I had to defend myself was the whip my mom gave me before I left. “This was your father’s,” she said. “It served him well for years and will do the same for you.”

I sighed. The whip doesn’t make a good fighter mom, a good fighter makes a whip a good weapon.

“Surround him!”

“Don’t let him get away!”

A scream.

This was what made my defy my common sense. Not blessings, not pride, not my army. A cry for help. If I sat back and watched an innocent person get hurt or even killed, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself, I wouldn’t be able to lead an army rebellion. My guilt would consume me. I would be just as bad as the Royal Guard if I didn’t help him.

As more guards came down the path, I decided. I grabbed the whip from its place on my hip and held it loosely in my right hand. As they ran passed I held my breath and with a silent prayer, flicked my wrist, snapping it around the front guard’s ankle. With a small grunt, I jerked my arm back, pulling the guard’s ankle out from underneath him and knocking him down. Because of the darkness, the guard behind him fell as well. The third guard was wise by now and realized to stop running to avoid falling onto the pile.

I crawled out from the bush I was hiding in and kept my head low. It was then that I realized I was a very recognizable person in genera, my silver hair shone like the moon even in the minimal light, my emerald eyes glowed like a cat’s eyes in the dark, my pale skin looked like it was porcelain under the little moonlight.

SNAP

I stepped onto a twig, catching the attention of the third guard. Seriously? I almost got away too.

“Who’s there?” the third guard demanded as eh turned around and faced me. I stood uneasily in the center of the path looking at him wide eyed. Neither of us moved for a moment. “What is your name?” he demanded.