Lifes Fate

3

*15 years later*

I know he's around here. The animals have stopped going about their business. They've been disturbed. I keep my blade against my forearm, ready to attack anything that comes out at me. Every sense, open and ready, but other than the animals, there's no hint that anything's around. 
Just tread steady, it's fine. Breath calm.
Where the hell are you? 
I stay where I am for the next few minutes, he isn't going to budge either. I need to make the first move.
I step back and hear it. I fall on my knee. Leaning to my left as he barges past me, falling over my outstretched leg but quickly gets back to his feet. Easily standing over a foot taller than me. He's double the size of me in muscles. But theres more of him to grab. He jumps at me again and I swipe the blades over his hands making him pull back. Walking around me, but I just follow his every move. Swinging his arm again, which I dodge out the way of. Hooking behind his knee and pulling tight, causing him to fall to the floor. I swing my own fist, catching his face but he quickly copies my own move, pulling my knee. He goes to grab me but I lie back and kick both feet into his chest causing him to fly back. I jump over to him and hold my knife to his throat. Hearing him laugh "Very good!" 
I smile down to him "You didn't do so bad yourself pip" I jump off him and offer my hand.
"Do you both think so?" We look back to Toby whos stood there looking bored. Oh god! Really?! "What went wrong?"
Here we go. I look to Pip who rubs the back of his head "I advanced to fast" 
"You did!" He hits him with a stick across the thigh "And you?" 
I sigh "I let him get me on the floor" A sharp snap goes across my own thigh. Oh!
"You both should know this by now!" He shakes his head and heads back to the hut. 

"Never mind what we did right" Pip whispers and I chuckle quietly. But Toby looks back at us scolding "Sorry"
"You will be! Now you can both make sure we have enough wood, not only for the winter but the spring too" 
Oh god! I push Pip "Idiot!" 

After 3 hours of chopping wood. Let me tell you! Your arms hurt! Hurt to the point of you cant lift them, straighten them or use them really. We sit infront of the rabbit stew and I don't even want to take the spoon! 
"We need to have a talk"  Those words are not some of my favourites! I just keep looking at my food. Willing it to go in my mouth without having to move! "Trish, I'm talking to you!" 
"Exactly, your talking to me, so why don't you tell me what you want to let me know and I'll tell you what I think"
Pip chuckles, eating his sour bread "What do you want to talk about Toby?"
"You two" ... us two? Like... me and Pip?
I look up at him "What about us?"
"Well to be honest, I'd half expected you to uh... to... have... you know, affections?" 
I laugh! "Affections?! Tob, are you asking if me and Pip are having sex?" 
He coughs up the lump in his throat "No... I mean... I was shocked you, didn't, show affections..." 
I look back at Pip whos just staring at Toby like he's grown a third head "So... What are you getting at here Toby?"
He looks at me "Your heir of Tyscin Trish... You should pass on your royal blood"
I laugh "Should I? Yes! Because my rule and my kingdom are thriving!" 
Pip snorts "Right... So you thought I'd get her pregnant? Really?" 
Toby closes his eyes "In all honestly, Yes, but... Now I see that's not going to happen. So what are we going to do about it? You cant let your heritage just die Trish" 
I don't really know what to say to him. I'm the last of my blood, yes. But saying I should carry it on because I have royal blood is radicalise! I have nothing to rule, so what's the urgency?! "Last I saw of Tyscin Toby, its a hive of Orcs, we cant fight them... Even if we did find a way. Everyone would find out I'm alive and we'd just be attacked anyway" 
He stares at me "Unless-"
"Don't even finish thinking about that sentence" 
"He's engaged Trish. He is to be married to someone else. Your promise no longer stands" 
"It wasn't my promise!" He just stares at me. Once I'd heard they'd stopped searching for me, I had thanked god! Then I heard he found someone else to marry and I could breath again! 
"If you think I'm going to go south to ask for help, you've got another thing coming" I get up from the table and head outside. I'm not having that conversation.
Everyone presumes I'm dead, why would I ruin that. 

After an hour of talking and mumbling... well, to myself! I actually bring myself to not run away and live up a tree and head back to the cabin. 
"I had to convince Pip not to come looking for you" Of course he did. 
I throw my satchel on the table and sit opposite him "And where is he now?"
"Sleeping" I laugh. He must have been so worried! "I didn't mean to offend you earlier"
"I know you didn't"
"You're my queen. Its my  job to make sure you're safe"
I smile over to him "I'm not a queen Toby" He raises a brow at me. I know he's never once let me get away with anything like that "And we are safe. Lets be honest we've been the most safe since we've been with you"
"I can only teach you so much. And I can only protect you so long"
I nod "I know... And that's why I've been so long... I'm going to go see King Alfred" 
He raises a brow "No my girl, we, will go see King Alfred"