World's Tale: Royalty and The Dragon

Chapter Four: White Doe

Sitting thoughtful on a rock by the small body of water, Nel had been resting her body and her mind after the past few hours spent hunting in the woods. She didn't particularly like having to rack up such a huge haul but she couldn't let anything happen to the townspeople.

Especially not since they're the last ones that..

She bit her lip. Somehow Nel had always hoped that the people of the Center would never reach them, that they would let them live in peace, following their traditions. It was exactly because the village of Wrego was that carefree, that she decided to settle with them.

Nel crossed her arms, her thoughts slowly trailing off.

"Dad, I don't want you to leave" she said. Her father squeezed her little hand smiling at her, but his smile was forced and it hid so many different emotions behind it, Nel couldn't help but feel restless, worried.

"Sweetheart, White will take good care of you while I'm gone", the man kneeled down and put his hands over Nel's shoulders. He stared into her eyes for a few seconds, tears swelling up. He took a deep breath in.

Nel tilted her head, confused "But you'll be back, right?"

"I.. I don't think I will. Not anytime soon" her father's voice cracked up, and he pulled her in for a last breathtaking hug.

Just one last hug, before he disappeared from her life.

Nel tightened her grip on her own arm, fighting back the stream of emotions that had come back to haunt her. She reached out for her right pocket, where she kept something that was most dear to her.

After she had lost her father and White both, it was the only thing she had left that somehow, at least, reminded Nel of them.

She clutched her hand around it, caressing its surface with her thumb.

All of a sudden, the moon shone brighter and the rays reflected upon the water. Nel covered her eyes briefly before looking in front of her once again.

It was there, just like it had been earlier that evening. The white doe was standing still on the opposite site of the small lake, looking at her. Her stomach suddenly was back in knots.

"I'm sorry. You know I wouldn't if I didn't have to."

The doe stared at her. His eyes cold and empty, as if voided of every rational feelings. The Hunter wondered if there was even the smallest chance that it had understood her. That maybe..

"Are you saying sorry to that doe?", the sudden voice behind her made her jolt up from the rock she was sitting on, losing the balance and falling on the ground on her butt, loud and hard. The voice's owner, the same woman Nel had seen earlier that afternoon, stepped out from the shadow of the trees, brushing past the bushes and hurrying to her side "Oh Gods, forgive me. I didn't mean to scare you" the woman offered her her hand, but Nel refused to grab on to it and got up on her own. The other flinched, straightening up once again, and for a second Nel thought she had been hurt by her rejection.

"Not scared, just surprised" replied Nel, cleaning her clothes "Shouldn't Her Ladyship be in town, under the safety of Her guards?"

Alina frowned "Being caged within a group of bodyguards isn't exactly fun."

"Fair. Still the woods aren't a place you should wander around on your own, Princess" while Nel started making her way towards where she had left the bodies of the deers, she noticed that the princess wasn't following her "Your Highness, I'll bring you back."