Lost in the Hills

Chapter 4 (Connections)

She looked up as she heard the wooden door creak open. What she saw made her furious. She had told the man not to follow her and he had defied her. He had been looking around the bar and didn't even notice when she was suddenly right in front of him. 

She shoved him into the wall with her elbow to his throat. "What're you doing here? I told you not to follow me! You're gonna pay for that I tell ya!" 

The bartender and Donal quickly came up and grabbed the girl, trying to restrain her from hurting the lad. 

"Eh lass, why're ya bein' so mean to my customer?" the bartender asked as she struggled to get out of their hold.

"He deserves it! I helped him for a wee price and he disobeyed the deal!"

"Flynn! How're ya lad?" Donal said, wrapping Flynn in a large, drunken bear hug. 

"You know him?" The girl asked.

"Know him? I invited him!" Donal said.

"Why would you do that?" She asked angrily.

"He's an old friend." Donal simply replied. 

They heard the faint sound of trumpets outside. The girl tensed up. The bartender loosened his grip on her. They exchanged a look. 

"Flynn, take the lass to the cellar and hide in the large crate. Stay there till we tell ya to come out." Donal instructed.

"I can go myself." She replied quickly.

"When have I ever steered ya wrong? Now hurry!" Donal exclaimed.

Flynn grabbed her hand and they ran to the cellar. The bartender opened the door for them and closed it behind them. As the two were running down the stairs they heard the trumpets come closer and then heard three loud bangs on the door. The music stopped.

Flynn opened the lid of the large crate in the back corner of the stone room and made a hand movement for her to go in. She stepped inside and held the lid open as Flynn climbed in as well. Together they shut the lid and sat in almost complete darkness. A hole just big enough to look through in the box allowed the small light in the cellar to shine for them.

"Why are we hiding here?" Flynn asked.

"Shhh!" She hissed.

"I have the right to know."

"Shhhhhh!" She said. 

"I'm not going to stop talking until you tell me." He said stubbornly.

"Fine! Its the royalty. They check the village at night sometimes. They're, er, looking for someone." She said quietly.

"Who are they looking for? Or should I ask why are they looking for you?" He added shyly.

"I really can't say. I don't know you, you might-" 

"Listen, I know Donal, I can tell you trust him. I wouldn't be down here with you if he didn't trust me. So respect his judgement and tell me. I promise I won't tell a soul, please?" He said.

"Listen I can choose who I trust and I don't-"

They heard footsteps coming down the stairs and the clanking of armor. It was the royal guard.

He pulled her closer to him much to her disliking, but they kept quiet nonetheless.

He looked at her and they made eye contact. He began to lean in to kiss her. He knew this would be his only chance to do so without her yelling at him. She knew that she couldn't do anything about it without the guard hearing her so she sat there glaring at him instead. 

Their lips met one another. To her surprise she found that she enjoyed the kiss and realized that she had helped him because she had liked him. He couldn't help but grin as he felt her begin to start kissing back. 

They heard the guard come closer to the crate. He pulled her even closer to him. They began to pull away from one another. They heard the guard going back up the steps and sighed a breath of relief.

Their eye-contact locked once again and they pulled one another closer. They began to kiss more and more.

"As you-were-say-saying?" Flynn asked in between their kiss. 

She pulled away quickly. "I, I can't do this." 

"Why?" Flynn asked sincerely.

"I don't even know you! And there are circumstances that you can't know about me and its just a complicated mess because I-" 

He kissed her again. She began to softly cry.

He put his arm around her and comforted her as she wept. 

"I'm sorry if you feel violated, it's rightfully so. But I couldn't help myself. You are the most beautiful and fearless maiden I've ever met. I knew it was my only chance to get your attention without you having the chance to put up a boundary. And now I feel guilty because I've made you cry and that tells me you're just confused and don't actually like me which saddens me of course because-"

"Stop talking. Please. I know I can come off as harsh but it isn't your fault. I admire swiftness. But there's more to me that you don't know and I could get you in a world of trouble if I fall for you and I don't wish that upon anyone."

The two made eye contact. Flynn noticed a strand of hair fall in front of her face and he gently pushed it away. 

"I know we've only just met, so there's more I can learn about you, I can-"

"No! You can't! You don't understand!" She got up and pushed off the lid of the crate, making a thud on the cool stone ground. 

"What was that noise, Donal?" They heard from above them.

"Must have been that blasted stray again, you know I respect the palace lads, I dunno why yer so suspicious all of a sudden..."

"It's because it's our duty to protect the kingdom, Donal. You know that. Thats why we're looking for the princess who we both know has been missing for a fortnight!"

"Princess?" Flynn said quietly looking up at her.

She turned to face him. 

"Princess." She said with an air of disgust.