The Things We Want

CHAPTER 2 "PRINCESS"

In minutes she was riding at a steady speed, the wind ripping through her long strawberry red hair. She laughed despite herself, so glad to be out again, the wind in her face, Clarence's strides taking her closer and closer to town. To where she wanted to be all the time.

About 10 more minutes from the first shop, Clarence started slowing down, trotting along. It almost seemed like the attitude a jumpy dog would have, but more sophisticated. Suddenly, an arrow whisked past Ava's head, about a foot's distance from causing serious damage.

Her eyes widen as Clarence kicks up letting out a cry, "Woah! Boy calm down calm d- AH!" Ava slides off her scared horse's back, falling to the ground with a loud thud.

"Ow..." she sighed, getting to her feet clumsily, brushing off her clothes that had gotten covered in dirt. She looked around, head throbbing, and heard rustling in the bushes behind her. She flipped around, seeing a man holding a bow, arrow in place and aimed directly at her.

Her eyes widen in fear, frozen in her terror, heart racing, and thumping seemingly loud. She slowly raised her hands up, trying to show a sign of peace, but he only stepped closer, entering the clearing where the trail had led. Clarence stood, spooked some paces behind her, still whining every so often.

"Who are you?" Ava asked, making the first move.

"None of your concern, princess," he said darkly, his tone causing her hands to shake. She clenched her hands into fists, determined to not look helpless.

"Well, you clearly know who I am. W-what do you want?" After stepping into the clearing, she could see the man better. He was wearing leather, black armor, and a few accessories or details. Even tools. It seemed his only weapons were a sword and a bow.

She could tell he was a hired killer. The expressionless look, the discreet yet intimidating outfit. She had only had one other run-in with one when the king ordered a traitor to be found and killed. They had turned on their guard, killing one of their own... it didn't sit well with the King to search for and remove a life, but after what they did, he had no choice.

It wasn't him though. He clearly came from a different kingdom. But why would he know her? No one really knows her...

"You," he said simply. She took a step backward, some of the terror subsiding, her brain urging her to run. "Not so fast," he took no steps. No moves to prevent her escape.

She only moved back one more step, then the arrow left his fingers. In one swift moment, the arrow flew through the air, finding its target. Ava froze, shock seizing her every sense. She glanced down, seeing the arrow embedded in her stomach, the pain slowly seeping in through the cloudiness of terror and shock.

Her knees buckled below her, sending her falling painfully to the ground. She took shallow breaths, panicking as the man walked over to where she laid on her back.

"If you are found you will survive. If you are strong enough. Take this as a message to your kingdom. You don't know who we are but we are coming and we will not hesitate to kill to receive what we want," he knelt down effortlessly next to her, running a single finger down the arrow coming from her stomach. She winced, clenching her teeth to hold back a scream. "I'll leave this here. Might help," he finished, walking in the direction he came from.

Blackness started to cloud Ava's vision, the foliage above her blurry and growing darker by the second. Knowing she needed help as soon as humanly possible, she called out. Weakly at first, but she managed two strong screams before her throat tightened again. Every breath felt labored and painful, as she lay in wait for a miracle of someone being in this part of the woods between the palace and the village. The last thing she saw before the blackness took her, was Clarence looking down at her, white light shining behind him.