Catharina

Chapter 5

"Wait!"

I ran after him. "Wait! Asher, wait!" I called. In no time, if not now, someone would hear, possibly see my bedroom empty, and would be after the kidnapper. Asher looked back and stopped Littlefoot. "What on earth are you doing Princess?" Asher asked, an annoyed look on his face.

I met up with him and grasped the reins of the horse, glancing back at the castle. Lights were appearing inside. "Asher let me come with you please!" I begged.

"Now I understand that I'm so breathtaking that you would want to follow me, but I'm not really in the mood for a hook up, none the less a relationship," Asher explained.

"Oh, shut up and listen! I want to see the world. I want to see other kingdoms or go to far off places. I have never left my kingdom, I have only been at my castle. In a couple of weeks I am supposed to go and see the town and in a month I am to be Queen of Adelidon. Please, let me come with you. I will not be a bother, honest," I told him. Asher contemplated the idea.

Suddenly, a scream erupted inside the castle, followed by two shrieks; no doubt my mother and sisters. "We don't have much time," I said.

More lights flickered on in the castle, my heart paced faster. If he didn't agree sooner I would be done for. "Asher!" I panicked. He looked at me and gestured for me to hop on. I picked up the skirt of my nightgown and grabbed Asher's forearm, being lifted onto the back of Littlefoot. I hugged my body tightly around Asher's waist and looked back at the castle.

Guards swarmed the roof of the castle, arriving to their battle stations, I swallowed. Littlefoot raised to only his hind legs and leaped forward, galloping towards the forest. Several arrows flung through the sky, in our direction, hitting the trees and missing us by an inch.

We sped through the forest, my home slowly leaving my sight. I rested my head on Asher's back wondering what was to become of my kingdom, my family. I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep. The sound of Littlefoot's hooves against the grass mixed with the sound of crickets chirping was like a sweet symphony.

***********

"Hey Princess, wake up," someone said. I stirred and rolled over. None of the maids or butlers in the castle would speak to me in such a manner. I opened my eyes and looked over to Asher. He was bent over, holding some cooked meat on sticks. The bright sun seemed much more brighter outside than it did inside. I sat up and rubbed my eyes.

"Where are we?" I asked. I found prices of grass within my hair and pulled them out. "Eutharia," he stated standing up. He kicked over rocks that surrounded a small burned out campfire. "Eutharia? We're out of Adelidon already?" I asked. Asher nodded and handed me one of the sticks with meat. He bit into his own.

"What is this?" I asked. Asher swallowed. "Squirrel," he answered.

"Eww! I will not eat this," I declared. Asher shrugged. "Suit yourself. It won't be my problem later when you're starving," Asher replied. I groaned. I couldn't eat this. I inched my face closer to it, Asher's eyes on me. I opened my mouth and took a small bite. After chewing and swallowing, I nodded.

"It's alright," I stated.

"Well I'm sorry it's not slowly simmered, sprinkled with pepper, and had fresh olive oil from the garden drizzled over it," Asher told me. He finished his squirrel and tossed the stick in the grass. "I apologize. It wasn't right of me to put such a disgrace on this...," I glanced at the meat, "... squirrel. I'm sure you worked very hard." Asher scoffed.

"All I did was hunt it, Princess. It's not a lot of work," Asher replied.

"I couldn't hunt at all, much less a squirrel, even if I tried," I assured him.