Loving the enemy

1. Enemy

I needed air.

Not just air, I needed freedom. My feet carry me past the roots and leaves, that find their way under my feet.

I didn't think about where I was going. I reach behind my head and untie my hair letting it fall to all sides. I've been walking for about an hour.

I cannot believe my parents. I've always hated their way of thinking. "Stop dreaming of a prince to come get you!" My mother had shouted. "We've already agreed to having you marry the bakers boy." She had stuck up her nose turned and gone back to sewing.

"Father! You know that marrying someone who doesn't bare the same tattoo since birth is illegal!" I'd proclaimed. "Silence yourself! I do not care about that! Your mother and I just happened to have found each other in this village, but you at the only one out of all of our family who's bonded doesn't live here!" He'd held his finger at me angrily. "You are to marry that bakers boy! Do I make myself clear?!"

I'd turned and ran past my parents, out of the house and into the forest surrounding our village.

I wipe an anger filled tear out of my face. I'm not waiting for a prince on a horse to come and save me. I just don't want to be married away for my parents wellbeing. They've brought me up harshly and I felt nothing but hate towards them when they looked at me with nothing but hate in their eyes. I was the only daughter of five children. A burden. I wouldn't bring them any money, when I would get married. I'd only cost them some, and that's the only thing they saw in me since I was the only daughter.

Dawn was upon me and as much as I hated it I would have to go back home before I'd get lost in the woods. I'd wandered far but the light and the black smog emerging from the trees, not to far away showed me where to go to get home.

My village was small but if I'd learned one thing it was to always look to the sky when in need of a way home.

Being so upset with my parents decision I hadn't noticed how different and unfamiliar the trees had looked while I thought I was walking home.

I almost reach the first torch of light before tripping over a branch. Cussing under my breath, I get up and wipe the leaves of my dress. The mud stains where my knee had hit the ground would be another reason for getting in trouble with my mother.

That's when I hear it. Men shouting. Confused I try to get a closer look at what was going on. My eyes widen as I realize that I'm no where near home. In front of me being a stone cobble wall, built up quickly by whoever was behind it. It wasn't meant to stand for a long time but it would certainly do the job of protecting the people inside.

I knew we were close to the war at the borders but for our King to build up fortresses against the Walzenorian knights this close to my village was alarming. No one in the village had spoken of them being so close to home already, and news like this would have spread faster than a wildfire.

I trace the wall shortly to a small hole where light was emerging from. I peek through it, curiosity always getting the better of me.

Concentrating on peeping through it I didn't notice the presence closing in on me. Knights and prisoners and wagons of food and wood with a few fires in between is what I saw behind the wall. It was undoubtedly an army hideout. Then I saw it. Red. I hadn't noticed it before but those knights were partly wearing red cloaks and ribbons around their arms. I hold my mouth shut before gasping. This was bad. Those aren't my countries knights. It was the enemy!

Our color was blue. In fear I take a few steps back gripping the tree behind me while trying to keep my breathing low. I almost fall but steady myself.

Our country would have warned us if they knew that the enemy was this close to our small village! This must be a secret hideout. My breathing fastens and I hold my self on the tree trying to turn. The tree was cold and smooth. TO cold and smooth. It was metal. I turn and evade the knight behind me just in time before his hands try to grab a hold of me.

"What do we have here?" I almost hear him smirking. 'Run!' is all I can think.

I turn my back to him, hold my dress on both sides and run as fast as my feet can carry me. The clinking and clanking of armor following me strikes me with fear. I've been seen and if I make a mistake now I'll be caught and killed. I wheeze the air in and out of my lungs as I lunge past the trees, trying to maneuver past them with only the light of the moon helping me.

"Stop!" I hear a panting voice behind me. Like hell I will!

I lift my feet up high not to trip, while hearing the sound of breaking branches under the mans feet get closer. He's fast. My heart drums in my ears as I feel like he could reach out and grab me any minute.

I see an opening and run towards it, hoping for a smoother ground to run on like a meadow, before the floor beneath my feet gives out and I tumble down a slope I had mistakenly taken for a meadow, making every inch of my body ache before the slope turns into a cliff and my world turns to slow motion as I reach for the edge of the cliff right before almost falling to my death. I grab it and claw my hand into the ground, breaking off at least two nails. I reach up my second hand trying to claw myself onto the edge to prevent myself from falling. I try to get a grip on the cliff with my feet but it's to steep to hold onto.

I dare not look down as the drop I've seen so far had left me clawing for my life. I breath heavily as my arms start to burn. I try to lift my own weight up but almost scream as the Walzenorian knight appears quickly. He towers over me, panting heavily as he looks down on me. A tear escapes my eyes as my hands and arms cramp up in pain and I feel my fingers giving out under the weight of my body. This would be my end...