I open my eyes to the sounds of muffled voices in the distance. I can't make out what they are saying. I lay very still. The moon is still high in the sky but luckily the fall night isn't cold enough to let my breath give away my position. The voices are getting closer and clearer.
"This princess is very clumsy and messy." a male voice states. Another one chimes in. "Yes, easy to track her foot falls." "We have to be coming right up on soon so hush you're loud mouths!" Comes yet another males voice. The other men grumble low but do as they were told. I here their foot falls in the leaves. Their foot falls are light and quiet and if I hadn't known they were there and listening so hard I would never had known they were present. They come right up to where I'm at.
A dark figure is standing next to me looking on the ground around me. He kneels and sifts through the leaves. He "humfs" and stands looking around. The other 3 figures come into view as well. They are just watching the fourth man.
"She dug something up right here..." The man points. "dig for evidence of what it might have been. Now." He must be the one charge. The other three go right to digging next to me. Throwing the dirt on top of me hiding me even better. "Nothing's here Durth" says the first one I'd heard speak. "What is the girl doing? She's dug up two things now and left no trace of what it is." The second man speaks. "Glen, go scout further South for the princess." The first man I'd heard turns and leaves. "Blesh go get firewood, we will rest here tonight." The third man who'd spoke turns and leaves. "Delton, what do you make of the Mark's here?" He points to the ground by me. Delton steps forward and examines the ground. He steps back and I feel like my ribs will break as he stands right on top of me! He shift his weight which makes it worse. The pain is almost too much but I keep quiet gritting my teeth. "I think, she is burying, not digging up something." The two men stand for a Moment looking thoughtfully at the ground.
"No evidence of the princess Master. Her tracks stop here." Glen is now standing there too, on my legs. I hear wood being dropped in a pile and grunting. A few moments later the smell of burning wood hits my nose. Glen, Durth and Delton walk towards the fire giving my poor body sweet relief from their weight. This isn't good. They are going to find me. I need to run. I'll have to wait until they are preocupied.
"Here" Says Blesh. "Do you have anything other then nuts and berries! A man needs meat!" Glen growls in protest. Blesh doesn't say anything. There is silence for a while. Just the crackle of the fire can be heard and the occasional grunt of one of the men.
I begin to hear them whispering. I gulp, this isn't a good sign. It has to mean they know she's close. "Go." Dursh orders. Then silence. I slow my breathing to short slow and shallow. I get as stiff as a can. My head starts spinning a little from lack of proper oxygen. A sharp grip of my ankle has me gasping in terror and flying in the air upside down comming face to face with a man. He smiles happily like he got the best prize. "I got her." says Delton. He has long hair that's shaved on one side. He has a smooth face but I am drawn immediately to the huge scar across is forehead. He sees me looking and frowns. "Ax to the head princess." I fumble in my satchel. "No use girlie, ya ain't getting out of this." I find the sneezing powder Father T had made. I bring it to my face and blow it into his face. He drops me as he starts sneezing and coughing intensely. I bolt as I feel the breeze of one of the other men reaching for my arm and missing. "After her!" the others listen to their Master and I can almost feel their hot breath on my neck as I'm running. An arrow whizzes passed me, then another. I'm trying move in unpredictable movements.
My heart is racing and I'm certain this is the end. I'm going to die, as I trip and fall into the damp cool ground. The weight of a man on top of me takes my breath away. He's putting his full weight down. "Silly child, theres no escape for you." Blesh hisses in my ear. He pulls me up to face who can only assume is Dursh. The other three stand around and look at me up and down making uncomfortable. "Have some fun with her then kill her." Durth turns and walks away as Blesh starts to caress my exposed thigh. I knee at him but miss and he chuckles. Glen starts undoing the front of my dress and I start fighting back with no prevail. Delton starts undoing is pants. I scream and start kicking. "NO,Get AWAY from me. NO! PLEASE! JUST kill ME!" I'm thrashing around and I'm about to give up as Glen puts his hand between my legs. Sending shivers through my body. A tear falls as a squeeze my eyes shut in anticipation.
Suddenly Glen screams in pain. and his hand is no longer touching me. "What the...Ahhck" Blesh let's put a garbled sound next to me face. I feel his grip on me loosen. I open my eyes to Glen running around screaming a hand missing and in its place a waterfall of blood. Blesh is to my side with an arrow in his forehead.
I don't hesitate further, I turn South and run. Who ever is doing this is more dangerous than these men and I dont wish to find out who they are. I hear the fighting behind me grow faint. I'm so relieved that I was saved from that ending I'm crying. My tears blur my vision as I ram into something hard and warm. I start to fall back but an arm catches me and pulls my forward. I let out a scream.
"Shhhh you're safe now. Shhh." The man's voice tries to sooth me as I'm trying to fight to get away from him. He forces me to look at him as he pulls me close. His eyes are a piercing blue framed by black eyelashes. His hair flows around his face in Black loose curls to his shoulders. "We've killed those nasty men, my lady. You are safe now. Fasten your dress back up and take this cloak. It's longer and will cover your legs." He gently releases me and turns his back to me. I quickly close the front of my dress back up and put the cloak on. It has sleeves on it making it more comfortable, its warm too. I look up and see there are now three of them with their backs to me. "My name is Owen." The blue eyed man turns around to look at me as he says it. the other two turn as he motions to them. "This is Narsh and Flem. My dear friends. We heard you screaming and came to investigate." I just stand there. Narsh and Flem have light brown hair and blue eyes that look familiar. The sun is rising as I just stand in silence clutching the cloak close. Narsh and Flem stare at me and their eye brows furrow.
I start to back away. "You dont need to be afraid they are part of the guard of Gaea, Trained by the Queens guard to protect the future Queen." I Halt and my eyes widen. So, these are my brothers? "How do I know you're not deceiving me?" They all look at me and then at each other and shrug. Narsh and Flem walk over to a tree two feet in diameter. With one finger they push it over. The load cracking of it's trunk and the rustling of the leaves as it falls is deafening. The thud of it hitting the ground echoes all around. Suddenly everything I've been through the last few days floods in. Tears start to fall fast. before I know it I'm balling like a baby. The three men before me look shocked. "We apologize My lady we didnt know you were so in touch with the trees!" Narsh steps forward as he says his apology. "Its not the tree. I'm just.. " sniffle " so relieved it's really you. My brothers. I'm Kiana." Suddenly they all stand straighter and gasping look at eachother.
The shock is clear on their faces. I try to steady my emotions. I manage to stop the tears. Owen speaks first. "And how do we know your not deceiving us?" I look into his eyes in shock. I hadn't thought I'd have to explaine myself. "I'm not sure... I Don't receive my gifts until tomorrow...." they all turn away from me and start whispering.
Narsh turns and speaks first. "You will come with us and we will take you before the elders. They will know the truth of who you are." I'm astounded, and start to get angry. after all I went through now I have to prove who I am! "No, I will not be going with you. I will not be ordered around by you. I will NOT keep company with those who I have to prove myself to! I will find my own way!" I shove passed their shocked faces at my outburst and walk towards the south. I don't look back. I don't hear them follow me.
I've been walking for awhile when the woods dissapear completely and I come face to face with a town, but. ot just any town. The palace is right up this hill. I've made it. I'm in Gaea finally. I take a sharp breath in at the beauty of even just the town. All the buildings are well made and smooth. Adorned with flowers and vines growing on them. The streets are lined with carts with people selling stuff. The palace shines in the distance. I'd forgotten how beautiful it was. "You seem to have never seen this before, the princess used to live here so this wouldn't be a surprise to her." Owen's voice sounds in my ear. Tickling the small hairs there. I shiver slightly then turn to face him and my brothers. I glare at them as they stand there smiling as if they've uncovered my lie. "leave me alone. you have not lived my life, and know not what I've been through the last 4 days. The last thing I need is a couple of arrogant spoiled brats giving me a hard time." Their eyes widen. My brothers choke a bit. Owen smiles and leans down to me. "Who are you? since you're clearly not from here." I stare at him without clenching "I told you who I am. When I'm crowned getting rid of you will be my first act!" He laughs out loud "I cannot be 'gotten rid of'. If you just tell us who you are we can help you. If you go into the kingdom streets looking like that you won't make it even halfway. beggars aren't allowed in the city limits." I glare at him, then turn and walk. I know they are following me. Suddenly I get dizzy.
I haven't eaten yet or had a drink and my strength is faltering. I had only eaten a handful of berries yesterday morning. All that had happened since then had taken its toll on my battered body. I sway and then start to pass out. I'm bracing for the impact of the ground but it never happens. As my eyes close I see Owen's face close to mine "My lady are you okay?" Flem yells out "Narsh go ahead of us let the healers know we are.... " I fade out and everything goes black.