Ruahd looked down at the fleeing princess, who had run directly into his chest. She gazed up at him with fear in her eyes. The sight exhilarated him.
He gave Rose his most enchanting smile. "Where do ya think yer going, hm?" Grabbing her wrist, Rhuad spun Rose around and covered her mouth with his hand. He inhaled the scent of her hair. "Pretty little thing, ain't ya? Maybe I can talk Jarek into not killing ya right away."
The man's hot breath tickled her neck as he held her tightly. Her skin crawled beneath his touch. Rose's body was beginning to freeze in panic. She couldn't let it.
The princess had to think or it would all be over. With a deep breath, she opened her mouth to scream, but Ruahd clamped his hand tighter over her lips. Seizing the opportunity, she bit down as hard as she could. Rauhd screamed.
"Ungrateful wench!" The bandit's grip loosened slightly as he pulled his hand away with a new set of teeth marks in the palm. He was very displeased. "I'll teach you to…"
Just then, catastrophe occurred. The inn, which had already been leaning, began to collapse on itself as the dying building gave its final breath. It heaved and groaned. Ruahd's grip on the woman loosened further as he looked bewildered as the building structure started to crumble.
Pulling her arm to her chest, Rose leaned to one side and elbowed her attacker in his face. She heard a satisfying snap as the bandit brought his hands quickly to his nose. "Ah!"
While he was distracted, Rose dove away from the building to avoid both Ruahd and the coming calamity. With a final resounding rumble, the inn crumpled into rubble.
Splinters and shards flew in every direction, pelting Rose's cloak from behind as she clung to the ground. Dust and dirt plumed into a cloud, covering the princess in a fine silt. When the worst of it was over, she stood and began to run.
"No, you don't!" Ruahd emerged from the dust cloud and took hold of the woman once again. He was bloody and his body was covered in scrapes, but he wasn't about to let some female get the better of him.
Pulling a knife from his belt, the bandit pressed it against Rose's stomach. "I should have just killed you, pretty or not..."
His hand tensed as he prepared to press the blade into the woman's body, but then fell limp. Releasing Rose, Ruahd slumped to the ground.
"Come on!" Philip took Rose's hand. He was limping and bloodied. Picking up Ruahd's discarded knife, he dragged the princess toward the woods.
"You're alive!" Rose whispered.
"I never thought I'd be thankful for shoddy workmanship. I was able to push my way through the roof with no effort. Unfortunately so were the assassins."
From the back of the inn, the forest was only a short way behind the barn. The dark-haired soldier struggled against his limp to keep a decent pace. His single goal was to get the princess out of harm's way.
Unfortunately, he was not fast enough. Axel, along with two other assassins circled around them. The giant did not seem to be hurt. If anything, he was strengthened by the rage he felt from being tricked.
"Give up and I'll kill you quick." Axel cracked his knuckles.
Philip handed Rose Ruahd's knife and drew his own sword. "I'll protect you and hold them off. You get out of here."
"How?" Rose did not see any exit. Not that she really wanted to leave Philip's side anyway.
"I'm working on it," the soldier used his good leg to lunge at the closest bandit.
The criminal was not skilled with his weapon. He was used to people giving up due to the sheer number of the enemy. Two quick strikes from Philip brought the man to his knees as the light went out of his eyes.
"Now, go!"
Philip pushed Rose through the opening as the other two men descended on him simultaneously. Had they coordinated their attack, one could have gone after the princess, but the mistiming allowed the young woman to flee from the fighting.
The woods were dark and Rose did not know which way she was heading. She simply knew she needed to get away. The sound of the fighting behind her died away as a new noise reached her ears.
Hooves galloping. Rose turned to greet Belle, but was instead swept up onto a stallion by a rough tug. A fierce-faced man tossed the woman across his saddle in front of him. Her legs dangled helplessly off one side while her stomach felt the painful pressing of the saddle with each of the horse's strides.
"Don't move, wench, and I won't kill you." Jarek told her. "My benefactor would pay a pretty penny to have you back in one piece, and I do think I might like to collect that reward once I'm done..."
The princess did not need to guess who his benefactor might be, and the thought of Borit pushed away her fear, replacing it with indignation.
"Not going to happen," she muttered. Whatever Jarek had in his selfish mind, she would thwart him.
That is when she remembered the knife in her hands. Jarek hadn't tried to disarm her as they rode at full speed through the trees. Either he hadn't seen the knife, or he did not think she could actually use it.
The bounding of the horse was hurting Rose's stomach and ribs as she tried not to lose the weapon to the ground. Gripping it with both hands, she rolled toward the stallion's neck to give herself room as she slashed at Jarek's side.
The man had been holding the princess against the saddle, and his firm hand pressed her back into place before she could land her hit. Instead of hitting his side, the knife cut into his thigh shallowly. However, it was enough.
Jarek released his grip on the princess and she slid off the galloping horse easily.
Rose stiffened her arms and legs to lessen her fall, but it turned out to be a mistake. Instead of breaking her fall, her left arm cracked from the impact. Intense pain overwhelmed her senses as her mind threatened to lose consciousness.
Abandoning the knife, the princess ran with all her might, searching for any place to hide. There was no way she could outrun Jarek's horse, but the shadows might provide enough protection until more help could arrive...if it would arrive at all.
'Think positive,' Rose fought the despair creeping in. She ducked into a bush that hugged a large branchy tree. It was not ideal, but the pain radiating from her arm was too much to bear.
Backing up against the trunk of the tree, Rose could already hear that Jarek had turned around to come after her. He was cursing loudly, which gave the woman both the security of knowing where he was and the fear of realizing he was coming ever nearer.
"When I catch you, brat, you are going to wish I had killed you," Jarek spat. "The torture I can inflict on innocent souls is not something you wanted to experience..."
His voice suddenly went silent. Rose's terror was at its peak as she fought the panicky urge to run. She was hurt, weaker than the man, and exhausted. Not to mention, he had a weapon and the skills to use it. Staying hidden was her best option. She just needed to control her breathing.
Instead of controlling it, she held it desperately. Precious moments passed with nothing happening. No cursing. No threats. Utter silence.
Then, a hand shot through the bushes and grabbed her by the hair. She hadn't even realized that her hood had fallen from her head until it was too late.
"Looks like I get to skin a rabbit." Jarek laughed maniacally.
He yanked her golden locks, dragging her into the small clearing. Rose cried out in pain, receiving a chuckle from Jarek and a derisive snort from the stallion. Rose looked at the horse and her eyes widened.
"You think you are in pain now, just wait. You should be begging for mercy right now." Jarek tugged on her hair again.
Rose gritted her teeth. "I don't beg."
He twisted her hair and she whimpered. "You will..." he jeered.
The woman glanced at the midnight black horse. It was prancing anxiously beside them. A plan had formed in her mind. 'I hope this works.' Rose took a deep breath.
"Fireball, attack!!"