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CHAPTER 5 – Ambush
Down the lonely path leading to the forest, another young maiden was seen riding atop a horse, with a young man riding on another horse behind her.
For the longest time, they both kept silent, not interfering with each other's business until she stopped abruptly and looked at her side.
Sensing an order coming right up, he galloped on his horse beside her and bowed his head.
"Your highness."
"I think it is getting old for you to follow me this far," she began.
"Princess we…"
"Shh, do not forget. Not outside," she reprimanded. "No one must know I snuck out or father and mother would have me grounded," she stated through gritted teeth.
"I know but your safety is of paramount import…"
She held up her palm, stopping him from saying any more words.
"I won't have it. You can go to the village this time or return to the palace and do what you want. Only meet me here at the usual time."
"Your…"
Suddenly the sounds of the grass moving could be heard, pulling the attention of the young man as his complaints were immediately cut off.
"Stay behind me," he informed her as his eyes turned fiercer by the second.
"What is wrong?"
WHOOSH!
"Attack."
Everything flashed before her eyes as she watched like a spectator before her predicament.
One moment they were conversing and the next, her bodyguard had an arrow shot at his hand.
"Arrh!"
He fell off the horse with a loud cry, leaving the young maiden to her attackers.
Immediately four men rushed out from the bush with swords, daggers and an axe in their hands as they charged for them.
Injured, her guard rose to his feet, pulling out his sword as he managed to parry the first attack.
"He is just one man, what are you waiting for? Catch the girl!" Came the command from the long-bearded man.
"Stay back. Don't come close," she commanded but the smiles on her face told her they weren't going to be nice.
"Easy there pretty girl and we may not hurt you. Only make you happy, perhaps."
"Eww," the princess spat out with disgust written all over her face.
Without wasting time, two of them rushed at her, pushing her down her horse while the other two kept her guard busy.
******
Meanwhile, after getting the directions from Pearl, Zale could barely wait to arrive at the said marketplace.
The earlier the better for him and all of Ashedore.
But no matter what he did, thoughts of Pearl and her feistiness flooded his memories.
Deep down, he hoped he would see her again while he was on his mission, seeing as they kind of got on the right foot after their first meeting.
Right now, Zale could not wait to see the other side of her, the daring one.
'Intelligent human girl but relatively soft with a secret power. Interesting. A nice surprising change from the thoughts I had imagined.''
"Aaah!"
He snapped his head in the direction of the voice he heard, his eyes going dim as he tried to pick out the source of the sound.
"I told you; I do not have anything. Let us go."
'Hmm, human robbery, I see.' Zale noted inwardly and shook his head.
Nothing about humans was his concern, especially not after the grave stunt one pulled in Ashedore.
Just as he turned to face his initial direction, he heard another piercing cry and stopped in his tracks.
"Stop it! You're hurting him!" The feminine voice cried out again in pleas. "Do you want to kill him?!"
'Kill?'
As soon as he heard the words, flashes of his mother's image came rushing back into his memory.
Kill him?
His mother never had that choice. He never had that choice to save her.
He knew the pain of losing a loved one and from the urgency in her voice, he could tell he was important to her.
'It doesn't concern you what goes on in the human world.' He reminded himself internally.
'They stole from you. Took your mother from… No. There are innocent ones and damn it!'
His chest rose and fell as his breathing came in hard and fast.
Clenching his fists at his side, he gritted and immediately dashed off in the direction of the sound.
This was the last thing he wished to do. Help a human but he found himself doing just that.
******
"Let him go. I am warning you."
"Or what?" The long-bearded man challenged, stalking closer to her.
Seeing his towering form from where she was made to kneel, she had no choice but to shut up or else her guard suffered a worse fate.
"For someone who claims to be a traveler, I do not see any clothes and you have no money. Do you think I am a fool?" He questioned, grinning wickedly at her.
At this point, she could not hide her disgust any longer. They all smelt like alcohol and dumpsters.
It was already a wonder she had not puked or something but watching him give her that, her stomach churned.
"Disgusting."
POW!
A hot slap flew across her face, sending her face and body straight to the ground.
Her eyes blinked severally adjusting to the buzz in her ears as her brain tried to make sense of what had happened.
In her life, never had she had anyone lay a finger on her but here she was, kneeling before scoundrels with a burning cheek.
Slowly, she lifted back up as anger flashed before her eyes. From the corners of her eyes, she could see her guard struggle against the men.
Yes, he was mad. Mad that they lay hands on her at all.
"Still have the mouth to throw insults?"
WHOOSH!
Everything happened so fast. One second, he was talking and the next, a big stone flew straight for his head, knocking him down on the ground before her.
"Who's there?" one of the men asked in fright.
Sensing the danger, the remaining three men scanned around, looking for the attacker when suddenly Zale came out from behind the bushes and attacked.
He had watched silently and appraised their strength.
He took the leader out without wasting time and went straight for the men holding down the bodyguard.
"You've got a death wish intervening," the third man snickered, and immediately slashed at Zale.
"And you've underestimated me," Zale muttered with a mischievous grin as he moved to the side and kicked the hand holding the sword.
Within a few minutes, the young princess watched as her saviour took down all four men, leaving them unconscious.
Her eyes remained wide as she replayed the fight in her mind. Every action was fluid, simple and precise.
He made fighting look so easy even though they wielded dangerous weapons.
'I want him.' She noted inwardly, reminiscing about a future with him.
"Are you alright?"
Like the sound of broken glass, the words of her guard broke her from her trance.
At first, she thought it was her saviour but when her eyes settled on him, she pursed her lips in defeat.
"Not wanting to let her chance slip by she rose to her feet and walked over to where Zale was.
"Thank you, good sir, for rescuing me." She gave her best smile.
"Don't sweat it. Be careful next time."
Ignoring her, Zale turned towards the direction he came from, ready to leave when he felt someone hold his hand.
Arching his brow at her, his cold eyes zeroed in on her face.
Had she not been someone he helped, he would have pushed her off without thinking.
"You saved my life. Please allow me to repay you."
"Not needed."
"Yes, sir. If not for you, I do not know what would have happened. Accept the p…" Immediately she shot him a deathly glare, forcing him to shut up and let her do the talking.
"You see, I believe you deserve something," she pushed again.
"I thought you did not have any money just now. Wasn't that why he was being tortured?"
"You are right but my family would reward you. By the way, I'm Scarlet. What is your name?"