ARDEN'S POV;
"You seem so quiet darling, what's going on there?" Mother asked staring at me,
I just smiled and shrugged it off.
"Nothing mother, nothing at all", I assured her.
"I guessed right when I felt it'd be of great benefits being in alliance with the oak king" She continued. "Having the backing of such strong and wealthy kingdom would not only...."
I saw her lips moving but couldn't hear what she said anymore. My mind drifted elsewhere, back to the gardens at the oak kingdom, back to the red haired girl and her voice. How did she just disappear?
Is it some sort of magic or ..?, I wanted to see her again, even if it's just to hear her speak.
"Mother?"
" Yes my dear?" Mother replied.
"Do you know of any gardener at the Oak Dom?" I asked innocently.
"Gardener you say?" She asked.
"Yes, a female gardener" I replied looking as nonchalantly as I could manage.
"Well you see Arden, there's none that I know of, and Percival isn't someone that'd use a lady as a gardener, maybe a maids in waiting, Yes, but gardener, No" She concluded.
"Percival?" I questioned.
"The Oak King " She said smiling and looked towards the window.
I leaned back into the cushion, and closed my eyes trying to get rid of the images on my mind. The carriage continued it's bumpy ride on the long journey back without any occurrence.
I jerked awake when I felt myself being thrown to the opposite side of the carriage where mother sat. I tried being conscious of my surroundings and noticed the carriage has stopped moving completely.
"What's happening?" I asked aloud bringing my head out of the carriage door, a gruesome sight met my eyes and I became alarmed.
The heads of the driver and the four guards accompanying us had arrows sticking in on one side and out of the other side. The horses had stopped moving and just stood upright, whipping their tails and neighing from fear because they could probably smell the blood already oozing out of our dead escortees.
I got back into the carriage and saw mother on the floor trying to breathe steadily.
"Arden?, What's wrong?", She asked trembling in fear.
I didn't reply but warned her to stay in the carriage and never get out of it, making her swear her promise not to do otherwise.
I jumped out and landed on both feet, my sword hanging in it's belt at my hip.
I looked around and realized we were at the middle of a deserted road, with forest trees sprung up on both sides of it. Thick green forest trees.
I tried scanning the forest with my eyes but it seemed impossible because of it's density, I decided to get a bit closer to the edge, then heard a swooshing sound just close to my right ear, I ducked and an arrow pierced the tree ahead of me.
I turned around and saw a hooded figure jumping down from a tree and bolting into the forest, I ran after him with my hand on my sword.
"I won't let you get away with this" I swore gritting my teeth.
I ran and ran, with trees whipping my face and neck but it didn't stop me for I was determined to know who'd attempt to murder the Snow queen and prince.
I ran till I got to a round cleared opening but didn't see the hooded figure again, I stopped and looked up at the trees but still didn't see anyone, I looked around and still sign of no one.
I heard a twig breaking just behind me, turned around sharply but didn't see anyone. I was starting to get mad.
"Show yourself"I screamed with anger, the sound of my voice scaring the crows to flight.
I heard a loud thud in front of me and saw a body on the ground. I ran towards it and saw a man with a rough looking face, scraggly beards and long hair lying face up, I prodded him with my leg but he was already dead. A knife protruding out of his chest.
I looked up just in time to see a red flash disappear round a corner.