I was physically and mentally exhausted but more importantly, I couldn't stop running. I ran through the woods as if my life depended on it-actually, it did. Every single second counted. My once-pretty red dress was torn and tattered, feeling like rags against my body, but it was the least of my problems. My green eyes blended with the forest like a predator stalking it's prey, as I sprinted through it. Sweat rolled down my skin, trickling from my chin and sliding between my chest.
The memory of my mother's cold gaze fueled my steps. Her hatred wasn't just words—it had teeth, and it had driven me into this nightmare.
As I dashed between the towering trees, my breaths came in fast, shallow gasps. The forest was dense, the trees creating a dark, twisting maze that seemed to go on forever. Branches scraped against my arms, and thorns pricked my skin. I could feel the pain, but I couldn't stop running . I had to keep moving, to keep running until I was sure I was safe.
How could a mother, seek the life of her very own daughter. I still couldn't understand her intentions, no matter how hard I tried.
My heart raced, not just from the physical exertion but from the fear that gnawed at me.
The forest around me was alive with a symphony of rustling leaves, chirping birds, and the distant gurgle of a hidden stream, but it offered no comfort. The beauty of nature couldn't mask the danger that lurked in these woods.
Every shadow seemed to hide a potential threat, and every rustle of leaves made my heart jump, but compared to my mother, the forest seemed like a gentle place to live. I continued to run until I entered a vast field and fell. It wasn't that I was out of danger or didn't want to run anymore but I could no longer move. I didn't get the chance to eat the delicious porridge Irene had prepared, and now all my energy was gone. There's a limit to everything and I guess I had reached mine. It was already dusk. I've been running throughout the day and I haven't eaten a bite of anything. Apart from the fact that I had no energy to keep running, my legs were far too worn out to move another step. 'I don't believe they could have followed me all the way down here', I whispered to myself.
Unable to move I sat on the grass covering the field. I put my hands on the grass to support myself from falling but instead of the soft texture of grass, I felt something liquid.
I brought my hand up to see what it was. I was surprised to see my hand covered in crimson blood.
"Blood? but I'm not bleeding, so who's blood could it be?" I asked myself.
I turned around and screamed, horrified by the sight before me. My heart ached as I attempted to process the sheer scale of the tragedy that lay before me. The sight immediately reminded me of Irene. The field was a macabre theatre. Fear, cold and palpable, clung to me like a second skin.
There were dead bodies all over the field and all of them had one thing in common, they wore armor. They were all soldier knights. Judging by how fresh their blood was, I concluded that a battle was fought here not long ago and it was a gruesome one. 'I knew the battle-field was no place for the weak hearted, but this many dead bodies?' It'll be all over if they caught me.
Just then, I felt a presence behind me, I turned and found a soldier staring right into my eyes. He must have heard my scream from earlier. His uniform was different which led me to the conclusion that he was from the opposing party that won the battle. He then started to bombard me with questions.
"Hey you! ....who the hell are you and what are you doing here all by yourself ? You're a spy aren't you?" From the soldier's point of view, I was gathering information and was ready to send it to their opposing party so that they could be ambushed. How do I explain that he got it all wrong? and that I was innocent?
"Stand down, Starlion." A voice, unlike any I had ever heard, seductive and soft suddenly cut through the tense atmosphere. I turned to see who had spoken, and all hell broke loose at what I saw. As I gazed upon him, my heart began to pound so hard it hurt. It was pounding with fear, I couldn't understand why I was afraid of him. The man was as handsome as words could go. It was as if he was sent down to earth redefine the concept of beauty. Not that I haven't seen handsome men before, where I'm from, almost all the men were handsome, it was rare to call someone ugly, but this man was in a class of his own, he wasn't just handsome, he was beautiful. That was not all, there was something strange about him, something I couldn't quite put my finger on. All my instincts were telling to stay as far away from him as I could.
I didn't escape one monster to fall into the hands of another. Or had I?
His attire, unlike the battle-worn armor of the soldiers around him, spoke to his unique status. He wore a dark, flowing cloak that billowed around him like a shadowy shroud, adding an air of mystery to his already captivating presence. Beneath the cloak, his garments were rich and opulent, adorned with intricate patterns that spoke of a refined taste. It was clear that he was no ordinary soldier; people like him used to visit my mother most of the time, so I immediately knew that he was a figure of authority and power. Unlike the soldiers covered in blood and dirt marking their victory, he had no blood stain or dirt on him. 'How can a person be so neat and clean.' I asked myself.
"What kind of spy has bruises all over their body and wears torn dress." He spoke again.
"I apologize, Your Majesty , I thought she was sent to infiltrate our camp and gather information" Starlion said, his voice quivering with subservience. The soldier who was ready to murder me, was now terrified?
As he finally stood before me, I awaited his words with a mixture of trepidation and fear.
My heart, didn't slow down, it was as if, he had authority over my very existence.
The soldier, who had initially confronted me with anger, now cowered in fear as he approached. "Let her be," he commanded, none of the soldiers around approached us, instead, they were moving backwards. It was as if they were terrified of him, and would do anything just to stay away from him. I didn't understand why his own soldiers would act like that around him.
With a reluctant nod, Starlion retreated his footsteps.
He now stood before me, extending his hand with a grace that seemed otherworldly. His palm was soft as foam yet as firm as steel, I took it and stood up.
"One look at you," he spoke, his voice a velvet whisper, "and I can tell you've been to hell and back. Your appearance tells a story of hardship and resilience, not that I care. How should I put this, I find you fascinating, such bizarre skin colour. Hmm. How about you come with me?" He said touching his chin.
His offer hung in the air, a tantalizing proposition that left me torn between uncertainty and the allure of his enigmatic presence. I had no idea who he was or what he wanted, but in that moment, he seemed like the only anchor of safety I had. He may be a bad person but I know someone worse.
My eyes swept across the vast expanse, taking in the lifeless bodies of fallen soldiers, each one lying in their own pool of crimson blood. It was a scene of unimaginable horror.
"Did you do this?" I asked pointing to the dead bodies. I don't know why I asked but I did.
"Yes." He replied bluntly without any expression on his face. It was as if killing was part of his daily routine. I felt a shiver run down my spine the second time as I stammered out another question, my voice trembling like a fragile leaf in the wind. Meanwhile the soldiers where suffocating on the side lines with looks that said 'please just hurry and get this over with, I want to breathe' their reactions made me wonder if he was one of the tyrant rulers who abused their power.
"A-Are you a b-bad person?"
He turned his penetrating gaze upon me once more, and the weight of his presence felt suffocating.
"May I ask what your name is?" He asked looking directly at me.
"Majesty, my name is Majesty" I replied, looking at anywhere but his eyes.
"Majesty, as of this moment, you're face-to-face with the King of Persia." He said and I quickly bowed my head.
"Your Majesty" I greeted still looking down.
"You can call me Lord Draven," he said, and his soldiers looked at each other shocked.
"Well then Majesty, I'm not a good person if that is what you wanted to hear," he replied, his voice a low, haunting murmur. A smile danced around the corners of his lips. It was a smile that made me feel uncomfortable. I wondered what was going to happen to me. Had I jumped from the frying pan into the fire?
"I don't just go around butchering people unless they ask me to." The admission was chilling, and I couldn't help but believe every word he spoke. There was an aura of danger around him, an aura that was impossible to ignore.
In that moment, a rush of conflicting emotions surged within me. Fear, yes, fear, I was afraid of him.
I had to make a decision. With his smile still haunting my thoughts, I weighed the options before me, knowing that whatever choice I made, it would come with consequences that I could scarcely imagine. No matter what, I couldn't refuse his offer, who knows, he could even kill me before my mother got the chance to do it.
"And just so we're clear, I won't kill you if you refuse. I don't like the idea of taking the life of someone unarmed."
"Wait, how did you know what I was thinking?" I asked with heightened curiosity.
"Pfft. Please, I'm incapable of such things. It was written all over your face."
He told me that he wouldn't hurt me if I said no to his offer, but I couldn't shake the question in my head: where would I go if I refused? While I struggled with my decision, a bunch of soldiers came out of the forest and stood in the middle of the field.
"I've finally found you, Majesty" One of the soldiers said pointing his sword at me.
My heart raced as I recognized their uniforms. They were soldiers from my mother's kingdom, and it was clear they had been following me all along. A mix of fear, anger, and desperation flooded over me, overwhelming my emotions.
"My mother really does want me dead, doesn't she?" I mused.
How in the world did I get myself in this mess?. I couldn't help but think back to two days ago when I slept in between the trunks of a big tree."