by A J Manney
“Hey, where are you going? The wagons are over here.”
The soldier carrying her didn’t break stride, calling out over his shoulder, “I’ve got orders to take this body over to the other wagons.”
Again, the voice called out, a little closer this time. “Whose orders? And what wagon? Let me see.” Zalia could hear the suspicion in his voice.
The soldier carrying her pulled her slightly closer and barely whispered, “Don’t move. Don’t breathe, and don’t make a sound.” Then slowly he turned to meet the oncoming soldier. Zalia stopped breathing and tried to control the shaking in her body. Holding herself absolutely still and holding her breath, she waited to see what would happen.
“Oh, Your Highness, I didn’t realize it was you. Here, let me take the body for you. I can deal with it for you,” Zalia heard the soldier say.
She felt the man carrying her pull her closer to his chest. “I’ve got it. Thank you, soldier.” He turned with her in his arms and started walking again.
After they had walked a little bit, he lifted her closer to his mouth. “It won’t be long before someone figures out I’m here when I wasn’t supposed to be, and chaos is going to ensue.” Zalia was confused, but he continued talking in a low tone. “You have to escape into the woods. Run as far from here as fast as you can. I’ll send help.”
He quickly set her down. She looked up at him. “I don’t understand, where...” she didn’t get the words out before he whirled around. A soldier was walking their way but froze when he saw Zalia.
Turning to Zalia once more, her captor pushed her towards the woods and said, “Run.” She watched as he drew his sword and stepped toward the other soldier. Zalia whirled around and started running towards the woods.
There were sounds of a scuffle behind her, and then someone cried out in pain. Too terrified to see who it was, she willed her legs to carry her faster, away from danger, away from everything she had ever known. She ran like her life depended on it. Because it did. She fled into the forest that lay to the east of her home. Crashing into the woods, she tripped and fell over a root. She didn’t stop to assess the damage but jumped to her feet and kept running. She knew if she stopped, she would be caught. Branches scratched her face and thorns caught her arms and tore her cloak as she charged through the brush; she didn’t feel any pain. On and on she ran until her side ached and she didn’t feel as if she could go any further. Her lungs were bursting, needing oxygen. She knew she was fading and would need to stop soon. She paused for a second to look behind her. When she saw no one directly behind her, she continued to stand there a moment longer to catch her breath. Then fear took over, and she started running again. This time she slowed her pace a little, not used to running. Finally, when she was convinced nobody was following her, she began looking for a place to rest.
She had never been to this part of the forest before. Everything was so unfamiliar. She didn’t know anything about surviving in the wild. Finally, she found what looked to be a small clearing. Exhausted, she let herself fall to the ground. Her heart was still slamming against her chest. She needed to rest a few moments if she was going to keep going.
The second she stopped, her mind slammed back to her family. Suddenly she couldn’t breathe. A despair so deep it took her breath away settled inside of her. Before she could begin to process those thoughts, she closed her mind to it. She couldn’t allow herself to think of her family. She had to survive. She had to get to safety; then she could properly grieve.
She turned her thoughts to the man who had rescued her. Why had he helped her? Was he still alive? He was obviously royalty by the way the soldier had greeted him. Her breath caught. Was he the son of King Mylan? Why had he helped her then? Zalia shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts and focus.
Her breathing finally started to slow as she began to take in her surroundings. She hadn’t had time to really look at anything until now. She saw unusually tall trees, bushes with a kind of blue fruit she didn’t recognize, mushrooms, and even a few wildflowers. She looked behind where she sat and saw more of the same. She lay back and tried to rest her weary body for a few minutes.
She wasn't sure how long she had laid there when she heard something. It was a rustling of leaves coming from the path. Whoever or whatever it was, was coming quickly and not bothering to be quiet. Zalia shot up and tried to think quickly. Could she outrun it? Or was she better off trying to hide? Her panicked mind couldn’t think fast enough. She whirled around and crept behind one of the nearby bushes, hoping it would hide her.
Just then a head came into view. Zalia sat perfectly still. Please don’t look this way, she silently pleaded. As if the person had heard her, the head turned to look in her direction. Zalia was startled to see a girl about her own age.
After a stunned second, Zalia jumped to her feet and started running again. The girl turned quickly to her and said, “Wait.” But Zalia had already started running away from the clearing and deeper into the forest. She ran as fast as her shaky legs would carry her. She didn’t look back but didn’t hear anything behind her. Maybe she could make it away again. She had just started to slow her pace and catch her breath when out of nowhere a body slammed into her, taking her to the ground. In surprise, Zalia screamed. Immediately somebody rolled her body over and slapped a hand against her mouth. Now pinned down under her assailant, Zalia began trying to buck the offender off her. He reached down and grabbed both her hands, effectively pinning her to the ground. Just as she opened her mouth to scream again, he hissed at her.
“Shh,” he said through clenched teeth. “Do you want the soldiers to find you?” Zalia shut her mouth and looked at him. He wore the same uniform as the soldiers who had invaded her kingdom, all black with a crescent moon insignia on them. He looked younger, though. He appeared to be maybe a year or two younger than her seventeen years.
The girl came running up to them a second later, her eyes round as saucers when she saw Zalia pinned to the ground under the boy.
She looked at the soldier on top of Zalia and frowned. “He said to help her, not hurt her.” The soldier looked up at her and scowled.
Zalia glanced up at the girl. She appeared to be a servant girl. Her clothing signified that. She was beautiful, though, with dark-bronzed skin and long thick black hair.
The boy looked down at Zalia, “If I let go, are you going to scream or try to run away again?” he asked.
Zalia hesitated for a brief second, apparently a second too long because the girl jumped in. “Please, Princess, we’re here to help you.”
Zalia shook her head, and the boy rolled off her and stood up. He reached out a hand and pulled Zalia to her feet.
The girl came over and took Zalia’s hand. “I’m Raven,” she said kindly. “We’re here to get you to safety.”
The boy grabbed her arm and started pulling her forward. Zalia angrily shook off his arm, and said, “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“Yes, you are,” he said. Zalia pulled her arm away from him in desperation, looking for an escape.
“Wait, please,” Raven said. “We’re trying to help you. We were sent to help you.”
“Sent by whom?” Zalia asked. Raven looked quickly towards the boy.
He gave a tiny shake of his head. “All you need to know is that I am here to get you to safety. You can find out everything else once we get there,” he said.
Zalia stood uncertainly looking back and forth at the two of them trying to determine if they were telling the truth. “Was it the tall soldier who got me out of the castle? Are you friends with him?”
Raven looked again at the boy, and he just scowled.
“Well then, where are we going?” Zalia asked, trying to get some answers. Again, the girl looked at the boy. This time, Zalia didn’t wait until he shook his head. “Let me guess,” she said sarcastically. “You won’t tell me.”
The girl squirmed under Zalia’s stern gaze. She looked to the boy for help. “Why do you keep looking
to him for answers?” Zalia asked, harsher than she intended. She was way past her tipping point. Her life had just shattered around her, and she needed answers.
“I don’t know where we are going, Your Highness,” Raven replied.
Zalia stepped closer to her. “Who are you? Are you from Astra too?” she asked, indicating Reid’s uniform.
Raven let out a surprised laugh, “Oh no, Your Highness. I am a servant girl from the kitchen,” she responded.
Zalia couldn’t keep the shock off her face. “Oh,” Zalia said lamely.
Raven responded, “I was hiding in the kitchen during the attack when the tall soldier from Astra came in. He grabbed me and asked me to follow him. He told me that he would spare my life and the lives of those hiding in the kitchen with me if I went with him. I agreed, and he sent me off with this guy,” she said pointing at the boy. “The man told me I was saving the Princess.”
Zalia looked at the boy who hadn’t said anything during this exchange but was looking guardedly around like he was waiting for an attack.
"Listen,” he snapped. “We have a long journey ahead of us. Once we get there safely, you can ask all your questions and become best friends. Right now, we need to get moving before the soldiers find us.”
Zalia tried again, “What’s your name, and where are you taking me?”
He sighed in frustration. “My name is Reid, and I’m taking you to Cascadia, the Kingdom of Waters. That’s all I can tell you. Now let’s move,” he said forcibly. With that, he turned and walked away.
Zalia looked at Raven questioningly, but she just shrugged her shoulders and waited for Zalia to make her decision. Zalia pondered her choices. She could go with these two, or she could send them away. Sadly, she knew she would never survive in these woods on her own. She needed to get away from the castle and she needed to get out of these woods. She might as well let somebody guide her. She wasn't sure what would happen when they got to Cascadia, but she would just deal with it then.
Resigned, she said to Raven, “Okay.”
“Okay?” Raven questioned.
“I’ll come with you,” Zalia replied.
“Good,” was all she said before smiling tentatively.
Zalia wasn’t sure what she had gotten herself into. She had either just found the help she needed to survive, or she had just made a huge mistake. Only time would tell.
Chapter 3
Zalia glanced up wearily at the sun, trying to determine what time it was. It seemed like it was about dinner time. She was exhausted and so thirsty. She had been walking for hours. She glanced at her companions. They had said little during the hours they walked together. Zalia learned that Raven was named after her thick, dark hair. She had been taken from her home when she was twelve years old and brought to Arrosa to serve in the kitchen.
The thought that her father had done that made Zalia sick to her stomach. All she could manage was a quiet, “I’m sorry.” Raven just nodded. After that, Zalia stayed mostly quiet. The longer she walked, the more her head hurt from her pain of loss and her endless questions.
Zalia tried to shut down her torturous thoughts. Right now, she needed to focus on the present. She was on the run with people she neither knew nor trusted, well at least Reid.
She took a moment to study her companions. Raven said she was seventeen, the same age as Zalia. While Zalia had dark, stubborn curls and smooth white skin, Raven had straight black long hair and dark bronzed skin. Zalia looked toward where Reid walked in front of them. She imagined he was probably about sixteen. He was solidly built, like a soldier. He seemed to not make any sound as he forged ahead of them through the forest. Zalia, on the other hand, felt as if she had the grace of an elephant; she made so much noise and tripped constantly.
She felt embarrassed by her lack of grace. Years of being trapped inside had made her weak, she realized. She tried to keep herself strong and fit inside the walls of the castle, but she was realizing now that she hadn’t done a good enough job of it.
She was exhausted now and every bone in her body ached, but she was too prideful to ask Reid to stop. She tried to keep focusing on putting one foot in front of the other, but she knew she was slowing them down.
She pushed her tired thoughts away and focused on keeping herself upright on her feet. The more tired she got, the more sluggish she became. She found herself tripping more often.
After the fourth or fifth trip, Raven called out to Reid, “We need to stop. The Princess is not used to this kind of exertion. She needs to rest.”
Reid didn’t even look back as he called back over his shoulder, “Can’t. We have to keep moving. She’ll just have to deal with it.”
Zalia didn’t know what to say. She just stopped and stood there. Raven looked at her apologetically. Raven turned toward Reid and started walking again.
Zalia stood there a moment longer, determined to hold her ground; but when Reid didn’t stop or even bother to turn back and look at her, she sighed and began walking again.
Pushing aside her weary thoughts, Zalia turned her focus to her surroundings. Being so preoccupied with following Reid, she hadn’t bothered looking around. All around her were plants and trees she had never seen before. If Zalia wasn’t so exhausted, she would have enjoyed taking in her surroundings. However, the weariness she felt took over her desire to notice anything. Darkness descended quickly in the forest. The sun seemed to drop in minutes and when it did, the darkness felt wet, heavy, and oppressive. The forest seemed to come alive with noises. It was all unfamiliar and ominous.
Just when Zalia thought she couldn’t take another step, Reid stopped suddenly in front of her and she plowed into his back. He didn’t say anything, and Zalia was too exhausted to apologize.
Reid told them to wait there. He stepped away from the girls and deeper into the woods. Raven and Zalia stopped and quietly waited. After what seemed like an eternity, he appeared in front of them.
“Follow me,” he said before turning back to return the way he had come. Raven stepped quickly after him, but Zalia followed much slower. By the time Zalia caught up to them, Reid had made a small clearing where they could sleep. Zalia was so exhausted, she couldn’t talk. She walked over and sank to the ground. She thought she would just lay down for a moment and rest her weary body. That was the last thought she had before she fell asleep.
Zalia felt somebody shaking her shoulder, but she was so tired, she couldn’t open her eyes. Mumbling something incoherently, she rolled over on her side to go back to sleep. As she did, she felt the hardness of the ground and awareness began to sink in. She popped open her eyes and looked around at her surroundings. The world around her was just beginning to lighten up; the sun would be coming up soon. She looked over her shoulder and saw Raven looking down at her.
“It’s time to get up and get moving,” Raven said apologetically. Zalia nodded but didn’t say anything. She looked around the campsite and didn’t see Reid anywhere. Good. Maybe he got fed up with me and left. Zalia smirked to herself. If only she could be so lucky.
She slowly sat up, groaning as she did. Every bone in her body ached, but her stomach hurt the most. She thought back and couldn’t remember when she had eaten last. Her stomach chose that moment to complain loudly. She looked up at Raven, and Raven smiled.
“I found some berries we can eat for breakfast,” she told Zalia as she held out a handful of berries to her.
Zalia looked down at them. They were different than any berries she had seen before. “Are they safe to eat?” she questioned Raven. Raven just smiled and ate her berries silently. After watching Raven and not seeing anything to worry about, Zalia put the berries into her mouth. They were surprisingly tart and tangy. They had a different texture but being as hungry as she was, she didn’t really care. They did little to help the huge pit of hunger in her stomach. Her stomach growled again. She looked apologetically at Raven, but Raven simply smiled.
“Reid told me he’s scouting the path. We have to get movi
ng, but we will try to catch something we can eat for lunch,” Raven sympathetically explained.
Zalia stood and stretched her aching muscles. She could hardly move for stiffness was setting in. She wasn’t used to sleeping on the ground, nor was she used to all the exercise. She didn’t know if she could even move but watching Raven start walking in the direction they traveled, she realized she would have to make it work.
She quickly joined Raven, and they walked quietly for a few minutes. Without a sound, Reid stepped out of the woods and joined their small group. He stepped in front of Raven and Zalia and started leading them again. Zalia didn’t greet him as he didn’t seem to be in the mood to say anything. They began their trek forward just as they had the day before.
They walked for what seemed like hours before Zalia finally worked up enough courage to ask if they could stop for a break.
“Um, Reid, do you think…” Zalia hadn’t even finished her question when he whirled on her, grabbing her hand and yanking her to the ground.
“Soldiers coming,” he whispered urgently.
He motioned her to follow him and led her to a thick cropping of vines and trees. She was just about to ask where Raven was when Raven slipped in quietly next to them. She looked out to where they had stood only moments earlier and waited to see what would happen next.
Soon, soldiers from Astra marched loudly into the area. Zalia sucked in a sharp breath. Those dreaded crescent moons would be in her nightmares. Reid looked at her in anger for making that tiny noise. Zalia did her best to hold absolutely still and not make another sound.
The soldiers kept up their pace and moved through the area quickly. Looking around them as they went but not seeming to notice anything suspicious, they kept moving. A few minutes later, all was quiet. Zalia dared not open her mouth. Her heart was still pounding in fear. She didn’t think she could say anything if she wanted to. Finally, Reid quietly stood to his feet and slipped off in the direction the soldiers had taken. Raven shifted closer to Zalia and crouched next to her but didn’t say anything.
