"After all, it's one thing to run away when someone's chasing you. It's entirely another to be running all alone."
Jennifer E. Smith
Prologue:
The rain began to howl and drops trickled down her hair. Her vision was blurry. Water clung to her eyelashes like ice. Her hood fell off but she didn't bother to place it back on her head. She continued to run, her knees aching. She needed to get away. Her heart beats were like a million drums and her breathing was a ragged mess. Clutching onto her stomach where her wound lied, she whistled loudly hoping that this would go her way. In mere seconds, the horse appeared. Grinning despite the dire situation, the young woman leaped onto the horse as it began to gallop through the shadowed forest. "Come on, boy." She murmered, grunting softly.
They passed small cottages, mostly empty and a few civilians who ran away at the sight. Feeling as if she might pass out, she brought the horse to a halt. "It's alright." Just before she could regain her composure, she heard the distinct sound of voices. Voices she did not wish to hear. The horse stiffened.
In a matter of moments, they surrounded them swords drawn. "Yield now and we will not hurt you." The leader of the knights stood ahead of them, his eyes murderous. She could not allow them to hurt her. Slowly, she grabbed ahold of the horse's rope and tugged softly, indicating the leave. Instantly the horse began to gallop and the knights shouted at one another to follow. She broke through the first two knights and managed to head east despite the arrow that lodged into her arm. She screamed in agony and brought her other arm to grasp the arrow. With eyes shut and fist clenched, she pulled the arrow out of her flesh watching as blood dripped onto her horse's mane. "Sorry boy." She whispered, too weak to say anymore.
The storm grew larger as thunder struck the grey colored sky. Abruptly and without notice, the horse stopped his steps and let out a neigh. He threw her off his back and she collapsed onto the dirt covered ground, her body limp. Blinking her eyes, she saw that he was wounded. Arrows were lodged in his legs. Grasping for anything near her, she heard the steps of people coming towards her. The knights. She was not able to move. She kept blinking, trying to see. She listened as one of them sneered and felt someone touch strands of her hair. Before she could react to their actions, she fell into a pit of darkness.
"We must take her to the king. He will be most satisfied." An old knight uttered, a smirk planted on his fat, red face.
"What is she?" A young one asked, face conjured into an expression of confusion.
The old knight rolled his eyes and kicked the girl's shoulder with his boot. "A nasty warlock. One of the only ones left."
[a/n: Please review for the next chapter! Thank you.]