I had only just noticed that the shouting and banging had not stopped. I listened closer someone was fighting upstairs. I cowered in the bed, fearful of who would come down those stairs. I could hear what sounded like people falling, and yelling commands. Who was attacking the building? I waited as the sounds began to lessen. Rapid footsteps came down the stairs and others followed. Eric ran into the room, his face bloodied and in his hand was a knife. He came to move and I tried to get away from him but was not fast enough, he pulled me up in front of him the knife digging into the flesh of my arm. I whimpered, tears still filling my eyes. There were two men at the doorway, and neither was Max nor someone I knew. They were also wearing common clothes, likely bandits as well. "Stop, or I kill her," Eric growled and it seemed the room went quiet. The two men looked at each other, confusion in their face. I do not think they knew who I was. One was a tall and broad man, with striking blue eyes and short brown hair. He was holding a sword in one hand and a knife tucked into his belt. His face was cut and clothes torn. The man next to him was shorter and had darker skin. The second man was much younger, and looked almost my age.
"Eric, let the girl go," The man with blue eyes growled lowly, his arm poised with a gun in hand. His accent was not like the other bandits it was cleaner and clearer. He was clearly from one of the cities. Why did he care if I died if they did not know who I was? Blood was pouring down my arm as the sharp edge dug into my skin. I looked fearfully between the men, I did not know who would be worse.
"Kill her, Four. That's the way you'll get revenge. Precious Edward, that's why you are here right?" Four? Was that the blue eyed man's name. I was caught between brotherhood fights despite none of it being able me. The blue eyes were trained on me, softening when he met my dark eyes. I could see the way he was standing even in combat he was standing straight and proper. He was no common bandit. His partner next to him was low and slouched, his combat position sloppy. "Do it," Eric growled manically. The knife digging into my arm was gone and instead pressing against my stomach, not breaking the skin as far as I could tell. Four, I guess that was his name, gave me a slight nod. My heart pounded and Eric pulled his hand back like he was going to stab me in the stomach but began to fall. I could see the knife in his chest as his hand pressed the knife into my thigh instead. I cried out in pain and strong arms grabbed me before I hit the hard stone floor. I could see the dark skinned man jumping on Eric, ensuring he was dead. "Uriah, run ahead. Tell Zeke to hold off for a few minutes," The low voice spoke behind me, the boy turned looking at me. I could feel the blood rushing from my face, feeling my head spin from the pain. I could hear myself crying but that felt distant.
"What about her?" Uriah asked Four. I was talking large breaths from the pain.
"She comes with us," He spoke finally and the other boy ran back up the stairs, calling to whoever Zeke was. His hands linked under my shoulders and pulled me up onto the bed. His blue eyes looked down worriedly at me. His hands ripped away at the bloodied fabric of the dress, pressing his hand the gaping flesh of my leg. At least Eric had pulled the knife free and had not left it in my thigh. I whimpered in pain as he wrapped the fabric tightly against the wound. "I know, I know… I apologize, this will have to do until we get out of here," There were more noises from upstairs and Four swore under his breath. He pulled me up, supporting my weight with his shoulder. He was practically carrying me as we went up the stairs. "Stay with me… come on, stay awake..." Four was speaking; darkness was wading in and out in my vision. A thought entered my mind that I should tell him my name but the only thing that came out of my mouth was the ending syllable.
"…trice," I groaned and that was the last thing I remembered. I felt jolting and what felt like running and my eyes opened to see a forest, the sun low in the sky. I groaned in pain as the movement made stabbing go through my leg. The movement slowed and I released I was being carried. My eyes sprung open and saw Four above me holding me tight to his body. I struggled in his grip, despite him helping me that did not mean he was good. Him and his men could just want me to rape me or sell me off.
"It is alright… shhh," He spoke softly, slowing down and placing me on a boulder in a sitting position. "Zeke! Uriah! We are stopping now," He commanded briskly and I saw the two men appear from in front of us. Zeke looked identical to Uriah, he looked like an older brother or cousin. Zeke had hair while Uriah was shaved. "Go find firewood," He told the two of them; it was clear who was in charge. They both dropped their bags near the boulder before taking off into the forest. Four looked me over and must have settled on my wide eyes. He sighed softly, "I am not going to hurt you. Tris, is that your name? You said it awhile back," I only looked back at him. I could not tell them I was princess; they might hurt me, or trying to ransom me off. If they did not know I was going to keep it that way so I nodded at the question.
"Are you bandits?" I asked softly and Four's, face softened at the obvious question. He nodded slightly, his hands went back to my thigh and I flinched making him slow his movements.
"I need to change the bandages and you need some new clothes," He said quietly and I noticed then my dress was barely being held up anymore. It was so torn and dirty that you could not tell it was of royal manufacturing.
"Four there's a river off to the east!" A voice called back to him. Four looked into the forest before back at me.
"We can go over there and get cleaned up. We have some clean clothes for us which you can have," He told me simply as he grabbed a pack over his back and held his hand out for me. I looked up at him, his soft blue eyes. I took his hand and he pulled me up, pulling my arm over shoulder to help me walk to the right. "Where are you from? You are clearly from one of the cities," He noted then, only if he had an idea.
"Rockton," I spoke back softly, thinking about my home. We walked until we got to the riverside, where he placed me on dry ground.
"We will try and get you home," He promised softly. He began grabbing things out of his bag, handing me a large shirt and pants. They were clearly what bandits wore and would be far too large but it would still be better than this broken dress. He went over to the water, washing his face and changing his bloodied shirt, washing it in the river. While his back was turned I slipped the dark shirt over my head and pulled my torn dress down. I pulled the pants under the dress before discarding the disgusting dress. I had to tie the pants to even keep them up, rolling up the pant legs to keep them from the floor. I tied the bottom of the shirt as well. Four was filling two bottles with water as I hobbled my way over to a large rock near the water. He looked back at me as I attempted to wash my arms and lower legs. I looked at the deep gash in my lower arm that stung as I tried to clean the dirt off it. I washed my face as well. It was not ideal but it was better than how I felt before. When I was done Four passed me a bottle with a slight smile. I drank readily from it before filling it up again. It was dark and he helped me walk back over to where the embers were burning. Four worked quietly, rolling up my pant legs to unravel the fabric, cleaning the wound with some water before ripping up some cloth he had in his bag and covering the red cut.
"Why did Eric have you?" Uriah asked quietly then, breaking the silence around us. Four looked at him from where he was finishing tying the bandage. He then when to my arm, wrapping the deep cut there as well.
"He kidnapped me, from Rockton," I said simply but it was clear Uriah and his brother wanted a better explanation than that. "I am from a noble family, I think he wanted to trade me for money," I lied quietly but he seemed to believe that.
"Zeke and I are brothers, we are from farmland outside Rockton," He spoke softly back. Four was done with the bandage and pulled the pant leg back over the wound. I looked to Four waiting for an introduction but he only trudged off into the forest without another word. It looked like he was going to wash his hands of the blood from my leg.
"He doesn't talk about where he is from, we have been together eight years and all we know is he's from Whiterun," Zeke spoke then, his voice low. I thought about the King and Queen of Whiterun, and their small city. The two young men were very relaxed, their legs drawn up and backs round as then huddled near the fire.
"What day is it?" I asked suddenly, realizing I had no idea how long was I gone from home for. Uriah looked at me sympathetically.
"The second day of March," He answered then and I sighed softly. I had been gone two weeks, I should have been married by now. "Were you meant to be somewhere?" He asked kindly and I laughed slightly. I could hear Four coming back from the river.
"At my own wedding," All three of them froze. I stared into the flames of the fire, avoiding their gazes. I saw Peter's golden eyes in the flames and I wondered how worried was he for me.
"You were meant to get married?" Uriah questioned again as Four sat back down on my left, warming his hands over the flames. His blue eyes flicked to mine as his head tilted slightly in question and I just nodded at all them, feeling my left hand were the ring should be. Zeke moved suddenly grabbing his bag and rummaging through it. He pulled something out and held it out making me suck in a breath. It was my ring. I leaned forward taking it from him and rolling it in my hand.
"Where did you find it?" I asked breathily amazed that I got it back. I squeezed it in my hand feeling the cold metal.
"It was on one of the men back at the building," It was with Max last time I remembered. They were all likely dead. I thanked Zeke quietly as I held the ring tightly between my fingers.
"It looks expensive," Uriah commented and I held it close to me, thinking of a way to explain that. Four's eyes were on mine narrowing slightly. "Who is your fiancé?" He questioned and these questions were getting too personal.
"Peter, another noble," I lied smoothly but Four's eyes did not leave mine. He looked suspicious but did not say anything else. I slipped the ring back onto my finger, letting the cool metal soothe me. I wondered if he was still in Rockton or was he back home. I wondered if he was out looking for me, how many guards did they send? The conversation stalled and instead we began eating the roasted rabbit. I was starving, they never gave me more than bread or cheese while I was there. I ate some pieces of meat savouring the flavour.
"Tomorrow we will follow the river North, then east the next day. It should be four days until we reach Rockton," Four spoke and I wondered how he knew the land as well to be able to estimate like that. "We will get you back to Peter," He promised quietly his blue eyes intense.
"He's a lucky man," Uriah spoke as Four and I turned to look at him. He bowed his head slightly with a small smile. "You're really pretty is all I meant," I blushed at his words and his brother hit him on the back of the head.
"Smooth," Zeke commented at his brother. Four's blue orbs were on me, looking at my face closely and I just continued to blush at the attention. I looked back at him when he would not look away. "Four that's a bit creepy," His eyes broke the gaze and looked away while clearing his throat.
"My apologies," He said briefly and that was another indication that he was not just a common bandit. Commoners and peasants would say something like I am sorry. The way Four spoke was formal. I was not the only one who was lying about where they were from. "You look familiar," He spoke looking back at my face before taking some meat from the rabbit. I tensed up but I was sure they would no recognize the Princess of Rockton, why would they?
"When did you leave Whiteturn?" I questioned him now and it was his turn to be uncomfortable. He shifted in his seat as he cut some meat off the rabbit.
"Several years back," He spoke roughly under his breath and I knew he was not going to say anymore. I left the conversation alone. I had so many other questions but I only dared ask one, too all of them. We sat in silence, none of us daring to break it. I decided to break it finally.
"Why were you at that building? Why did you kill those other bandits?" I asked softly, three sets of eyes shot to mine and I flinched away from their gazes. They were still killers I reminded myself, not friends. I just needed to get home. They all looked at each other, Zeke and Uriah's eyes going to Four. "Eric spoke when he… he said Edward," Four's hand clenched around the knife handle he was holding. His knuckles went white around the handle of the knife. I looked at him warily as the tension in his lower arm grew. Four moved and I flinched away, afraid of the knife he had in his hand. He looked at me, the tension dropping as he saw the look in my eye. He put the knife down on the stone, opening his hands to show he was not going to hurt me.
"Did Eric hurt you?" He asked quietly, changing the topic. I just looked back tilting my head he saw Eric hurt me. Four sighed softly as he struggle to speak again. "I mean more than when we were there?" His voice was quiet and the other young men were looking at me. I shifted awkwardly, thinking about the way his hands were on me. I shuddered slightly glad he was dead. Trust me I can hurt you. "Tris?" Four called to me breaking the feeling of Eric on me. I looked to him, his blue eyes sad. I wrapped my own arms around my body.
"Yes, he did," I spoke softly it was like the entire forest quieted around us. I rubbed my own shoulders squeezing myself. Four looked at the two men behind him, with a silent glance they both got up and disappeared into the darkness. I was not sure how they could see where they were going, nor where they were going. When they moved out of earshot Four moved closer to me, I shifted awkwardly, afraid.
"Tris," He spoke and I looked at him. His blue eyes were soft and patient. I knew he was waiting for me to say something but I did not know what to say. "Did Eric rape you?" He asked then and I cringed at the words. Thank the gods for something that was that Eric did not.
I shook my head at the bandit. "No, he just touched me," Eric's hand on my breast flashed through my mind. Four looked understandingly, his face neutral. I twirled the ring around my finger, thinking of my want to be home again. His eyes flicked down to the ring, an expression on his face that I could not place.
"My apologies," He said simply. I let the phrase hang in the air, the phrase that made me know he was not who he said he was.
"I know you are not a commoner," I spoke quickly then, his eyes were sharp then, warning. He was warning me with his eyes not to say anymore. He sighed instead, squeezing his hands together.
"I know you are not a noble girl," He said back and I looked back at him. Our eyes locked in mutual lies. I felt the air flex and break between us as we stared at one another, neither wanting the either to reveal our lies. "Do you know who I am?" He asked quietly and I shook my head. I did not, but I did know he was not who he said he was.
"Do you know who I am?" I repeated the question back and he shook his head but his eyes searched my face like he should know. The silence hung between us like a locked secret, that each of us held. I twirled the ring around my finger, touching the white diamond. Four's eyes jumped down to my hands before back up again.
"What is he like?" Four asked and despite the ambiguous question I knew what he meat. The gold eyes were in my mind, the soft hands and timid touches. The dance in the ball, that seemed so horrible at the time was like heaven compared to what Eric had done to me. I would be back there in an instant if I could. That was another man that I stood in a lie with, only then we were telling the same lie.
"He is quiet and kind. I have seen no vices about him," I admitted to the bandit but my tone was not one of love and I think the blue eyed man noticed. Zeke and Uriah returned then, a fowl in hand. They began to cut off the feathers and skin it as Four broke away from me, our moment broken. He gave me a final look and I knew what it meant. If I kept his secret he would keep mine. I gave a soft yawn as Zeke stuck the bird on a branch and put it over the fire.
"You should sleep Tris, we will keep watch," Uriah spoke then, and I went to protest but then noticed how tired I was. I yawned again covering my mouth as I nodded. Zeke tossed me a fur blanket, I wondered if the even had enough for all of us. I lied down on blanket and pulled the rest of it over me.
"Sleep tight," I heard Four whisper and I thanked him quietly. I was thinking him for saving me, for being kind to me, and for keeping my secret just as I would keep his. I awoke to rustling and I sat up quickly only to see Four emerging from the woods with three birds in hand. He pressed a finger to his lips and I looked around to see Zeke and Uriah curled up sleeping. I looked around to see dawn breaking along the horizon it was early that was sure. Four settled down near me plucking the feathers off one of the birds. I took one body in my hands, watching his moments and began to copy it. Soon we had all the birds defeathered, he skinned them before restarting the fire and beginning to cook them. I looked at my hands that we covered with feathers and blood. Four looked at me and gestured towards the river, holding his hand out. I still could not put all my weight on my injured and took his hand. He supported my weight as I limped out towards the river. He helped me down when we got there. I scrubbed at my hands in the river thinking of familiar gold eyes. "Last night, when you spoke about him… do you love him?" Four asked almost like we were both thinking of him at the same time. I looked up into the blue eyes with emotions in my eyes that even I could not even name. I went back to scrubbing my hands cleaning up to the bandage on my arm.
"I do not want to talk about it," I said finally and the man listened to me. I washed my face in the cool water, washing out my mouth. Four left as I relieved myself in the river and he later did the same. It was comfortable silence but nonetheless the empty questions hung in the air. When we got back to the fire together I found Zeke and Uriah already packing the fur away. We ate the birds while the men spoke about the best route to take to Rockton. There were going to bring me all the way home and I did not even offer them anything in return. There was no promise of money or riches at the end, at least not they knew of. We took off less than an hour later, this time it was Uriah holding my body as Four went forward and scouted. Uriah asked me polite question about my family, which I told him I had a brother. I described Caleb, without the Prince part of course. The conversation was light and he made me giggle at things he had seen and done. Him and Zeke had gotten into a lot of trouble as young boys. I never asked why he left the farmlands in Rockton; I was guessing it was not a kind story. We walked, following the river upwards. We crossed the river when the terrain became too rocky. My leg throbbed by midday and was extremely painful after that. At one point Zeke began helping me walk but I felt my energy drained. Four appeared in front of us, he was ahead most of the day, watching for other bandits and scoping the land. He took one look at my face and order both of the men to stop. Zeke placed me on a nearby log and I relaxed with my back against it my struggling breath rough. Four's light hands were on my thigh again as he expertly unraveled the bandage. He prodded at the burning skin around the wound.
"This is not good," He commented blankly and I knew the cut was festering. That was why I felt so faint and weak. Four deeply cleaned it, soothing me as I cried and whimpered in pain. Zeke and Uriah went away to grab water off to the left. The pain was intense but I knew we were not done moving for the day, I was slowing everyone down.
"I can keep walking," I assured all of them when they were speaking quickly about what to do, thinking I could not hear. "I want to go home," I reminded them when they mentioned that there was no rush. Four looked at his companions and they just shrugged. He came back over to me, kneeling in front of me and looking at my pale face and shot eyes.
"You can not keep walking," He spoke softly and I shook my head in denial. I grabbed his hand and pulled myself up but I only managed to collapse into his arms. Four held me up, propping me against his strong frame. He looked down at me, my desperate eyes to get home as soon as possible. He nodded almost to himself and wrapped an arm around me another under my knees. He picked me up in a single fluid motion.
"You can not carry me all the way, I am too heavy," I protested with a whisper, as all three of them beginning to walk. Zeke was now the scout and Uriah trailing behind us taking up the rear. Four only chuckled softly; I could feel the rumble deep in his chest. His muscles flexing under my body as he held me to him, his walking movements soothing me.
"You are tiny Tris, you barely weigh anything," He commented quietly and I was too tired to protest anymore, his arms around me comforting. I was dozing in and out of consciousness. I was not sure for how long or how far he carried me for. I had flashed of dreams as we walked, images of Eric and Max, that night at the ball. Fear pulsing though my body as the images passed. "Tris, are you alright?" A clear voice broke through the images and I was met with blue eyes. I blinked awake realizing it appeared to be late afternoon, the sun lowering in the sky. "You kept whispering Robert…whose Robert?" He asked softly and I thought of the kind man who I always associated with safety. He was always my protector, for as long as I could remember.
"A guard in Rockton," I said vaguely willing my eyes to stay open but they kept fluttering close. Four did not push the question anymore of who he was; it was hard to explain who he was without giving away who I was. I knew Robert who would be distraught at my disappearance; I hoped he was not dismissed from the guard and that he would be waiting for me when I got home. We would travel to Greenleaf together; I would pay for a house for his mother and sister. Everything would be worth it, everyone would be happy. Four hummed, I could feel it and I realized I was saying that aloud. Everyone will be happy. I wanted to be home then, with Rose and Caleb and my father. Even my father would be so bare-able after what I had gone through. Then next I arose clearly it was morning again and I was disorientated. Arms were around me and I realized it was Four. I remembered then, I was so delirious and confused. When Four put me down, wrapping a blanket around me I pulled him back to me, asking him so softly if he would stay with me. He assured me I would be safe but I would not let him leave. He was forced to hold me as I drifted to sleep. I felt my leg falling asleep and I shifted in my sleep. Four murmured in a light tone, his hands around me. I thought about what my father would think, me sleeping with bandits. "Four," I gently awoke him. His blue eyes fluttered open and he only then seemed to notice how we were sleeping. He pulled away from me apologizing quickly but I just laughed softly, seeing Zeke watching us quietly as he roasted what looked like a salmon. "I just need to relieve myself," I spoke but Four was still blushing from how he had held me. It was endearing how embarrassed he was. He helped me get up, his hands even more timid that usual. I relieved myself in the woods and he helped me back passing me a bottle to sip at. After we ate and before we packed up Four went to the river, giving me a new shirt and washing the one him and I wore. He came back to the camp without a shirt on and I saw the muscles I felt yesterday. Only that was not what severely caught my attention. Spread across his back was horrific scars that cut into the muscle of his back. They were some incredibly deep and others discolouration. The amount of damage his skin had been through was horrifying. It must have been incredibly painful.
"He didn't get those being a bandit," Zeke commented as he helped me up. Four was scouting again today, Uriah taking up the rear. I looked a the dark-skinned young man and he pursed his lips quietly like he was deciding what to say. "He never says but those are from when he lived within the city, not from fights outside," I wondered what the man had gone through, the pain of it all. Why did he leave Whiterun, he must have been some sort of nobility there. The mystery arose around who Four was and what happened. "Would your fiancé be out looking for you?" I thought about what I knew of the Prince, his quiet but determined personality.
"He would try yes," I spoke and I knew he would have. He likely would have insisted on going out himself and it would have been our father's to stop him. Robert would be out, riding around the nearby lands on horse back. My brother would be ordered guards, frustrated when they came back empty handed, I could see it all in my mind. "You will get hefty riches if you return me," I admitted to Zeke and he only laughed.
"We aren't doing this for the money my lady," He joked and I just nodded slightly. I knew they were not or they would have asked about the money the first day but they did not. "Four won't enter the city, he may not get his riches," I furrowed my eyebrows together at that.
"What do you mean? He does not enter cities?" Zeke shook his head, and I could just see Four's frame between the trees ahead of us.
"We stop in small towns, pay to sleep in motels and for some cooked food. But every night we spend in one settlement he gets more and more antsy. He has never entered castle walls since he left Whiterun all those years ago," The man told me softly and I wondered who he was hiding from.