Namaste! This may be tricky, but it's from one of the world's most populated countries. Before we continue our exciting tale, I'd like to thank angeleyenc for her lovely review; it's great to hear from you each chapter! Also, a shout out to Lucia123 for favoriting and following AAW, thanks for your support! I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter…it should be interesting :)
Leon was the first to move.
"Halt!" he shouted, moving to run toward the girl. As soon as she saw the man take a step, Melissa swung the now empty bow over her shoulder and took off, dashing between the trees she knew so well. She would have laughed at how the men actually thought they had a chance of catching her in this forest, but her mind was elsewhere. He was here. She remembered him, and all the red, whether it be blood or cloth. Allowing her mind to drift as she automatically cleared logs and skipped stones, she found herself delving into the one night she had tried so hard to run from. The night she met her father.
Earlier that same evening, he had stopped by. She had seen some packages he would drop off on their doorstep to help keep them fed, but it was the first time she had actually been so near to him. Her father had finally deemed it safe enough, or important enough, to visit. She was admittedly jealous of Merlin's closer similarity to him, the two looked as a father and son should, but five year old Melissa begrudgingly held no such appearance. He had still hugged her though, exclaiming about how big she'd gotten, and Melissa was satisfied once again as her mother's eyes shone with happiness in the dim light. However, it had not been long before the knocking, and the panic, and the red capes. Merlin was shoved hard against the wall, falling into a small lump. Melissa could only recall flashes of the night, but she remembered that very clearly. She remembered running up to his fallen form and standing over him. Even at that young age she had asserted herself in the role of protector. Her brother, as talented as he was, was overall sweet and caring. He had been more careful than she, perhaps because their mother watched him more closely because of his gift. Lost in memories she had tried to stifle, Melissa realized she had taken a wrong turn three paces too late. Sure enough, a large slab of stone rose before her, and she had run into the only dead end in the wood. Stopping in front of it to sigh dramatically at her own problem, she then turned suddenly, not wanting to have her back facing them.
The hunting party had formed a semi circle around her, essentially trapping her against the rock face, but Melissa merely smiled confidently. One of the things she had learned was that a display of confidence was just as important to survival as skill with a blade was, and she had adopted one quickly. Of course, Melissa thought, there's nothing to worry about. If one can find a way into a mess, there must always be a way out.
Arthur stood in the center of the half-circle, facing Melissa directly. He smirked at what he deemed to be the helpless position she was now in, but Melissa held his gaze with a determined glare of her own. He broke the stalemate first.
"Tell me, what sort of girl wanders through a forest fully armed?" He quirked an eyebrow mockingly at the absurdity of it all.
"What sort of noble wanders through a forest, hunting in a deerskin cloak?" The words flew, as quick and sharp as the arrow that had pierced the air between them moments ago. Her eyebrow quirked as well, blatantly challengingly him to continue.
"To blend in with the surroundings," he stated obviously. "When one tracks an animal, it is important to be as similar to the environment as possible." He explained sharply, as though acknowledging a peasant would never understand such tactics.
"I see, and may I congratulate you on succeeding. Not only have you captured the look of a deer, but the odor and thick skull of one too." She wrinkled her nose and smirked accordingly, taking obvious pleasure in his reaction. Arthur was stunned for a moment. No one spoke to him like that, not even his closest knights would dare to be so bold.
He took a threatening step forward before replying in a growl. "You would do well as to remember your situation. Besides, you tried to assassinate me!"
Melissa allowed her eyes to widen in shock for a moment before returning to her confident, bored position. Much to the knights' surprise, she let out a short laugh before giving the group a more dangerous look. "Don't flatter yourself. I'm glad I didn't hit you, what a waste of an arrow that would have been."
"Do you know who you're talking to?"
"Does it matter?"
"If you knew what I could do to you, I think your tone would be different."
"If you knew what I could do to you, I think your tone would be different," Melissa bit back, her eyes dancing with some sort of ancient knowledge.
It was becoming clear that, while a village girl usually would not faze Arthur's knights, this one was very different. Everything about her was calm and mocking, as though she knew something they didn't. The group shifted uncomfortably as she looked at each one, seeming to slice into their minds with a glance.
Now Arthur laughed, seemingly oblivious to the discomfort of his men. "What would you ever be able to do to me?"
"I could think of a few things."
"So could I," he responded, a hint of suggestiveness sneaking into his voice, "but I'd rather not."
She scoffed at him and Melissa's eyes grew to a hard, cold black. "Neither would I." The words seemed to hold a deadening poison in them, as the air around them seemed to tighten. Once Melissa felt they had been properly chastised by the stiffness, she spoke. "Listen, as much as I'd love to stay and chat, I really should be going. So, if you'll just let me through-
Melissa had started to walk the side of the group and was about to slip through when Arthur nodded to Kay, the knight closest to her. Kay sighed, but grabbed Melissa and pulled her into the center of the half-circle. The look of betrayal she shot him with hurt more than he knew it should have.
"We're not done here, until I say we're done, and that will be when you are brought to Camelot for sentencing," Arthur commanded, looking down at Melissa.
"Sentencing? We've already been over this. I didn't attempt an assassination; I just shot at a noble who decided to dress as a deer for the day. Besides, who are you to demand anything from me?"
Arthur looked at her as though she'd been dropped on her head as a child. "You really don't know who I am." The statement was phrased as a revelation, as though he had never considered that there was a possibility that even one person might not know him in the entire world. He actually appeared stunned, much to Melissa's amusement. However, a smirk swiftly shoved the shock away and quickly presided over Arthur's own amused face. "You are speaking to Arthur Pendragon, Prince of Camelot."
So, what did you think? Arthur and Melissa have finally met (yay!) but it's not over yet…
