Her horse grew tired after two days of loping through the woods and fields. She wanted to keep going but for the sake of Ally, she slowed to a walk. She glanced from side to side and realized she didn't have a weapon. She needed to find one in the next town. She reached the next town quicker than she thought, it seemed very homey. No garlic hanging above doors or crosses painted everywhere. She smiled, a town that hadn't been stricken with fear. The people there seemed very nice, but when she introduced herself as Amanda and only Amanda, people grew suspicious. She tied her horse to a post near a small quiet tavern and walked to a sword shop. She entered it and saw that only a few men stood looking at swords and daggers and other weapons. She walked to the back and found a nice sword. The blade about 2 and ½ foot blade with brass cross guard and pommel. She admired it and was about to buy it when she felt someone watching her. She turned to see the store clerk staring at her. She turned and smiled at him, he looked at her suspiciously.
"No why is it, if I may ask, are you lookin at such a fine sword, lass?" he asked his thick Scottish accent slurring his words.
"Oh just a gift," she lied and walked out the door.
She made her way back to her horse and stood looking at the evening sky.
"He will close soon, Ally don't worry, after I get my effects we will be on our way and safe with Dad," she whispered.
She hid in the shadows of an alley and waited until she saw the shop keeper leave. She quickly picked the lock and dashed inside. She ran straight to the back and grabbed her sword. She ran up to the front desk and out the door.
She raced to her horse and put the sword inside its leather case and then tied it to her saddle. She patted her horse's nose and then proceeded to the nearest grocery market. She saw it and crept carefully to one of the windows. Inside she saw racks of meat that had iced packed all around them and then there was bread. She saw that a light was on upstairs and she went to the back. She carefully opened the unlocked door and stepped inside. She grabbed a burlap sack and filled it with vegetables and bread and a piece of tenderloin. She was about to leave when she heard voices.
"I'll get it and them we can have dinner," a man's voice shouted as he came down the stairs.
She looked on in horror as she realized the stairs were only feet away from her, she frantically tried to find an exit, but couldn't make it back out the door without being seen. She stashed her bag under a box and ran to hide in a corner.
The man looked to be about thirty or so and he carried a lantern that illuminated the whole room. She felt the light hit her and she closed her eyes and prayed. She suddenly felt the light get farther away as the man gathered up some corn and went back up the steps. She didn't waste any time, she just ran and grabbed her stuff and then out the door. She sprinted back to the alley and came back to her horse. She tied the bag to her saddle and mounted. She decided to sleep elsewhere tonight. She made her way out of town.
"Why ya leavin so soon?" she heard someone behind her ask.
She was about to run when she heard a hammer on a shot gun click. She froze.
"I said why you leavin?" the voice asked again.
"I…I…" she started. She turned to face the man and saw the sword shop keeper standing there.
She suddenly spurred her horse and galloped full speed at him, causing him to leap out of the way and drop his weapon. She raced through town, she could hear him yelling, suddenly a bullet whizzed past her ear. She gasped and ducked down lower, she saw men coming out of there houses with an array of weapons. She heard gun shots and angry shouts. She urged her horse on, taking a sharp left hand turn down an alley she could hear Ally's hoof beats echo off the walls. She came to the end and realized her mistake, she had cornered herself.
The townspeople swarmed into the alley and brandished such things like torches, pitchforks, guns and other weapons. How cliché she thought. She pulled her sword from its sheath and wielded it. She knew what she about to do would take a few men's lives, but they should have thought twice before they messed with the princess. She rode full speed into the crowd as some parted and others stood their ground. She swung her sword and sliced through a man's neck. She then skewed a man through the chest. He fell backwards and she pulled her sword form his body and kept riding. She had a full on chase behind her. She heard a shot ring out and she felt the pain of a hundred stabbing knives in her shoulder. She slumped forward in the saddle, and rode on, trying not to lose consciousness. Her horse took her out into the hills and they hid.
She came to a clearing where there had been previous campers, they had left enough kindling for a small fire, but that would attract unwanted attention. She pulled the tack off her horse and lay down on the blanket. She slowly let the darkness of much needed rest consume her.
Her peace didn't last for long she awoke to hear a howl pierce the night. It sent chills up her spine. She sat up and her horse raised it's head. She looked at the sky. A full moon. She knew she was in trouble, the smell of blood would give her away, if it hadn't already. She tacked up quickly and rode to the north. She needed to get a boat to take her over the Adriatic and then she could ride through the Carpathians. She kept quiet and listened for any sounds. She heard nothing. Maybe the werewolf was gone.
She heard something rustling in the brush nearby, she stopped her horse and stood transfixed on that spot. She watched carefully, whatever it was couldn't have been that big. She heard it get closer and closer until finally a small boy burst out of the brush yelling.
"Oh dear God," he breathed and then he turned to see Amanda. "Oh please help me! Its after me!"
"Okay, calm down, get on" she said moving ahead on the saddle.
She looked at the brush and heard something big come crashing through. She spurred her horse and she took off. She glanced back just as a werewolf threw itself out onto the road. She looked ahead of her, there was a bridge coming up she knew she would be fine as soon as they got across it. She saw the beast look at them and then come barreling after them. She spurred Ally again and again, urging the horse to go faster. They came to the bridge fast, and flew across it, she could hear the beast catching up.
"Oh hurry, it is upon us!" the boy screamed.
As soon as they crossed the bridge the werewolf disappeared. She glanced back and it was gone. She smiled triumphantly and kept going, taking no chances. The boy smiled as well. Only his smile revealed a pair of fangs. He bent forward and started to bite into her neck. When she turned to say something to him.
"Why were you…" she saw his fangs "Hey what the hell?" she started to scream, but he grabbed her and tumbled off the saddle taking her with him.
They hit the ground and rolled down a hill. She lay there moaning and crying in pain. He stood above her and smiled. He bent down and pulled her up. She moaned in pain.
"Now, princess you are mine," he opened his mouth and her yes grew big.
"Not so fast," a voice said as the boy's smile slowly disappeared as he looked down and saw a stake protruding from his heart. He turned to a pile of dust and she fell.
She looked up at where the voice had come from, "Who are you," she asked.
"That does not concern you just yet," he said his black hair waving in the wind. He suddenly disappeared.
She frowned and stood up. She walked all the way back up the God forsaken hill and to the road. Her horse was no where to be seen. She whistled and heard no reply, finally she gave up, her weapon, food and ride was gone. She walked solemnly to the next town in hopes of finding another horse.
