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The Golden Maiden
Chapter Four
   That felt so right, Rylen's hand in mine. It was like our hands were molded for each other, a perfect fit.
   It also felt wrong, and terrifying, and uncertain.
   It made me think back to our childhood, back to the days where we did everything together. That is, until Rylen's father died. Once his father died, Rylen seemed to take his place. At age eleven, meaning I was nine, Rylen was initiated into the Golden Guard. And I lost him as a playmate, as a friend, for a long time.
   When we would pass in the corridors, I would wave and smile at him, but Rylen would only bow and murmur, "Princess". After a while, I learned to stop trying. It wasn't until my thirteenth year that Rylen was my Rylen again. My father insisted that I begin my swordplay, although my mother disagreed and wanted me to work on more 'womanly' things like sewing and other things I refused to do. I was overjoyed to learn that Rylen would be my master, and I told Mother as nice as possible that I would do what Father wished and not her.
   His grey eyes were sparkling that first day of swordplay, and that was the moment I knew I had Rylen back. He had grown taller, his limbs more limber but muscular. His training was intense and merciless. I still had a few scars on my forearms from the blunted blades. That's what we always used, blunted and dull edges. As I got better, which was a very gradual process, I hate to admit, Rylen requested to use sharpened swords, but my father grew so enraged at the suggestion that he told Rylen that he could no longer teach me.
   That was the first time that I got into a quarrel with my father. I argued with him constantly, but to no avail. He had the gal to accuse Rylen of high treason. And all just because he asked to use regular swords. It was also the first time that I realized how much anger Father can really have. His sharp, loud words were like slaps across my face, and it was one of my few moments of weakness. It ended with me in tears, storming from the throne room with Mother at my heels.
   "Cassidy, dear, don't be so upset-"
   "Upset?!" I snapped, turning on my mother. "Don't act like you care. You didn't want me to train in the first place. The Maiden answered your prayer, Mother! I won't touch a sword again!"
   I left her in the corridor with much haste, but not before I could escape the distant echoes of her sobs. Regret washed out my anger, and my tears became cold with sorrow. My mother was rather fragile and sensitive, but I was so blinded by fury that I didn't even think of it…
   Later that evening, I found Mother in the gardens. It was her favorite place to stroll, or in this case, cry. Personally, I thought my apology was not near good enough, but Mother accepted it all the same. She even confessed that she thought Father was overreacting. This surprised me greatly, seeing how much she hated my sessions. So, the next morning, Mother talked Father back into letting me train with only slightly unblunted blades with Rylen.
   Our sword dances became even more rigorous and graceful after that. The time we spent together was invaluable, and it was sweeter than the oranges that grew in the gardens. It was the best time. Soon enough, I was able to best Rylen, but it wasn't until my seventeenth year that I was able to do so. The first time I touched my blade to his neck in success, I was devastated to discover that it cut him. A few dribbles of blood ran down his neck, and I tossed my sword away with disgust. My hands gingerly pressed against his neck, although Rylen claimed it was nothing.
   "Nothing? Rylen, this is a steady flow. Oh Guardians, I'm so so so sorry-"
   "Princess." That one word made me look up into his face, inches away from mine. My heart shuddered, and my brain was clouded with the confusing feelings that bombarded me from every angle. His grey eyes were calm as they bored into my emerald green ones. My breathing faltered, and I drew away before something, anything, had the chance to happen.
   He gave me a small grin, his own fingers staunching the flow that reduced to drips. Then, like a foolish and love sick girl, I fled.
   After that, our lessons became a rare occurrence, and they became down-right extinct by the time suitors started coming to court. Ugh. Those suitors, I don't know what hole they came crawling out of, but each one was worse than the last. Finally, after my parents realized that I had no patience for these suitors, they did not allow any more to visit. My mother promised me that I would find my Prince, and it would be my choice, after all, to follow tradition.
   I found my Prince years ago, I wanted to tell her. And his name is Rylen…
   "Princess?" Rylen murmured, pulling me back from the past. "We should stop here and rest."
   "Hm? Oh, yes. Of course." I answered vaguely.
   The moon was still high in the sky, and the stars were bright and blinking. We were standing in a clearing with a small pond. Rylen released my hand to pull items out of his bag while I stepped over to the pond. Resting on the surface were a few lilies and little pads. A tiny, yellow frog was even atop one of the pads. It was a beautiful little thing, but I knew better than to go and touch it. It was a yellow spitter, one of the most deadly frogs in the Four Kingdoms. At the sound of my approach, the yellow spitter vanished beneath the water.
   "We cannot drink from this," I announced, turning back to Rylen. "Yellow spitters are nesting under the pads."
   "Good work, Princess." replied Rylen, pitching a small tent and setting up camp.
   "You don't have to call me that, you know. We're too close for that, don't you think?" I asked, moving back over to my knight.
   He didn't answer at first, and in that seconds hesitation, I began to wonder how close we actually were. When we were younger and before Rylen joined the Golden Guard, it was like a brother-sister relationship. As we got older, however, and Rylen's features sharpened into something mystifyingly beautiful, my feelings began to change. But, before those feelings could grow, or Rylen admitted something new, I shoved all those thoughts into some dark, deep crevice in my mind. And then I acted like nothing changed when almost everything did.
   "I suppose you're right," Rylen answered now, snapping me once again back into reality, but he still gave paused before adding, "Cassidy."
   I smiled at him, trying to keep my mind clear and focus on the matters at hand. Like saving my kingdom from that striking lunatic. Or finding this Scepter of Light and banishing the shadows from the Four Kingdoms forever. Hm. Both sound relatively easy.
   Suddenly, I found myself trying to hold back tears. Everything seemed to run up at me all at once: the death of my poor father, the usurp of my kingdom, this impossible task thrown into my lap, and the fact that Rylen tied himself to my waist with an annoyingly faithful promise. I clutched at my throat with one hand, attempting to placate myself.
   "Cassidy?" His voice was soft, laced with worry. It made me sick, honestly.
   "I'm fine," I told him quickly, my voice breaking slightly. "I-I'm just going to explore."
   "I should come with-" Rylen started, grabbing his sword.
   "No, I need to be alone." I snapped, more harsh than I wanted. "I'll be alright. I can handle myself; you of all people should know that."
   His eyes betrayed the doubt, and I could tell he was thinking of how easily he apprehended me back at the inn. But that was him. Rylen was the only person who could best me. Well, him and Farn. Although, Farn was unfair and a coward. If I faced him with steel in my hand, I have a feeling that I would easily defeat him. Or, so I like to think.
   "Really," I added softly. "I'll be fine."
   Rylen sighed, his face still doubtful, but he nodded and sat back down, beginning to tend to the fire he started. I adjusted my cowl, tugging it closer to my face before venturing into the wood beyond the pond. I glanced back rather warily at Rylen. His features were even more straight and angular because of the now dancing fire he created. His eyes were in shadow, but the fire reflected off and gave him a haunting look. It was captivating.
   I quickly turned away before he caught my stare. Feeling like a fool, I walked through the wood aimlessly, trying to clear my head and focus. My fingers played about my sword hilt, more out of habit than anxiety. I wasn't too worried about being ambushed, but, in hindsight, I really should've been. Despite Rylen's threats, I imagined that more than one stubborn hunter sulked after us for…for me…
   I didn't hold back the tears this time around. And they came at full force. The first sob seemed to start at my toes, snaking up my spine painfully before causing my shoulders to shake uncontrollably, and then it caught in my throat, leaving me breathless for a few seconds. The tears were hot on my cheeks as they cascaded from my emerald eyes, and my vision was seriously blurred and distorted. I looked up at the moon, only seeing a bright, jagged circle with various smudges that were the stars scattered about.
   "Give me strength, Maiden…"  My voice was meek, and cracked a bit before I trailed off, wondering if I was now praying to myself.
   This set off a new round of tears at the thought of such a thing. I brought a hand to my face in an attempt to hold the tears at bay, but they only leaked between my fingers. Overwhelmed and frustrated beyond my emotional brink, I fell down, my knees meeting the surprisingly soft forest floor with hardly any impact. I brought my other hand to face, trying in vain to push the tears back in. With a strangled cry, I released my face and grabbed at my arms, twisting the cloak beneath my restless fingers. Rocking back and forth, I prayed that no one would find me in such a despairing state. I was never one for such emotions, and I felt bad enough just completely losing it.
   "Don't cry,"
   The voice was husky and soft, but it was enough to make me jump straight up, my fingers flying to my hilt. With my free hand, I quickly wiped at my face in an attempt to erase any sign of crying. My eyes, though still red and stinging, caught sight of a person standing just inside the cover of trees. By the tone of voice, I knew it was a man, although his figure was barely discernable in the moonlight. He was huge, that much was obvious.
   "Leave me be." I said, though my voice was still congested-sounding and not threatening at all. "Don't make me use this."
   "Oh, I wouldn't dare, Princess." I sucked in my breath sharply at the mention of my title: He knew.
   "What are you-?"
   "Don't take me as a fool, highness." The man took a step forward, and I inched my sword out of its scabbard. "I would know you at a glance with one eye, and that eye would be half-shut."
   "Who are you?" I demanded, louder and without cracking, as I slipped my sword more than half way out, ready to whip it out in seconds.
   "No one that wants to-hic-harm you, Princess."
   And now, he came forward with long lunges, and he was standing in front of me before I knew it. I smelt his whisky-soaked breath before I saw his face, and that was all I needed to smell to realize who this was. The wineskin clutched in his hand was a dead give-away, too. Even now he tossed the flask back and finished the last drops. With an annoyed expression, the burly man threw the empty skin into the forest behind him.
   "Ayden," I whispered, stepping back and fully drawing my sword at the swordsmaster of what use to be my castle.
   "Ah, she remembers!" Ayden shouted, throwing his arms out and releasing a laugh. "When I saw you in that inn, Princess, I-hic-knew that I had to bring you-hic-back home. I would be-hic-welcomed back with open arms!"
   "If you ran off, Ayden, you're as welcomed as I am." I hissed, my sword pointed at his throat. "Don't make me do anything rash. And I'm afraid that I won't be going anywhere with you. Sorry."
   Ayden's brow furrowed, as if this idea was the most complicated thing suggested in the world. He stumbled forward, and I compensated by moving back a step. My sword stayed where it was, though, the tip aimed for his throat. I did not prefer to slay the drunken-swordsmaster, but if it had to come to that…
   "Don't be-hic-like that, Princess." Ayden muttered, his words slurring together. "Let us take back-hic-the castle and-"
   The arrow came out of nowhere, whizzing past my ear. It hissed through the air to pierce Ayden in the throat. The drunk's eyes widened, and he fell to the ground, clutching at his throat that was now bleeding profusely. I jumped back, away from the spurting fountain of his blood. Ayden gripped the shaft, his breathing coming out in disgusting sucking noises. He stared up at me with a helpless expression as the life went out from his eyes.
   "Cassidy!" Rylen cried out, suddenly next to me with his bow in hand. "Are you alright? Did he hurt you?"
   "No, no." I murmured, still looking down at Ayden's dead body with the arrow still lodged in his throat. "I…I'm fine."
   "I shouldn't have left you alone," Rylen said harshly. "I should've-"
   "I said I'm fine," I snapped, turning away from Ayden to look at Rylen. "I'm not a child, Rylen. I can handle myself."
   Rylen paused, his lips pursed with doubt. The expression was painful for me to look upon, and so I quickly looked away. He stepped towards me, putting a gentle hand on my arm. I didn't realize what he was doing before I heard my sword slip back into its sheath. But, after it was away, Rylen's hand lingered on me.
   "You were crying," He said it like a statement, not a question, but he continued before I could either lie or collapse into him. "I've been ignorant, Princess. So much has happened, and who knows what is left to occur." His proximity was making me anxious, but I held onto his every word. "I'm sorry. Truly. Come now. Let us go back to camp. I found some game for dinner."
   I almost replied with something witty, about how magnificent wild game sounded. But my mouth was dry, my throat clamped shut. Rylen gave me a soft smile, patting me before removing his touch from my arm. I stayed where I was, watching him disappear into the night. I know he didn't go far; after this fiasco, he wouldn't be letting me out of his sight at all. Faintly, I could make out his outline, framed with the moonlight.
   Just as my heart began to speed back up, my stomach growled ravenously. It was loud, so loud that I yelped in surprise. Barely, I could hear Rylen's laughter echoing through the woods. With a hot and probably red face, I trudged back towards the dim glow that was our fire. As I expected, Rylen was waiting right at the edge of the clearing patiently. I saw his hand twitch, as if he was going to reach out for me, but he turned once I neared him.
   I didn't even know what to think anymore, so I just gave up for the moment. Wrapping my cloak about me, I sat down on the soft grass and watched the fire's dance. Just as my eyes began to water from the heat, Rylen placed a large leaf with steaming meat on my lap.
   "Not your grandmother's china, but better than nothing, right?" He said with a smile, gesturing to his own makeshift plate.
   "Eating off real plates is the least of my worries," I said seriously, but grinned a little to make it seem more playful than morbid.
   He caught it, though. Of course he did. Rylen knows me too well. His smile disappeared almost instantly. I knew I should've apologized or something, but I had no care to. Instead, I fingered the stringy meat that Rylen cooked and ate in silence. After a few minutes, Rylen poked at his own food, but he didn't eat any of it. My stomach turned, despite being filled to the point of exploding. Wiping my hands on the leaf, I glanced down at my empty leaf and back to Rylen's full one. I did a few more times, each more exaggerated than the last, before he got the hint.
   "I'm not that hungry, Princess." Rylen muttered, his tone exasperated and serious.
   "I don't care. I won't have your stomach keeping me up at night." I told him, pointing at his meat. "Now eat it."
   Rylen gave me a look, his sharp features amplified as he gnawed on the inside of his cheeks. It was a tick of his, something Rylen did when stressed or annoyed. I imagine that he was feeling both at that moment.
   "Must I order you to, hm?" I said jokingly, one eyebrow raised with a smirk. "Don't make me do it, Rylen."
   With a roll of his eyes, Rylen grabbed his meat roughly and then shoved it all into his mouth. He raised his brows and gestured with his hands.
   "Mhppy mnw?" He said, his cheeks bulging from the food still stuffed in his mouth.
   I stared at him for a second before completely bursting into laughter. I doubled over, clutching my shins with my hands. My whole body was shaking, my giggles echoing into the night. At first, Rylen tried to keep serious. He swallowed his food, and I watched as his face softened until he gave in.
   His laugh surprised me. It'd been a long time since I've heard it, and I was slightly shocked to hear that it was so low. It was a booming laugh, something that shook you but made you laugh along anyways. It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard, and our laughter bubbled over into the night.
***
   I awoke the next morning to the touch on my shoulder. My eyes popped open and my sword was halfway drawn before I realized that it was Rylen's hand. He only smiled, though, as I sheathed my sword.
   "Can't blame you," He said softly, turning away to finish packing the camp into his satchel. "We best get going. We have a lot of ground to cover."
   "Yeah, of course." I mumbled, rubbing the sleep from my emerald eyes. "Need help?"
   "No, I've got it covered."
   Stretching my arms over my head, I watched him for awhile as he shoved various things into his bag. His movements were fast, but smooth, just like his swordplay. And just like his swordplay, it was mesmerizing. After a bit, he paused and glanced over at me. Embarrassed, I quickly stood up and busied myself with buckling my sword onto my hip, then readjusting my cloak over my shoulders.
   "Ready, Rylen?" I called, waiting at the edge of the clearing.
   "Yes, but north is this way, Princess."
   I turned around to see Rylen waiting at the opposite edge with a rather smug expression. I huffed, ducking my head in attempt to hide my red flush of embarrassment for the second time that morning. It was going to be a long day.
   And that was only the beginning. Just minutes into the rest of our journey, we got hopelessly lost. The map that Rylen had was terribly out of date, and even with the sun, our sense of direction was suddenly gone. By nightfall, we discovered that we were going north, thank the Maiden, so we kept climbing and climbing till we reached the snow covered ground.
   Unfortunately, the higher we climbed, the less game was around. Our own food supply was gone within days, and even water was becoming more and more scarce. Sleep was hard to come by because our empty stomachs would moan and groan, and each step was taking too much out of me. The cold was too much, as well. My cloak was nowhere near warm enough, and making a fire was becoming more difficult with the frozen wood. My hope, as well as my life, was beginning to diminish.
   "Princess, we must rest." Rylen said after nearly two weeks of this sleepless, foodless trip. "You especially. I'm afraid that any day now, you'll just-Cassidy!"
   I wasn't even aware that I was falling down, down, down. I just remember meeting the cold ground. Just darkness, and the distant call of Rylen's voice.
   Cassidy…!

Description
The Golden Maiden
Chapter Four
   That felt so right, Rylen's hand in mine. It was like our hands were molded for each other, a perfect fit.
   It also felt wrong, and terrifying, and uncertain.
   It made me think back to our childhood, back to the days where we did everything together. That is, until Rylen's father died. Once his father died, Rylen seemed to take his place. At age eleven, meaning I was nine, Rylen was initiated into the Golden Guard. And I lost him as a playmate, as a friend, for a long time.
   When we would pass in the corridors, I would wave and smile at him, but Rylen would only bow and murmur, "Princess". After a while, I learned to stop trying. It wasn't until my thirteenth year that Rylen was my Rylen again. My father insisted that I begin my swordplay, although my mother disagreed and wanted me to work on more 'womanly' things like sewing and other things I refused to do. I was overjoyed to learn that Rylen would be my master, and I told Mother as nice as possible that I would do what Father wished and not her.
   His grey eyes were sparkling that first day of swordplay, and that was the moment I knew I had Rylen back. He had grown taller, his limbs more limber but muscular. His training was intense and merciless. I still had a few scars on my forearms from the blunted blades. That's what we always used, blunted and dull edges. As I got better, which was a very gradual process, I hate to admit, Rylen requested to use sharpened swords, but my father grew so enraged at the suggestion that he told Rylen that he could no longer teach me.
   That was the first time that I got into a quarrel with my father. I argued with him constantly, but to no avail. He had the gal to accuse Rylen of high treason. And all just because he asked to use regular swords. It was also the first time that I realized how much anger Father can really have. His sharp, loud words were like slaps across my face, and it was one of my few moments of weakness. It ended with me in tears, storming from the throne room with Mother at my heels.
   "Cassidy, dear, don't be so upset-"
   "Upset?!" I snapped, turning on my mother. "Don't act like you care. You didn't want me to train in the first place. The Maiden answered your prayer, Mother! I won't touch a sword again!"
   I left her in the corridor with much haste, but not before I could escape the distant echoes of her sobs. Regret washed out my anger, and my tears became cold with sorrow. My mother was rather fragile and sensitive, but I was so blinded by fury that I didn't even think of it…
   Later that evening, I found Mother in the gardens. It was her favorite place to stroll, or in this case, cry. Personally, I thought my apology was not near good enough, but Mother accepted it all the same. She even confessed that she thought Father was overreacting. This surprised me greatly, seeing how much she hated my sessions. So, the next morning, Mother talked Father back into letting me train with only slightly unblunted blades with Rylen.
   Our sword dances became even more rigorous and graceful after that. The time we spent together was invaluable, and it was sweeter than the oranges that grew in the gardens. It was the best time. Soon enough, I was able to best Rylen, but it wasn't until my seventeenth year that I was able to do so. The first time I touched my blade to his neck in success, I was devastated to discover that it cut him. A few dribbles of blood ran down his neck, and I tossed my sword away with disgust. My hands gingerly pressed against his neck, although Rylen claimed it was nothing.
   "Nothing? Rylen, this is a steady flow. Oh Guardians, I'm so so so sorry-"
   "Princess." That one word made me look up into his face, inches away from mine. My heart shuddered, and my brain was clouded with the confusing feelings that bombarded me from every angle. His grey eyes were calm as they bored into my emerald green ones. My breathing faltered, and I drew away before something, anything, had the chance to happen.
   He gave me a small grin, his own fingers staunching the flow that reduced to drips. Then, like a foolish and love sick girl, I fled.
   After that, our lessons became a rare occurrence, and they became down-right extinct by the time suitors started coming to court. Ugh. Those suitors, I don't know what hole they came crawling out of, but each one was worse than the last. Finally, after my parents realized that I had no patience for these suitors, they did not allow any more to visit. My mother promised me that I would find my Prince, and it would be my choice, after all, to follow tradition.
   I found my Prince years ago, I wanted to tell her. And his name is Rylen…
   "Princess?" Rylen murmured, pulling me back from the past. "We should stop here and rest."
   "Hm? Oh, yes. Of course." I answered vaguely.
   The moon was still high in the sky, and the stars were bright and blinking. We were standing in a clearing with a small pond. Rylen released my hand to pull items out of his bag while I stepped over to the pond. Resting on the surface were a few lilies and little pads. A tiny, yellow frog was even atop one of the pads. It was a beautiful little thing, but I knew better than to go and touch it. It was a yellow spitter, one of the most deadly frogs in the Four Kingdoms. At the sound of my approach, the yellow spitter vanished beneath the water.
   "We cannot drink from this," I announced, turning back to Rylen. "Yellow spitters are nesting under the pads."
   "Good work, Princess." replied Rylen, pitching a small tent and setting up camp.
   "You don't have to call me that, you know. We're too close for that, don't you think?" I asked, moving back over to my knight.
   He didn't answer at first, and in that seconds hesitation, I began to wonder how close we actually were. When we were younger and before Rylen joined the Golden Guard, it was like a brother-sister relationship. As we got older, however, and Rylen's features sharpened into something mystifyingly beautiful, my feelings began to change. But, before those feelings could grow, or Rylen admitted something new, I shoved all those thoughts into some dark, deep crevice in my mind. And then I acted like nothing changed when almost everything did.
   "I suppose you're right," Rylen answered now, snapping me once again back into reality, but he still gave paused before adding, "Cassidy."
   I smiled at him, trying to keep my mind clear and focus on the matters at hand. Like saving my kingdom from that striking lunatic. Or finding this Scepter of Light and banishing the shadows from the Four Kingdoms forever. Hm. Both sound relatively easy.
   Suddenly, I found myself trying to hold back tears. Everything seemed to run up at me all at once: the death of my poor father, the usurp of my kingdom, this impossible task thrown into my lap, and the fact that Rylen tied himself to my waist with an annoyingly faithful promise. I clutched at my throat with one hand, attempting to placate myself.
   "Cassidy?" His voice was soft, laced with worry. It made me sick, honestly.
   "I'm fine," I told him quickly, my voice breaking slightly. "I-I'm just going to explore."
   "I should come with-" Rylen started, grabbing his sword.
   "No, I need to be alone." I snapped, more harsh than I wanted. "I'll be alright. I can handle myself; you of all people should know that."
   His eyes betrayed the doubt, and I could tell he was thinking of how easily he apprehended me back at the inn. But that was him. Rylen was the only person who could best me. Well, him and Farn. Although, Farn was unfair and a coward. If I faced him with steel in my hand, I have a feeling that I would easily defeat him. Or, so I like to think.
   "Really," I added softly. "I'll be fine."
   Rylen sighed, his face still doubtful, but he nodded and sat back down, beginning to tend to the fire he started. I adjusted my cowl, tugging it closer to my face before venturing into the wood beyond the pond. I glanced back rather warily at Rylen. His features were even more straight and angular because of the now dancing fire he created. His eyes were in shadow, but the fire reflected off and gave him a haunting look. It was captivating.
   I quickly turned away before he caught my stare. Feeling like a fool, I walked through the wood aimlessly, trying to clear my head and focus. My fingers played about my sword hilt, more out of habit than anxiety. I wasn't too worried about being ambushed, but, in hindsight, I really should've been. Despite Rylen's threats, I imagined that more than one stubborn hunter sulked after us for…for me…
   I didn't hold back the tears this time around. And they came at full force. The first sob seemed to start at my toes, snaking up my spine painfully before causing my shoulders to shake uncontrollably, and then it caught in my throat, leaving me breathless for a few seconds. The tears were hot on my cheeks as they cascaded from my emerald eyes, and my vision was seriously blurred and distorted. I looked up at the moon, only seeing a bright, jagged circle with various smudges that were the stars scattered about.
   "Give me strength, Maiden…"  My voice was meek, and cracked a bit before I trailed off, wondering if I was now praying to myself.
   This set off a new round of tears at the thought of such a thing. I brought a hand to my face in an attempt to hold the tears at bay, but they only leaked between my fingers. Overwhelmed and frustrated beyond my emotional brink, I fell down, my knees meeting the surprisingly soft forest floor with hardly any impact. I brought my other hand to face, trying in vain to push the tears back in. With a strangled cry, I released my face and grabbed at my arms, twisting the cloak beneath my restless fingers. Rocking back and forth, I prayed that no one would find me in such a despairing state. I was never one for such emotions, and I felt bad enough just completely losing it.
   "Don't cry,"
   The voice was husky and soft, but it was enough to make me jump straight up, my fingers flying to my hilt. With my free hand, I quickly wiped at my face in an attempt to erase any sign of crying. My eyes, though still red and stinging, caught sight of a person standing just inside the cover of trees. By the tone of voice, I knew it was a man, although his figure was barely discernable in the moonlight. He was huge, that much was obvious.
   "Leave me be." I said, though my voice was still congested-sounding and not threatening at all. "Don't make me use this."
   "Oh, I wouldn't dare, Princess." I sucked in my breath sharply at the mention of my title: He knew.
   "What are you-?"
   "Don't take me as a fool, highness." The man took a step forward, and I inched my sword out of its scabbard. "I would know you at a glance with one eye, and that eye would be half-shut."
   "Who are you?" I demanded, louder and without cracking, as I slipped my sword more than half way out, ready to whip it out in seconds.
   "No one that wants to-hic-harm you, Princess."
   And now, he came forward with long lunges, and he was standing in front of me before I knew it. I smelt his whisky-soaked breath before I saw his face, and that was all I needed to smell to realize who this was. The wineskin clutched in his hand was a dead give-away, too. Even now he tossed the flask back and finished the last drops. With an annoyed expression, the burly man threw the empty skin into the forest behind him.
   "Ayden," I whispered, stepping back and fully drawing my sword at the swordsmaster of what use to be my castle.
   "Ah, she remembers!" Ayden shouted, throwing his arms out and releasing a laugh. "When I saw you in that inn, Princess, I-hic-knew that I had to bring you-hic-back home. I would be-hic-welcomed back with open arms!"
   "If you ran off, Ayden, you're as welcomed as I am." I hissed, my sword pointed at his throat. "Don't make me do anything rash. And I'm afraid that I won't be going anywhere with you. Sorry."
   Ayden's brow furrowed, as if this idea was the most complicated thing suggested in the world. He stumbled forward, and I compensated by moving back a step. My sword stayed where it was, though, the tip aimed for his throat. I did not prefer to slay the drunken-swordsmaster, but if it had to come to that…
   "Don't be-hic-like that, Princess." Ayden muttered, his words slurring together. "Let us take back-hic-the castle and-"
   The arrow came out of nowhere, whizzing past my ear. It hissed through the air to pierce Ayden in the throat. The drunk's eyes widened, and he fell to the ground, clutching at his throat that was now bleeding profusely. I jumped back, away from the spurting fountain of his blood. Ayden gripped the shaft, his breathing coming out in disgusting sucking noises. He stared up at me with a helpless expression as the life went out from his eyes.
   "Cassidy!" Rylen cried out, suddenly next to me with his bow in hand. "Are you alright? Did he hurt you?"
   "No, no." I murmured, still looking down at Ayden's dead body with the arrow still lodged in his throat. "I…I'm fine."
   "I shouldn't have left you alone," Rylen said harshly. "I should've-"
   "I said I'm fine," I snapped, turning away from Ayden to look at Rylen. "I'm not a child, Rylen. I can handle myself."
   Rylen paused, his lips pursed with doubt. The expression was painful for me to look upon, and so I quickly looked away. He stepped towards me, putting a gentle hand on my arm. I didn't realize what he was doing before I heard my sword slip back into its sheath. But, after it was away, Rylen's hand lingered on me.
   "You were crying," He said it like a statement, not a question, but he continued before I could either lie or collapse into him. "I've been ignorant, Princess. So much has happened, and who knows what is left to occur." His proximity was making me anxious, but I held onto his every word. "I'm sorry. Truly. Come now. Let us go back to camp. I found some game for dinner."
   I almost replied with something witty, about how magnificent wild game sounded. But my mouth was dry, my throat clamped shut. Rylen gave me a soft smile, patting me before removing his touch from my arm. I stayed where I was, watching him disappear into the night. I know he didn't go far; after this fiasco, he wouldn't be letting me out of his sight at all. Faintly, I could make out his outline, framed with the moonlight.
   Just as my heart began to speed back up, my stomach growled ravenously. It was loud, so loud that I yelped in surprise. Barely, I could hear Rylen's laughter echoing through the woods. With a hot and probably red face, I trudged back towards the dim glow that was our fire. As I expected, Rylen was waiting right at the edge of the clearing patiently. I saw his hand twitch, as if he was going to reach out for me, but he turned once I neared him.
   I didn't even know what to think anymore, so I just gave up for the moment. Wrapping my cloak about me, I sat down on the soft grass and watched the fire's dance. Just as my eyes began to water from the heat, Rylen placed a large leaf with steaming meat on my lap.
   "Not your grandmother's china, but better than nothing, right?" He said with a smile, gesturing to his own makeshift plate.
   "Eating off real plates is the least of my worries," I said seriously, but grinned a little to make it seem more playful than morbid.
   He caught it, though. Of course he did. Rylen knows me too well. His smile disappeared almost instantly. I knew I should've apologized or something, but I had no care to. Instead, I fingered the stringy meat that Rylen cooked and ate in silence. After a few minutes, Rylen poked at his own food, but he didn't eat any of it. My stomach turned, despite being filled to the point of exploding. Wiping my hands on the leaf, I glanced down at my empty leaf and back to Rylen's full one. I did a few more times, each more exaggerated than the last, before he got the hint.
   "I'm not that hungry, Princess." Rylen muttered, his tone exasperated and serious.
   "I don't care. I won't have your stomach keeping me up at night." I told him, pointing at his meat. "Now eat it."
   Rylen gave me a look, his sharp features amplified as he gnawed on the inside of his cheeks. It was a tick of his, something Rylen did when stressed or annoyed. I imagine that he was feeling both at that moment.
   "Must I order you to, hm?" I said jokingly, one eyebrow raised with a smirk. "Don't make me do it, Rylen."
   With a roll of his eyes, Rylen grabbed his meat roughly and then shoved it all into his mouth. He raised his brows and gestured with his hands.
   "Mhppy mnw?" He said, his cheeks bulging from the food still stuffed in his mouth.
   I stared at him for a second before completely bursting into laughter. I doubled over, clutching my shins with my hands. My whole body was shaking, my giggles echoing into the night. At first, Rylen tried to keep serious. He swallowed his food, and I watched as his face softened until he gave in.
   His laugh surprised me. It'd been a long time since I've heard it, and I was slightly shocked to hear that it was so low. It was a booming laugh, something that shook you but made you laugh along anyways. It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard, and our laughter bubbled over into the night.
***
   I awoke the next morning to the touch on my shoulder. My eyes popped open and my sword was halfway drawn before I realized that it was Rylen's hand. He only smiled, though, as I sheathed my sword.
   "Can't blame you," He said softly, turning away to finish packing the camp into his satchel. "We best get going. We have a lot of ground to cover."
   "Yeah, of course." I mumbled, rubbing the sleep from my emerald eyes. "Need help?"
   "No, I've got it covered."
   Stretching my arms over my head, I watched him for awhile as he shoved various things into his bag. His movements were fast, but smooth, just like his swordplay. And just like his swordplay, it was mesmerizing. After a bit, he paused and glanced over at me. Embarrassed, I quickly stood up and busied myself with buckling my sword onto my hip, then readjusting my cloak over my shoulders.
   "Ready, Rylen?" I called, waiting at the edge of the clearing.
   "Yes, but north is this way, Princess."
   I turned around to see Rylen waiting at the opposite edge with a rather smug expression. I huffed, ducking my head in attempt to hide my red flush of embarrassment for the second time that morning. It was going to be a long day.
   And that was only the beginning. Just minutes into the rest of our journey, we got hopelessly lost. The map that Rylen had was terribly out of date, and even with the sun, our sense of direction was suddenly gone. By nightfall, we discovered that we were going north, thank the Maiden, so we kept climbing and climbing till we reached the snow covered ground.
   Unfortunately, the higher we climbed, the less game was around. Our own food supply was gone within days, and even water was becoming more and more scarce. Sleep was hard to come by because our empty stomachs would moan and groan, and each step was taking too much out of me. The cold was too much, as well. My cloak was nowhere near warm enough, and making a fire was becoming more difficult with the frozen wood. My hope, as well as my life, was beginning to diminish.
   "Princess, we must rest." Rylen said after nearly two weeks of this sleepless, foodless trip. "You especially. I'm afraid that any day now, you'll just-Cassidy!"
   I wasn't even aware that I was falling down, down, down. I just remember meeting the cold ground. Just darkness, and the distant call of Rylen's voice.
   Cassidy…!