Alliar

Distant sounds, carried on the wind, crept into my ears against my will. I had slept the rest of the day away and cursed myself when I began to rouse at the slightest sounds. It was dark, I could barely see my hand in front of my face as it supported my head — acting like a pillow. I could hear the small sounds of... clanging? I didn't know, I only knew that they were annoying and I was going to seriously murder whomever was making the loud ruckus.

Keeping my body steady and straight I turned my head around until my eyes landed on the outline of Jonathan's figure as he lied sleeping — well at least I think he was asleep. He had come into the tent while I was sleeping and didn't bother to wake me up for another beating which I was grateful for but he looked rather uncomfortable. I had stolen all the fur blankets and his pillow during the night and although when he march in he had snatched his pillow back off me making my head bang against the mattress, he had left the fur blankets and simply gone to sleep in his clothes — how he was not turning into a block of ice from the cold I will never know.

The sounds seemed to get louder now which struck me as odd. Maybe they were this loud every night and I was just too tired and fast asleep to hear them?

A red glow came through the edges of the tent making my eyes catch. I pushed myself up onto my elbow and leaned forward knowing that I was more than likely going to fall on Jonathan but I had to get a better look at the glow. It was flickering like a flame but I knew that all of the fires but the one in the centre of the camp had been put out and even that flame burned so low that I could never see it from inside the tent.

"What are you doing?" Jonathan asked as he looked at me confusingly as I leaned over him.

I looked down at him and found myself wanting to giggle a little, his confused face was perhaps his best look, totally dumbfounded. "Nothing, go back to sleep." I told him and put my hand over his eyes.

"This is not nothing." He pushed my hand off his face and pushed me back until my back hit the mattress again. I quickly rolled my eyes as he leaned up and grabbed my hand furthest away from him and pinned me to the bed. "If you're looking for a dagger it's not in the tent."

"Why would I need a dagger? You told me to be unpredictable remember?" I smirked sure my answer would annoy him — which it did, but there was more than just annoyance in his eyes.

He was about to answer me when the distant sounds went off again. It was just a small sound, one I would never have usually given much attention too but when Jonathan heard the noise his whole domineer changed. Pulling away from me he jumped off the bed and spun around quickly picking up his belt that was draped over the chair and then his long sword and knives that were hidden very cleverly behind the large chest of draws.

No dagger in the tent, yeah right. Liar.

Securing the sword in his belt he quickly looked at me as I watched him with curious eyes.

"What's going on?" I tried to ask. If he was quickly suiting up for battle like this then obliviously those sounds weren't good.

"Stay here. I mean it." He ordered in that tone that sent a chill down my spine and froze me to the spot. I didn't say anything back as he quickly stormed out of the tent.

I quickly jumped up out of the bed and fixed my dress, smoothing down the material as I wondered over towards the door of the tent. Peeking out I watched silently as Jonathan began walking through the rows of tents, his dagger in hand. He was hunched over and crouching low as he walked, his hands quickly pulling back the doors to each tent he passed as he leaned down — no doubt to hit the persons sleeping there. Each tent he passed was soon waken in silent movement as the men began to pour out of their slumber and follow their King towards... battle? Were they being attacked?

The loud yells and screams as the fires started and tents went up in flames answered my question. Yes they were being attacked. Maybe it was my brothers? Maybe they were looking for me? My eyes widened in excitement at the possibility of being rescued and seeing my family again. I quickly let the tent door close as I ran back into the tent and began pulling on my boots and making sure I had my necklace firmly around my neck so that I didn't lose it.

The loud echoing sounds of the slaughter outside were telling me I had to leave now. As I turned the corner and left the tent I saw the dark fiery glow outlining the tents while the white glow of the moon casted a ghostly appearance over the men fighting. Those in black amour were quickly appearing to help out as the rest of the camp quickly woke up and rushed to offer aid, their black amour made them blend in the darkness almost like shadows making it almost impossible to see them as they began hacking away that their offenders. I moved closer to the fights trying to look at the sigil on the men's chest plate praying it was a hunter bow and row — for my brothers — or the snake for Petar's Sigil.

The fighting got worse and the intruders were being skilfully backed into the centre of the camp where the dim flame still stood. Those in black carefully shepherded the warriors like dogs would cattle as they pushed them towards the flame until they were trapped. It was either step back into the flames and burn or fight were your odds were forever against you. Taking a deep breath I quickly turned to run.

Grabbing hold of my dress I pulled it up a little higher to make it easier for me to get away as I tried to work my way through the maze of tents and corpses. Turning a corner I quickly came to a stop as I watched a big man in silver amour yank his long sword out of the chest plate of another man, now lying lifeless on the ground. He turned his head and looked at me, his eyes were black in the thrills of the kill.

Swallowing hard I looked down at his chest plate to see... oh no. Hound. On his chest plate was the head of black hound, the house of Thorn.

I couldn't protest and beg to saved. The house of Thorn's newly proclaimed King Edward Thorn — the man I was betrothed to only a few days ago. If they found me here I would be no doubt killed. No King wants to marry a ruined Princess unless he ruined her himself, if I was found he would kill me and blame it on Jonathan's knights. It would be cause to ignite the war once again and make my step father and mother more inclined to offer up my sister as a consolation prize.

Run.

Quickly I turned around and bolted, I knew I had to find somewhere to run too, if I kept true I would soon run into the horde of men trapped between the sword and the flames and I could hardly fight my way out of that one.

Running as fast as my legs would carry me I was fully aware of the gigantic brute hot on my heels chasing me. Seeing as the flames crept closer I turned around the nearest tent and screamed when I crashed into someone, my footing slipping and the cold sting of a blade as it cut my leg.

I yelped a little at the painful cut before I looked up. Never would I think I would be grateful to see those lifeless eyes staring back at me — only they weren't so lifeless at present, but a light with... Is that joy? Why would he be happy he's killing people?!

"I thought I told you to stay in the tent?" Jonathan said as he quickly withdrew his sword from near my leg and looked down briefly to see the blood beginning to pool form my leg.

"Behind me!" I screamed and pulled on his arm that had a firm grip on my waist. He frowned a little in confusing before understanding crossed his face. The big brute of a man that was hot my heels quickly turned the corner and wasted no time in lunging for us both. Jonathan reacted without hesitation.

Pushing me back behind him until I fell on the floor he ducked and weaved out of the way of the head height swings his attacker was dealing. I soon felt like I did when I was a child, watching my brothers fight, only the difference was I wasn't just anxious that my brothers would lose, no this was pure fear eating at me.

His footing was sure and light, barley even putting a dint in the ground — it almost seemed as though he never touch the ground. He didn't attack straight away but let the other man tire out a little but it was only seconds later before he quickly ducked under the brute's swing and shoved his sword into the back of his neck — killing him almost instantly.

Taking a deep breath he quickly bounced on his heel and walked back to me, holding out his hand for me, I went to take it when I saw a flicker of a shadow as something walked in between the rays of light. "Behind you!" I shouted making him flinch back and turn with his sword out and ready to kill.

Two men quickly stepped forward and the game began again. I turned over and scrambled to feet, looking around I had to do something, I may not want to save his life but I was educated enough to know that if he died I was as good as dead anyways. My eyes caught on a large bow and arrow strapped to a corps just to my right. I couldn't swing a long sword if my life depended on it, it was far too heavy for me but a bow, I hit my mark most of the time — most being the key word there.

Picking up the bow, my shaky fingers picked up the arrow and I drew it back. The bow was too big for me and I struggled to hold it steady. Breath, take a deep breath as you draw and then focus on where you want it to go. Relax your arm and hold it tight. Now breathe out and release. Arthur's voice echoed in my mind as I stared down one of the men opposing Jonathan, while the other laid crumpled and bleeding at his feet. I released the arrow and my breath along with it, slightly closing my eyes as I did so.

Looking back up I saw my arrow had landed in the man's head which just so happened to be right next to Jonathan's and I may or may not have grazed his ear in the process. I dropped the bow from my hands and turned around not being able to stomach the sight of the man I just killed as he fell to his knees and bled out. As I spun around I came face to face with another man holding a knife inches away from slicing my throat — and he wasn't stopping. I screamed out just as the knife touched my skin but the pressure was soon released as a small dagger landed in his head, perfectly spaced in between his eyes. The man dropped the knife, the side of the blade, pricing my neck but I didn't focus on the pain, I couldn't comprehend anything other than the man in front of me. His eyes — a crystal blue — duelled as the life left them and his facial muscles relaxed.

The sight terrified me.

I dropped down to my knees just next to the dead man's body, my body feeling numb and completely lifeless. This was the first man I had ever seen a man die.

I was shaking, my whole body felt cold and I was almost certain I was about to empty out what ever limited stomach condense I had left.

"Come on, we have to go." Jonathan approached me and tried to get me back up to me feet but I couldn't move. He swore and looked around quickly before kneeling down next to me and grabbing my chin in a tight grip and making me face him once more. "You're okay. Just breathe."

I nodded my head and did what he said, focussing on my breathing. In and out. Deep, slow breaths to calm my racing heart.

"Good. Now get up and run, we have to leave." He didn't wait for me, grabbing me by the waist he pulled me up to my feet and began dragging me off through the camp.

We stopped out the front of the large tent that I was supposed to be still in, if I had actually done what I was told — but luckily for me I didn't. The tent was on fire and two men were walking out of the door carrying the small chest that I couldn't open, between them. "Hey!" Jonathan shouted as he let go of me and pounced forward. He stabbed the first man which led to the chest being dropped and then just as the other man went to pull out his sword, his head came flying off with one swift swing of Jonathan's sword.

He bent down and picked up the chest with one arm and began dragging it towards me. He looked around again really quickly before letting go of his sword and reaching to get a better hold of the chest, picking it up he leaned in and placed it in my arms. "Here hold this." He said as he dropped its weight on me and I almost went stumbling backwards. No wonder two people were carrying this, it weighed a tone. He quickly dragged me through the camp, his right hand — that wasn't clutching his sword — had grabbed a hold of my dress to make pulling me along more comfortable for him.

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