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Radnor

I watched as the woman is dragged out by the man. The others that were with them, following behind.

She was a brave one, I'll give her that.
She wasn't like the other women in north when Cole was present.

Desperate to be wedded or bedded.

The look on Cole's face told me one thing. He wanted her, and knowing him, I know he saw her as a beautiful challenge for him to conquer.

"Hi Radnor." My eyes shift to look up at the women who came to stand in front of me. The top piece of her dress, leaving nothing to the imagination.

I roll my eyes, looking away from her.

"You must be so tired-" she says, coming closer to me, but I abruptly stand up, causing her to stumble back.

"Excuse me." I push my chair back into the table, heading for the door, when I feel her grab hold of my arm tightly, and I look back at her.

"Let me make you feel good Radnor." She seductively says, rubbing her chest against my arm.

I knew of the multiple women who wanted to be with me or at least wanted me to bed them. Many of them threw themselves at my feet. Some even lost self respect for themselves and literally threw themselves at my feet.

It made me repel.

I pull my arm from her, continuing to the door.

"Leaving already Radnor!!" I hear Cole shout but I don't even give him any attention, leaving the irritable place.

I hear them begin to laugh and I roll my eyes. Probably at something the idiot said.

Walking in the direction to my house, people looked in my direction. I walk pass the House of Pleasure. Some of the women, waving in my direction.

"You want to have some fun big boy?" One of the women say, twirling her hair around her finger. Another blowing me a kiss.

"We'll take good care of you."

I hear the call of the eagle, just as I feel Exodus land on my shoulder, causing the women to screech.

"Good girl Exodus." I say and she whistles.

Exodus

I lived just outside the village, in the woods, near the river. I've never been good with people, and I had no intention to start anytime soon.

Walking up the path to my house. I feel a weight lift off my shoulders as I enter my safe haven.

Exodus flies over to her wooden post. Settling down herself. I take out one of my waterskins from the icebox, drinking some water.

"What am I a horse?"
I feel the corner of my lips turn up slightly.

Many people were too afraid to speak up against Cole.

Resting the water skin on the table. I walk over to the wall where I hung my bows, taking the one I normally used for hunting.

"Come on Exodus, let's go get dinner."

I run through the trees, keeping my eyes out for a deer. Exodus having eyes in the sky.

I knew this forest like the back of my hand. My mother and I would hunt through it all the time, and after she passed, I hunted on my own.

My mother was never one to follow the norms or traditions of the Kingdom, and was seen as a trouble maker because of it. Of course my grandparents didn't care for her opinions as she told me, and married her off to my father.

Exodus calls out letting me know that dinner was near and I stop running. Taking slow and steady steps towards the deer.

I watched the deer from afar, as it ate. My bow raised.

How he looks.

Getting ready to release the arrow, I crouch down when I see a wolf run pass. Causing the deer to run off, but it didn't go after it.

What is a wolf doing in this part of the woods? It's too close to the village.

Running after it. I click at Exodus and she flys ahead of me, leading the way.

She eventually lands on one of the tree branches and I slow down. Hiding myself behind the tree.
I had a clear view of the wolf.

I raise my bow ready to shoot, but I stop when I hear a soft voice and see someone petting it's head.

I take a step forward to get a clearer look but some old branches snap underneath my foot. The person stands up and the wolf turns around looking in my direction, growling.

When I walk out fully, I'm surprised to see the same woman from before. Her eyes widen in shock.

"It's okay Shadow, I...know him."

Do you now?

I watch in amazement as the wolf visibly relaxes, but never takes his eyes off me. Exodus flies down, landing on my shoulder, twisting her head to the side, watching her.

"Umm...what are you doing here?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" I reply.

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River

He looked even more mysterious up close. His dark orbs, seeming to hold me in a deep vortex.
"Why are you in the forest with a wolf?" He asks with a deep voice.

"Why are you in the forest with an eagle?" I question back, and he chuckles. The deep sound causing a foreign feeling to fill my stomach.

"You're a different one." He states, looking me over.

I scoff.
"Is that such a bad thing?" I ask, folding my arms.

"Depends. Different isn't always...good." I squirm a little under his gaze. The silence of the woods, making the moment even more intense.

I hear a soft whimper and I break eye contact with him, looking down to Shadow. He looks off towards the trees in the distance and I nod.

"Go ahead boy, I'll see you tomorrow." He turns to look at him, growling again.

Am I really going to trust being alone with a stranger?

His head turns to me one more time, as if asking me if I'm sure.
"Go boy. I'll be okay."

I guess so.

He looks behind him again, growling at the man, before hesitantly walking off. He stops a little distance, looking at us again. I wave him off and he finally runs off.

"He's very protective of you." He states, watching after Shadow.

"Hmm." I turn to look at him again.
"I don't mean to be rude, but who are you?"

"You don't know who I am?" He sounded genuinely surprised that I didn't know.

"I'm not one of your fan girls if that's what you were expecting." I say, putting my dagger back in its case, and unto the latch I had on my belt.

"Radnor." He says.
"And I never suspected that you were."

"Well Radnor, I'm River, as in the miniature ocean." He chuckles again, and I feel my cheeks become hot.

I can't believe I'm really talking to this man right now.

This is how you get killed, but I couldn't help but want to talk to him.

"It's almost night out River. You should head home." I glare up at him, putting my hands on my hips.

"Don't tell me what to do. You're not my father."

Shaking his head. He does a quick whistle sound and the eagle flies off his shoulder. He takes three confident strides towards me, and I hold my ground, making sure to keep my face blank but my hands tightly tugged on the material of my cloak.

When he stops in front of me, his huge height even more evident now. He smelt like wood. That good wood smell that just made you addicted to it.

I don't even realize that I was leaning into him. My right hand on his chest.

"Are you smelling me?" My eyes snap open, hand slamming back to my side. I look up to him by face burning red, an amused look in his eyes.

He lifts his free hand to my face, gently stroking my cheek. His fingers felt rough. Almost like sandpaper. But I guess I should expect nothing less from a man of his stature.

"What are you doing to me?" He mutters under his breath. I'm not sure if I was meant to hear it, but I did.

He seemed to realize what he was doing and takes a step back. Clearing his throat.

"As refreshing as your attitude may be, they say we're to expect heavy snowfall tonight." He tells me. His voice coming out huskier than it was before.

"I don't think we want to be caught out here, when that happens right baby girl." My heart skips a beat, at the nickname.

My dad and mom always called me that, but it felt so different when he did it.

"Tha-that still doesn't give you right to order me around." I say feeling breathless. His eyes scan my face. Lingering on my lips for a few seconds, before connecting back with my eyes.

I didn't know if he felt what I was feeling, but there was no way he couldn't with how tensed the atmosphere was.

"Go home River." He says, turning around, walking back in the direction he came.

My face scrunches up in irritation.
"I am not one of these girls you can order around Radnor!" He stops turning to look at me again. The way his eyes seemed to shine, made me believe he was smiling.

Well...I think he was.

"I expect nothing less. Reach home safe..River." He tells me, turning and disappearing into the trees.

I pass my hand through my hair. Feeling so out of breath.

I've never felt this way before.

I rest my hand on my heart, taking slow steady breaths to try and calm it down.

How can I feel so strongly for someone you just met.

"River!!! River!!- Oh there you are. They sent out warning to the village of heavy snowfall. Come on we have to go." Max says, taking my hand in his. Pulling me in the direction of home.

I glance back at the direction Radnor once was, my face warming.

"I expect nothing less. Reach home safe River."

My face warms more.

Ahhh!!!
Quit blushing River. You just met the man.

"What about mom?" I ask Max to distract myself.

"I spoke to her. I don't know if she's changed her mind, but she's calm."

"I doubt." She's never going to change her mind.

"She's calmer now River, so let's not talk about the topic again for the night. Okay?"

Rolling my eyes, I agree. We reenter the house, and mom watches us from the chair, a book in her hands. She doesn't say anything, and neither do I.

Max helps me with my cloak, hanging it up for me.

"I'm going to bed." I say in general. If she heard she heard,if she chose to ignore it...Ignore it.

I walk up the stairs and into my room. Throwing myself unto the bed. A deep sigh leaving my mouth.

My mind soon fills with images of those beautiful dark eyes. The sound of his voice.

"River." I jump up off the bed. My mom's eyes widening at my frantic behavior.

"Is everything okay?" She asks watching me suspiciously.

"Yes yes. I'm fine." She squints her eyes.

"Why is your face so red then?" My hands shoot to my cheeks.

"T-The cold. Yeah cold." I knew she knew something is up, but she doesn't mention it.

"I wanted to apologize for the way I acted. I just...I don't want to lose you baby girl." She says.

"Mom I can't promise that I won't get hurt, but this is what I want to do. This is my dream." I say getting up and going to her.

"How will you fight against those men River? Knowing the cruelty of man, they'll put you against the biggest person there."

"I was trained by one of the best warriors Mama." I tell her, taking her hands in mine.
"And Papa was bigger than most men." She giggles.

"Promise me you'll be safe."

"I promise." She cups right cheek. Leaning down and kissing it.

"Now who is this boy that has you blushing this much?" She says stepping away from me, folding her arms. My eyes widen in shock.

"W-w-what are you talking about?" I stutter, turning away from her. Pushing my hair behind my ears, my cheeks burning up for the hundredth time today.

"You think your mother's a fool little girl." She says turning me back to face her.
"Now who is he? Did you meet him at the inn? Or was it...I don't know how I feel about you meeting him in the woods."

"Mama!!" I shout, feeling so embarrassed. She throws her head back laughing.

I knew for a fact that my cheeks were redder than the sky was at sunset, and she was loving every minute of it.

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