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Radnor

I stood outside on the deck, looking out at the woods. The snowfall completely passed over. It was far after midnight and my mind wouldn't stop thinking of a certain ginger woman.

I wasn't surprised when she came forward, and I was not surprised when she won either. Some say it was just luck that she made it, but she won fair and square.

When her eyes meet mine, that same strong desire of just wanting to protect her was there.
I've never felt this way about a woman before. Many of them repel me, but River she...sighs.

When that idiot tried to rush her, I didn't need to think twice about my actions. He should not have rushed to her.

"That girl reminds me greatly of your mother." I turn around to see my father, coming to stand next to me.
"Worried about her?"

I look back to the front,
"What are you doing here?"

"I wondered when I would see your face again." He says completely ignoring my question.

"Well, I am home. Now, why are you here?"

"The council wants to have her removed." I scoff.
"They're saying I should not have allowed her to participate and that it is leading to division in the Kingdom. They want me to revoke my demand and take her out. Cole agrees with them." I scoff.

"So you're here for my opinion?"

"No. I'm here to know if you're really going to let your brother continue to stake claim of her." He says looking at me. I turn to him.

"She is not some object to be claimed." He nods, smiling.

"You are right. Yet you have not answered my question." I roll my eyes, looking away from him again.
"I saw the way the two of you looked at each other son . I believe everyone did." I glance at him, in a sense surprised to hear him call me that.

"She wants nothing to do with your brother. Joined the games to revoke his proposal as well as...fulfill her dream."

"How do you know it is her dream?"

"She's the daughter of one of our Kingdom's greatest warrior. Though I expected it to be her brother, I am not surprised one of them held a love for warriordom like their father did." He explains.
"You shouldn't let her go." He concludes with a tone of sadness in his voice.

"Like you did?" I fold my arms.

"I did it only to protect her Radnor, I told you this."

"Yes...you have said so." I dryly say, and He sighs.

"Gor told me your first move as King is to remove the entire council."

"Remove? They will be banished." I coldly tell him.

"It could cause problems." He tells me.

"And? Are you not aware of the things they do in this Kingdom. The things even your son does?" He turns from me.

"And you just allow it to happen?"

"It's not easy to just change things Radnor."

"That's a load of crap. You are King. King!" I say, my voice raising a bit.

"It's not that easy Radnor."

"It actually is. You just have to make action! But what you are is a coward." He looks to me with tormented eyes.
"You allowed the people to choose instead of making the decision yourself."

"Major change can cause war within Radnor, but one drop of red at a time in white paint, eventually the color will change."

"So that's what River is? A drop of red?"

"So is making you King." He replies.
"I'm not like you Radnor. I didn't grow up with proper morals, and before I could actually start learning the proper way, they had your mother removed." He explains.
"I was a coward and maybe I still am, but I'm at the age where the throne is to be passed down. I want to do right by my people at least once."

--

We all stood facing the forest, waiting to see who would be our first five. If they didn't arrive back in the time period, a team will be sent out to search for them.

Clearing

The drop points are not that far out, but the reason for blindfolding them is simply to confuse their focus. Once they found the trees tied with the red cloth, they just keep on straight and they would reach the clearing.

Have we lost men before? Only once. He didn't find shelter in time and froze to death. They knew of the dangers that can happen, when they decided to sign up. Worse has happened to some of our warriors, a night in the forest was child's play.

My eyes meet River's family from afar. They were talking to the people around them. I made out some familiar faces of those who stepped forward.

I glance to my brother, him and his grandfather talking to the side, seeming to be in an argument. His grandfather, grabs him by his collar, telling him something and the boy literally deflates.

He pushes him away him and he walks back toward his post. His grandfather eyes meet mine briefly before he walks to over the other councilmen, talking to them.

For the first time in years yesterday, my father slept at my house. I even allowed him to sleep in mother's room and I must admit, I have never seen a man weep the way he did.

I left him to his privacy and went to the living room, sitting in my chair. He didn't come with a horse, so I assumed someone must have dropped him off. And I was right seeing as Gor came the next morning to pick him up, and took him back to the castle.

I thought of what he said regarding River, and I decided that I would make a more forward move, but only if she'll have me.

Victor finally sat down, a sly look on him and the other council's faces.

They better not of hurt her.

The horn blows, letting us know that we have our first winner. I look towards the forest's edge watching as Carvon walked out from the trees as I expected of him.

He has potential to make it far if he continues. Low rank warriors ran to help the tired man, giving him water to drink and wrapping him in another cloak. He looked drained and was shaking slightly, but all in all looked proud of himself.

His parents go to meet him, his mother pulling him into a tight hug.

A few minutes passed again and still there was no sign of any of the other men or River.

"I hope she is okay." Gor mutters next to me.

"Hmm."

The horn blows again, and we all look to the tree line. Two men coming out from different areas this time.

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River

I woke up before sunrise, and began my journey back to the village. I was already the furtherest out, so it would take more time for me to get back, especially with this limp.

Shadow and about 10 other of the male wolves followed behind me, like my own personal protectors. I reach a particular point and I see numerous trees tied with a red cloth.

Oh thank you Papa!!

Papa told me once I found this, just keep going straight.

"You can't come with me boys." I stop turning to them.
"You'll be in danger if you do."

Shadow whimpers and I pet his head.
"I'll be okay boy."

I turn around, trying to walk faster. I could still feel their eyes on me, and I glance back to see them all sitting watching me, making me smile.

The more I walked, the more I got sight of the clearing. I wasn't that far out, just a little bit further.

I was so close to the clearing, when I'm suddenly slammed into a tree. My head hitting the bark hard, my vision blurring.

"Don't you know where you belong harlot?" I'm turn around, only to meet the eyes of the same man from before.

"No where to run now huh sweet?" I try to fight him off but I was already so tired. He leans down, trying to kiss me and I turn my head from him.
I feel his nasty tongue lick my cheek. Tears in my eyes, but I refuse to make them fall.

I'm so sick and tired of this.

"Hmm soo sweet. I wonder if it's all of you that tastes like that." He groans, his hand feeling up my body.

I hear footsteps running to us, and just as he turns to look, Shadow jumps on the man.

Five other wolves help him, and I watch as the tear him apart. Two other wolves standing in front of me protectively.

I'm so tired.

--

Radnor

The horn blows, and we all look to the tree line. Calvin I think his name is, walks, well.. more like limps out the forest.

He is the fourth winner.

Guards run up to him, but I keep looking for River. My body itching to just go look for her, but I know I can't move.

I glance at the council again, the same sly look on their faces.

I swear if they...

I look back to the trees.
Come on baby girl. Where are you?

Approximately 7 minutes later, the horn blows off again. I feel my body step forward a little, a man more than falls out the tree line and I feel my heart stop beating.

No.

"Look there!!" Someone shouts pointing up the clearing. To see River walking out and down to us with a pack of wolves walking with her. I make out the wolf to her side as the same one I saw that day.

"She's farther out than normal." Gor notes and I clench my fists. The sly look on other council members watched in both shock and horror as she made her way down; Victor looked angry to see that she was here.

As she got closer to us, I took in her state. She looked roughed up, and tired. A slight limp as she walked. She suddenly stopped, directing her gaze to my father, who was standing from his throne with a distressed expression on his face.

No word was said. Her firm gaze holding the entire clearing in a tensed silence.

The horn blows again, and only then does she turn and continues to walk away, heading back to the village.

Her family rushes after her, everyone else staying in place.

"Well there you have it. We have our five male warriors." Victor declares and the council claps.
"So sad the little lady, didn't get to fulfill her dream. Announcer on with the last round."

I look to my father expecting him to say something, but he doesn't.

"No." He suddenly says. The council all look to him in shock.
"The last round is cancelled. We have our warriors. Let's move on to the challenge."

"Yes!!" The old fools cheer.

The announcer looked as annoyed as I was, but said nothing. Walking forward and continuing his duty.
"If you deem yourself worthy to have the position of General step forth." He shouts and Cole walks from his place at the side, to stand in front along with Carvon.

"What is he doing?" I glance at Gor, my feeling angry at my father for once again choosing to cower instead of making change.

Gor kept his head forward, his face blank.
"One drop at a time Radnor." He tells me and steps forward to fight his challengers.

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