[WRITER NOTE: A Wattpad veteran (you know who you are) has informed me that my parts should be longer. So I'm making them longer! Yeah, I think that's it. Enjoy!]

Arja paused to process what the woman had said. A rebel settlement. She swallowed anger rising in her throat. She had been raised to hate the rebels. Fear them, even. She left the kingdom years ago, but deep down she still had a pit in her stomach that clenched every time she thought about it. Her train of thought was interrupted by the creak of the pub door. By the time she fixed her gaze on it all she saw was the flash of a robe in the door frame. She spun towards the three rebels.

There weren't three of them.

Only two bodies remained. She sped out the door, leaving the woman, who had been rummaging through her bag. She scanned around for the rebel. Then she saw him talking to a bunch of other men in robes. He turned around, and his gaze settled on her. He scowled and pointed at Arja, who spun on her heel, flung the door open, darted through, and slammed it behind her. The woman looked up at the noise. Her eyes were round. 'What is-' She was interrupted by a loud bang. Arja was jerked forward as the door shook. The woman stood up from the chipped wooden chair she had been sitting in. Magnificent feathers unfurled to an astonishing length. She walked toward Arja, slinging her bag over her shoulder. 

'We're leaving. Get your things.'

Arja, who hadn't brought anything, just bolted the door and stepped away. 

'We can't go out that way...'

'We won't'

The woman clenched her fists. Arja watched as fibers of green magic spun together to form a large ball. The woman thrust her hand upwards, smashing a rather large hole through the roof. She grabbed Arja's wrist.

'What are you-'

Arja was cut off as her stomach dropped. She looked up and all she saw was the dark expanse of the night sky. She was flying. 

Her elation was short-lived because an arrow came screaming through the air, missing her by an inch. The woman cursed, sending another orb towards the ground. The orb fizzled into dozens of sparkles when it hit the ground. She heard the shouts of people below. The jagged cliffside of the north coast came into view. The shouts faded as suddenly, the ground disappeared. The sea was lit up by the full moon, a clear white line ripping straight through the huge frothing blanket of blue. It was silent apart from the rhythmic beating of the woman's wings. 

'What's your name?'

'Kenza.'

Arja nodded. She felt stupid, just hanging by her wrist over the sea, completely useless. The woman- Kenza looked down at Arja. 'Where to?' She asked. Arja didn't know anywhere other than the castle, so she shrugged. 'You decide.' She said. Kenza looked up, her eyes scanning the stars. 

'How long can humans go without their wrists snapping?'

'Well, mine will probably only last me a few more hours...'

'Okay... You'll be alright then.'

'Where are we going?' 

'The woodland.'

'And where's that?'

Kenza sighed and shot Arja an exasperated look.

'Sorry...'

Arja let her mind wander as the sea flattened out.

Arja's mother stood, wiping her tears. She glanced at the dagger in King Declan's back, then at Arja, who stood frozen on the cold marble in the middle of the throne room. 'You were so brave...' Queen Devina murmured to Arja, who remained stiff at her mother's embrace. The familiar scent of tulips curled up her nose. It made her nauseous. She wasn't brave. She knew she wasn't brave. That was what they all said to her. Two months ago when she'd broken her ankle trying to stay on a bolting horse, the royal healer had to split her achilles open right in front of her. She tried so hard not to scream. It was her ankle that was broken. Her muscles and tendons were fine, And this healer was trying to pick her apart. Her mother bustled in afterward, Rambling about how brave she was. 

Two years ago her grandfather passed away right in front of her. She had been looking after him and her grandmother. Three hours later, Her grandmother's sickness plummeted to a level almost impossible to recover from. Arja had to perform an advanced surgical procedure. She was only twelve. Once healers had arrived, she ran to the bathroom and passed up everything she had eaten the past day. She came out and the head healer placed a hand on her shoulder and said how brave she was. 

When she was five, An army of rebels raided the castle. She was strangled and thrown from a second-story balcony and barely survived. She wouldn't go above the ground floor of the castle or wear any dresses that came too far up her neck for the next four years. Her father Had told her she was very noble to stand up to the rebel who had strangled her, but she didn't understand. She hadn't done anything. She had cowered against a wall as the soldier grabbed her throat.

Arja was far from brave.

Arja shook herself from her thoughts, startling Kenza, who nearly let go of her wrist, which was considerably sore by now. 'Sweet Odissia!' She said, using the name of the faerie deity. 'Were too high up for me catch you! I'm not going around dropping humans out of the sky twenty-four-seven!' She said, a sarcastic lilt to her voice. Arja laughed. Kenza growled, which made Arja laugh even harder. A sudden drop jolted her into silence. She was shocked to realize that Kenza had dropped her. She was spinning quickly. Sea, sky, sea, sky... The water was getting closer and closer very fast. Just before she squeezed her eye's shut, accepted a watery death, her stomach dropped again as two hands slid under her arms. She was moving upwards again. When she looked up, Kenza's blacker-than-black eyes stared back at her, a gaping smile spread across her features, revealing perfect white teeth and pointed canines. Her scar was clinching her cheek, causing her right eye to crinkle at the edge. Arja matched her expression, realizing she was the reason Kenza let go of her. 

'That's cheating!'

'Oh, so this is a game now?' Kanza mused, her eyebrows raised.

Arja did her best mock scowl. 'No, It's a battle! just wait till we get on land so I can kick your ass at combat!' She half yelled, taking up a martial-art like stance the best she could with Kenza's hands gripping her forearms.

A huge black shape came into view.

The woodland.