Amberley shifted uncomfortably in her hard, wooden seat and cast her large, blue-grey eyes towards the half-open window situated nearby.

A small sigh escaped her lips as she turned her gaze towards Eunice who was slumped wearily against the opposite end of the table.

A pang of guilt stabbed Amberley in the chest. She hated this. She hated waking up in the middle of the night. She hated dragging Eunice along with her. She hated being a burdensome bother. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair on her mentor, her guider, her protector, her only family.

Amberley's shoulders sagged and another puff of air left her mouth. She didn't know how much longer she could do this.

Quietly, Amberley slipped into the kitchen and placed her empty mug in the sink. Then, she crept, slowly and steadily, towards the door. After retrieving her jacket, she stepped outside into the crisp autumn air.

Amberley, her cheeks and nose red from the cold, stared up towards the brightening sky. Streaks of rose-gold painted the horizon and cracks of early morning sunshine filtered through the air.

The beautiful sight brought a smile to Amberley's face. She could easily forget the horrors night-time held when the light started to show.

Amberley trudged across the frosty ground towards the stables that were situated around the back of the small, cosy house. The tiny particles of ice snapped noisily beneath her boots and emitted a satisfying ring of 'crunch, crunch, crunch' that floated past her ears.

The sound of breaking ice wasn't the only thing Amberley could hear on that clear, chilly morning, filled with such hope and promise. The distant bleating of sheep, the deep lowing of cows and the loud cackles of chickens rang throughout the air.

As Amberley set about doing her chores, she heard the unmistakeable sound of footsteps coming from behind her. She swivelled around and sent a sly grin towards Eunice who was trying to conceal a wide yawn.

"A bit early for you, is it?" Amberley teased.

Eunice rolled her eyes. "When you get up at three in the morning, yes, it is," she grunted.

Amberley chuckled light-heartedly as she grabbed the milk bucket from its spot next to the stable doors. "Let's get going. We have a lot of work to get done before night-fall."

The long winter months that stretched ahead would be rough and gruesome. Snow would find its way through the cracks between the logs holding the homestead together. Any liquidated water would freeze within a matter of minutes. At night, the degrees would drop down to extreme temperatures and make sleep, for Amberley, even harder than before. To get warm, they needed wood. To get full, they needed food. To get water, they needed wells.

The only way to supply for their everyday needs was by doing it all themselves. They were too isolated, too remote, too far away from everything and everyone. There were no stores, no neighbours, no friends. They just had each other to rely upon.

So far, it had worked well.

As the noonday sun defrosted the remaining ice shimmering on the grass and dripping from the plants, Amberley tended to the remains of the back garden that was located near the stables. After a few hours of toiling, Amberley sat back on her knees and wiped the gathering sweat off her brow. Looking around, she spotted Eunice out in the far field with the horses.

Amberley just shook her head and smiled. She lent back down to pry away at the loose dirt by her feet.

Just then, a loud, rumbling noise filled the air.

Startled, Amberley dropped her gardening tools and jumped to her feet. Cautiously, she scanned her surroundings until she realised, with a jolt of terror, what was happening.

People. People on horses. Lots of them. They were coming up to the house!

"Eunice! Eunice!" Amberley screamed as she tried to grab the woman's attention.

However, she was too far away to hear her and didn't respond to her cry for help.

Shit. Shit. Shit. What do I do? What do I do? Amberley started to panic before she recalled Eunice's strict emergency protocol. Hide. I have to hide!

Without a second thought, Amberley turned on her heel and sprinted into the stables, disturbing a flock of chickens that were scratching around in the hay.

Breathing heavily, Amberley rushed over to a ladder on the other side of the room and seized the rungs so she could pull herself up. Scrambling around desperately, she threw herself into the loft overlooking the main section of the barn and cowered down behind a stack of hay-bales that had been stored up there.

Her heart was hammering. Her head was pounding. Her mind was swarming. Her palms were clammy.

Only one thought prevailed over them all: If they find me, they'll kill me. If they find me, they'll kill me.

A loud, threatening shout, coming from outside, snapped Amberley to her senses. Confused, she ducked her head to peer through a small crack in the boarded wall behind her.

Swarms of men, clad in white embroidered suits and armed with wickedly-curved swords, had surged into the yard. One important-looking man, who was surrounded by a group of his peers, was booming orders to the others and pointing at different things. Then, he stopped and peered into the distance.

"Over there," he snarled. "There is a woman over there! Bring her to me!"

Amberley had to clap both hands over her mouth to stifle a horrified sob. They had found Eunice.

I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, she inwardly cried.

As a handful of men scurried off in the direction of the fields, Amberley had some time to examine the intruders further.

Whilst most of their bodies were clothed in expensive materials and leathers, what was visible to the eye was, indeed, disturbing. Layers of glinting metals and irons were partially overlapped by dull, pale patches of skin. The men's fingers and noses and ears consisted of silver tinted metal. The rest of their faces and half of their necks and hands, though, were made of human-like skin that was stretched so far across their metallic frames that it looked like it was about to snap off at any moment.

In other words, the robotic creatures standing in their yard looked ugly and vile.

Amberley shivered - but not because of the cold.

"Amberley! Amberley! Oh my god! Amberley!"

Amberley stiffened as she heard Eunice screaming her name. Pressing her face almost flat against the wall, she watched as Eunice, now aware of the situation, rushed towards the house.

No. No. No. Don't. You'll get killed. Stay back. Stay back! she silently begged.

Eunice, running as fast as she could, niftily dodged the group of men sent after her and leaped over the fence running the full length of the yard. Landing on both feet, she straightened up aggressively to face the intruders. She gave them all a fierce scowl and snapped angrily, "Who are you? What do you want? Where is Amberley?"

The man, who seemed to be in charge of the whole operation, stepped forward and cackled sarcastically. "If you don't know who we are, then you must be ... wait, whose Amberley?"

Before anyone could make another move, Eunice had slammed her foot down on the edge of the long garden hoe lying on the ground next to her and propelled it up into the air. Seizing the end of it, she swung it around, straight into the commander's stomach!

As the man dropped to the ground, cursing and bleeding, the others withdrew their swords and furiously charged at her.

Eunice eyed the closest man she could see and brought the hoe down on his head. As the man's legs buckled beneath him, she leapt forward and swiped his sword from him in one deft move. Twirling the weapon dangerously around her fingers, Eunice pinpointed her next target and slashed a deep cut across his neck. An arc of blood spurted into the air and splattered all over Eunice and the men surrounding her.

Amberley's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as she tried to keep up with Eunice's swift and speedy actions.

The more men that approached Eunice, the faster her sword flew, the stronger her blows became, the quicker the bodies dropped.

SWISH. SWISH. SWISH.

Suddenly and without warning, another man, bigger and burlier than the rest, charged through the house and into the yard. He snarled menacingly at Eunice as he withdrew two swords from his belt.

For several moments, the two fighters circled each other warily, trying to estimate the other's ability.

Eunice was the one who attacked first.

A smirk of triumph adorned the huge man's gnarly face as he met each blow with firm and steadfast blocks.

Eunice was beginning to wear down and become reckless and careless in her attacks. The man she was throwing her sword at knew this and was waiting patiently for the opportunity to pounce.

The desired opening came several seconds later when Eunice left her lower body exposed when delivered a hard vertical cut. Letting out a loud grunt, the big man drove the handle of his sword into her stomach and knocked her to the ground.

Gasping and heaving for breath, Eunice struggled to regain her senses but she wasn't given a chance too. The man shoved her blade away with his foot and dug his other boot into her neck.

"You're going to die, dog," he sneered as he lifted his sword high into the air.

"No," Amberley whimpered. "Please - no."

"Wait!" a loud, authoritative shout rang through the air. "Stop, Titan!"

The big man, addressed as Titan, twisted his head around to face the speaker. A tall, spindly man, featuring a large nose and a stick-thin figure, stepped into view. His snow-white cape, embroidered with the finest stitches, rippled smoothly down his back and shoulders. His piercing eyes, as blue as the sky and as cold as the frost, skittered over the scene before him. Then, they landed on the figures of Titan and Eunice.

He didn't even hesitate before hissing slyly, "Why kill her when we can use her for greater purposes? Take her to the royal cart. We shall give her the welcome that befits an honoured guest of the Prince."

"Yes, Your Highness," Titan bowed his head in acknowledgement of the command. Then, he swooped down and grabbed Eunice by the hair. Jerking her to her feet and ignoring her cries of pain, Titan dragged her out of the yard. The remaining men, who had not been slaughtered by Eunice's sword, followed him, save for a few alert guards who cautiously stood by the prince.

All he did was just stand there, his icy gaze fixated on the bloody corpses of his men.

Amberley's skin popped out in goosebumps and shivers of terror racked her small body. She stayed, frozen in place, until the prince finally walked away with the rest of his guards. She didn't dare to move a single muscle until the rumbling sound of their horses faded away.

Then, as the reality of the situation struck her, Amberley fell to the ground, gasping and wheezing in absolute fear.

Oh my god. T-this is my worst nightmare come true!

Tears of resentment and anger squeezed from Amberley's eyes and cascaded down her cheeks. As she lay staring up at the roof above her, the one terrifying thought seeped into her brain:

Eunice was gone.

And she was all alone.