Chapter 3 The chase

/-Ayla-/

I could not understand what was going on either. But, I kept on running. Knowing fully well the fate that awaited me if I stopped.

With all the strength I could garner, I ran desperately.

“She must not run far, we must get rid of her tonight.” One of them barked, his voice cold and stiff.

“Tackle her down!” Another yelled in a deep voice.

Branches tore at my skin, inducing several small, stinging wounds. But, I paid no heed to that. The forest was a blur as I ran and my throat burned.

Suddenly, I felt something warm trickling down my thighs, and I gazed down to see a trail of blood from my lower body.

My hand reached for my stomach, “Just hold on.”

I can't lose my baby, that was the only thing I could call my own at this point. But, I needed to leave this life behind.

That was when a sound tore through the air as something flew in my direction. My ears twitched, and I quickly sidestepped, narrowly dodging the attack.

Right at my initial position, an arrow buried itself deep into the tree, so deep that only its hilt could be seen.

“She dodged. What are you waiting for?” Another one roared.

Arrows.

My heart fell as I pressed forward.

Another arrow was fired, then another and another. Until rain of arrows fell on me. I could not even tell how I was able to dodge most of the arrows.

Just a little bit farther, I could remember that there was a ravine ahead if I could…

Just then, the sound of the hiss of another arrow cut through the air, and it lunged itself into one of my legs before I could take another step forward.

A scream escaped from my mouth before I could stop it and I could feel the searing pain of having my flesh torn.

“Agh!” I shrieked, my legs giving out beneath me.

I clutched at my leg, and watched with teary eyes as blood oozed out slowly.

Desperately, I tried to crawl, but the sounds of their boots drawing nearer made me realize that it was too late.

“There she is.” One of them said through clenched teeth.

“A tough one, she gave us quite a chase. What a waste of time.” One tsk-ed in annoyance.

“Please, I…. I...” I tried to beg for mercy, but I was cut short by the guard who seemed to be their leader.

“Why are you begging us? Can you offer us triple of the price we were given for your life?” He asked with a smirk at the corner of his lips.

My breath caught in my throat, “What?”

Someone paid the royal guards for my life?

The guard squatted to my length, and raised his finger to tilt my head up, “Can you?”

All of a sudden, his hands gripped the hilt of the arrow on my leg and my eyes widened.

“No, no…. Ah!”

The arrow was removed forcefully, and my body twitched at the pain. Cold sweat laced my forehead as I cried out.

“Well, who would have thought that the Princess would think so highly of you? Just because of you, she sent ten guards.” He pointed out, standing to his feet.

My heart ran cold.

Selene. It was Selene.

Hatred and fury filled my eyes, so much that I momentarily forgot the pain in my legs.

“Boss, we have to finish this off now.” One of the guards uttered from the back, his voice reining on my thoughts.

Then, the guard approached, quietly but steadily. When I saw the face of the guard, my pupils narrowed.

“It's you!” I cried in shock, and the guard chortled.

“What, surprised?” He questioned smugly.

It was the same guard who had helped me escape the dungeons. It seemed this was his motive all along, they didn't want me to die in the dungeons.

Selene had planned everything.

“I have never seen someone as daft as you.” He clicked his tongue, and my breath turned uneven.

He stared down at me, his expression unreadable, “You wasted our time.” he finally said, retrieving a dagger slowly.

“No, wait…"

The blade plunged into my stomach.

I choked, blood spilling from my throat. A hot, searing agony tore at my innards, and my body trembled violently.

My baby…

The world tilted before me, and everything slowly turned blurry.

The Leader also approached, “Finish her off. The princess wants her head.” I could hear him say, but I no longer had the strength to plead for mercy.

Another guard approached with a blade in his hold, he raised it up and was about to swing it down when a whoosh sound pierced through the air.

The guard stiffened, then I watched as blood spilled from his lips, before he fell limply on the heap of leaves.

“Who is there?”

“Show yourself!”

“Do you know who we are? You are courting death!”

Through my hazy vision, I watched a blurry figure emerging from the covers of the large trees. His figure moved deftly amidst the guards, and sounds of groans filled the whole place.

Until, all the guards fell to their death one by one.

“Who…" I tried to ask, but my throat seems clogged with blood.

That was when I caught a whiff of an ice-cold scent, laced with mint.

Then, darkness took over.