Chapter 2

Over the wall, now all Lilette has to worry about it a small mountain and a Captain chasing her. One who really isn't quite fond of her at all.

An older man, around thirty, sat on one knee in front of the King and Queen.  His cold grey eyes pierced the tile beneath him with anger.  He had smoothed back black hair, trained to stay back out of his eye sight.  His uniform was dark and formal and very plain compared to the king and queen. 

            “I expect results Irvin.  I want Lilette back here soon and alive!”  The King’s fist smashed the arm rest of his throne.

            “Of course your majesty, I will return Princess Lilette.”

            “Good,” the King physically relaxed into his throne.  “What are you still doing here?”

             Irvin said nothing, but stood up and left.  Once a good distance from the room, he pulled out and lit a cigarette.  He quickly walked through the halls, ignoring the looks of those around him.  He puffed out some of the smoke as he pushed open some large doors and made his way to the stables. 

            “Get me Flint,” he ordered.  The stable boy nodded and dashed off to get the horse.  Irvin took one last drag of the cigarette before flicking it away.  “This will not be a pleasant trip.”  He mumbled as a maid came out with his bags.  Seemingly, the king was considerate enough to tell a maid to pack before he wished to tell the Captain.

Lilette swayed around the plaza with a satisfied smile.  She knew she’d have to leave soon, since the guards were liable to come searching the town soon.  Oh, how she wished she wasn’t an only child! Then her sibling could take over the task they had for her.  Kicking a rock into a wall, she marched off.  She didn’t want to leave, she didn’t think she’d fair too well out in the open wilderness.  She had problems getting over a bloody wall, how was she going to go against wild beasts and Mother Nature?

            Stopping before she went to go to her own death behind the gates to the outside trails, she went to buy herself something to eat.  Calm her nerves a little.  Buying a fish with the money from her sold coat, she popped it into her mouth.  She turned with a smile of glee.  Until, that is, she caught sight of Irvin’s prancing horse with none other then him on top.

            Almost choking on the fish, she wildly looked around for a place to hide.  She now wished she hadn’t sold her cape for that money.  They had to send Irvin!  That man always knew where she was! The stupid captain. 

            Lilette made it to the gate without looking too stressed.  Avoiding eye contact with the guards positioned to guard the walls of the outer city, she hurriedly made her way out.  Thankfully, nobody noticed it was her; she didn’t know if that was an insult or not.  She followed the trail, hoping a sign would pop up sooner or later.  If not, she would be severely lost. 

            “Not that I’m not lost now,” she mumbled, kicking another rock.  She was never going to buy one of those stupid books again! She’d forbid her kids to get them too! None were going to be in her house! She decided.  Her ranting stopped when the sound of a horse running behind her traveled to her ears. 

            With a slight ‘eep’ she spun around.  Irvin’s black steed was racing towards her.  Making a face, she dashed off the trail.  Irvin said something, which although she could not hear, would probably make a sailor proud.  Lilette, being a petite girl, had a large advantage over a man like Irvin.  Though, if he did catch her, it all went out the window.

            Lilette barely noticed her surroundings.  The trees passed by quickly as she only looked ahead of her.  She dodged a few trees, nearly tripped over roots and rocks, and got cut from the bushes she ran through.  The forest, although not thick or really a forest- more like a patch of trees, was becoming a nuisance.     

             “Princess! You will return with me to the castle, conscious or not!”

            “You’re threatening royalty!”  She screamed over her shoulder.  Irvin said nothing, just sped up a little.  Lilette moved forward, and saw the end of the patch of trees.  She slid to a halt momentarily.  A rather tall mountain appeared in her way.  It was a lot taller then the bloody wall, and didn’t look much easier.  Irvin crashing behind her jolted her to action.  Scrambling forward she started to try and climb the mountain, which was a tad bit easier then the wall.   

            “Please My Lady, do not play this!”  Irvin glared up at her.

            “No!”  Lilette screamed.

            “Not the five year old act again,” Irvin sighed under his breath.

            “I will not return!” she pulled herself up onto a ledge and looked down at him.

            “You, are a nuisance,” Irvin moved to start climbing.

            Lilette muttered in frustration, and looked to see where else she could go.  Standing up, she hopped a few times before she was able to grab the ledge she wanted.  Irvin was where she was at by the time she was climbing again.  “This isn’t fair!  You know how to do this!”  Lilette complained her hands already hurting.

            “Just come down with me and we can go back to the castle and you can soak your pretty hands.”  Irvin tried to persuade.

            “No!”  Lilette kicked a rock down at him.

            “You’re being unreasonable!  Irrational! And illogical!” 

            “Better then being a mindless tool!”

            “I am not mindless!”

            “And I’m great at outdoorsy stuff!” 

            “Princess Lilette!  Please stop and think about this!”

            “About what?  You being mindless?  I’ve discovered that and reasoning’s for it long ago.”

            “About running away!”  Irvin growled.

            “I thought about that too!”  Lilette pulled herself over a ledge, stopping for a moment to breathe.  “Decided to do this about a month ago!”

            “You need to calm down and think about this!” 

            “I will not be a puppet! I was ok with the arrangement of being married to a self-centered, narcissistic prince.  I was ok about being locked up in a room with a stick for a teacher.  I was ready to deal with being alone! But I refuse to be apart of Fathers trickery!”  Lilette kicked a few rocks down at him for emphasis.

            “I’m loosing my patience Princess.”

            “I didn’t care when I was seven, why do I care when I’m seventeen?” 

            “Because my orders did not specify to keep you unharmed Princess.” 

             “A jest.”  Lilette froze for a moment.  Sure he said it before, but she thought that was an empty threat.  “Father…”

            “Correct My Lady.”

              Lilette sucked in breath, her eyes wide in a mixture of shock and fear.  Spinning on her heel, she tried to dash up the mountain.  It was a futile attempt.  Breaths in short gasps, she slowed down. Slowing down helped climbing; even if her heart sped up every time she heard a slight grunt beneath her.  A slight trail was a few feet to the princesses left.  Not risking a glance downward, she started to try and make her way over to it. 

            She’d do better running, running was easy for her.  Making it to the ledge, she kicked away Irvin’s hand as it shot for her ankle.  Throwing a few rocks at his head, she made her way as fast as she on the narrow path away from Irvin.  Swallowing a lump in her throat, she glanced back with regret.  Irvin was right on her tail.  Looking back in front of her, she noticed a small hole.  Thanking her mother for being petite, she dove for.

            Squirming, she made it through.  Though her dress was torn and terribly dirty, she was safe for the moment.  But how long it lasted really couldn’t be that long.  It only got skinnier as it went.  Irvin’s feet appeared at the hole.  Gasping, Lilette scooted backwards. 

            “Princess, I do not like these games.”

            “’Tis not a game Irvin!  I do not want to go back.” 

            “Tears do not work on me.”

            “I’m not crying!”

            “You should not lie.”

            “I’m not,” her muffled reply sounded so weak, especially to herself

            “Come out of there.” He kneeled down, lighting a cigarette.

            “No.”  Even if she wanted to, Lilette didn’t know if she’d fit.  She needed a way out, and rushing Irvin did not seem like a good idea.  Even if she had the guts, they’d both go flying off the mountain.  She could smell the cigarette.  How she hated that smell, and he knew it too.  The jerk. 

            She knew she didn’t have too many options. She couldn’t out wait Irvin and she’d lost her pack while running from him.  She couldn’t crawl back anymore then she was, and there was no way down or up.  She was cornered, and Irvin knew it. 

            Her eyes went wide when Irvin cursed and dashed from the opening.  He dropped his cigarette and disappeared from view.  Next thing she saw was a large black paw to rush past the holes opening.  Irvin being gone was good, but whatever scared Irvin couldn’t have been good for herself. 

            Licking her dry lips, Lilette slowly made her way to the opening.  Sitting in this hole would do her no good.  Reaching the opening, she stuck her hand out and shook it a little, knowing it probably wasn’t the smartest of ideas but was better then a leg or her head.  Nothing devoured it, so she crawled out of the hole, with some difficulty.    Standing up, and dusting herself off, she glanced around. 

            Irvin could barely be seen rushing down the mountain and into the trees.  The animal was gone, except for some very big paw prints.  They led to the end of the little makeshift trail and then disappeared.  There was no showing that it had walked back this way, but it wasn’t chasing Irvin anymore.        

            Holding onto the wall, she moved down the trail, away from the way she came.  Although the animal came from this way, it was better then going back the Irvin went.  At least the beast would kill her, not take her back to the castle.  Shoving the thought down into the dark pits of her mind, Lilette tried to move a little quicker. 

            Lilette had to climb again, much to her discomfort at the idea.  Coming to the top, or a dip in the mountain that she considered the top, she looked down in surprise.  There was a small village at the bottom, and partially on the mountain.  It was a comfy looking village, not surrounded by giant walls.  Smoke puffed out of the rounded roofs.  Though any other type of detail was lost, it made her happy.  But the real shocker was what was climbing down the mountain.

            A young man was climbing down, and quite easily.  A village this close to a mountain, of course people would be climbing.  No, it was surprising when he looked up at her with a very roguish grin.  He had messy dark coffee hair with a red head band.  A feather was held in the band, tinted red.  He was rather muscularly built and seemed proud since he wore only a bright green colored vest embroidered with a gold dragon.  His pants were long and covered his leather boots.  He had a good amount of tattoos, and with the distance Lilette couldn’t make out what exactly they were.  She thought his eyes were hazel, but wouldn’t be surprised if she was wrong.

            The man winked up a Lilette, causing her to gasp at the gesture, and finished his climb down.  Lilette glared down at him, and tried to go after him.  It was a stupid try, since by the time she made it half way down he was strolling into the village. 

Author's Note

Again, older piece. Same rules apply. Rip it apart for me.