The Stolen Princess And The Blind Prince

It was dark out now. The tall trees glittered in the moonlight. They surrounded us on all sides, glaring, looming. With every quiver of the wind, the trees would rustle as if shouting:

'You're late! Late, late, late, late!'

My stomach churned along with my worry. I don't want to be hand delivered like some sort of trophy; to marry a child of a man as evil as the Emperor.

"Should I just bite my tongue and die?" I think aloud, petting Kyu. "What do you think boy?"

The dog sits up and nuzzles past me, apparently wanting to switch to the window seat. These kinds of nights were his favorite. They were mine too.

"Mmm, your right… If I was dead, we couldn't enjoy nights like these anymore."

I scuffed his neck, thanking him.

"Would you like an apple Princess?" I heard Pa call from the front.

"Yes, please. I haven't eaten since this afternoon."

Pa slowed the horse down, reaching back, first handing me his small knife.

"You can keep it until we stop," he told me rummaging in the brown sack for an apple, "Last one!"

Just as I reached out the window, we hit a bump, and the apple went flying… right into Kyu's mouth!

"Kyu! Give!" I commanded.

He faced away from my angry, grasping hands. I could hear him crunch the apple hungrily into pieces, his drool and bits of apple falling into the seat

Frustrating! This dog chose a good time to stop listening!

"I'm sorry," Pa said. "All that's left in this bag is pellets for the horse, and beer, for me…"

"Kyu, you little…"

Kyu the bastard, was ignoring me, l.i.c.k.i.n.g his chops in satisfaction.

"Come here Kyu," I beckoned, my voice was sweet like honey, while my hands were fluttering the knife between my fingers.

I will eat, even if it means I have to fillet this dog!

BUMP!

Uuuu… Not my shoulder again…

---

When I was younger, I used to love those stories where princesses were swept off their feet by a dashing stranger.

These men were tall, dark, and handsome. They would swoop in and carry the princess away, away, away…

My aching shoulder and rumbling tummy, told me I needed that right now. An escape from my fate. I don't even know anything about my fiancé!

What does he look like? Is he strong, or weak? Tall, or short? Was he even a man?

I think the perfect man would be someone like Kyu, as odd as that sounds.

As I stewed in my gloomy thoughts, Kyu's ears perked up. He went from huffing the thinning air loudly to deathly silent, his body tense.

"What-"

The horse whinned and Pa cursed loudly. We came to a rough stop in the middle of a clearing. I hid the knife in my sleeve, uneasy.

"What's going on up there?"

The forest surrounded on all sides, but at a slightly wider berth. This patch looked artificial, as if someone had cut down an area of trees to make rounded arena.

"Dunno, a kid just ran out in front-Urg!" Pa's voice was suddenly cut off. I heard his body THUNK against the carriage. Kyu was growling now, and I could see men coming out from behind the trees. I saw three on this side. All of them carried weapons, and wore patchworked leather hide, dyed a blackish green.

They were in a sort of formation, the tallest one leading, while the other two were a few feet behind him, supporting his flank.

Bandits! Or is this an assassination attempt?

"Kyu. Duck!" I commanded, pointing at the man in the center. He looked like their leader.

Kyu burst the door off its rotten hinges. I followed close behind him, like we practiced. He leapt at the tallest figure taking him down.

I jumped over them, heading straight to the forest. I could lose them there!

"Grab the girl!!" Their leader shouted as he wrestled with Kyu.

The slim man on my right hesitated; good, you're not a threat.

The left man on the other hand, responded immediately. He dashed, his bulky frame giving me a false sense of security.

I threw my knife, aiming for his eyes. He flinched.

I kept running, and running and running.

---

Huh? They're not following me?

I leaned against a rather thick tree, nursing my shoulder. All this running had very clearly agitated it. The burning in my c.h.e.s.t hadn't gone away either. It was so hard to catch my breath.

Shit, why'd I run so hard? The air up here is too damn thin. But I can't afford to stop. I have to keep going… This forest can't go on forever.

There was a slight rustling from the trees above me. I looked up, seeing two glittering orbs slink towards me.

They growled.

Eh, wait, lights can't growl, can they?

I tried to tense myself, but my legs had turned soft. I looked up again, and the orbs had gotten closer.

My last thoughts were: Is that a tiger?