—The lost girl
Ariana PoV
The Kingdom was in chaos. Screaming, weeping, and howling of everyone echoed in the whole Arcadia Kingdom.
With only myself, leaving behind my things, I ran as fast as I could, afraid of looking back to the desolation palace, I gathered all my strength and courage to be lost around the wilderness.
I heard the screeching sounds of the invaders. I quickly hid behind the huge trunk of a tree near me. I peep with my other eye to see who's approaching. I covered my mouth with my palm, trying to decelerate my breathing. It's coming to my location. I saw bushes of leaves moving with his presence until I saw him with my naked eyes.
I swiftly turned around behind the trunk and grasped my mouth.
" Who's that thing?" I stammered.
I'm holding my breath to stay still. I felt goosebumps all over my body. My chest became heavy like something stuck in there. I'm trying to stay calm by taking a deep breath but my heart didn't skip a beat.
I saw it, it's a big black wolf. I saw his red eyes and sharp canines ready to devoured anyone coming his way.
" God, what should I do?" I uttered softly which only I could hear it.
I cast a brief look at his location and it's not there. I felt a sigh of relief when I found that the ugly thing was now out of my sight.
I'm safe, I said to myself. I slowly trawled my trembling feet from the muddy ground to find a shielded place but my eyes widened when the hair-raising black wolf jumped right into my face and about to devoured me when an arrow strike his head.
I fainted when I saw the black wolf fall on the ground, pooled his head with his blood.
I saw black dots everywhere and the sight of darkness ruled over me.
-----
Little did Ariana knew that the person who saved her from danger was Charlie, King's Markus butler. He carried her away from the Kingdom. He had a bit on his shoulders and he vomited blood after putting Ariana on the ground.
" I'm so sorry! I can't save you until then Ariana" Charlie said after gasping his last breath.
Two months later
Ariana Ferrer wandered alone in the wilderness until she found a river outside the forest. It's almost two months since she found herself beside Charlie's corpse rotting in worms.
She had nowhere to go.
She's thinking of going back to their house but she's afraid they would cast her out again because of the news that she murdered the King's concubine Amaya.
Her lips ran dry and her throat wants to drink fresh water so badly. She survived hunger by eating small animals like frogs, worms, small birds, and even grasses. She filled her lungs with fresh air before cupping the water on her palm when she saw a reflection of a guy behind her holding an ax. She thought he's a dangerous man so she quickly showered his face with water and ran away.
" Hey, it's not fair!" the guy called her to come back.
She wasn't looking back even she heard him calling her. She keeps on running when she felt that the man who was chasing her was almost at her back.
"Don't kill me! Please don't chase me. I won't do any harm!" She shouted to beg for his Mercy.
She's about to turn around when huge rocks hit her toe. She stumbled on the ground and a muddy grass ground received her pale and scraggly face. A man who chased her quickly came over to help her.
" Are you alright? Why did you run from me?" He asked her who looked worried on her bruised face.
Ariana stood up with his help. She was still in pain.
" Yes, I'm fine. I thought you would kill me? I saw you holding an ax!" She explained her side.
Arem laughed out loud when she said about the killing thing. His white teeth and tan skin reflected from the sun rays of the sun.
" Really? Am I like a killer to you? Anyway, I'm Arem and you are--" he said and reached out his hands for a shake.
Ariana was now more comfortable talking to him.
" I'm Ariana" she simply said and accepted his hands.
If Arem was an actor, he resembled Taylor Luther, in a Twilight Saga. Arem had all of his facial features especially his thick eyebrows that suited his narrow eyes. He got a four packs abs and he's the true meaning of tall, dark and handsome.
" So, who are you? Where did you come from?" He asked her while keeping her company in the forest.
Ariana wanted to keep her experiences from the Arcadia Kingdom especially seeing those black wolves. It's her first time to see deadly animals like those. She wants to hide also about her being arrested for killing Amaya where she wasn't the real culprit.
King Markus himself killed her that night and before he passed away, he confessed his sins to her but it's too late for forgiveness because they were already surrounded by invaders so he gave something to her. A small bottle with a green liquid inside. The King told her that if her life was in danger, she has to drink it so that she will know the answer.
" I'm lost and I didn't know the way home" she was stuttering.
He didn't even know about this man. What if he's one of them and trying to be nice to her until she falls under his trap? She has to act smart because she was in his territory I guess. Eating rare insects wasn't her thing so for her to live another month, maybe this guy is the answer.
" Want to come with me?" He invited her to his place.
Ariana draws a wide smile on her face. At last, someone saved her from hunger and the danger brought by the wilderness especially when you're in solitude.
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