The Princess's Guard ✔️

41

Word Count: 1804

~Kiva

I run. Fast.

Not once do I look over my shoulder, keeping my gaze pinned straight ahead. I need to put as much distance between Ark and me.

My shoes are drenched as I trek through the snow, dodging through trees, guided only by the moonlight. My lungs are burning, my breath's coming out in rasping breaths.

I don't know where I'm going, but eventually I emerge from the forest, seeing the glittering lights from a village on a distant hill.

I nearly collapse in relief. I'll find a place to hide out for the night then make my way back home in the morning. Father will immediately send people out to find Ark, he will be captured, and imprisoned.

And I'll finally be safe.

By the time I make it to the village my limbs are hideously cold to the point my joints groan with each step. My lashes are frozen, my lips raw and my fingertips and toes numb.

No one is lingering around this small little place at this time of the night, so I risk knocking on the door of a sweet home at the edge of the village.

I pound on the door, hoping I haven't stumbled upon a murderers house.

The door creaks open, a pair of wary blue eyes staring through at me. They widen at the sight of the meek, frozen, wet and frightened girl standing at their doorstep.

"Is everything okay?" The ask.

"I...I don't know where to go." I don't know what to say to deserve refuge, but if I'm forced to spend a night without shelter, I'll die from this horrendous cold.

They swing the door wide open, examine me. It's a woman in a bright blue dressing gown, her hair all mussed from sleep. I swallow my guilt for waking her at that hour.

"You're not Princess Kiva, are you?"

I rub the back of my neck. "Can I sleep here? I'll take the couch, I just need a place to spend the night."

Part of me suspects she might be a part of the rebellion, hating me for something I don't even know I've done wrong.

Instead, her expression morphs into a wide smile.

"Absolutely. It would be an honour." She steps back, motioning me inside.

Warmth immediately embraces me as I wander into the small living area. Embers smoulder in the fire pit, luring me straight to them. I can feel the life returning to my limbs, the ice and snow that has gathered on me starting to soften and melt away.

"Thank you so much. I will have my father repay you handsomely," I assure her, rubbing my hands together.

"Housing a Princess is enough for us, don't you worry," she assures me.

I smile gratefully at her. "Thank you so much."

I want to take off my jacket, but I fear Ark may appear at any moment and I'll have to make another run for it. He shouldn't be able to find me here, in this particular house, but his job has been tracking and killing people, so I'm going to assume that the worst is ahead of me.

"Let me make you a hot drink."

"You don't need to," I brush off uncomfortably, although getting hot liquid into me is tempting.

"I want to." She pours water into a kettle, setting it down on her gaze stovetop. "Is everything alright? What brings you to this village?"

I don't even know what this village is. I feel bad because I was partially ruled over this territory before I married into Caspian's. I should have been here before...