The Archer's Legacy

★彡02|24 - "Isn't this quite the place for royalty to find her end?"彡★

At the next corner Y/n almost bumped into Evie when the latter was unexpectedly cornered by two kids, seemingly about five years old.

"Hey! Hey, stop!" the blue-haired girl exclaimed, grabbing the wrist of the boy who was holding her wallet.

Y/n noticed how the little boy looked at Evie in fright. Evie seemed to notice the same as her movements halted and she nodded to the boy. "Just take it." The boys hesitated, needing a go on from Evie before they moved on.

Evie met Y/n's eyes. The latter was at a loss of how to feel. This place embodied the opposite of how she grew up — she grew up with servants all around her and with more rules to follow than she could count. She would've given a lot for a carefree life, for a place where there were no rules. And the Isle was that place but with the absence of rules came the absence of security.

The princess' blue-haired friend, noticing her puzzlement, tried to give her an encouraging smile before turning around sharply and rejoining their group, indicating with her actions for Y/n to do the same.

"Where's..." the princess trailed, making uncertain eye contact with Carlos.

Evie sighed. "Ugh, Ben."

The four of them picked up the pace, quickly zig-zagging the allies. They could see the fringe of Ben's blue jacket when Y/n abruptly stopped, her vision going black and white as an echo of a clatter sounded to her right. When she came to her senses again, Evie, Carlos and Jay were out of her sight already and she was left alone in the dark narrow alley, only a few garbage cans sitting on the side.

With her heart starting to beat in her ears, she whipped her head around. There were no steps to be heard and she could see nobody as well.

Out of nowhere, a garbage can lid clattered to the ground and the girl was rammed against a wall. Air was knocked out of her lungs and her vision got clouded for a second before clearing again. By then, Y/n could make out a darkly cloaked figure on the other side of the alley.

"A pleasure to finally meet you, princess," a voice rasped, spitting the last word as an insult.

Y/n's eyes darted for a way out. The figure was holding a long staff of sorts on the ground, ready to block her exit on the left of her while staying on the right of her. Her fingers instinctively grabbed for her bow which, she instantly realized, she did not have.

"Isn't this quite the place for royalty to find her end?"

"I'm not finding anything here," Y/n countered, trying to stay firm.

"How do you know? It's all in the prophecy you hold so dear, isn't it?" the voice rasped again. "And I'm here to fulfil it. I'm the Red Queen's only hope now, as the others have so hopelessly been captured."

Y/n's heart skipped a beat, her mind automatically starting to chant the lines she'd ingrained in her memory. "What is bravery, if not testing your own fate?" Done, by coming to Auradon. "What is love, if not having faith?" Done, by trusting the Isle kids. "There will come a day when there's a need for both, for only change can bring growth." Done, again, by trusting the Isle kids. "Then one will come forth, proving what the change is worth." Done, once more, by trusting the Isle kids. Have had Ben's help here, too. "But if she fails, all will fall, fate will crack and tragedy will stand tall." Y/n blinked, now noticing that the cloaked figure had come a lot closer and was holding a knife to her neck. This is where I fail, isn't it? Tears pricked her eyes. I'll grant a win to the Red Queen with this. It'll be a tragedy. I'm my country's legacy and I do have power— Her mind was flooded with memories of her mother teaching her that love was the greatest power. Immediately after, Carlos' smiling face came in front of her. At the same time, the blade of the knife was getting closer. —lots of it... But...

She flung her hands upwards, to make an attempt to grab the knife, only for them to be whipped at with a leather whip her opponent held in his right hand while his left held the blade dangerously close to her neck. With a quiet whimper, she brought her hands down, more tears pricking her eyes as the metal made contact with her neck.

She squeezed her eyes shut and bit her lips, her heart still picking up the pace, as if trying to encourage the girl to fight for her life as she was losing the will to do so. I'm sorry, everyone, I'm sorry... Mum, I have failed you. Asher, Ewan, Carlos, Evie... I love you all and I'm— A trickle of blood ran down her neck. Y/n let out a gasp, her eyes flying open for a moment to look at the grinning villain. Why must he enjoy this so?

The girl let out a cautious breath, sniffling once and relaxing her shoulders. If I must die, I will not go down without a fight. Then she opened her eyes again, grabbing her opponent's left wrist with both of her bloody hands, forcing the knife away from her.

Her opponent wasn't seemingly going down without a fight, either, for he immediately managed to wrap his whip so it bound Y/n's hands together. The princess didn't let that deter her as she jumped over the long leather thing and kicked at the villain who was, unfortunately, out of reach. Giving her a sickly grin, he flicked his right wrist and the girl was flung into a nearby wall once again.

Her head pounded and her vision swam as she slumped onto her side on the dirty ground. Tears of frustration pricked her eyes as she mentally begged herself to get up, but didn't manage to. Her opponent's black boots filled her vision.

For a moment, when everything flickered to black and white, another pair of boots joined them, and then Y/n closed her eyes.