章節 11: Hunt {10}
Shifting constantly on his horseback, Liam's foot fiddled with his stirrup pad, he was impatient and huffing into the frosty air, waiting for the late princess.
He had missed breakfast because he was too tired from his venture outside the castle walls from yesterday's events. Plus, he was too busy telling everyone about The Shadow's heroics, of course no one would listen.
They were sitting a mile of the forest edge in the midday sun, where, beyond lied a maze of twists and winding trees swerving to form natural beauty.
Speaking of natural beauty, a horses trot called his attention; a stunning woman draped in a white hunt coat with gold trims approached on horseback. Her breeches hugged her excellent hips while outlined by a silver line sparkling in the early morning sun.
Her hair, half pinned, half released, flowing down her shoulders. Perfect blonde curls.
She had high cheek bones and flawless peachy skin. By the way his guards were gawking at her with a slight grin, he wasn't the only one who noticed.
Her arms were bare, the tight white hunt coat only reaching her elbows.
Down her left arm lay a cream arm guard embedded with black highlights and at her delegate fingertips, a gold finger protector. His eyes widened at beholding her sight. Was this really her?
She was on a white-strong horse that had a shiny brown saddle gleaming up at her.
Hung from it was a quiver containing an endless stream of arrows. On her back strung around her front was a pitch-black bow. Its curves were extraordinary. It matched its owner very well. No- he could not think that way, yes, she was stunning, but she would become his sister-. Step-sister...
Her eyes caught his. Her crimson eyes flared at him, full of hope and excitement, but fierce. They glinted in the sunlight as its rays danced upon her skin.
She rode towards him, followed by 3 guards on horseback of course.
"Princess Elianna Audrina, I am delighted you could join us for today's hunt"
She nodded politely, looking directly at him, peering through his soul.
He didn't realise that he was breathing quickly and the reins he was grasping became sweaty, until the nobles in front began to tread on; hearing enough of the Prince's attempt at an introduction.
He tore his gaze away from her, focusing on the path they would now be taking into the forest. She was gorgeous. Oh boy was she. In all his years, she was something else.
"Are you ready to go?" She asked with the most calming, soothing voice he had ever heard. He shuddered.
He was now gripping the reins so tight it hurt.
"Your highness?"
He snapped out of his own mind, replying, "yes?"
She had an eyebrow raised at him. He gulped.
"Let's go shall we, princess?"
He turned his head to the forest, desperately forcing his entire body to respond to his mind, but the only thing he saw was her.
"You do not have to call me princess, especially if we are to become... siblings..."
He tilted his head, at her familiarity with him.
"Just call me Elianna" she graced him with a beautiful smile that arose butterflies.
He smiled in return.
One by one, the horses and their riders, all equipped with bows and quivers set off into the infinite light shining through the dense, elegant forest.
The way she moved with her horse, the bumpy trek only emphasised her beauty.
The ground was rough, and the wind was unforgiving, but it was their monthly hunt, and they had invited the princess as a show of good will, but he had no idea if she had ever gone hunting before. The complexity of her bow showed experience, but how much?
As if flying on their horses they reached an open vantage point where they could witness wild creatures without too many dense trees obscuring their line of sight.
They halted, he could feel the horse's breath rising and falling, brushing against his leg.
Stroking the ferocious wild mane of his horse, he ascended to the ground, carefully placing one foot in-front of the other. She mimicked him. Prudently hopping of her horse and wrapping the quiver of arrows around her waist. He did the same and began to walk towards her. He didn't know why... -but he couldn't breathe.
Footprints, small as a deer caught her attention. They were imprinted into the soaked mud around the bark of a tall, broad tree.
She crouched, swiping her quiver further onto her back to prevent it from digging into her sides. She tilted her head. A hand traced over the footprint, but it wasn't hers. The prince had stooped next to her, having caught up.
She glanced a quick look, examining his body. She couldn't get a good look at him in his mucky cloak yesterday. Although, he looked terribly handsome in his gear, but it still showed a child beneath the glamour.
She sighed to herself as her head shook minimally, giving away none of her displeasure.
Elianna remained tired from her outburst earlier, the scar still throbbing beneath her glove. Her eyes hung low as well, the tiredness was evident, but she would never admit to it- never let it show through.
"The depth of the footprint is shallow, it's a small deer, and judging by its size I would say female." Elianna remarked, analysing the imprint.
He straightened his back, lifting his hand to his pocket and tilting his head in her direction. A small string of hair fell into his tough, fragile face.
"Excuse me?" was all he could mutter, while tucking the strand away behind his ear.
"The heel of the footprint is stretched, she was running fast and-" she raised her head, vigilantly watching for any sudden movements, "-It was headed North West"
His mouth gaped open as his eyes widened in disbelief. She flashed him a half-smile, Elianna didn't want to brag; she could track anyone, anything, anywhere.
"How did you... how did y- when did you learn this?"
His face of confusion sent laughter through her body, but her lips mustered together to stop herself from laughing.
His face turned serious.
"I just do, I've always been able to do that, haven't you?" she mocked sarcastically, unable to help it as a grin was inching on her face, and she knew she had won this conversation; so did he.
"It is not common knowledge I will have you know"
He tip toed after her.
He always regarded himself as a person of knowledge, a sleuth at that, all intrigued by new things.. and the enigma walking from him certainly peaked his curiosity.
"I used to hunt a lot back in the North- " she waved in disregard; he shrugged in a lament tone.
He would figure her out, he always did with people- they just didn't know it.
Game on.
Elianna dismissed him as her eyes pinned on a deer visible against the blinding sun. Its fur coat gleamed, as did the green vibrant leaves it was surrounded by, layered in a blanket of fresh snow.
Its head, still as a stone, facing her.
Female. She was right.
No longer running fast, she cautiously walked toward a tree, ever so careful not to cause alarm for it to dash of in an instant. The prince could only watch, slightly gobsmacked by her intelligence.
Shaking off what was a wave of intimidation, he warily reached for his bow, nocking the arrow in place, and pulling on the strings. The wood groaned as he took aim.
He didn't know why he did this.
Lining up the target, he released.
It missed, the wind had carried it adrift, making the arrow land in a nearby bush. Embarrassment crawled up his throat revealing cheeks that had sparked red.
The princess swivelled her head so fast, she almost fell. Her face was twisted, but not from embarrassment, only anger. He could only gulp as he witnessed the deer gallop wildly back into the labyrinth of a forest.
Scoffing, she shook her head violently, grabbing her bow, nocking the arrow and brushing the fletching across her cheek as she pulled.
Her stance was perfect.
Time slowed down around her, and she could see the deer in her field of vision darting away. It was as if the motion overtook her eyes, only this way for her to witness and her only; the dear was slowing down, as her surrounding noise was drowned out. Elianna's crimson eyes reflected the image currently playing out in front of her. Time stopped.
Everything froze as her glare solidified her aim, breathing with the motion of the bow, and, bobbing next to nothing, she released.
Time sped up as the shaft sliced through the frosty air. The wind opposed at the bullet tip's driving force, compelling the arrow to swerve slightly.
A split second later, the sharp tip punctured the soft furry layer of skin from the deer; collapsing to the ground as it slid.
Straight through the head.
A grin emerged. She could not hide it. Even with the stupid prince startling the animal, she still caught it. She always did.
Watching it fall, watching the blood ooze out, shining from the sun's rays, he did not believe it. His eyes darted between her and the animal. Back and forth. Her bow was still in position with her hand pulled back.
That was... the most incredible shot he had ever seen.
Astonished, he pressed his mouth shut, still in complete awe, as his body began to shake; due to the cold or shock, he never knew.
Prizing his mind to focus, he trotted towards her. A flame flared from her crimson eyes, flickering in satisfaction of her shot. The stare didn't waver for long until it caught onto his. The fire died out, and a tad bit of annoyance rose up underneath her iris.
She placed her bow back onto her back and glanced at the prince who without realising, was gawking at her in a manner she thought quite inappropriate. Though watching his eyes follow the curves of her bow stance agitated her, she allowed it. Its not like she wasn't used to it.
He was analysing her, her position so he could learn.
God how embarrassing?!
"How did you make that shot?' His mouth was wide open, allowing the glint of his white teeth to strike through.
"Luck", she lied. As much as she wanted to pummel them to the ground with her skills, she could not show off too much, or they would get suspicious.
Drowning an even bigger grin, she swallowed the temptation of doing it again.
"That did not look like luck to me"
She crossed her arms.
"That was with expert precision, you knew immediately where that deer was heading"
He stepped towards her.
"How?"
His breath lingered upon her neck as he looked down, being the taller.
She retracted, her skin reliving the shiver he caused; allowing her arms to slump casually.
Not very Princess like.
"Do you want to stand here all day and ponder over something that was genuinely luck, or would you like to continue with our hunt?"
Silence.
He allowed time to gain his thoughts, standing so close to her, feeling the intoxicating heat her body gave him, staring into her fiery eyes. That shot was abnormal, no one could make that shot. No one. Yet, she did. The deer was running so fast, she only held the bow for a mere second, before drawing it back and firing. No, he was over reacting, over complicating things. Lets just forget it and move on...
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