Carmine

My chest raised with the deafening tension that held my bones ridged. The two men parted away from each other and solicited a pierced screech of their blades, yet my teeth hitched to break.

I turned and rolled as they twirled and swung their weapons. A clattering clank so rapid I swore they moved faster than time itself.

My sight caught flashes brief moments of their warlike brilliance and my fingers moistened wet with anxiety. I turned my head around to see my right hand in a petite puddle of liquid under a tall tree.

Confusion raged in my mind when I looked around, for it was so dark. The sounds of their struggle, the grunts and the metal clanked with fierce dismission.

I gasped as I stood on my feeble legs. Those legs shook like an earthquake, for I did not want to be here, so I had to leave.

But where? Everything looked the same. I glanced back at the battle. The Terison kicked after the witch’s Champion. The Champion swerved and sliced upward with the sword, but met nothing, but lone air. The Terison twirled and advanced into the Champion’s space. He drifted back, for the Terison pushed him.

Should I wait to see who would win?

If the Terison won, I imagined I would be alive for a while, but if the Shyia Champion won I was as good as dead. Honestly, neither were good options, so I pushed myself off the tree and ran. It did not matter where, anywhere was better than there. I found the ground in those slim shoes, yet my soles bit the rugged earth with anguish, but I ignored it.

This pain was temporary, those men back there were permanent.

I picked the lesser demon. With what little light the night afforded me, I shifted my body around the trees and ran. Continuously moving, I did not think. I did not need to, for I only needed to survive and get away from those men.

Crinkling sounds fascinated me. The features of the trees, grass and ground became defined.

My head moved at the slightest movements that came within my vision, yet they were never in front of me. The bushes moved around me like a fog.

A stalking chill made my legs struggle forward on this desolate earth. I never asked him how big this place was. We really should have—

I dropped into the grassy bed and my lower back rebounded as I hit something, but it was my ankle that burned me. What did I hit? That probably did not matter.

I stayed still and breathed out, so my exhaustion flowed out as if it was stored all this time, but the ache traveled and settled into my thigh.

How long was I running?

I needed to find an end to this forest. Using my left arm against the cold rock behind me I tried to lift myself up. My right ankle sent a jolt of pain that riddled me senseless the moment my weight steadied on it.

I cried out and two tear drops later; I was back on the damp grassy floor. My ankle ached, so I rubbed it and shivered as the pain throbbed.

I hit the earth with my clutched fist. How far has it been since I been running? I sighed and looked out into the dark mesh of trees. The cold semblance to my past was too daunting to be considered. I hated this world.

So cruel, so brutal, a King died, yet you decided to kill all the associated family members? I snorted and discharged a soundless laugh. My birth afforded me the opportunity to have been brought up as royalty for much of my youthful years.

Now, I was an old hag who shamed my country and was being killed by the persons who probably killed my father. A witch, I found that odd.

A witch wanting me dead, I swore witches were too invested in the dramas of Gods and Demons to bother with the petty politics of us humans.

Maybe a lot of people wanted me dead; It would not be odd. Ascus was a significant country to this world.

Many nobles would give an arm or a leg to gain it. Futile fools, they chased the biggest thing, but had not realized the challenges of what they desired.

Leaves got crushed.

A somber screech emitted, it echoed and startled me as a series of low crunches clamored close by, so I stiffened.

“You look tired.”

I closed my eyes and cursed myself. The sound of his steps caused my head to twirl to his location. His clothes were ruffled and sliced up in various places from the moon's infrequent blessed glow.

I wished I could rip off that infernal smile from his creamy peach face.

“How did you find me?” I asked the Terison.

He rocked his head to the side. “Humans are easier to track than animals."

I snorted in response.

“Come on, Carmine.”

“Don’t call me by my name fairy!”

“Oh, she has a bit of bark—seriously though, you should be glad I am alive. You would have been dead otherwise.” He quirked his eyebrow at me with that smug smile of his like I would be grateful.

I was not strapped to argue. Whoever hired him paid him well to make sure I was carried to the location. I did not know who hired him though, especially with all the people trying to kill me; I should get some information about him or his employer. If it was a slaver, then anything happening to me would be bad.

“I cannot stand up even if you wanted me to. I broke my ankle, I am already damaged goods.”

His features tightened as he shot a dark glare at my feet.

“No, you are not damaged. I will carry you.” He bent forward.

I tightened myself towards the rock and exclaimed with palms out. “Not on your shoulder please!”

“Ah…” He closed his mouth, looked away. Then he smiled.

He looked me in the eyes. “My back will do, no?”

“Huh?”

Before any proper answer I was lifted and found myself swung over his back from his side. He held me up from under the thighs and we moved off. It was rocky and I got woozy from the unsteady advance.

But I was safe or I guessed I was, for the night whisked by and my body eased to the crawl of the darkness around me.

The night passed by so peacefully. Was it normal for a thing that scared us the most to be so calming?

A pain shattered my eyes open as I rolled off something. I looked to the side, under the glossy shine of the sun was the Terison's lopsided frame.

What in damnation happened?

I glanced at him then I looked around and tried to gather where I was. Our location was not deep within the forest. We were on top of a small mound which he was climbing onto.

I watched his body and noticed its stillness.

“Aye," I said.

No response, I pushed into him with my hand. There still was no response. I got up and with my knees hedged against his body I pulled him up. His body rolled over ungracefully and I could hear the thud of his head against the rock.

I winced at the sound, but my eyes widened and my heart shot up into my throat at the sight. A huge nasty splash of blood soaked his shirt. His face moved, but his limbs were limp and without life.

I immediately ripped his shirt off and looked at his chest. Besides the curls of hair thick and distorted, I could see the scar of a once long gash across his upper shoulder right down to his upper left.

Was he cut here, the scar looked recent. No more than that it did not look completely healed. I felt the edge. Warm, I laid my palm against it. It was too warm and rough too, a few spots of blood and pus.

This needed proper care, he probably had a fever.

“Oy!” I slapped his face with a tap. My hand was swiftly gripped. His hand rubbed mine as if trying to figure out who it was then his eyes opened and turned to me.

“Ah, it was you, almost frightened me there.”

Was that a reflex? He almost frightened me. I sighed. "Idiot, you had a cut like this and you did not even wrap it?”

“I had to get you out of the forest before the Champion woke up." He coughed and his eyes wavered. “I think this is far enough…ha ha.”

“You won't be able to collect your pay if you die of fever.”

“Ah, I guess I am weak, I deserve to die.” He released a gurgled laugh coughing hard in the end. Why were men difficult idiots? He groaned when his pain got worse. I slid my hands from his forehead to his nose and motioned him to close his eyes.

“Sleep,” I said.