The Hunt

Chapter Two

Turning to a worried General Caspian, Angelique commanded.

“Send word to the King.”

Bowing, General Caspian quickly rushed into a tent.

Facing a small lad, who had rushed towards her when he heard the loud commotion, she sternly murmured, her hands still squeezing the whimpering man's to enforce comfort.

“Fetch my unicorn and the carriage, Stefan.”

Bowing with the utmost respect in her direction, Stefan was obedient.

“They are killing everyone, your highness. The Lycans burnt down our houses and pillaged our farms. We have nowhere else to go. Oh, what should I do? We have no money. It was all salvaged by the barbarians."

Feeling the farmer's hands were shaking as he loudly sobbed; she bristled for his murmurs alerted her that the destruction on his village was intolerably bad. Tears pricked her eyes, but she refused to allow them to fall.

Turning in the direction of Sunny, she murmured.

“Sunny, bring me my coins.”

Curtsying, Sunny rushed into a smaller tent a few feet away from them to achieve the items. She returned as quickly as she went and placed it in Angelique's outstretched hand.

Turning her undivided attention to the man in front of her, she passed a hand over his head. This action secreted calmness throughout his body.

It was a calming technique her mother had taught her, and it worked instantly. His shoulders sagged, and he was able to breathe. Placing the pouch of coins in his hands, she murmured.

“Please return to your family, and seek safety in another village. Everything that you lost will return to you with this."

Falling to his knees once again, the man whimpered as he held tightly onto the pouch. He was eternally grateful.

“Thank you, your highness, oh thank you so much. Oh, how can I ever repay your kindness, your highness?”

Shaking her head, she once again pulled him to his feet, which he quickly obliged.

“Please brush away your tears, good sir. Do not worry about repayment. Your family needs you. You can repay me by staying safe.”

Brushing the falling tears from his eyes with the back of his hand, he hastily nodded his head in agreement. However, he was worried about his Princess's safety.

“What of you, your highness?”

“Go, good sir, and do not worry about my welfare.”

“I will never forget your kind deed, your highness.”

Bowing twice more in extreme gratitude, the man ran away, as if his legs were of fire, back into the forest and most likely to his family with a new plan in mind.

“Princess, I have saddled the unicorn, but the carriage will take a bit longer to get here.”

Nodding, when Stefan had returned, Angelique continued to watch the empty place where the farmer had disappeared until she heard a soft clattering near her side.

Diana.

Telepathically murmuring, she grasped onto the rein of Diana’s saddle—her unicorn, who was now standing next to her.

What ails you, my pet?

Observing smoke was lifting into the sky beyond the forest; her heart was wary with worry. The enemy had most likely conquered the village.

What ails me is the Lycans' sudden invasion and wayward actions, Diana.

Responding to Diana’s question, she closed her eyes.

“Will they be saved, your highness?”

Hearing the meek voice of Sunny behind her; she was far too heartbroken to respond.

Returning half an hour later with twenty men behind him, including his two best warriors, Commander Li’s face was pinched and distressed. He observed Princess Angelique was leaning against her unicorn with her eyes closed.

“Halt, men!”

Barking, he quickly unsaddled his horse.

“Show respect to the Princess!”

Obediently, the twenty Knights footsteps faltered, as they all fell onto one knee to show respect to the distracted Princess. Soon, they fell to the ground with grief and shame.

Their mood was melancholy from the grotesque display of violence and death they had witnessed.

Walking towards her, Commander Li quickly removed his golden helmet from on top of his head, and bowing, he waited for Angelique to speak.

“What is the report?”

“When we arrived in the village, it was already too late, Princess. We found out that the Knights commanded by the King to guard the village died. Only one managed to survive. His last words were...”

Swallowing, for his next words, would indeed upset the Princess, Commander Li grimaced.

“‘It was a small group of Lycans who attacked and pillaged the village. Killing children as well as men, violating then killing the women; the Lycans showed no mercy.' The village was burning when we entered. The Lycans had also fled."

Feeling tears flowing down her cheeks as Commander Li spoke the devastating report, Angelique bit her trembling lip.

Gripping the rein tighter in her hands, she rapidly blinked to dispel the tears. Mustering courage, she spoke in a clear and calm tone.

Crushed inside and out from the grave news, she needed to be strong as she not only represented the Princess and High Lady of the Faes but would be future Queen and Royal.

“Have the King sent out troops to dispel the wayward Lycans before they attack another village?”

Frowning, Commander Li gritted out, his head still bowed, as if in shame.

“There was no sign of retaliation, your highness.”

“What? How can this be? Has his highness not gotten news of this?”

Disgruntled, Angelique’s hands shook.

“It seems not, Your Highness.”

Drawing near with a brown parchment in hand, General Caspian murmured with his mouth set in a grim line.

“This is the reply I received from the castle from a messenger eagle. It is empty.”

“Empty you say, then what…?”

Suddenly, a black four-winged creature that resembled a small bird soared from the thick black smoke to gracefully land on the head of Diana.

In its long and sharp beak, was another brown parchment with the Fae Castle crest drawn on it?

Titling her head on a side; Angelique recognized that it was a Snatcher; the nastiest creature ever found in the Fantasia World, for it was strange.

Loudly croaking, as it stretched its beak towards Commander Li, its large black eyes were focused and clear as if it was a human.

Awed by the creature, which she rarely saw in the Fae Land—for the Fae King had exiled them for their unusual aggressiveness; she gazed at the parchment with widened eyes.

“Your highness, may I take it?”

Glancing in Commander Li’s confused direction, Angelique quickly nodded.

“It seems to be a parchment personally written by his highness.”

She astutely muttered, her hands aching to touch the beak of the deformed bird but afraid it would retaliate with violence.

“Why would his highness personally send this parchment attached to the beak of a Snatcher?”

Puzzled, General Caspian murmured as well, a hand against his chin in contemplation.

White-colored face; Commander Li instantly snatched the parchment from the now agitated Snatcher’s beak.

Ripping it open and scanning the contents, his face turned pale, for the information within was very discouraging and impossible.

“What does it say?”

Curious, General Caspian examined Commander Li’s face.

Clearing his throat, Commander Li re-wrapped the parchment and shoved it in his pocket. Bowing once again in Princess Angelique's direction, he whistled for his horse to walk towards him.

“I am afraid his highness has fled the Kingdom."

“What…? How is that…? Why would…?”

Gasping, for the thought was disbelieving, yet possible, Angelique felt the reins were pulled out of her slack hold by Commander Li.

“The shield has also been broken. His highness’s last request to the General and me is to take you beyond the borders.”

“Take me beyond the borders? Why would his highness make such a hasty decision? Is he not supposed to request I go back to the castle, where it is safe?”

Puzzled, Angelique heard the small whooshing sound of the Snatcher as it soared into the air and disappeared back into the thick smoke.

“We have no choice but to leave, your highness. His highness has also mentioned that the Lycans were searching for you.”

Mouth agape, Angelique was speechless.