The Curse of the Moon

Five

I treaded forwards through the trees, being careful to stay close to the borders. The hooves of the kings horses still trampled behind us, making my heart thud harder in my chest. Maybe I should just turn back, give myself up. And maybe I would have, if I weren’t standing in the forest with a strange man that certainly wasn’t my husband. Not only was this illegal, being beyond the boundary of the trees, but also highly inappropriate. I was supposed to be getting married tomorrow, getting caught like this would make it seem like a betrayal to my fiancé. Or at least, that was the story I was telling myself. I certainly wasn’t staying here because of my surprising intrigue for this man, right?

“The princess wouldn’t have gone into the forest!” I heard one of the men yell, all too close for my comfort. Suddenly a strong arm was snaked around my waist, pulling me back into the shadows. Finn pinned us behind a large tree, his body pressed tightly against mine. The adrenaline coursing through my veins made my breath pick up, finding myself staring dead into his black t-shirt, my own body all too aware of how good his felt pressing against me.

“Come, let’s search the village. She couldn’t have gone too far,” another man announced. The thudding horses had come to a halt, so close by I could feel the ground shift beneath my feet. Then finally, they picked up again, moving in the opposite direction, getting quieter and quieter.

My forehead fell against against his chest, letting out the breath I’d been holding. That was a close call. With the kings men far in the distance now, Finn still seemed hesitant to let me go. It was as if he were waiting for something. Slowly, I pulled my head back up, looking upwards to meet his eyes as he backed up a little. My breath hitched again, those icy blue eyes capturing mine, a knowing smirk pulling at the corner of his lips.

“Princess huh?” His voice came hushed, but still mocking me. I narrowed my eyes on him.

“I swear, if you say any-“ I began but he was quick to cut me off.

“Relax, your secrets safe with me,” he brought his hand up to his lips, finally letting go of his hold around my hips, moving his fingers as if he were twisting a key in its lock.

Having enough, I splayed my hands against his chest and gave him a hard shove. Finn, barely reacted to my motion, but still he stepped back. Finally free from my position against the tree, I began trekking forwards again, with no idea how I was going to get myself out of this mess.

“You ever been out here before?” Finn asked from behind me, still following my trail.

“Never,” I confessed. I’d thought about it a hundred times over, always wondering what I’d find in these woods. Yet, I never dared venture out here. Not just because of the law, but because part of me was also afraid of what I would surely find; wolves. Exactly the reason I needed to get myself out of these woods, and quickly, before I become someone’s midnight snack.

Finn let out a chuckle. “Seems it, do you even know where you’re going?”

“No,” I admitted and Finn laughed a little louder. His speed picking up now, he stepped in front of me to block my path.

“Well then it’s your lucky night. Come with me Princess, your knight in shining armour has arrived,” his head dipped a little closer to mine as he spoke.

“I wouldn’t exactly call that shining armour,” I chuckled, gesturing to his tattered t-shirt. He shook his head, laughing along with me.

“Whatever, let’s go,” and without any second thought I allowed him to take the lead. Following him through the trees, we reached a clearing close to the edge of town in no time, and my heart picked up in pace a little more. Stepping out of these trees made me vulnerable. All it would take is for one person to spot me and know I was the princess. I was certain by now the entire village probably knew of my disappearance and was on the look out.

“Relax,” Finn reached out to me as if sensing my anxiety pick up. His hand rest against the small of my back, for a moment we both came to a halt. “My house is that one right there,” he pointed to one straight ahead. A single house at the end of the road had it’s back porch light on, flickering against the burnt orange bricks. I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

There was something about Finn that I just couldn’t place. I should know him or at least recognize him, and living within the village he should certainly know of me. Since the day I was born, my face has been plastered all over this village as heir to the throne. Another reminder of my lost place thanks to this marriage with Caleb, making my anger rile up a little more.

“Finn, if anyone sees me,” I trailed off. I didn’t need to explain the consequences, Finn immediately nodding his head in understanding.

“No one is going to see you,” he assured me, and I had no choice but to place my faith in him as he took my hand in his. He rushed forwards, pulling me along behind him as the two of us sprinted across the open field. Adrenaline coursed through my veins, Finn moving at such a pace it felt like my feet were flying through the grass.

We came to a sudden halt as he skipped up the porch steps. Without another word, he gestured his head towards the back door, opening it for me to step inside. The smell of baked apples hit me the moment I stepped through the doorway. A feeling of calm came over me, this place immediately becoming some sort of safe haven for me, if only for a moment.

“Finn, that you?” Another voice joined us and my heart caught in my throat. That’s it, we’re caught, I’m caught.

“Yeah and I brought a guest,” Finn called back into the room. He slipped his shoes off then turned to me. His eyes turning a little wider as they caught mine, practically bulging from their sockets.

“Jeez princess, your nerves are really wired,” he laughed at me. That was an understatement. I slipped my tattered heels off, following after him into the house. I had no other choice but to face my fate now. “You’re safe here, don’t worry,” Finn leaned down to whisper in my ear, his voice bringing back that calming effect that I, for the life of me, couldn’t understand.

“Lena, this is Amara. Amara, meet-“ Finn said as we both came into the room. An older lady stood at the kitchen counter, her hands working a rolling pin over some dough. She stopped, turning to greet the two of us and I swear her eyes turned wider than my own as she looked over me.

“Princess Catalena,” she spoke, finishing the sentence for Finn. “It’s so good to see you, welcome to our home! It’s been so long since we’ve seen you in the village,” she stepped forward to greet me. Her flour covered hands reached down to her skirt as she lowered into a curtsy. A small wave of guilt washed over me. I hated it when people curtsied for me, especially when it was me intruding her home tonight.

“The kingdom has been quite busy I suppose,” I replied politely, already feeling ashamed for not visiting the village as frequently as I would like to.

“Oh of course, I can only imagine how busy you must be preparing for the,” her voice trailed off for a moment, the next word coming slower than the rest, “wedding.” I was certain then that she’d heard the news of tonight’s events. I had no choice but to own up to it, to beg her to keeping my secret for some time. At least until I made my decision or gathered my courage to head back to the kingdom. Finn looked up from his glass of water, catching the final word. Well now, everyone knows my real secret.

Finn broke the silence first, “You ran from your wedding?” He burst out laughing at the question. “Sorry, sorry,” he sputtered over himself, clutching his stomach as he tried to control his laughter. Normally, such an action would have irritated me, but as he added, “that’s just not something I would have expected considering the whole princess thing,” his hand moved to gesture over my dress. To my own surpriseI found myself joining in on the laughter. He’s right, this whole situation was pretty crazy. Never in a million years could I have imagined myself running from a wedding. Even now as I stood in this strangers home, I was still wondering if this was all just some strange dream.

Amara handed a cup of tea in my direction, “don’t worry, you’re secret is safe with us here. This is a bit of a home for lost souls anyways.”

Sensing my confusion, Finn added, “Amara took me in a few months ago, allowed me to call this place home until I can get back on my feet.”

“On your feet?” I questioned.

“I woke up one day at the edge of the woods with just the clothes on my back. No memory of who I was or how I got there. Managed to find my way to her clinic, they said it was some sort of amnesia but no one’s quite sure what caused it. She took me in, helped me get a job,” Finn opened up so easily, telling me his story and I hung off of every word. I couldn’t imagine what that must have been like to go through, what it’s still like.

“Finn, I’m so sorry, I can’t imagine,” I trailed off, unsure of what else to say.

He shrugged his shoulders, “Maybe my memories will come back some day, or maybe whatever I’m leaving behind is better to be forgotten.” I couldn’t imagine a life so unfortunate you’d rather it be forgotten, but my heart still ached for this man. Something about him, pulled at the deepest parts of my heart.

A knock at the door startled the three of us. My heart pounded into my chest once again, and Finn as he seemed to do so naturally, reached out for me once again. His arm snaked around my shoulders as if it had been there a thousand times before and I found myself leaning into his side.

“I will get that. Perhaps you should take Lena upstairs to find something else to wear?” Amara nodded to the two of us before disappearing through the entryway. I heard her greet the visitors at her door, immediately knowing they were part of the kings guard as her tone quickly adjusted to a more formal one.

“Come on,” Finn said once more, leading me up the narrow staircase.