The Curse of the Moon

Four

There was no destination in my mind. All I knew was that I had to put as much distance between myself and the kingdom as possible. Leaving the concrete steps at the back of the house, I wasn’t able to hear the footsteps following after me anymore, nor could I hear Caleb’s voice. He’d likely stopped and returned to the dinner, joining my family in conjuring up some story behind my sudden flea. What am I doing? Panic coursed through my veins but I couldn’t stop now. I’d made the decision to run, but what next is all up in the air.

Before I thought through my path, I was crossing pass the first set of trees into the forest. Maybe it was because I knew it was the only place no one would willingly follow me without some warriors in tow, or maybe something deep within it’s woods had been calling me there since the day I was born.

My eyes had blurred over, tears threatening to spill down my cheeks as I left the kingdom behind me. I should turn back, return to my people. What am I doing? The question repeated itself over and over again in my mind, so often that I’d lost all concentration as I weaved through the trees. Then, at the last possible moment, my eyes caught on a shadowy figure blocking my path forwards.

In the seconds before I collided with the shadow, I braced myself for impact. With no time to maneuver around it, my head crashed against his hard chest and my body jerked to a still. A soft groan escaped me, but my target seemed unfazed. A set of strong arms caught me, entrapping me against this solid surface and somehow, my balance was never lost.

“Are you alright?” Came the smoothest voice I’d ever heard. Every nerve ending in my body suddenly felt alive under his grasp. Maybe it was the adrenaline coursing through my veins, the panic that came with my escape from the castle, or the fear that haunted me now as I was held in the arms of a stranger. Only at this moment, I didn’t feel afraid. I had never felt more free.

Pulling back from him felt like I was tearing myself away. It was only then, that I met his eyes and in another way I was captured. Their icy shade of blue so pale, it almost looked grey under the moonlight. On anyone else, they might had made my legs tremble in fear but somehow the curl of his lips as he smiled down to me, made my insides turn warm.

“I-I am,” I stuttered out, even if I wasn’t quite sure that was the truth. I had just run from my family, my future, my fate. I had quite possibly just thrown our entire kingdom into damnation by ruining our alliance with the Eastern kingdom. I had ruined my reputation, caused an embarrassing scene in front of the whole village, and only now was reality setting in.

“”You don’t seem to be,” the man spoke again, the corner of his lips pulling a little higher into a smirk.

“Well that sir, is none of your business,” My voice came a little harsher this time. Who was he to be questioning how I was doing? If I said I was fine, that means I’m fine. Can’t he just leave me alone?

He let out a soft chuckle, shoving his hands into the pockets of his worn jeans. “Well madame,” I noticed how his tone shifted over the word madam, mocking me, “it seems to be at this moment, considering you just face planted yourself into my chest.”

“What are you even doing out here?” I made my best attempt to change the topic of conversation but he just grinned.

“Now that, is none of your business,” Another mocking statement that made my irritation with this man climb a little higher.

“Well actually it is, do you not know who I am?” I made no effort to hide the attitude in my voice. Normally, I never would have said such a thing, instantly regretting my words the minute they left my lips. I sounded like such a brat right now, but under any other circumstance he would have been in a whole lot of trouble being caught within the forest boundaries.

“I would like to,” the man took a step closer and my insides warmed once again. His gaze dipped down to mine through those thick eyelashes. The frustration that had built in my chest was turning to a feeling I couldn’t identify, almost like I was enjoying this little game he was playing. Was he flirting with me? “So, running away or towards?” He offered next and I raised an eyebrow at him.

“Away,” I admitted. This man was a stranger, and the very last thing I should be doing was confiding anything in him. I should be turning around and getting back to the castle, helping them clean up the horrid mess I’d just made, but I couldn’t stand the idea of spending the rest of my life standing on the sidelines while someone else took over my kingdom. Besides, there was something about this man’s eyes that I just couldn’t turn away from yet.

“Hmm,” He thought for a moment, leaning back against a tree. HIs arms folded over his chest as his eyes skimmed over my dress. I noticed how his black t-shirt hugged tight across his shoulders, hinting at the muscles that certainly hid beneath. His shirt was well-worn, the colour fading slightly and a small hole wearing in the bottom corner and only then did I realize that I had never met this man before. I’d made a point of greeting many of the people in the village on my trips into town, but my eyes had never seen this man before. I was certain I would have remembered him.

“Unlucky guy,” the man finally settled on. My eyes jumped back up to meet his, a blush crept up onto my cheeks. Any etiquette I’d held in conversation before had all but gone out the window tonight.

“How do you know it was a guy?” I pursed my lips, playing along.

“Just a guess,” he chuckled this time and I let my eyes dip down once more to wander over the muscles of his shoulders as they shook.

“You really shouldn’t be out here you know,” I said, c*****g my hip to the side and crossing my arms.

“Well neither should you.” He had a point there, one that I really wasn’t sure how to answer. To my surprise, he let out a sigh. “I know we’re not supposed to be out in the forest at night, but something about it just calms me down. I come out here to run, think, get some alone time,” he explained.

An ounce of guilt came over me and I found myself blurting out, “well, I’m sorry for interrupting then.” The smile quickly returned to the man’s lips at my apology, then came a gentle shake of his head.

“Who said there was anything to be sorry for?” He raised an eyebrow at me. Well played, I thought to myself. This man was definitely flirting with me, of that I was now certain.

“Lena,” I offered my name to him as if it were a token of appreciation, extending my hand out in a handshake. He met me half way, and I was all too aware of the way the palm of my hand tingled under his touch as he took my hand in his. Unlike most men, Finn did not bring my hand to his lips as I thought he might, but rather he held it in a firm handshake. Perhaps he really didn’t know of my royal status, but that would be nearly impossible. My family was known well by then entire village, unless he wasn’t from the village. With the wedding, there were plenty of visitors in town.

“Finn,” he flashed me a charming smile, the very same one that made the warmth continue to burn inside of me. Our moment of introductions was short lived though, as suddenly the pounding footsteps of my kingdom’s horseman thundered in the distance. That was fast. They were closing in on us too quickly, and I was running out of time to make my choice; to go back or keep running.

“I-I have to go,” I muttered out in a hurry, already doing my best to maneuver my way around this statue of a man. I hadn’t made a decision yet, or at least I didn’t think I had. But the sound of those thundering hooves were sending me anywhere but back in their direction.

“I’m guessing they’re after you?” With a skip in his step Finn continued after me. His long legs allowed him to keep up to me with ease.

Coming to a halt once more, I spun to face him. This time his hand reach for my hip, bracing me as if I might stumble. “What do you think you’re doing?” I asked, unsure if I was referring to his hand on my hip, a gesture all too intimate for someone I’d just met. Or, to the fact that he was following me, not that I seemed to mind that either.

“Coming with you. I’m an accomplice now, am I not?” He reminded me and I couldn’t help but smile, I guess he sort of was.