1 Pursuit

The woman's breath came in quick gasps as she peaked around the edge of the building. She had been running for a long time now. The woman was tired and cold, but she knew she had to continue even as she knew that she couldn't run forever. Sooner or later he would catch up and then it was to be over. But the woman knew she had to keep running until her promise to herself was fulfilled, even if all that waited for her was her end.

She looked over her shoulder and then back out into the night. The light from the moon shining on the deserted street gave her no comfort. She darted out into the light bringing her closer to her destination.

The woman shifted the weight of the boy on her back. The one that she had to deliver, the one that's life was counting on her survival for just a bit longer, whether he knew it or not. It was a burden she had chosen to take upon herself when she had made that mistake so long ago. One she was supposed to carry out until the very end. One that would never be lifted from her shoulders, even if she got this child to safety, but she knew she had to try to ease her worries.

She felt her goal nearing before she saw it. Soon the woman could see the long path leading to the front gate of the estate she had long been searching for. Her breath came out in a relieved sigh as she let the boy down on the front step. She brushed her hand across the boy's face. Her hand froze just before the bandages that were wrapped around his head and over his eye. How she would miss his laughter, and his smart remarks.

"We may meet again someday, my prince," she whispered quietly as she pulled her hand away. She pounded loudly on the door with the palm on her hand, then looked at the boy's face one last time before running back the way she had come. Confused shouts from guards within the estate could be heard behind her.

She felt her pursuer's presence following her before long. She prayed he hadn't spotted her before she had brought the boy to safety, and that he had no knowledge of the whereabouts of the boy. Otherwise all her efforts had gone to waste. No, he didn't know, she thought. He couldn't know. She hadn't sensed him.

As he drew nearer the woman knew it was the end for her. She kept running though, even as she thought this.

He caught her at the wrist and as the pain surged up her arm to her shoulder she had to resist crying out. She would not give him the satisfaction of knowing he had caused her pain. He yanked her to him and wrapped an arm tightly around her.

"You thought you could run from me?" he asked, his hot breath flowing over her ear. "You must've known I would catch up to you, and now I have. You're not escaping again."

When the woman didn't reply, he punched her in the stomach. She doubled over as her breath came out in a short gasp. With a thrust, she dug her elbow into him and struggled to escape, hunched over from the ache in her abdomen. He recovered too soon and was upon her again, pushing her down hard.

"Where is he? Where is the last prince?" he hissed at her.

The woman ignored him and started desperately crawling away from him -- anywhere but toward his evil aura. She heard a sickening crack and agonizing pain ran through her leg like a fire. She realized as soon as she tried to cringe away from the pain that he had broken her leg. Through the pain she continued to struggle forward, but it was over. Something connected with her ribs and another sickening crack filled the air as her side filled with a new flare of pain.

"You are too late," she choked through the blood filling her mouth. "He is gone."

The torment soon over whelmed her and as her vision went black, she forced a smile onto her face knowing he had failed…