The Hunt for the Bear

The tents and stalls were set up by people in both kingdoms. They had been scattered through the fields and intentionally not organized by kingdoms to help promote unity. Astraea and her sisters wandered in between stalls noting the food and dresses they wanted to come back later and eat or inspect in more detail. They made their way to the dais from last night and saw that most of the knights and male participants of the hunt were already assembled. When they reached the steps, Astraea, Teresa, and Daphne went up to stand behind the podium prepared for them. Morgan veered to the right and went to stand with the knights from their kingdom as she prepared to lead the hunting party representing their kingdom.

The speech Leah had prepared for Astraea sat on the podium and she wrapped her hands around the wooden edges, smoothing the edges of the page down. She watched Morgan pick up the fur jacket that her guard handed her and slung it around her shoulders. She walked over to the horses and stroked the mane of hers while she looked back towards her sister. Astraea wasn't worried about her sister as she knew where the traps were all located having helped her plant them but she was a little concerned about Drystann. If he triggered a trap and did in fact die, she wanted to be there. She wasn't sure that the combined kingdoms would believe her claim to the throne to be legitimate if there weren't witnesses, brutal as that may be.

More participants filled in and Astraea took a deep breath to start her speech. She looked over to each of her sisters for support and began, "Welcome all to the fifth annual hunting festival. [Kingdom 1] welcomes the [kingdom 2] and all of its nobility. We invite everyone to partake in the festival and the dance later tonight after the hunt is over. We will award the hunters that bring back the biggest prize."

Astraea looked up and smiled at the crowd, "Please enjoy the wonderful stalls and delicious food that has been prepared."

She stepped down from the podium and held out her hands to her sisters. They walked down the stairs together and went towards open fairgrounds. A quick glance over her shoulder ensured their bodyguards were following them. The first stop they made was for candied apples which Daphne inhaled with a huge smile on her face. By the time they hit on the stops on her mental list, Astraea knew Morgan would be deep in the forest for actually hunting.

*****

Morgan scanned the trees as she passed them, looking for any flash of color. She had long since lost the guards who were supposed to be accompanying her and was determined to find the bear herself. She knew there was one out here because it had torn through the outdoor trash bins in the villages she and her sisters had stopped at on the way here.

Morgan had been tracking it as they traveled to the hunting grounds. From its footprints and the claw marks on the trees and bins, she knew she was tracking a huge beast, one that would definitely win her the competition.

She dismounted her horse and feed him a couple of sugar cubes she kept in her side bag. Her guards finally caught up with her and she smiled before nimbly leaping over another trap and disappearing into the words.

She could hear the cursing in the distance and she ran further into the trees. Laughing softly to herself as she followed the newest tracks from the bear. She was so focused on the ground in front of her, she didn't notice the man that crept up behind her or the knife he held against her throat until he pressed it in.

"Not another step," he growled.

She straightened immediately very aware of the sharp blade against her vulnerable neck. She stepped back into him and as soon as the knife at her throat loosened, slammed her elbows into his ribcage.

He grunted but didn't release her so she rammed her heel into the inside of his heel and then kicked it up into his groin. The combination of the two moves surprised him and put him in enough pain for her to escape his grasp and steal the knife. She raised it so with her own she had a nice in each hand.

"Who are you and why did you attack me?"

He coughed and stared up at her, "How did you know to do that?"

"Nope, I'm holding the weapons I ask the questions."

He looked to the sky and then back to her. "Very well. I am Seth Lopeth, Captain to his Royal Highness Crown Prince Drystann Tornheard's guard. I stopped you from entering his Highness's circle."

Morgan has to laugh at that. "His circle? What is the crown princess of the kingdom you're visiting not good enough to enter his Highness's circle?" She would have made air quotes but the knives were in the way.

He shrugged, matching her nonchalant tone. "Be my guest, the archers living in the trees will kill you as soon as you step over the line."

"Fine. That's fine. Can you tell me where the line is so I can go back to hunting my bear?"

There was an eyebrow raise. "Your bear?"

"Yes, my bear. The bear I have been tracking for days and will not lose it now!"

The eyebrow fell, marginally. "Very well. If you follow the river and stick to the creek bed you'll find more bear tracks. One's fresher than what you are following now."

Morgan lowered her knives finally, "Ok. Thank you."

"You are most welcome. Thanks for not making me kill you and start a war. Can I have my knife back?"

"This one?" She swirled the blade around her fingers and flicked it into the ground by his hand.

He didn't flinch away from it, instead, he calmly picked it up and with a dramatic bow faded into the trees.