Dive
"Let men tremble to win the hand of a woman unless they win along with it the utmost passion of her heart."
-Nathaniel Hawthorne
The small pouch containing Hinrik's gift weighed heavily in Ysabel's pockets. She stared straight ahead and tried not to pay attention to him now.
Shadows danced in her vision as they moved forward. She kept an eye on the tracks and checked if the culprit left any for them to follow.
The road was rocky, and it was hard to spot any bootprints to save them all that trouble. But the princess wasn't about to give up. Plus, walking all the way back after she had overcome her fear of entering the dark passage would make that small achievement pointless.
'I can't give up just because of a small mishap or discomfort. That man deserved to pay for what he has done.'
The young monarch thought of the cook and the family he had left behind. Her heart constricted at the thought.