Blow on her head

Marie had never encountered genteel in her life before. Most men were far more concerned of their own safety, that their selfishness made them reject the call of humanity. Even if their consciousness was still alive, they preferred to take risks with their companions, worried about their own protection.

The man in front of her, had so easily resolved to independently help her, anxious about his companions before himself. Such people were quite rare, who possess true love for humanity. Unintentionally, Marie developed a deep admiration and respect for him.

'I am truly indebted to you, Sir….?'

'Arthur.'

'Yes, Sir Arthur can we start by following this trail to the depths of the forest. I think my mother must've been taken there. Could I get a horse for myself if it is not too much to ask for?'

'Do you know how to ride?' Arthur least expected a girl, of such delicate age, to be able to manage riding in a forest, filled with vines and difficult, rocky terrain. But then again this girl was proving to be more and more of a mystery. The women he had met would've cried their eyes out, accepting the tragic fate of their mother. But Marie was insistent to find her mother no matter what, not scared about what intricacies she would have to face, not believing that her mother was in a dire situation, which was equivalent to being dead, if she wasn't dead already.

'I am well-accomplished in that sport. You needn't worry.'

'Okay, then let's go.'

Arthur was being warned by the stares of his companions, but he gave them a reassuring look and told them to leave to their next stop, and he will try joining them as soon as possible. 'If I don't come back, please don't venture to look for me.'

....

They set out on separate horses, both sleek black, their shiny coats glittering under the moon. Arthur couldn't stop himself from looking at Marie from time to time; riding too fast, the moon breaking through her long, wavy hair, black as the night, and her skin glowing in the light, gave her an ethereal look.

The path was rutted and potholed, with dangerous ditches and coarse, thorny bushes. The thick trees, densely grew close together, their large leaves, letting streaks of moonbeam fall to the ground, through the gaps. The air was damp, smelling like fresh vegetation, energizing their spirits from within. Crisp leaves crunching or a muddy puddle splashing under the horses' footing, were the only noises that broke the eerie silence. Cool breeze tingled the skin, the mouth drying up in the chilly air.

After about four to five hours, Marie brought her horse to an abrupt stop. Turning around, she asked, with pleading eyes, if they could rest for a while.

'Okay, let's do that,' Arthur had been wondering when the request would be coming, sensing the tiredness on the girl's face from before. Dismounting from their horses, Arthur lay the bedspread for them to rest on. Marie immediately sank to the ground in exasperation, breathing out a sigh of relief. When Arthur came back after unsaddling the horses, he saw a small figure curled up in a ball, breathing faintly, with a content smile on her face. He was mesmerized by the sleeping beauty, getting lost while gazing at her face deeply, as he sat beside her on the bedspread.

All of sudden, Marie's eyes fluttered open to the sound of shuffling footsteps. Beside her, Arthur was in a deep slumber, his hand supporting his chin on a sitting position. Afraid to disturb him, unsure about the authenticity of her instinct, Marie tiptoed her way to check out the problem.

As she neared a bush away from their resting place, she was struck a blow on her head, knocking her out of consciousness.

.....

When Arthur woke up, he found himself all alone. Uncomfortable silence engulfed the air, passing a chill down his spine. He was baffled at this new development. Doubts muddled his brain, suspicions of being tricked. He felt betrayed, even though it had been his own decision. Not once did the thought occur to him that Marie might be in a compromised situation; all the odds were pointing towards her.

Disheartened, he straddled his horse and galloped in the direction they had come from, without looking back even once.

After travelling for some distance, he heard a feeble sound, similar to that of an injured animal. Moving near he discovered that it was a person; a woman of middle age, lying in a wretched heap. Her clothes were torn, barely hiding any cleavage. It seemed like she had been ruthlessly abducted quite a number of times, with clear signs of struggle. Her hair reminded him of Marie, long and sleek black, chopped off and thrown beside her, leaving only a small bunch on her head. Cuts and bruises covered her body, with the inclusion of nail and teeth marks. Apart from that, there was long, brutal slash starting from her chest till her stomach, seemingly made from a dagger. She had lost a lot of blood from the incision, ichor spreading in a sickeningly sticky puddle around her body. She was breathing weakly, struggling with each breath, as if death was just waiting to take her away after she completed her last purpose in this interim world.

In a forced attempt to gather his attention, she barely managed to raise her hand a few centimeters. Arthur complied, moving his ears near her lips. He had deciphered that she didn't have much long to live, and the completion of her last wish was something she deserved after the torture she had survived.

'P... p… please save my daughter. My Marie…..she is in d….danger….' She managed as a tear rolled down her cheek and her eyes lost their life, her body going still as a stone.