hearts

chapter 1| Caspian |

I did it. I can't believe I actually did it.

I stared at the reflection of the moon in the running water with disbelief on my face.

I finally escaped my mother. And that wretched kingdom.

I'm fucking free.

I splashed water all over my face and grinned at my very faint reflection in the dark water. My jaw started to ache with how hard I was smiling. I'd not smiled in so long and the feeling felt weird but a good weird.

It was still dark out since I had fled in the evening during one of my mother's famous bloody balls which seemed like the best choice since she and all the nearest guards would be...distracted. My mom had only given me a basic but not very educational rundown on all the other kingdoms so from the greenery that was starting to form on the ground I assume I am nearing the KOS.

I could camp here tonight and then make my way into KOS and lay low for a few months. Maybe I could play it off as a refugee or prisoner that managed to escape...no that's not believable, no one ever manages to. Maybe I could just play it off as a traveller from the KOD? I glanced down at my pale sheet white skin and snorted.

"Forget it. I'll figure it out when I get there."

"I'm sure you will"

My head snapped to my right in shock. There was a woman a few feet away from me, washing her face in the river bank. My eyes slowly drunk in her black leather-covered figure, unintentionally lingering on her wide hips. I heard her click and my eyes snapped back to her face, a dark blush covering my cheeks as I had been caught staring.

"Yeah, eyes up here buddy."

I got to my feet and approached her slowly. How did I not hear her? Where did she come from? I watched her take out her bun and her long dark shiny hair came tumbling down and it was long. It was up to the back of her knees, the longest parts almost touching her ankles.

How do you even manage hair like that...?

"So what did you do?" She asked.

My eyebrows pinched together in confusion.

"You're wearing the ruby sash of the royal heart family" She explained pointing at the sash across my chest that was mandatory for me to wear "From the way those guards were chasing after you I assume you stole it".

I looked at her warily. For her to know my origin would undoubtedly be dangerous since my mother wasn't the most liked in the land. I internally sighed; I guess I'm going from a royal to a robber. "Yeah... Are you going to turn me in?" She threw her head back and let out a roar of laughter.

"Me?" She giggled "Nah, I don't like the red family either" I winced. "As a matter of fact" She mused before flashing me a dazzling smile "I'm probably going to rob you too" My eyes flew open in shock. Her hand sprang out to grab my sash and I caught her wrist.

Her eyebrows rose up in surprise before her eyes flashed with determination. She yanked me forward and I stumbled into her, heat crept up my neck as I looked down at her in shock. She leaned forward, a sly smirk on her face "You know, you're kinda cute". She leaned back and headbutted me.

My hand flew to my nose as I fell back. A ripping sound rang through the midnight air and I looked up to see my sash in her hands. I tried to be angry with her but the mischievous grin on her face and the playful look in her eyes I couldn't help but chuckle. "Okay nice game love, now give it back" She wrapped it around her neck like a scarf, the red rubies glistening under the soft moonlight.

"Hell no, this is worth five hundred thousand silver pieces" She grabbed her duffel bag and looked at me with a raised eyebrow "What you're not gonna fight me for it?"

"I don't hit girls sweetheart" Another laugh escaped her lips again making my heart flutter.

"Thanks for the new scarf" She turned around and took off into the woods. I bolted after her but she was surprisingly fast.

"Wait!" She glanced back at me before picking up her already fast pace. I barely managed to keep up with her but that didn't matter when her arm stuck out to grab a branch, she managed to lift herself onto it and soon she was scaling the tree with ease.

I could barely see her with the tree leaves blocking out any light leaving me alone in a dark forest with a thief that was slowly getting away from me and I could do nothing about it. I tried to grab the same branch she did to follow her but as soon as I put a little bit of my weight on it, it snapped.

A cruel cackle came from above me and I looked up to glare at her. "That was cute, cmon try again." I narrowed my eyes at her "Try again, look, I'll even wait for you" She settled herself on a branch near her but as she sat a loud crack ran through the forest. She quickly scrambled to get on another branch but was to late as the branch gave way beneath her.

Panic struck threw me as I saw her body cut threw the air, quickly approaching the ground. I ran to where I calculated she would land and brought my hands out to catch her. She landed in my arms and she immediately wrapped her hands around my neck to keep her balance.

"Thanks" She breathed. Her hair messy from the fall causing wisps of hair to fall in her face. "But I'm going to have to beat you up now" Her legs flew to my neck and she threw herself forward taking both of us to the forest floor.

She tried to crawl away but I grabbed her ankle and dragged her back to me, pinning her underneath me. Her chest rose and fell as she caught her breath, realizing she was trapped. I took my short victory as a chance to grab my sash when my eyes zeroed on her empty neck.

Both our heads snapped up to see the beige sash hanging on a branch, flowing softly in the breeze. I looked back at her to see the smug look on her face "I guess no one gets the money" I narrowed my eyes at her.

"No no no no you're getting your ass back up that tree and collecting it for me"

"I don't want to" She bit back.

"WHAT DO-

She silenced me by slapping her palm over my mouth "SHHHH the guards are still nearby they might hear you" She glanced around assessing our surroundings carefully. I frowned, so she's a criminal on the run from the guards too.

I guess we now have that in common.

An idea popped into my head "I'll scream" I smirked at her. She raised an eyebrow at me, trying to call me out on my bluff but I kept my face stoic of emotion (something I'm particularly good at). "I don't care about getting caught but you seem to so if you don't get that for me I'll yell at the top of my lungs".

She didn't look impressed nor fazed. I shrugged and threw my head back and opened my mouth to scream. "AH-"Okay okay!" I stopped and grinned down at her, my smile only widening at the scowl that was on her face.

"Get off me" I raised an eyebrow and she rolled her eyes "I won't run get off!" I slowly got off her and we both got to our feet and dusted ourselves off. I looked up at the sash taunting me from the tree. I had to get it, I wanted something to remember my father by and that's the last thing I had of his.

"I don't think I'll be able to get it" I advanced to her with a dark look in my eyes and she raised her hand to stop me "I actually can't, look" I looked up to see that all the branches she used to get up there had snapped and were borderline unclimbable.

I chuckled darkly, all playfulness and attraction vanishing "Then I guess I'm going to have to kill you" Her eyes widened at the tone of my voice.

"Wait, what if I" She bit her lip to think, making my eyes zone on her plump pink lips "I can't get it but I can take you to the KOS, there are faster ways of getting money there and I'll help you get away from the guards?" I sighed knowing that this was better than nothing.

"Okay, let's go."