The old woman

Tym didn't wait for the voice to call out once more.

She got down from the horse. Before any of the men could react to anything, she was already halfway through the forest.

The prince got down from his horse, and ran after her, with his guards begrudgingly running after them.

They were already tired from walking all day, and now, they were expected to run as fast as they could.

"Help!"

The female voice rang out once more.

Tym raced through the forest with the speed of a cheetah.

It didn't take her long to locate the person who was crying for help.

An old woman was sitting on the ground.

She had her hand on a wound she incurred while walking through the forest, seeking edibles to prepare and get dinner with.

"Help!" She cried out when she saw Tym.

"What happened?" Tym rushed towards her and knelt on the ground. She took the old woman's hand in hers and touched her wound to check for its severity.

"I was coming back from my daily hunt when I stumbled on something." The old woman explained while trying to keep her sobs at bay.

"I'm sorry to hear about that." Tym rose from the ground and walked to a part of the Forest.

She scanned around until she found what she was looking for.

Tym quickly plucked it before she turned to return to the old woman, who was staring at her with interest, as she wondered what her saviour was looking for.

"This leave will stop the pain and bleeding." Tym rubbed the leaves between her palms until they formed a paste. "It will hurt a beat, just endure it, okay?"

"I'm not afraid of a little pain," The old woman said confidently. Yet, she was seen balling her hands into fists as she tried not to react to the stings from the leaves Tym was rubbing on her wound.

"It has stopped bleeding." Tym removed the crushed leaves from the old woman's legs.

"Thank you, my dau—"

"Tym!" The prince shouted as he glanced around the forest.

Tym was faster than him when she ran, that was why he wasn't able to keep up with her and got lost.

"I'm over here!" She waved her hand a bit.

"Thank goodness," the prince sighed when she saw her. "I thought—"

"You would have gotten lost if not for me, so, you owe me one." Tym turned to the old woman, "are you okay?"

"Yes, thank you." The old woman smiled at her.

"Oh, you found her. What happened?" The prince knelt next to Tym and placed his hand on her back.

"She scratched her legs when she fell."

"Oh."

"Can you stand?" Tym asked as she touched the old woman's arm.

At a nod of her head, Tym helped her up.

"You are indeed a lifesaver." The old woman smiled at the girl with a veil covering her face.

"I had to do what I can." Tym smiled at her, "now you can walk, you can find your way home, right?"

"Where are you going, my daughter?"

"We are travelling to the town across from here."

"Oh, it's nighttime already. Will you care to follow me home? I have a good and comfortable resting home for you." The old woman smiled kindly.

"Don't worry about us, ma. We won't want to inconvenience you. It's—"

"Are you going to refuse your mother?" The old woman frowned at them. "You people saved me, it's only fitting I take care of you for tonight. If it pleases you, you can rest in my house, and continue on your journey tomorrow. The forest is dangerous during the day, and at night, it's the worst."

"Ma, we—"

Tym started to say, but the prince cut her off.

"Thank you, ma. We appreciate it greatly." The prince smiled, "it will be our pleasure to rest in your abode, ma."

"You are welcome to do so, my son." The old woman smiled warmly. "Help me carry up the basket. I have some edibles in it for you. With it, I can make something delicious for you."

"You don't have to bother, ma. We—"

"With due pleasure, ma." The prince picked the basket from the floor and motioned for the old woman to lead the way.

The old woman started walking towards the opposite path from where we came from, and the prince made to follow her, but Tym dragged him back.

"We shouldn't inconvenience the old woman, my prince. Let's continue—"

"You heard her right, it will be considered rude should we reject her kind gesture.

Don't you think it will hurt her feelings?" He arched a brow at Tym as if he were in some way trying to challenge her.

"But—"

"There are no buts, Tym. Since the old woman willingly asked us to her home, it doesn't seem right to reject her.

After all, we are only staying a night, so there is no way you can say we have finished her meal."

Tym frowned at the prince before she turned to face the old woman who has stopped walking and was now watching them as if they were something interesting.

With her gaze on Tym, she couldn't help but feel like there was something wrong with her.

Yet, she couldn't pinpoint what exactly that was.

Maybe it's because she has not been near old people before.

That's the explanation for why she felt the old woman's eyes on her were peculiar.

"Let's go, Tym. Can't you see the old woman is getting rather impatient?"

That was how Tym found herself being dragged by a prince who was tired of riding under the sun and needed a great place to rest his head.

The guards, who were lucky enough to meet the prince and Tym before they disappeared into the forest with the old woman, fell in line as they lowly grumbled at how unfair everything was.