"Princess, you need to return to the palace "
Anabel pushed her slim, tired body behind the dark trees, hiding from the palace knights her father had sent after her.
"Princess, please....this forest is dangerous ", she could hear her maid call out to her.
"But I don't want to marry that man " she murmured to herself.
The voices slowly became distant as they went on leaving her behind. She breathed, getting and ran in the opposite direction.
She was ready to do anything in order not to be married.
Blindly by her tears, she didn't notice the steep slope up ahead and, without warning, slipped and fell, injuring her ankle.
"Ah..my leg " she cried in pain.
Yes, she was a favoured princess, but she had still been raised in the palace; this was her first time out in the wild alone. She always came out with two of the guards and her maid to look after her.
Pulling up her garments she touched her now aching ankle. Pushing the pain at the back of her mind she stood up, limping and tried to look for her way.
After a few hours, it started to rain, and looking for shelter, she stumbled upon a cave.
Rushing in, Aurora dropped by the entrance, too tired to go further in.
Her body was trembling and the now swollen ankle was more painful to even walk anymore.
Trying to catch her breath Anabel felt something cold touch her neck.
"Who are you ?" a voice asked.
Realising it was a sword, she gulped, looking to see a talk dark figure beside her.
"I am no one; I just wanted shelter from the rain ", she answered, but he didn't back away. "I lost my way and hurt my leg. I just need shelter and will be on my way when it stops "
The sword left her neck and he paced back.
She slid off her cloak, leaning back, sighing; being wet and hurt wasn't helping her situation, and she was too tired to mind who he was. As long as he didn't attack her or take her back, it was okay.
"Where are you hurt ?" he asked her.
She could see his frame kneel in fort of her; it was dim to make out his features.
"My left ankle ", she murmured, closing her eyes.
She felt him push her dress aside and touch the swollen ankle, flinching in pain.
Gently he carried her up into his arms, a scent of roses drifty around his neck.
She closed her eyes, her body slowly relaxing.
Soon, she felt a warm wave fill the air; they must have entered deep into the cave.
Her body was placed down; her eyes opened to see a fire in the centre. With some light, she could see the stranger better.
He was dressed in black garments, and his long black hair was tied into a loose ponytail. His long lashes fluttered as he looked at her ankle again.
He moved, to grab something, and glanced at her, giving her a chance to meet his eyes; she frowned. They were golden.
She had never seen such a colour, his warm hands gently wrapped something on her ankle.
He stood up, her eyes following him.
"What are you doing ?" she suddenly yelled.
He was taking off his clothes.
"Helping you " he answered.
"Huh?!" she gulped. Had she walked into something worse than being taken back home?
He took off his shirt exposing his perfectly fit body, then passed out to her.
"Here, change into this,", he said.
"Huh..oh...ah" she stammered.
"If you stay in those ... you're going to get sick ", he pointed out.
Picking his coat he walked towards the entrance.
She blinked. Had he left so she could change?
Anabel slowly took off her wet, dirty clothes and slid on his shirt; her pale legs were exposed, and if she bent, her behind would be exposed. It was warm and smelt like roses.
"Am done " she yelled so he could return.
Soon, she heard his gentle footsteps heading back into the cave.
"Thank you " she let out.
He nodded sitting opposite her.
"Are you lost too?" She asked.
"No".
"Oh...hunting ?".
"No".
Guess he didn't want to talk, so she fell silent.
"How did you get lost ?" he asked.
"Oh...I was being chased by my father's men " she let out, but then thought she shouldn't have said it.
"Why ?".
"I ran away from home," she said.
He gazed at her, "I dont want to get married but he wants me to" Anabel added.
"Is he ugly ?" he asked.
"Oh no...my father is a handsome man ..most of the women of ...".
"I meant your husband-to-be?" he interrupted her.
"Ah.." she giggled.
"I am not sure about that ... haven't meant him ", she breathed "it's not about him but me. I just don't want to be caged in another place like how I have been most of my life. I thought that if I reached this age, my father would let me go but he instead decided to give me away for some cheap trade route"
Her sad voice was low and her eyes stung with tears.
"But running away still doesn't solve it. Just makes it more complicated" he let out.
"I know ..." she agreed.
Silence filled the cave again, and when he looked back at her, she had dozed off; he draped his cloak over her, she moved her eyes briefly opening.
"You have beautiful eyes " she murmured before falling back to sleep.
He smirked .