The sound of footsteps woke Anabel up. It was the stranger returning. He was holding a bunch of fruits in his arms.
"Good morning " she yawned.
"Morning " he replied.
"Is it morning already ?" she asked.
He nodded, kneeling in front of her, and placed all the fruits next to her.
"Oh, thank you " She smiled, picked up one, wiped it on the sleeve of her shirt and passed it to him.
"Here, you first " she let out.
He took it, sitting back, and she took another and bit into it.
"Can you help me get out of the forest ?" She asked chewing on her fruit.
"Okay," he agreed.
Quietly, Anabel followed the stranger through the forest. She had not noticed last night as she ran, but it was a thick forest filled with different and beautiful plants.
He had offered to carry her, but she protested, claiming it was already enough that he was helping her out of the forest.
"Ouch..." She murmured. Having walked for a few hours her ankle had started to hurt even more.
He was walking up ahead of her, so he didn't notice.
She moved, but it got worse, and before she knew it, her leg gave away. Stumbling, she dropped to her knees.
He was beside her in seconds, pulling her up.
"I apologise. I thought I could manage ", she cried.
Gently, he carried her up; she held onto his neck as he started to walk.
"If I am too heavy, we can rest ", she let out.
"Your light ...does he feed enough ?" he asked.
She looked away, "Oh, that he does...I just don't have a big appetite "
"Mmm...".
He kept walking like he knew the way and soon they arrived at a camp. Soldiers noticed them and instantly ran towards them
"Your majesty ...your back! " one of them yelled.
Majesty....she frowned Was he a king too? Just like her father.
Their eyes moved to her she was still in his arms. She tried to push herself out of his hold, but he didn't let her.
"You hurt, remember?" he muttered.
"Oh...but I can move. I took some rest while you carried me "
"No, you not ", he insisted.
And started walking, they made way for him with the leader still following them.
"Get the physician to my tent ", he instructed as they entered one of the large tents, placing her down on the huge bed.
"Rest. They will attend to your injury,", he said to her.
She nodded.
The physician came bowing down to him.
"Your majesty, you requested for me ?"
"Attend to her " he pointed to the bed.
He bowed again then moved to her.
"Pardon me my lady ...where are you injured ?" he asked.
Anabel pulled up her garment showing him her swollen ankle that had been bandaged.
She flinched in pain; the stranger stood up, moved to the bed and took her hand.
"Squeeze my hand if it's painful," he said.
She nodded, holding it tight the more they touched her ankle, the tighter her hold got.
She sniffed thanking the doctor after he was done.
He left telling her not to move and just rest.
"Your majesty..thank you for your kindness " she muttered.
She was still holding his hand.
"Sebastian," he said.
"Huh..."
"My name ".
"Oh...but I can't call you that...your".
"It's fine ".
She smiled, "Okay, Sebastian"
"Does it still hurt ?" he asked.
"A little", she sniffed.
Someone walked in.
"Your majesty ....we have been so " he stopped noticing the two looking back at him, but his eyes focused more on the holding hands.
Anabel pulled away and Sebastian turned back, "What do you want ?".
"Am sorry to interrupt, but when need to discuss something, Your Majesty", he said.
"I will be right back," he said to her and stood up.
Anabel lay back.
"How did I get myself entangled in another royal family?
A few minutes later, two maids walked in, saying they had been sent to tend to her.
After a bath and warm food, Anabel fell asleep.
....
"You can't keep running away. As my daughter, you need to pay for all the years I took caring for you, " the king yelled.
"But father I can't marry ....I don't even love him" Anabel cried.
"Love won't feed our people or pay me back. You need to play your role as my daughter and the princess of this land "his grip on her arm tightened.
"Father let me go ....am never marrying that man. You have never treated me like one of your own so why now. Can't your precious daughter do it '.
Her father moved, slapping her; she fell back. Her eyes filled with tears.
He turned away talking to the two men beside him.
"Watch her, and don't let her leave until she is picked up ", he instructed.
Closing her room, she heard them lock it.
"Father ..please...don't do this. I don't want to marry him. Father...." She cried yelling for him to open the door.
Anabel gasped as she opened her eyes, tears escaped rolling down the corner of her eyes.
"Hi...wake up, it's just a dream ", she heard his voice and his hand on her cheekk,k, trying to wake her up.
Their eyes met, and before he could do anything else, Anabel pulled him down, holding him, as she burst into tears.
"He was ready to sell me off just like that ...my father " she cried.
He didn't move, letting her cry out her pain slowly, he pulled them up, his arms embracing her. Hiding her red, wet face in his chest, she let him console her.
His hand softly tapped her back to calm her down.