Vika paused after some hours of running. She noticed Zhanna was no longer behind her and the soldier wasn't chasing her either. She got worried, what if the soldier had gotten to Zhanna? She had to retrace her footsteps. Vika tried to walk back through the path she came from but every tree looked the same in her eye and she couldn't remember anything she noticed on the path while coming here. Gosh, she was lost!
Vika took off her wig, placed it on a rock and sat down. What should she do? What could she do! She couldn't scream for help- it might attract the attention of the soldier and she couldn't trace her way back! She might as well die in the forest. Suddenly a figure caught her attention. It was a man, more like a ray of hope. He was collecting sticks and by the look of it, he was very familiar with the forest. She called out to him instantly before he could walk further. He came.
"Excuse me…please, give me a minute of your time! I think I'm lost… Have you seen a man on horseback anywhere around here?" Vika asked.
"A man on horseback?" He paused, his gaze sweeping over her dishevelled clothes and scattered hair. "No, I haven't seen anyone like that today. You look… like you've been running for hours. Are you alone out here?"
"Yes," Vika said after a lot of contemplation, she didn't know if she could trust this guy.
He studied her a little longer, then softened his tone. "I don't want to sound strange, but you look like you could use some rest. And it so happens that I live just a short walk from here. You can sit, drink some water, and maybe wash your face. Then I'll help you find your way out."
Vika eyed him carefully, unsure. She didn't want to follow a stranger (A man!) to his home. But he was right, it was safer to follow him. Her chances of finding Zhanna and getting back on track increased with this man's help. She wouldn't let chastity blind her to see the opportunity ahead. She just needed to guard herself around him.
She had a knife in her bag- the perfect weapon.
"All right," Said Vika. The man helped Vika with her bag and led the way for her.
"This way," he said, leading her down a narrow path between thick trees.
As they walked, he glanced at her again. "Just curious though… why are you in men's clothing?"
"I, I was participating in a play…" Vika replied almost instantly.
The man raised a brow but didn't press. "A play, huh? Must've been quite the performance to leave you this deep in the woods."
Vika gave a weak laugh. "It was… an intense role."
They walked in silence for a few moments, the crunch of dry leaves beneath their feet filling the space.
"I'm Kazmir by the way," He offered casually, "And you?"
"Vika," She mentioned her real name, there was no use hiding it since he already knew she was a female.
~Kazmir~
When this young lady mentioned she was lost and alone in the forest, I felt for her. She looked as innocent as my sister and she could be harassed, kidnapped or killed while alone in the forest. I felt the need to help her and as I opened my mouth, words I didn't know my brain had decided slipped out.
"I don't want to sound strange, but you look like you could use some rest. And it so happens that I live just a short walk from here. You can sit, drink some water, and maybe wash your face. Then I'll help you find your way out."
What was I thinking, I sounded like a creep. Surprisingly, she agreed. So trusting, so innocent…like my sister.
---
Vika was both astonished and relieved to see that Kazmir did not live alone- he lived with a gang of men, but what was more surprising was seeing Zhanna there!
"Zhanna," She called out immediately she spotted her. "It's Zhan," Zhanna hushed Vika as they hugged.
"Wow! How did you…"
"A man, Shura, led me here. He's from Volkorod, the place we are headed to. I think he might be able to help us…"
"So he let you stay here? No payment? No nothing?"
"I may have volunteered to work as an errand boy till they leave for Volkorod," Zhanna said to Vika. Vika nodded, that was not a problem but…she did feel a gush of warmth with the way Zhanna spoke to her- she wanted to know if she was in approval of her decision. Something no royal could ever do.
---
The soldier who was sent to deliver the message of Princess Zhanna's disappearance to the Queen shivered in his footsteps. Each step he took on the way drew him closer to doom. Why did it have to be him?
The guards by the Queen's chambers gave him a nod to enter inside, after receiving approval from the Queen. They were usually devoid of any emotion but as he walked in, they looked at him with pity.
Why should a man fear a woman, you may ask. Let's see; If that woman is a wicked Queen, if that woman is skilled with weapons, if that woman usually requests for the dead bodies of killed individuals- creepy. Queen Darya met all the requirements.
"Her royal majesty," He greeted while bowing, shaking.
"Rise!" She said in her usual cold voice. What the man heard was more like "Arise and Die!"
"The princess, did you find her?" Queen Darya dropped her cup of tea back on the saucer.
"We tried, searched all villages and carriages. We couldn't find her…" He was about to tell her that they had sent men to neighbouring villages when he was rudely interrupted.
"You couldn't find her!" Queen Darya didn't even let the man finish his sentence properly.
The guard raised his head to check her mood, maybe he could slip in the fact that they were currently searching other neighbouring Kingdoms…It might just pacify her.
*PANG!* The guard didn't have time to react when a cup of hot, scalding tea was thrown at him. The cup broke on his forehead, then the hot liquid poured into the wound. The true definition of PAIN.
---
Boris sat in his chambers by the window doing what he did best- scheming! Everything was going according to plan, his father would soon announce who his heir would be- him obviously and he'll get married in seven days time. Yes, everything was perfect.
A bird landed on the tray of bird food by the window. Boris didn't pay much attention until he saw the letter tied on the bird's leg.
"Who sent this?" He said to himself, untied the letter from the bird's leg and began reading it. The more he read, the angrier he became. What kind of bad luck is this? Just when he thought everything was perfect!
---
Staring out her window, Queen Darya thought deeply. She had never known Zhanna to be rebellious. What would she tell Boris if he came? And more importantly, how was she supposed to accomplish her plan now?
"Zhanna, Zhanna. You think you're smart and want to rebel against me? Well, let the game begin…".