The Lost Princess

Raven sat upon a log looking off into the forest using her ears more than her eyes in search of Xavier. He had went off alone and was hunting for food, using the methods that she had taught him. He had been a fast learner over their travels picking up hunting quickly and learning to step quietly so that he was not heard from a mile away. Two weeks had passed since the church burnt to the ground and Raven had declared war on the King. Xavier still sometimes had a sad look in his eye as he thought of the place he had been raised, and especially the woman who had been like a mother to him. She sighed as she heard him approaching from the rear. She waited until he was almost upon her before kicking her foot out at his ankles causing him to slam into the ground barely missing his face.  "If you wish to sneak up on someone you need to control your breathing better. You try to hold your breath which causes you to breath more heavily. Instead focus on breathing evenly in and out through your nose." She offered her hand to him as he lay sprawled out on the ground covered in dirt and leaves. He was a mess, but she was sure she looked no better. A life on the run did not leave them much time for luxury. A river here and there was all they had in ways of baths and for laundry. She was used to the wild living as she had always been in nature. Xavier on the other hand... fared a little more harshly. Xavier took her outstretched hand, happy for any reason to touch her. Over the past couple weeks he found any and every reason for their skin to touch even if oh so briefly. The electric tingles making him feel as if he was home.  As he righted himself she quickly pulled her hand away as if he had burned her, making him frown. "Where are we going. We have been traveling for weeks. When we crossed the boarder into Rhorewen I thought that we would go to the King to ask for help, but instead you have us walking up and down these mountains." (Just a little reminder for those that need it. Rhorwen was the Kingdom to the Northeast. The surrounding kingdoms were only mentioned briefly, in the previous book. A problem I will soon rectify.) "If we were to go to the King and tell him that the notorious Mad King is after us with the intention of taking my head do you think he would simply help us, or turn us over with hopes of helping himself?" Her question caught him off guard, he had not thought of that until she said it. It is true that King Damian had made a name for himself even among the other Kingdoms. Everyone had heard of the Mad King, the man who kidnapped women, who slaughtered babies. Xavier felt stupid for asking, her intuition and knowledge had saved them countless times during their journey thus far. For a girl who had lived on a mountain away from everything, he found that while she had not been to a town she had enough knowledge that a person that did not know would never guess. She knew how to hunt and cook her own food. Navigate her way through land she had never been to, find fresh water with ease, and she could fight as if the gods themselves had possessed her. "I am sorry Newt, you are right. I will follow you to our destination wherever that may be." Raven had signed her birth name on the letter to the king, but she sometimes felt dirty for using it. As if each time was a betrayal so for the most part she went by Newt. It felt like home. She did not answer, only nodded. She was listening to the sounds around them, or rather the lack of sounds around them. The birds had stopped singing, and even the small wildlife that had once been running underfoot could not be seen. Something or someone was scaring them. "Newt, don't be upset I..." She quickly held a hand up to shush him her eyes looking over the forest with keen precision. Xavier saw the way she was watching the surroundings, understanding dawning on him. Looking around he saw nothing, only trees and shrubs for as far as the eye could see. An axe flew through the air careening right for his head only to be deftly plucked from its course by Raven. He would never get used to her reflexes, her grace catlike and wild. "Show yourself so we can talk, or hide like cowards and die by your own weapons!" Her voice was booming in the quiet forest, demanding the attention of all who were near. The shrubs ahead where the ax had come from parted revealing  A muscular man with a long red beard. His head was nestled into a helmet that framed his dark eyes. Raven and Xavier took note of his armor, it seemed to be of the finest quality, yet held an emblem that did not belong to the King of this Kingdom. "Do you typically throw your ax first and ask questions later?" Ravens voice held a hint of humor in it causing the mans eyes to widen briefly before scowling. "Only when that person is trespassing." His voice was deeper than the ocean. "Pray tell on where I am trespassing." She bit back a smirk when the muscle in his cheek twitched.  She had a pretty good idea of where it was that she had ended up, him arriving only proved it. "I do not suppose you want to introduce yourself?" She gave him a huge smile twirling his ax in her hand never breaking eye contact. She could sense others in the nearby forest, they were slowly trying to surround them. When a few more moments went by without him answering she felt her patience and good humor starting to fade. "Look, I know your friends are trying to get into position to surround us but that is such a bad idea. I counted seven including yourself and before you could even give the signal I will take this blade and plant it right between those bushy red eyebrows of yours."  With that she spun around pointing toward each of the hiding places the others were hiding in. The mans eyes widened. She had been able to detect each of his men as if it was nothing, knowing exactly where they were. "I'm gonna be honest with you here, I'm not a fan of dwarven hospitality at this point." She smiled as the man in front of her was clearly having a crisis. Beside her Xavier could only look on in shock, he had not noticed any other people around them. Then she said dwarven, as in real dwarves! Wasn't they supposed to be short and fat though? That is how they were described in all the storybooks for children. "You guys might as well come out. I have never played hide and seek and I do not plan on doing it today. I assume the man in front of me is your leader as he took first shot and even stepped forward. I mean you all no harm, as long as you do not harm me and mine." She spoke calmly as if she was talking about the weather, not about someone trying to take their heads off with an ax just minutes prior. She looked into the man in front of hers eyes hoping he could see the truth in them. It was true she did not come here with the intention of harming them, it was quite the opposite in fact. He nodded his head and each of his subordinates stepped from amongst the trees and shrubs coming into view. They were all built muscularly even the one woman had a build that could make the men back home weep at their puny muscles. "Alright guys and gal, i'm gonna be honest with you here. I came here on purpose with the intention of seeking an audience with your king. I am on a quest and I would like your help." She kept her eyes leveled on the first man who had still not given his name pushing her feelings forward so that her words would get across. They stared at one another for several minutes, nobody present making a sound. "Alright, I will get you an audience with my father. However, if you try anything funny. I will kill you." He turned on his heel and began walking back into the forest not even bothering to see if they were following. Raven was all smiles as she followed after him as if he had not just threatened her life. Xavier was more reserved looking at the other members of the party as if they would attack at any minute. He has trusted Raven thus far on their quest, he hoped he was right to put all his faith in her.