***
Fear.
Adaria had become accustomed to it now. And yet somehow, with every new event which sent terror through her heart, it felt like a brand new emotion, cut from a new sheet and presented anew. She felt it sliver through her entire body, and as soon as she could make out the first bandit clearly, she noticed him lifting a bow which had already been strung with an arrow.
“PRINCESS! GET DOWN!” one of the soldiers called, dashing towards her with his sword drawn. Adaria’s gaze couldn’t move from the bandit, whose face was covered with a white cloth save for his eyes. There were seventeen men, and each of them had their face covered just like he did.
Adaria was shoved to the floor suddenly just as the arrow whizzed past her. A guard had thrown himself over her for protection, as s
