ADELINE

I charged at the soldier before me, crying out, "AHH!" His pained wail echoed as he fell to the ground. I swung my sword in the air, using the velocity of the wind to wipe the blood until my blade glowed in the moonlight. Someone jumped from above and I quickly raised my sword to stop his sword from slicing my skin. Trying hard to push me to the ground, his face contoured and I groaned, kicking at his feet causing him to tumble, with a swift motion, I parried an incoming attack, countering by driving my blade into the assailant's chest. This was a long night. I was again targeted, I successfully dodged but couldn't even catch my breath before another attacked, having the advantage of me losing my guard and slashed me across the forehead. I groaned, wiping the blood and swung my sword against his neck, making him tremble and collapse to the floor, his body jerking as blood flowed from his neck. He would soon be dead. I looked around finding some of my men fallen but most of them stood tall, the enemy began to retreat, their soldiers lying dead before us, slain by our swords. I smiled and then laughed like a maniac as I limped towards my nearest soldier. "We won!" I cheered ignoring the aches around my body. "We won!" The soldier repeated as some of our soldiers still chased after the enemy. We had won the battle. I smiled and slumped my legs barely holding my weight, I almsot crashed on the floor, when Sir Collins grabbed my shoulder stopping me from falling. "There there princess, you've done well" he smiled in acknowledgement and for once, I let him support me, his shoulder aiding me as I limped forward. Sir Collins and I rounded up the men before sitting on one of the logs of woods which was surrounded by my soldiers. Some danced around the fire while others poured booze down their throats. Grabbing the pouch from Sir Derek, I poured it down my throat retching at the taste making him laugh. "A fine soldier you are my lady but a princess nonetheless, this is too strong for you" he chuckled grabbing the pouch from my hands and I pushed him hard making him fall off the log and spill the booze on himself and he kept laughing still drunk from the wine. "My lady you need to be treated" Sir Timothy rushed towards me, holding out his hand and I slapped it away. "There are many more in need of it than I, I will be fine" I assured rising to my feet. "But my lady…." "Timothy" Sir Collins warned. "Of course" Sir Timothy replied reluctantly before walking away. "What's on your mind princess?" Sir Collins asked. "Sleep" I smiled and he laughed. "You are well deserving of it, and a good shower too" he scrunched his nose and I laughed examining my body and noticing the dry blood stains. "I will have my bath soon, it won't be long before they fall to the wine" I smiled, walking over to a nearby tree and leaning on it. "Attention you bastards!!" Sir Henrik called standing in front of the fire. "Tonight ends the long war between Neverdor and Rimion, we have been graced to conquer them and to which I would like to raise a toast to our general and our commander as well" Sir Henrik declared roasted chicken in one hand, wine in the other. "To Sir Collins and her royal highness Adeline!" He cheered. "TO SIR COLLINS AND PRINCESS ADELINE!" They cheered and Sir Collins and I laughed as he raised his booze. The party continued and soon most of them fell to the wine sleeping around the warm fire. "Are you ready?" Sir Collins asked and I nodded. We walked towards the stream nearby and once we arrived Sir Collins turned around standing some distance from the stream, his back facing me. A ritual he was used to participating in, I smiled before removing my garments. I slid into the water. It was ice cold but I had to wash, I rubbed my arms which had dried blood on them and washed my face. Soon I got used to the temperature and tossed around in the water a while before coming out. As I began putting on my garments, I noticed Sir Collins stumble. It seemed strange, his hands went to his stomach "Sir Collins?" I called wearing the last of my clothing before he turned around and I noticed the long arrow that pierced his stomach. "Sir Collins!" I screamed rushing over to him only to get shot in the shoulder. I looked at the arrow poking out of me before looking at sir Collins whose blood spilled from his stomach as he convulsed. "Collins" I called crouching as I tapped his face to keep him conscious. "Are you okay princess?" He asked. "Do not worry about me, you've lost a lot of blood!" I cried infuriated. How could he be worried about me when he was dying! "Calm your heart dear lionesses" he tried to laugh and I raised his head to my thighs. "No Collins, not you" I whispered, feeling tears well up in my eyes. "I won't last long princess" he smiled, a little one. "Be brave and lead the men, they trust you" he groaned in pain as he tried to speak. "No Collins I'll find a way I…" "Lead the men back home safely" he coughed out blood and mu eyes widened in fear. This could not be happening. "When you return… tell my wife I love her" he smiled as one tear rolled out of his eye before they shut. "Collins? "Collins!" I screamed amd pressed my head to his chest, he was no longer breathing. I bit my lips hard causing blood to spill and clenched him closer forcing back the tears, I held his body close feeling more tears ready to spill. Collins was my mentor, like a second father, he had taught me everything I knew and made me into the fine warrior that I was, I couldn't loose him. Not to something as trivial as an arrow! Sir Collins was one of the strongest knights I knew. I stared at his body lying limp in my hands with anger before I realised my men were drunk and sleeping when the enemy was still around. I carefully leaned Collins' body against a tree and rushed towards where my men were. I found most of them lost to wine barely keeping their eyes open. "The enemy is near!" I yelled at them. "Ready your weapons!!" I shouted. Some of them stood up drowsy and dizzy. "Where are they?" They swung their swords barely conscious and I broke the arrow in my shoulder. My men were sitting ducks. Arrows were shot hitting some of those who stood up,making they became aware of the situation but were still barely able to see their own feet before them. Anger swelled in me and I ran into the trees where they hid in the dark. An arrow landed in my thigh, another in the opposite shoulder. I groaned but ran forward following the arrow shots unti I found them. I jumped at the hidden archers, slicing off the neck of the one before me. It was dark and hard to find them and they kept shooting at me. I jumped with new found strength rushing through me with tears in my eyes as I tore through enemies I could barely see. Another arrow landed in my arm and I groaned in pain, slashing the enemy infront of me. I just had a bathe and I was already coated in blood. There were only a few archers left and the shots had reduced. I heard footsteps behind me and turned to slice the person but found no one. The next thing I felt was an arrow pierce through my stomach and I finally stumbled to one knee I held it, the arrow had pierced through to the front. "Where exactly are you looking, were you watching your back at all?" I heard a voice and turned around. "Is it because you heard footsteps?" The person chuckled and I groaned in pain. "Can't speak?" The voice asked coming closer and I stabbed my sword to the ground using it to force myself up, leaning my weight on it. "Quite the fighter I must say" the voice echoed from the shadows. "Show yourself Coward!" I shouted, clutching my stomach in pain. "Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Jared not Coward" the voice replied sounding closer but I couldn't dictate where. I clenched at my stomach blood oozing out of me "You need help with that?" The voice asked, suddenly pulling out the arrow from my stomach and I groaned in pain as blood flowed out of me faster. "What do we have here, a lady on the battlefield?" He asked in an amused tone. "What a surprise" he chuckled and my hands released it's grip on my sword as I began to feel lightheaded. "You fight strong soldier, but I wouldn't say the same for your men" the voice said coming into view and I grabbed a scrape of wood from the floor and scratched it across his face. "Cowards! All of you are Cowards!!" I yelled in pain,coughing a bit. "You're free to go, this is only a warning, you're on Bergon's soil, tred careful" he said. "Maybe next time don't party so loud in a place that is not yours?, you'll wake up predators" he chuckled before dissapering inuo the darkness. "Also get yourself treated fair lady or you'll die soon!" He cheered disappearing into the darkness and I crashed to the floor bleeding hard and laying in my own blood. Was I going to make it? There was no body nearby.