Kira and Jared

Rebels

13 years later

Kira's POV

"I am so hungry! Mother! Some food!!!"

Mother groaned at my antics. "Will you stop whining, you brat! Fine, I'll make you some porridge"

I jumped off the floor and wrapped my tiny arms around her shoulders in a warm embrace. "I love you!"

"Okay, okay. You silly girl" She shook her head in amusement, and headed for the kitchen.

Yes! Here's my chance.

Still hiding my true intentions behind an innocent smile, I waited patiently until she had disappeared into the kitchen. And no more than a second later, I bolted for the door.

I could hear her yelling from behind me. "You little fox! Come back here!" but I didn't stop for anything.

After running for what felt like ages, I finally came to a halt when I reached the hilltop. I drank in the view before me; The fields were carpeted with shades of fresh green. The bright blue sky stretched far beyond the horizon.

At the foot of the sloping fields, a narrow river threaded it's way through the valley like a silver ribbon, it's waters glimmered in the afternoon sun. They call it the White River, and it's not hard to see why.

The post-winter scent still lingered in the air, contending with the springtime regrowth. After a long, freezing winter, I can finally enjoy the warmth from the sun.

I strolled down the fields and sat down on a fallen tree near the river. My subconscious mind drifting away for a moment, I imagined what it was like beyond the horizon. A dream I dared not dream.

Mother seldom lets me leave the house, I don't know why. While some other thirteen year olds had stalls in the marketplace, I was still being treated like porcelain.

"Ouch!" I yelped from a sudden attack. Someone had thrown a pebble at me from behind.

I observed the tree behind me and smirked when I caught sight of something pink. I grabbed a twig on the ground and ran towards that direction. "I'll hit you back!"

Bianca popped out of her hiding place running for dear life. I didn't stop until my revenge was completed.

"You win, you win!" She begged with her hands up in surrender.

We both laughed at her predicament and I helped her up. She combed through her brown hair with her fingers in a bid to remove the debris caught in it.

"Where's Lila?" I asked, looking around.

"She couldn't make it"

"Oh, is she okay?"

"Yes." She pursed her lips. "You know how her mother gets"

"Okay" ... "So, where do you want to go?"

She gasped as a thought popped up in her mind. "Let's go to the market, I want to show you something!" She took my hand in hers and we took the path through the forest.

I took the chance to pick some berries. My mother forbade me from picking bilberries, but as you might have guessed by now, I never listen...sometimes.

***

After a trip to the market, we returned to the same path. Sunset was upon us, but this was one of the few times we got to spend together and we were going to use it well. We chased each other around the forest. Passers-by looked at us like we were crazy, but that only made it more fun.

Suddenly, Bianca stopped in her tracks, like she had seen a ghost.

"What's wrong, Bee?"

She eyes widened at what she saw behind me.

"Run" she whispered.

"W-why?"

She grabbed my hand and pulled me along. "Kira RUN!"

I ran alongside her still unsure of what we were running from. I glanced back and caught sight of about three men hot on our trails, each had his face covered with a black mask. They had weapons ready to strike.

Rebels?

Bianca shoved me into a small bush. "Hide, I'll lead them away, then you continue back home."

Not waiting for a response, she ran in the opposite direction leading to her house.

But the rebels didn't chase her. No.

They kept coming in my direction, so I couldn't hide anymore. I had to keep running.

Am I their target? But why?

The first man yelled "Shoot her!"

The second man pointed a crossbow at me.

With a loud scream, I fell down a slope and rolled to it's bottom. My body, covered with injuries. Luckily, the arrow only scratched my arm.

"Check over there!" I heard their voices and quickly hid behind a tree.

The sound of footsteps grew closer to where I was hiding. I peeped to see the man with a crossbow, surveying the area like a hawk.

A squirrel shuffled past me. The sound drew the man's attention. He started taking slow strides towards my hiding place.

I froze, my heart beating intensely against my chest wall. My breath grew unsteady as he drew nearer...

Out of nowhere, a sharp swoosh cut through the air. Then, there was a brief, strangled sound, like someone gasping for breath.

And then... silence.

I peeped again, and saw his lifeless body on the ground, with a dagger stuck in his neck.

Someone stood over the body and pulled out the dagger. His eyes darted in my direction and he caught me peeping.

"Come out, you're safe now."

Still unsettled, I stepped out from behind the tree, and was greeted by the most captivating brown eyes.

He was quite young, around sixteen or seventeen. He had dark brown hair and a faint shadow of stubble along his jaw.

"Why didn't you run with your friend?" He questioned me in a reprimanding tone.

I recalled that Bianca was with me earlier. "She, she... Wait, how did you know I was with my friend?"

His brows lifted slightly, and settled as he looked away. Like a deer caught in headlights, he stuttered, "I uh, I saw you earlier..."

While he was busy stumbling on his words, I was mentally comparing our heights. He was taller than most boys his age, solidly built.

He cleared his throat. "I shall accompany you home, where do you live?"

"No need. Looks like there's no more danger, I can go home on my own." The sky was growing darker, the last thing I need is a stranger tagging along.

"Well, you never know... maybe there is a rebel roaming around, looking for a beautiful girl to take?"

Did he just call me beautiful?

I pushed that silly thought out of my head, "But-"

"Let me take you home". He started walking, as though not waiting for my approval.

I reluctantly went with him.

It could brilliant or stupid to go with him...

What if he is one of them?

What if he wants to earn my trust before he strikes?

We didn't say much as we walked backed. The only time he talked was when I asked him his name.

"Jared"

"Jared," I repeated, "You're quite young, are you a soldier?"

He shook his head.

"Okay," I clicked my tongue. "What about your family?"

His eyes suddenly grew dim, though he made an effort to hide it. "They are well."

We finally reached the hill overlooking our cottage.

Jared stopped and turned to me. "I hope you be careful from now on, Miss Kira." Then, he left without another word.

I watched him disappear into the twilight.

Something doesn't quite make sense;

I never told him my name.