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He grinned as he shrugged again. “Just curious if you have any secrets up your sleeves. I saw how you handled those asses at the alehouse. Did your father teach you how to fight?”

I scoffed. “My father absolutely forbade me from learning how to fight,” I explained. “Since my mother died…” I trailed off. I looked over to see Elias watching me intently. “Since my mother died, my father has treated me like a newborn baby – like I can’t and shouldn’tdo anything that could harm me. I can’t even leave the castle on my own,” I confessed. It felt good to talk about this with someone other than Rose.

“Then who taught you how to fight?” Elias asked.

I was confused as to why he was suddenly so curious about me. “My uncle,” I answered. “He trained me in secret for years, then was banished when he was caught.”

Elias nodded in understanding. “He did well,” he said. I tipped my head in appreciation. “If you ever want to continue your training, I can teach you some things.”

I looked at him curiously. Remembering what he did to the three men at the Crooked Hoof in the span of seconds, I was sure he was just as much a master in combat as my uncle. “I would like that,” I replied.

We finished the rest of our measly meal in silence. Before I knew it, I was drifting to sleep, only to awaken when it was Elias’s turn to get some rest.

Another day continued, still no sign that we were being pursued by my father and his men. We passed a small lake, and each took a turn to bathe while the other waited out of sight.

While we rested and snacked, Elias began crafting a bow and wooden arrows using his knife and a few large sticks. He explained that this was the best weapon for hunting, and the only weapon he had on him was a dagger. He handed me my own pieces of wood and told me to take out my knife and copy his movements. He had string in his pack that he used to complete the bow’s drawstring, and showed me how to do the same on mine.

“The bows won’t last long,” he told me. “But they’ll do for today, until we can get a real one from a weaponsmith somewhere.” I wondered if and when we would be running into someone like that on this journey.

Elias spent time teaching me how to hold the bow, and how to nock our makeshift arrows. I grew frustrated when I couldn’t get it to shoot more than a few feet. Elias assured me that it would be easier with a real, professionally crafted bow.

We continued our hike towards the Forest of Torment, and some time went by before Elias heard a rabbit in the distance. I don’t know how he was able to hear it, as I heard nothing, even when I held my breath. Luckily, he was miraculously able to hit the rabbit. I was ecstatic to have our first proper meal in days.

We decided to cook it immediately, to avoid having a fire at night when it would be the most visible. When the rabbit was fully cooked, I had never enjoyed the taste of something so much in my life. Not only was it because I felt like I was starving, but because it was somethingnew. The castle cooks made exquisite meals, yes, but somehow the taste of something so fresh and wild tickled my taste buds in the best way.

Elias simply watched me as I devoured my share. He let out a small, breathy laugh before finishing his own.

Feeling more energized than ever, we carried on with our journey. Following his footsteps closely, I watched as Elias climbed over a large fallen tree. He turned and put his hand out, waiting for me to take it so he could help me over.

I hesitated at first, but reached for his hand. When our skin touched, the same intense energy I felt on the first night I met him in Rimor reawakened. I couldn’t explain it other than feeling like the sun itself was being recreated through our touch.

So I hadn’t imagined that feeling the first time. I looked up to see if Elias shared the same sensation, but once again, he showed no evidence that he did. I let him haul me over the fallen tree. As I reached the other side, he gazed at our hands and hesitated a moment before letting go. When he finally did, he looked up at me and said, “Let’s go, Princess.”

He continued forward, and I watched him intently, still looking for any sort of evidence that he felt anything. For the slightest moment, I swore I saw him clench and unclench his hand a few times, as if trying to make sense of the fiery sensation. I decided not to ask him about it, mostly in fear that he would think I was crazy. Maybe I was.

To get out of my own head, I filled the hours with small conversation about life in Rimor and my favorite hobbies. He listened closely and maintained interest, but gave away nothing further about himself. Figured.

At night, we made our camp, feeling incredibly lucky that the weather the past few nights had been warm and calm. As we sat there on our blankets, I looked straight up at the treetops and let out a sigh.

“What’s wrong?” Elias asked. I looked over to see that he was staring at me with the slightest look of concern.

I smiled. “It’s nothing. I was just hoping to be able to see the stars.”

“The stars?” he repeated, now looking up towards the sky.

“In Rimor, it’s hard to get a good view of the stars while the city is lit up. Even from the castle,” I explained. “I thought that being out here, I would be able to see how beautiful they really are. But all I see are trees.” I let out a defeated laugh.

“Hm,” was all Elias mumbled, still looking up at the trees with me. He remained staring upwards for a minute, as if he were lost in thought.

It was my turn to take first watch that night, so I got up to stretch and walk around a bit in order to keep myself awake. “Princess,” Elias called to me, and I rolled my eyes at the fact that he continued using the term. I looked over to see him grabbing for his canteen that lay next to his makeshift bed. “Since you’re up first tonight, do you think you could do something for me?”

Not able to predict what he might need from me, I asked, “What is it?”

“I saw a stream only a few hundred steps west of here. Could you fill our canteens?” He stood and started to hand his canteen to me.

I eyed him curiously. “Now?” I asked, taking it from him slowly.

“Yes,” was all he said.