3 Into The Wilderness

Overgrown wild bushes cushioned the fall, but her feet got tangled in thick vines. With shivering fingers, Alyssane frantically tried to free herself. 

'Would they have found out about my escape? Was he already on his way to capture me?'

Once free from the vines, she scrambled onto her feet, rushing deeper into the woods. Ancient trees loomed in the darkness, sharp stones pierced her bare feet, and yet she could not stop.

'I have to think of a way out…'

She was not entirely sure if she could simply escape like this now.

The forest blurred past as Alyssane raced through its twisting paths, her breaths ragged―desperate to run away as far as possible. But her steps soon faltered when she found herself on the shore of a river.

Its waves gently touched feet.

And each caress echoed back to the sounds from her forgotten dream.

"No… not now!" she whispered, cursing her mind as it dipped back into the hazy glimpses appearing to her like fractured fragments.

She could not control them.

Through the darkness, she saw a man half covered in shadows, draped in dark regal robes―brooding, staring her down with emotionless eyes. Yet, there was an enchanting sort of air about him.

Reminiscent of the villains carved out from tragic fairy tales. He made no effort to hide his cruelness, and yet so easily he allured her towards him like a moth fluttering into flames.

Alyssane took hesitant steps back, frantically trying to recall the paths of the forest, she tried to shake off the dream. There had to be some other way… but the voices won't stop.

She could hear words from another time that made no sense. The fragments of the nightmare crashed down on her like pieces of memories not hers.

Her life was never the same since they met that night in the forest. He kept her close, sewing threads through her limbs, controlling her in whatever way he pleased.

'I misunderstood his obsession for something else.'

But all he wanted was power.

An icy feeling suddenly sank her heart as faint footsteps stopped behind her. The knight emerged from the shadows, dark and menacing. Just like that, the overwhelming visions of her dreams dimmed.

She was on her knees when they last met, begging, crying. He left with a twisted smile, and her desperate cries pierced the crimson night as she watched him fade.

The sword came crashing down next.

And then the vision was abruptly cut short.

Before Alyssane could even try to collect her thoughts, the knight's blade sliced the air, halting barely a breath away from her neck. She froze, curling her trembling fists.

All the voices shrunk back into silence.

"Enough." He said coldly.

She would not have run even if she wanted.

There was something about the knight, half bathed in shadows, that made her unable to move, and so easily stirred a nervous tension in her heart.

'What are you?' She thought to herself.

He raised her chin with the tip of his sword, his eyes gleamed with a chilling intensity as he asked, "Who are you?"

Alyssane slowly blinked, forcing her mind to anchor to the present, and her feet to not waver from the weight of her fears.

She had to wear the mask.

"I... I don't remember," Alyssane said, voice hollow yet innocent, "Everything's been so confusing lately."

The knight's gaze narrowed, and he warned, "Don't play games with me."

Alyssane said nothing, she observed him with an oblivious innocence, even though she was barely standing still. Her breaths froze the moment their eyes met. 

'It is him,' a voice seemed to whisper.

His expressions darkened, but Alyssane could see the faintest hint of a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. It was as if the knight found amusement in her audacious silence.

He lowered his sword, "The Lord Chancellor of the Royal Court was murdered."

Her throat turned dry.

'What?'

Even if Alyssane somehow managed to escape now, the palace would have her hunted throughout the kingdom. It would make her seem more guilty, and fears perhaps would cause the same.

Alyssane calmly held his gaze.

"It was a woman with blonde hair and silver eyes," The knight walked closer, and she subconsciously stepped back, her feet touching the cold water that lapped against her warm skin.

"Would you say it's not you?" he asked, voice a velvety deception.

She frowned a little and quietly shook her head, "I won't."

The knight had an imposing aura, he was tall and draped in darkness. As he stared her down so intently, she wished to drown herself in the waters.

But Alyssane's gaze remained unwavering, she held onto her mask, her innocence seemingly genuine with an edge of eerie detachment.

A shadow of a smirk curled over his lips as if to mock her efforts, "How foolish of you to think you can escape."

The waves of the river hissed impatiently, as did the leaves faltering weak against the rising winds of the storm. 

She softly replied, "I was not trying to."

He raised a questioning brow, hardly believing her words.

Alyssane smiled sadly and lowered her eyes, "My cat went somewhere. She never leaves my side. But I have not seen her for days now."

The knight slightly tilted his head, "Your cat?"

"She will die if she has come here," Alyssane continued, glancing at the shadows of the forest.

Creatures far more dangerous than one could imagine dwelled in the deeper parts of the forest.

"I have to find her…" She added with a distant voice, curling her hand so firmly it was on the verge of trembling. The knight did not notice when blood welled from her wounds and stained the dress.

He only stared at her in silence, a moment passed by, and then he let go of whatever words he was about to say.

"We are going back," he coldly declared.

Alyssane looked at him with a grieving gaze, "Will we come here later?"

"Sure."

"There is something on your shoulders." 

He ignored her.

After all, he could not feel it. No one could.

The snake had ghostly translucent skin and white eyes, it slithered closer to his neck, wrapping itself around… but she knew how it would end. The gamble was already made.

"Don't move," she whispered in alarm.

Just as the snake raised its head, baring the silver fangs, she grabbed it. The knight stiffened, she let out a soft gasp of pain as the snake sank its fangs in her skin.

Her vision blurred.

Her strength was rapidly draining as the venom coursed through her veins she collapsed to her knees, gasping for breath. 

The world around her seemed to dim, all sounds muffled and distant.

But she faintly felt the knight's arms firmly surrounding her, holding her close to him as he said something she could not hear.

Her vision flickered in and out of a dark haze.

She barely felt it when in a swift, almost violent motion, he leaned closer, his lips drawing the tainted blood.

Suddenly, her heart erratically pounded in her chest. A tremor of fear ran through her as she wondered, 'What if I told you the truth now?'' 

A hollow, feeble laugh escaped her lips. Alyssane gently leaned against him, her voice a dying whisper, before she fell out of consciousness.

"You're really kind…"

There was a wave of unsettling darkness in his eyes as he stared at her, his lips hard against her skin.

Her thoughts were in a whirl of disarray.