Chapter 8: With Darkness, Comes Light

Cateile flung open her eyes again. Determined to gain her consciousness back. The veiled woman was gone and she was now on the ground? Helping herself up, she brushed away grass from the palm of her hand. Wait? Grass? But she was in Ipreya near the northern streets?

The sun was shining brightly through the tall tree beds. Squinting her eyes at the harsh sunlight, she grabbed her head to ease the pain in her temples. She was now located in the southern part of Helok Forest. She recognized it, because her father often took part in hunting in this area. She knew where she was, but how did she get here? She was not sure. Trying her hardest not to panic, she slowly took one step and then another.

She could hear a horses hooves pounding the earth as it scurried away from where she was. Her entire body ached as though she had fallen from something.

"Princess! Princess where are you?" Cateile could faintly hear people calling her from a far-off distance. She could hear them, but she couldn't move. Pain jolted up her right leg as she tried to angle her body against a nearby tree. She had to reach them somehow.

She bent down carefully and picked up a large branch. Taking it, she nestled it underneath her right arm to help ease some of the weight distributed into her right leg. She checked her clothes for any blood on them and frowned.

Even her clothes were different. She wore dark red and white hunting attire. An empty basket of arrows was strapped across her chest. She did not see where her bow may be, but she did not have time to figure out where it was. She had to make her way towards the men calling for her.

Opening her mouth wipe, Cat tried to yell back out to them, but no sound could escape her lips. Something was wrong with her throat! It would be of no use. She had to physically get there. She could not call for help.

Bracing herself, she hopped towards the sound only stopping to rest or reposition the branch underneath her. She fell a few times trying to hop over unleveled ground, but she quickly got back up to go back at it again. She wasn't bleeding, so she assumed that she must have sprained her leg is all.

"Princess! You go search over there!"

The sounds were getting closer and closer to her. She was almost there! She thought. Excited to be rescued but scared of her lack of understanding how she ended up in the forest, she hobbled quicker to the men.

Giving herself one final push, she leapt over towards a big tree before she tripped over the root at the base. Or so she thought it was the tree root. Groaning at the exhilarating rush of pain that shot up her leg again, she gripped it tightly in hand and rolled onto her side. What did she trip on? It was a person! Prepped up onto the side of the tree trunk!

"No!" It wasn't just a person! It was Nara! Her hair was pooled disheveled around her and although she couldn't see her face, she knew who it was! Nara wore a matching hunting outfit as Cat.

"Nara! Wake up!" Cat crawled her way over to her big sister after her attempt to speak failed again. Prepping her back up against the tree, she reached out to move the hair from her face.

Upon moving her hair from her face, Cat's hands connected with an object at her shoulder, making Nara moan aloud in pain. Jerking her hand back, Cat revealed blood in her palm. She was injured!

An arrow stuck out from the left side of Nara's chest directly above her heart. Cat was in full panic mode now. Her breathing grew shallow and her eyes began tearing up. No! Was her sister going to die? She could not allow that.

Trying with all her might, she screamed for help! Anything! Anyone? She tried as hard as she could but still, no sound came from her mouth.

A loud ringing sound filled her ears making her cover them in pain. Her eyes danced around the forest to see what could possibly be making that noise? She also couldn't hear the men calling for her anymore? She could see the trees rustling with the wind, but she couldn't hear the sound of leaves brushing together. What was happening? She was scared, wondering if her fate was to die in the forest with her sister?

And then a horse rider appeared off into the distance behind some brush. The figure just sat staring at her from a distance. She could not see who it was, but she could feel them smiling at her. Grinning tauntingly at her. She knew for a fact that this incident had all been created by them. The arrow and her mishap. Who was it and why couldn't she see who it was? What is this and why was this happening? The person was off into the darkness of cover, but a reflection of light shined towards her. It was an arrow!

She watched as the figure stretched the arrow along the bowstring, aiming directly towards her. She heard the echo of the string as the arrow was released. It hurled towards her! Cateile closed her eyes tightly shut as the ringing stopped. When she reopened her eyes, she was laying on her back in the bed in her quarter's.