The Princess's Guard ✔️

45

Word Count: 2168

~Kiva

The door to my room opens, Ark walking in.

"Come." He motions toward the open door, tucking his hands behind his back.

Frowning, I sit up. Dusk has faded into night, which is usually the time I spend being escorted to a bathing room.

I don't think that is what Ark is here for.

Getting up, I follow him tentatively through the door. Each time I leave that stuffy room, I feel an immense amount of tension remove itself from my body.

"Where are we going?" I ask, following him as he leads me down the corridor. There are no security around, but Ark is enough of a threat to keep me from making a break for it.

And he wouldn't be bringing me out here if he didn't know there is nowhere for me to escape.

Looking over the edge of the railing to the ground floor of the atrium below, I see it is drenched in gilded light. People linger below, grouped up as they enjoy each other's company.

My stomach lurches. I'm stuck up here, while they enjoy themselves below, as if they aren't holding a captive, or as if they aren't plotting to harm my father.

"We are going outside. I figured you need some air," he comments.

I smile a little. He's taking me outside, with just him? He clearly doesn't think I will run, but if the opportunity arises, I'm going to take my chance.

"Why aren't you down there with all those people?" I ask as we make our way down the stairs.

He glances back at me. "Tonight is about you."

We continue down the stairs until we are on the lowest level. I was planning on warming up to Ark to gain his trust, to hopefully sway him into letting me go willingly.

But if he is taking me outside, I may not need to do that...

He tugs open a heavy metal door, making a hideous scraping sound against the concrete. Sure enough, the outside world lays out in front of me, cool night air tickling my senses.

"No cuffs, no ties?" I note, curious as to Ark's current motivations.

The forest is dark, with nothing visible more than a few steps. If I run, Ark may struggle to follow me, but I'll also struggle to find my way...

"No. If you wish to run, you can," he exclaims, leaning back against the compound wall.

I narrow my eyes, surveying him. He doesn't look concerned that he's going to have to start chasing me, with his hands seated in his pockets, a casual air about him.

"What's the catch?" I ask warily.

"Well, you're smart enough to weigh up the possibility of me finding you immediately, and you potentially getting lost in this forest as we near complete darkness," he notes, pointing up at the sky.

The moon, which currently beams its milky light down upon us, is close to being shrouded by a thick, dark cloud.

My hands ball up into fists as I consider my options.

Running is a risk. A big one. I may, by some stroke of luck, find my way back to the same village where I may be able to get a ride back to my father or Caspian. But there is an even more likely chance that I'll end up freezing in an endless forest, or that I'll be caught soon after by Ark.

"You found me once, that doesn't mean you will find me again," I remind him, crossing my arms over my chest.

He gestures out toward the forest. "Why aren't you running then?"