He wished to travel abroad as his younger brother, Carthago, had. To get away from the homeland and be able to explore, perhaps even meet the people that spoke the odd language he was forced to learn by heart day in and day out. But since he was the eldest, the kingdom was to be his when his father pa.s.sed away. Couldn't someone else take his place? His horse, Torta, continued his steady pace through the forest though the reins loosened in his rider's hands. He knew they were headed back to the castle, where James would brush him down well.

The path was well worn and he only moved to one side or the other to avoid a hole that had formed from others' travels and the storms that created their current depth. But today something else would be in his path and he stopped. The lack of motion brought James from his daydreaming and he reached for his sword. Torta didn't stop without reason. But no danger was before him, only a woman lying on the ground. Her hair was short and brown. The burlap dress she wore was knee length and had no sleeves. Her feet were bare, too. Who was crazy enough to walk through the forest bare-footed? Even the poorest beggar in town had shoes.

"Hey," he called.

She didn't move.

James climbed off Torta to get a closer look. A large dirt streak was smeared across her right cheek. The edges of her dress were worn, and the cloth had been sewn back together in places where it had previously been torn. A silver and indigo inlaid dagger lay at her left hip. Even without a sheath, the blade looked new and well taken care of. Had she stolen it? Was that why she was so far from town? James turned to her face once more. A small comb held her hair up on the left side. It was plain. He thought she was very beautiful.

He shook her a little, but she only moved slightly under his hand then was still. There were no wounds that he could see. Perhaps she had gotten lost. Gently, James picked her up and carried her towards Torta. But as he neared, Torta shook his head, snorted, and stamped his foot. Despite the show of displeasure, James put her on his horse to take her into town. Torta's ears moved back as if upset that he had put the woman on her back.

"I can't leave her here, Torta. Come on."

Torta took his pa.s.sengers at a faster pace through the forest. James' arms wrapped around the young woman to keep her secure against him as they rode. The forest opened up to a large field that separated the forest from the walls of Citadel city. There were a few smaller villages in the surrounding area, but James' city was the closest to the forest. As they neared the walls of the city, the young woman opened her eyes and frantically looked around. James adjusted his hold on her to keep her from falling off Torta. She turned to look at him. Her dark hunter green eyes scanning his face as if to remember every feature.

"It's okay," he said. "You're…."

The young woman curled and covered her ears with her hands as Torta reared back. James tightened his grip on the reigns, but was unable to keep the young woman from falling to the ground. She rolled out of her landing and started running back to the forest. James calmed Torta sufficiently to be able to turn him around in pursuit. He didn't think it possible, but he could swear the woman was running faster than Torta could gallop.

He was finally starting to gain on her when she entered the forest and left the path. James had to bring Torta to a near halt in order to follow. He lost sight of her, but he did his best to follow the soft footprints she left behind. It didn't take long for him to lose those either. Still he searched. He hadn't traveled too much further, when Torta started backing up.

"Torta, what…."

A large wild cat roared. Torta reared again, throwing James off his back this time then bolted. James rolled to his feet and pulled out his short sword. He faced the cat. It was bigger than his books had described them to be. He took a step to his right. The cat stepped left. They circled one another. He s.h.i.+fted his stance, prepared for a fight. The cat crouched as if to pounce, but it kept circling. He noticed that the cat was trying to maneuver him into a different place. Finally, James ran at the cat. He had taken no more than two or three steps when he found himself pinned to the ground with a cold blade pressed against his throat.

Shock filled him as his eyes focused on the girl he had tried to take out of the forest. Her features were hard. Her dark green eyes glared at him.

"I mean...." She pressed the blade a little tighter against his throat and he stopped.

He felt her free hand take his sword away and there she stayed until Torta came back. The wild cat hadn't moved from where it had stopped, so it confused James that his horse would come back. He thought Torta long gone by now. The woman stood slowly, keeping her hardened expression trained on him. Only when she had backed herself close to Torta, did she turn. She sheathed the sword beside his long sword. Then turned and slowly approached the cat. The cat growled, but she kept moving forward. James got to his feet and grabbed the woman's wrist, pulling her away from the cat. She struggled against his hold, but he refused to let go

"What are you…?"

The woman slapped him, grimacing as she did.

"I'm trying…," he tried again.

But she covered his mouth to keep him from speaking.

James reached up to take her hand away when she shook her head.

He held his peace and relaxed his hold on the woman's wrist. He let her wrist slip away from his fingers.

Eventually the hand covering his mouth dropped down to his chest. Her touch felt warm through his clothes.

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'Go back to your kind, Prince,' she said without moving her mouth.

His eyes widened. "How…?"

She covered his mouth again.

'Take your noises and go.'

He studied her for another moment. So many questions ran through his head, but her voice answered none of them.

Again her hand left his mouth and she turned to the cat. The cat's muscles tensed like it was going to pounce on her. But she approached the cat without fear. She knelt in front of the cat. Her hand stroking it's cheek once, twice before the cat opened it's mouth. She stuck her hand inside before the cat bit down. He opened his mouth to say something, but the woman hadn't tensed at all. The cat roared and she removed her bleeding hand. James approached Torta and pulled out a bandage and his water bladder to clean her hand. She stood and the cat left.

James approached her and she speared him with her gaze. It wasn't hard and angry as it had been, but something stopped him from getting close. He showed her what he had then indicated to the hand the cat had bitten. She shook her head and turned to leave.

'At least tell me your name,' he thought.

She stopped and turned her head enough for him to see her profile. 'It's Lilly.'

"Lil…."

She ran.

He let out a sigh. He pondered the strange, beautiful, woman as he tucked the bandages and water back into their pouches. He climbed onto Torta's back, who set out to leave the forest. Once they were out of the trees again, James kicked Torta to speed his pace. Torta ran for the city gates.