005. Princess Hyacinth, Part I.

[ DISCLAIMER : PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS A FEW SHOCKING SCENES AND UNCOMFORTABLE EVENTS USED TO EXPRESS THE CHARACTERS' HARDSHIPS THAT MAY BE UNCOMFORTABLE TO THE READER. READER'S DISCRETION IS ADVISED. ]

Ragged breaths elicit her lips as she runs through the forest. Cindy, her lady in waiting, was running in front of her as she held Hyacinth's hand. She was awoken by Cindy a few minutes ago and informed her that her life was in danger. Hyacinth was still in a daze that she didn't realize that her lady in waiting was already dragging her out of her room.

She was only wearing her nightgown and sandals when they escaped through the back door. Hyacinth could already feel her legs giving up as her body hits every tree they were passing by. And because of the darkness lingering around the forest, Hyacinth didn't notice the rock in front of her. She tripped, her body being thrown on the ground because of the impact.

"Urgh!" She groans. Hyacinth panted heavily as she tried to pull herself up. There were small bruises on her arms and legs, and an open wound on her knee.

Cindy stopped from her tracks to help the princess.

"Cindy! Tell me who's after us?!" Hyacinth blurted out, her teeth gritting because of the stinging pain seething under her skin.

Cindy could only shake her head. She didn't know how to answer her master.

"Cindy?" Hyacinth tried calling her closer, but Cindy kept on moving away from her. The frightened look on her face was clearly evident that she had just fallen into a trap.

Hyacinth wanted to grab her hand, but then, she heard rough footsteps approaching them. Before she could pull her back, Cindy was pierced with a sword behind her. The wound she received was too deep that blood was already dripping from her lips.

"Sir Angelico!" She exclaimed, her attention falling to her personal guard who stabbed her lady in waiting.

"Your Highness! This lady deceived you," Angelico claimed. Like his master, he was also panting, as if he runs from the Estate to the forest.

Hyacinth stared at him, frowning, then she glanced at the lady lying dead on the ground. "What do you mean by that?"

Angelico had taken deep breaths before he continued. "She was bribed to bring you in the forest, so they could kidnap you. Fortunately, your other lady in waiting, Sia, told me about everything that she knew. I was about to warn you, but you were no longer in your room when I arrived." He explained.

Angelico reached out to her, offering his hand to his master. "Your Highness, we have to go. Or the person behind this might come and attack us," he said, to remind her that her life is currently in danger.

Because Hyacinth trusts her personal guard more, she grabbed his hand and followed him. But danger was already lurking behind them.

"Where do you think you're going, princess?" A man wearing a black hooded robe appeared in front of them.

Angelico quickly hid the princess behind him, protecting her from the suspicious man in front of them. Hyacinth's head was turning from each direction as she heard footsteps coming closer to them. She squeezes his hand, informing him of the other enemies surrounding them. There were six of them, all wearing the same hooded robe.

"Give the princess to us, and we'll spare your pathetic life," the man in front of them said.

Angelico threw a warning glare at him as he raised his sword, a sign that he won't listen to them until he dies. It made the hooded men around them chuckle.

"If that's what the knight wants then." The man gave the signal to his subordinates then they attacked Angelico.

Hyacinth was aware of her personal guard's skills, but since the hooded men attacking them are unknown, she won't possibly remained confident that her knight would win against them. She moved away from him, allowing Angelico to move properly. The forest was dark, but the glow of the moonlight was helping them to see.

The princess was watching every man attacking Angelico, looking for an opening where she could steal any weapon from them. She was a good student, but a weaponless Hyacinth would be useless.

Angelico stepped back from them after sweeping them away with one swing. He stood in front of her, protecting her as he tries to find an opening from them. Hyacinth, on the other hand, felt the luck she needed when she noticed Angelico's dagger hidden on the side of his waist, beside the sheath of his sword.

"Allow me to borrow this, Sir," she whispered as she grabs the black dagger from his side. He was reluctant at first, but he allowed her since fighting beside another would be helpful for him.

Hyacinth's arm raises a little in front of her, the blade pointing upwards, as if she was holding a sword. She wasn't knowledgeable about daggers, but she had tried to use one before like a sword. And so she'll try it again.

They might have noticed that she acquired a weapon, so some of the men approached her. Hyacinth took deep and careful breaths, calming her agitated heart. Then she focused on the enemies in front of her.

She allowed her movements to flow like water as the men attacked her. She was fast as she turned quickly, avoiding the sword swinging to her side. Hyacinth stood beside the hooded man then she stabbed her immediately with one stroke. She held the man's wrist that's holding the sword and guided for it to move, swinging it in front of the other man as she stabbed his side three more times.

Hyacinth didn't let go of her dagger as she took ahold of the man's sword. She kicked him away, her teeth clenching as she heard the ends of her nightgown being ripped in half.

She flung her sword towards the other man as she steadies her stance then she quickly switches her dagger and sword, her right hand now holding the hilt of the sword while the other held the dagger.

The man moved fast, swinging his sword to her left hand, trying to hit the dagger she was holding. The dagger flew on the ground as his sword hits the blade of the dagger. Hyacinth swung her sword to attack him, but he quickly turned his body and flung his sword to protect himself from her attack.

Hyacinth held the hilt with her two hands then she pulled back so she could properly aim at his opening.

"Move and I'll stab his throat," said the hooded man who was acting as their leader. He was now holding her guard captive by pointing the tip of the sword to his throat.

Hyacinth frowned as she watches him. Angelico was now kneeling on the ground, a couple of cuts and wounds visible on his arms and upper body. It was unknown how they managed to subdue him when he was one of the best knights of the Order of the Peace.

"What do you want from me?" Hyacinth choked at her own words.

"Your life, Your Highness. We are tasked to take your life."

She could feel her body giving up as she watches Angelico suffer from his sword. She knew that if she tries to move and fight them, Angelico's life will be lost with one swift move of this man's sword.

Hyacinth was racking her brain as she tries to think of a way to save the both of them. Then they heard a rustling noise coming behind her then a dagger came flying towards the chest of the man in front of her.

"Princess, run!" Angelico shouted. And as if her body was in a spell, her legs moved and she run as fast as she can, her hand still holding the sword she stole from the enemy.

It was unfortunate, but the knight's job is to protect and preserve the life of their master. Angelico was relieved as he watched her run away from them. Even when he was about to face death, he was still proud that he somehow had the chance to save his master. In a swing of the man's sword, his head came flying to the ground.

"It's a pity. I kinda liked his sword style. Tsk," the man mumbled. He signalled his remaining subordinates to clean the mess they made on the forest before running after the princess.

▬▬▬

Hyacinth's tears rushed down her cheeks as she runs. Her body couldn't feel anything because of the anxiousness swarming inside her. She was worried for him, but more importantly, she could feel that something was wrong. She couldn't feel the presence of her knight anymore.

She ended up crying on the ground when she fell on her knees, the sword dropping beside her. Hyacinth kept on shaking her head as she tries to brush away her tears.

"Princess. There's no time to waste. We have to move now," an unfamiliar voice said behind him.

Hyacinth couldn't feel any hostility or bad intentions to the man that she didn't attack him. Instead, her tears flooded her cheeks even more. The man had to pull her up by the arm and supported her as they walk.

Because of the exhaustion that's piercing through her and the suffocating anxiousness that flooded her whole system, Hyacinth passed out. Luckily, the man helping her caught her before she could fall on the ground.

The man sighed as he carried her on his arms. It was only a few more walk before they could reach the carriage waiting for them around the forest.