Chapter 17

As he was running ,he fought the edge to look back and identity his attacker.He was worried that it might be the last image he sees. He jumped over each root and was starting to feel dizzy..Just as he was in the midst of dizziness ,he tripped over tree root and landed on the floor with his knee stricking a sharp broken branch.He felt the jolt of pain but that was not his focus at the moment..

As soon as his hands landed on the ground in front of him he turned around to face his attacker and that's when saw the human-figure-like smoke pirouetting through the air and the smoke man shot the arrow at him and the arrow landed on the stem of the tree next to him.This startled him and he got up from the ground and started running once more

His leg was sore from falling down but he didn't stop moving.He limped as he ran because he felt even more in danger however the more he moved, the more he felt the blood flooding down his knee.It was near impossible to jump over the tree roots with a pain wripping through his knee.He tripped once more and landed on his fours with his injured knee being the first to touch the floor ,he was sure at this point his knee was bleeding drastically. he sat up straight, looked towards it and he was right.. As he was still kneeling another arrow landed next to his hand from behind. He cried as he realised that he was about to die..

He turned around so that he locates his assilant however there was nothing to see..At this point he crawled out of the crisscrossing and that's when he heard the sound from earlier.He crawled for a little bit more and then he spotted the stream of clear water.As he moved he left blood trails behing him..He could walk to avoid dragging the leg but now both his legs were hurting.He didn't have a choice ,he must stand up if he wants to live.And as soon as he did that, he walked for three feet and that's when he lost his balance and fell once more again.This time his hands fell on the river bed stones..He turned over and sat so that his hands are supporting while his legs are outstretched

He blinked out his tears as he bundled up the gravel that he sat on because he was trying to pull his leg to inspect it,however he gave up when he noticed that there is no possible way to do that painlessly. He then pulled his non-aching leg to his chest and hugged it.He cried as he sat there hugging the leg.He was not producing any sounds whatsoever...He dropped tear after tear and then his second stream was complemented by large wolf snarl.His head was buried in his arms but upon hearing this, he slowly unearthed his head from his arms.His red sulky gemstone perfect orbs then landed on a huge soft textured brown fur coat.The creature was about a meter and three quarters tall and bout a meter wide.The facial contour was akin to an ordinary wolf beast and so was the basic structure the only difference was the proportion.. Adrian looked at the beast that was staring directly at him..He was frozen in place.He fought the automatic response to panic so that his fear doesn't make lethal decisions.The beast stared at him and breathed slowly while still gawaking at Adrian.He wanted to scream and run but he knew that startling a carnivorous beast like this would be suicide.Adrian just looked at the beast..He was squeezing so tight onto the rocks that he felt his hands cramp..He then had a crazy idea of throwing the stones at the dog.. Before he could decidye if he should do it, his muscles betrayed him by launching the gravel at the dog..The dog yelped backwards and as soon as it did this , Adrian set more gravel towards the dog..

The dog kept yelping once more and he didn't even stop..The dog backed off and ran away..It jumped onto the trees and it disappeared into the forest sky... Adrian chuckled painfully as the tears kept falling.

That is the second time today he escaped death..He sat watching the blank space that was slowly getting darker..He then fell backwards and closed his eyes.His head landed on the gravel and the tears fell softly from the corner of his eyes onto the stones.He feels too lucky to be alive...

He imagined laying on his bed at home and being so comfortable.He also recalls the warm sensation of his bedroom not to mention the clothes that used to cover his skin.He remembers standing on the patio of his bedroom and watching the sun rise at dawn and watching it set at dask.There was a time when he invited Reed for the very first time to his room.Reed was still so amicable back then.He was so young and just a little bit fragile.

It was about near sunset and Adrian was standing outside.He had instructed during the day that Reed be told to come to his room..In preparation for Reed s arrival, Adrian had instructed Orl to prepare a jug of fresh juice and scones and have the refreshments delivered to his room before Reed arrives so that they retain their freshness and so that He and Reed are not interrupted by delivery.

Orl was busy that day overseeing the delivery of some herbs so he instructed that the tea man deliver the refreshments.The tea man was curious as to why the king wants to have refreshments delivered to his room but he didn't dare ask.His head run to that it is probably Yevana s doing.Anyway he went to the royal chambers and knocked on the door , stated his purpose and he proceeded not into the room.

The patio door was wide open and he could see the king with eyes closed feeling the sun rays on his face.He placed the tray on the table and backed out of the room closing both doors on his way out..

He stood there for a few minutes and just as he was about to give up that Reed was ever coming,Reed knocked on the door.He stated himself and proceeded to enter the room..The first thing he saw was the condiments on the magnificent table.He looked for a few seconds and then looked over to the patio.

Reed steeped inside the room and closed the double door..He was so nervous because he had never received an invite to anyone s room before.He scanned the whole room as he took steps towards Adrian.He then would look at the ceiling and back to the paintings on the all.All the while Adrian kept stealing glances of Reed, with his peripheral vision.He would then choke back a laugh as he watched Reed gawking like a bird at the ceiling..