Chapter 005

Eira’s POV

My heart pounded hard against my chest as I sprinted across the dense forest, my own ragged breathing echoing in my ears. The air was thick with the scent of pine needles and damp earth, and the sound of my hasty footsteps mingling with the rustling of leaves. I could hear the sound of horses chasing after me.

“ Find her and kill her!” The general’s voice echoed through the near silent forest.

Tears streamed down my cheeks as fear gripped me. I didn't want to die, at least not now.

“ Could I really outrun them?” I pondered as I ran as fast as I could. Lara had given me a map but there wasn't any time to look at it.

“ Captain! I've found her!” One of the knights yelled and the next thing I heard was a wheezing sound. I fell to the ground as my leg gave in and an arrow went past my face and stuck into a tree - that had been the wheezing sound I had heard. My breath became more unsteady as I panicked, I stood up still dazed by what had happened, my body trembling all over.

“ Don't let her escape! Now's our chance!” One of the knights shouted and I knew that now wasn't the time to process my emotions. Once more, I began running and though I was exhausted, I ran faster than how I had been running. It must have been due to my will to live.

In-between the neighing of the horses and their galloping sound, I heard howls from behind me. Some of the knights had transmuted into their true form and since I was wolfless, I was at a disadvantage.

“ She's in our range, Sir. Should we shoot?” Was the last thing I heard before I felt a stabbing pain in my shoulder slowing me down. I winced in pain as I struggled not to come crashing down. I looked back at the army that kept their distance alongside the werewolves that ensured I would not get past them, coupled with the archer that had stretched his bow.

“ I don't wanna die,” I cried as the second arrow pierced through my chest. My eyes closed and I found myself falling down - there was a cliff I hadn't noticed and in a bid to escape they had cornered me into running towards that direction and with the distraction of the arrows, I ended up falling off the cliff and plunging into the water below.

As I sank deeper, my consciousness drowned in the bubbles.

“ Ha, was this really the end?” I thought, looking at the surface of the water one last time.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I felt my body swaying peacefully from side to side - no, it wasn't my body necessarily, was I in a moving carriage?

My thoughts about the afterlife weren't exactly what I think I was experiencing. The smell of fish pervaded the air - that was in all ways wrong. Wait, if I can smell the repulsive stench of piled up fish, where exactly was I?

I inhaled deeply and sat up into an upright position, my whole body throbbed. I had been in a carriage all along.

“ Where am I?” I muttered in pain, as I held onto my shoulders in excruciating pain. Just then, the carriage hit its wheels against a rock which sent me crashing against the walls of the carriage making me groan in agony.

“ Hmm, you're awake? Are you alright?” I heard a middle-aged man’s voice. He was probably the one riding the carriage.

“ Where am I? What's going on here?” I asked the moment he opened a small window at the front so he could check on me.

“ We're about to enter the Azurethra Empire. I am a trader so I usually go out of the empire for days to get a certain type of fish that is in high demand and there I saw you floating near the river bank. I initially thought you were dead but when I pulled you back to shore, there was still some life in you, though you were badly injured so that's about that,” he answered as he whipped the reins of his horse.

“ But… Ahh,” I grunted.

“ I'll do my best to answer all your questions once we enter into Azurethra and you're properly treated,” he replied.

After a while of riding, the carriage made a stop and I could hear the clinging sounds of armor. We were probably at the empire’s main entrance.

“ Don't worry too much, it's just the regular routine to check everyone who wants to get in before letting them pass,” he explained even though I hadn't asked. He was nice, I could tell and I was grateful that he had helped a stranger like me.

I heard the old man laughing with the knights, they must have seen him a tad too much and were probably acquainted by now.

They went ahead to check the carriage, my eyes and that of the knights met. They seemed stunned but why? The old man had clearly told them previously that he had an injured person onboard.

“ Sir Lewis! You have to see this for yourself!” One of the knights yelled. What was going on? Was I going to be arrested for some sort of crime?

“ By all the gods! It's her!” The head of their segment rushed in to see me.

“ Is there a problem, good sirs?” The middle-aged man who had saved me was just as confused as I was.

“ Send a message to the Royal palace now!” Their leader yelled and some of the men scrambled to carry out his order.

“ We'll escort you to the palace to ensure your safety,” they all knelt down and pledged. Did I miss something important here?

Without any further delay, we had knights protecting our rickety carriage. After hours of moving, we finally got to the Royal palace which covered the space of the regular sized packs. Just how huge was this palace?

The knights got some healers to tend to me the moment we got into the palace gates. They used magic to heal me? I had only ever heard of magic in tales, but I hadn't met werewolves that possessed magical abilities like healing or whatnot. Though my wounds couldn't heal completely according to them because of how weak my body was currently. I guess, the potency of their healing magic still depended on the victim somewhat.

The knights took me into the main palace and into the throne room. I had so many questions to ask but I wasn't sure if anyone wanted to answer me right now and seeing the faces of the servants and knights that had lined up as we entered the throne room, I knew there was something they knew that I wasn't aware of.

My enchanting blue eyes met the eyes of the Emperor and Empress. I could see the mixed emotions of sadness, compassion, guilt and happiness. Was this a necessary procedure for any newcomer to the empire to see the Royal family?

The empress got up from her throne and ran towards me in tears.

“ Cleo!” She cried as she embraced me. What the…

“ W-what’s going on? Besides, I think you've got the wrong person, Your Highness,” I stated. My name wasn't Cleo.

“ I know you're confused but I'll take my time to explain everything, okay?” She pulled away from me slightly examining my face.

“ What in the world have you been through all the while you've been missing? I failed as a mother to protect you,” she cried. Mother?

“ I missed you every single day, my princess,” the emperor hugged me. I hadn't noticed when he got up.

“ Wait a minute, I don't know what you all are talking about. My name is Eira not Cleo. I think you've gotten the wrong person,” I apologized, pulling away from the hug.

“ Not with that hair and color. Only a member of the royal family has this look,” the emperor stated.

“ Do you get it now?” The empress took my hands in hers. “ You are back where you belong. You are our daughter and the crown prince of Azurethra Empire.”

My eyes widened in shock. Was I really a long lost princess all along? How did this happen?