The Parting Glass

The slap of the tree branch was sharp and burned like a million bees were stinging her face. She felt the blood seeping from the scrape across her cheek, but continued to run. Her bare feet sloshed around in the muddy earth that was littered with sharp pine needles. She kept running through, trying her best to ignore the stabbing pain. Her ears rang from the sound of their pounding footsteps and the whizzing of their arrows.

She tripped over a root and fell against a tree. Her eyes widened and a scream erupted from her lips when an arrow pierced through the pine tree mere inches from her head. Pushing away from the tree, she started running deeper into the dense forest.

They were getting closer.

One of her pursuers jumped out in front of her. Yelping in surprise, she twisted around and barely slipped through his grasp. The cold air of his swift movement brushed against her skin. The blood pulsing through her veins drummed in her ears as she put a little distance between herself and her pursuers.

She ran like hell.

She glanced over her shoulder to see if they were still close. A raised root grasped at her ankle and she tumbled forward. Time slowed to a mere crawl as the ground came closer and closer. The four followers quickened their pace and the moment her petite figure fell to the damp ground, one of the men grabbed her braid, yanking her head up forcefully.

“No! Let me go!” she shouted, struggling to break free.

The silver chain around her neck started to slip from under her dress. The pendant was a iridescent teardrop shaped stone, laying against a silver leaf. As it hung from her neck and her tears began to spill from her green eyes, the pendant began to shine.

“You’re coming with us,” the man growled at her.

“Stay away!” she shouted as she kicked at the man.

A blinding white light illuminated the area, causing all four men to shield their eyes. This was her moment to escape. The chocolate haired maiden scrambled onto her feet and hurried away. She wound through the trees, everything blurring into shadow and greenery.

The forest started open up with more and more space. The leaf covered ground crunched under her bare feet and her torn and tattered gown fluttered around her scraped knees. The young woman gasped and skidded to a stop. She nearly tumbled over the edge of a cliff nearly twenty feet high, overlooking a white foaming river down below.

“Nowhere to run,” one of the men chuckled as he pulled his sword from his black scabbard tied to his waist. His long black cloak fluttered around his long legs as the wind blew. “Come quietly now, you,” he commanded firmly.

She stared at the men for a moment longer before glancing over her shoulder. The water raged violently, she’d be lucky if she survived the fall. Looking back at the four men as they edged closer to her, she took a step back and felt the end of the ground.

“Don’t do it,” another man with shaggy brown hair and a scruffy face said, holding out a hand gloved in heavy leather. “Come away from there,” he said, waving for her to come forward.

She closed her eyes and shook her head.

“No!” all four men cried as she turned and jumped into the raging waters of the ravine below.