Rules of Engagement

Thunder was rumbling up ahead as Jack and I walked side by side examining everything. Elmont had tried to walk by me but I hung back, sped up or just plain stopped all together. I was still hurting from him pushing me away before and if I inherited anything from my father it’s my stubbornness. We walked in silence and I was okay with that. I had picked a flower and was peeling the pedals off slowly just humming to myself.

“What song is that?” Jack asked me as he pulled a branched out of the way so I wouldn’t walk into it. Elmont was eyeing him with such distain that I had to chuckle and smile at Jack to set the Captain off even more.

“My mother used to hum it to me to calm me down whenever I was scared. It was always soothing, but I never learned the name.” I had a few memories flash across my mind before I shook them away. “I miss her. She made me feel safe. Like no one could touch me.”

“Don’t the guards keep you safe now?” Jack asked truly curious for an answer. I could only smile sadly. How do you explain to someone that you feel lonely but yet you are surrounded by people all day every day? No one seemed to understand except my sister. I had to quickly glance away from Elmont as he looked at me obviously eavesdropping on our conversation. I could lie and say no but I wasn’t much of a liar. Truth was I always felt safe, physically, but mentally I was unprotected and vulnerable.

“I used to. The guards don’t care about me as a person though. I’m just a person they’re assigned to. The future Queen. Nothing more, nothing less.” Elmont looked away closing his eyes and continued walking. Jack asked no further questions and I went back to my own thoughts.

“Anyone hungry?” I looked at Crawe like he may have lost his mind. The only things around use were trees and grass. I may be hungry but I was not risking getting splinters in my mouth. That was when I saw what he meant by that. There was a baby lamb near a little pond at the end of what appeared to be a water fall. My stomach growled in an answer, and even though I didn’t want to witness its killing I knew I was starving and needing food fast. It was baaing over and over again so I had to look away as Crawe and Jack crept forward.

“Don’t worry your Highness! We’ll be fillin our bellies in no ti-ahhh!” Crawe barely finished his sentence before there was a snapping sound and a flash of movement. Next thing I knew Jack, Crawe, and Elmont were swinging in a net trap above the water. Water was dropping back into the little lagoon as they started to slow down their momentum from being caught. I quickly looked around for any more trouble. If there was a net there had to be a hunter nearby.

“Elmont!” Crawe was turning red in the face trying to reach for his knife. I couldn’t help them because I had no weapon and I wasn’t tall enough to reach the net to get it for him. I had no idea what to do to help them and I was getting frustrated.

“Hold on!” I called to them I saw where the rope holding up the net led to. I reached into the lagoon searching for a sharp and jagged rock to stab at the twine. When my fingers closed around one I yanked it up and ran over to the end that was tied up onto a branch sticking out of the water fall. How did we miss that?

“Elmont! My knife! I can't get me knife.”

“Get the knife.” Elmont ordered Jack to reach for the knife. He seemed to be closer to reaching it than the other two. I continued to stab at the rope and actually ended up jabbing myself. I hissed under my breath as the blood dripped to the water and turned pink before disappearing altogether. Jack finally grabbed the knife and started to work. “Come on, man, cut it.”

“Go on, lad. Come on.” Elmont said encouragingly. Jack seemed to be getting somewhere until he dropped the knife. Yes, he dropped the knife. “Arabella, it would seem we need your assistance over here at this time.”

“I can’t reach you guys though!” I started to get nervous for some reason. It got quiet all of a sudden and everything just felt…wrong. I turned towards the woods line just past a small and open field and I felt my heart stop. The trees were shaking violently and the ground beneath my feet started to tremble with such force that I almost fell over. I could feel the color draining from my face as I looked back to Elmont who noticed it to. He reached for my hand as I quickly made a move for the knife to pick it up. His warm fingers wrapped around mine and I buckled my knees, letting him pull me up so I could hold onto the net, and began to pull them down and cut at the net as much as I could so I began sawing away.

“Arabella, come on.” I could feel myself start to breakout in a panic sweat as Jack started telling me to hurry up. I was working as fast as I could and this added pressure wasn’t making it any better. My whole body was shaking in fear as I kept looking towards the trees.

“Just cut us out!” I glared at Crawe.

“You wanna do it?”

He shut is mouth and I started to pray to myself. If anything happened to Elmont because I wasn’t strong or quick enough…I couldn’t finish the thought. No I could do this! I looked at Elmont who still had my hand in his. He smiled at me and gave me a small squeeze. I was beyond petrified as it was because the footsteps where closer now. Whatever it was, it was huge.

“Almost there Arabella. Almost there. Just a bit more-.” Elmont was muttering to me. I made a small squeal of delight as it finally gave way.

“I did it!” I squealed in delight and then the next thing I knew Elmont and Crawe were falling on top of me pushing me into the water. I didn’t have any time to gasp for air before I went under and the wind was knocked out of me. Not to mention my back began to hurt because 2 grown men fell on top of me and I was pushed against the floor of the lagoon. I didn’t have time to blink let alone go up for air before Elmont dragged me out and shoved me behind a giant boulder. I was still trying to get air into my lungs from them knocking it out so I was making a strange gasping sound as I starting grabbing at my chest in a panic. Elmont grabbed my face and threw his mouth against mine, gently blowing air into my body. I could feel my chest rise up as the air went in and I felt myself start to calm down. That was before I realized the shaking had stopped and everyone was still. Well Elmont was, Jack was still in the net all tangled up and I didn’t see Crawe anywhere, not that I was really looking. Elmont still had his mouth on mine though he was no longer giving me air. It was like time had frozen for a moment. His mouth was warm and soft yet still commanding much like his personality. Then it wasn’t just him blowing air into my body, it was me grabbing his face and holding it closer to mine. The kiss went from being hesitant to being so heated and passionate like tomorrow didn’t exist and today and now was all we had. All the years from holding back came pouring out into this one kiss because who knew, maybe whatever was headed our way wouldn’t let us live. At least I got to show him how I really felt. His fingers slide into my sopping wet hair and my hands slid from his face down to his chest as I laid them there gently but firmly. This was inappropriate but that was the furthest thing from my mind. Then it was over as soon as it began. He ended up pulling away and I could only closing my eyes panting. My chest was rapidly rising and falling almost in sync with his. He stared into my eyes as he ran his hand down my face.

“Arabella.” He whispered and I smiled leaning into his hand.

“Get out now!” I jumped in fear as there was a loud shout from Crawe to Jack as the Earth seemed to shake violently. I forgot they were even here. Jack finally fell from the net into the water and stood there a moment watching whatever approach before slowly slipping under the water. I saw Crawe behind a tree on the edge of the water trying to hide. I gripped Elmont’s arms as my eyes went wide and I looked slowly around the boulder. Everything was shaking and all the birds were taking flight away from us. If I could have screamed I would have but Elmont’s hand shot out and slapped itself over my mouth as I was about to. There was no possible way I could be seeing this. There was just no way! All the stories were true. Giants really did exist! The baaing of the little lamb that was trying to run away in fear made my chest hurt. Poor little guy never stood a chance. The baaing soon stopped and the sound of crunching reached my ears. I hid my face in Elmont’s chest. Please don’t let that be us.

The giant sudden stopped and froze. There was a loud sound like sniffing before everything started shaking again. The tree Crawe was hding behind was suddenly ripped from the ground and Crawe could only stand there and look at the beast before him in fear. I wanted to scream for him to run but I couldn’t get my mouth to work.

Crawe finally began to try and get away but the giant only watch him run a few yards before taking a few quick strides. His massive hand shot out knocking Crawe to the floor and knocking him out cold. Elmont looked at me quickly before whispering for me to stay where I was. He went charging in like he had a chance to save his friend.

The giant could only laugh at Elmont’s poor attempts to hurt him. Within seconds Elmont was knocked out as well before begin captured as well. I picked up Crawe’s knife which I had dropped when I was kissing Elmont and charged out after the giant. I screamed in anger and brought the knife down with all my strength into the giants calf. He roared in rage and swung the back of his hand at me.

He was too fast.

The blow sent me backwards into the boulder I was just hiding behind and my world started spinning. I never even had the chance to slide down before the giant picked me up and shook me. He was about to open his mouth and do God knows what before he stopped and stared at me sniffing the air. The smile that spread across his face scared me but all I could do was stare at it.

And then I blacked out.