Lach covered his face with his hands, bracing himself from the light that flared all around him. An explosion like thunder resonated in the forest, shaking their leaves.

The light faded, and another scream spurred him to bolt in its direction.

He found Amaya standing on the ground before the attacker's inert body. Lach's eyebrows jolted up when he noticed the crater they were standing in, as if a bolder had fallen from the sky. Amaya hissed, her palm pressed against her forehead. "Are you hurt? What happened?" he asked.

"I don't know," she screwed her eyes shut from the pain. Lach scrutinized her face and body, but he couldn't find any visible injuries before he kneeled next to the body. He snatched the cap away, revealing stony features: a prominent nose with thin, hard lines as lips and long, straight yellow hair like corn. Lach shook them, and when he was sure they wouldn't move, he put two fingers on their throat.

"They are still alive." He said before glancing at Amaya. Before his eyes fell on two flowers standing before the body. Bright and happy with their white petals and yellow center like the sun.

Daisies.

**

"What are we going to do about them?" Amaya asked as they stood before the body. Lach crossed his arms. The attacker's upper body was tightened against a tree with ropes they found in a pouch they carried. They also had a torch, which they lit up and planted on the ground as darkness slowly surrounded them. The attacker's head hung low, still knocked out.

"First, I want them to wake up so I can make them go through what I went through." Lach hissed, massaging the skin of his neck, and Amaya gave him a disapproving look. It was the second time Amaya had prevented his neck from being snapped into two. "Thank you for helping me... once again," Lach paused, his palm on the base of his neck. "You could have run away."

"I wouldn't have left without you," Her gaze and the way she said this with so much sincerity and warmth flushed Lach's cheeks.

He cleared his throat. "We should let them here and let the wolves and bears or whatever else is staying in this forest take care of them." Amaya sighed heavily but nodded.

"But... I still want to know what happened." Lach's eyebrows creased together. "This light appearing from nowhere..."

Amaya's eyes widened. "Why do you care about it?" She fidgeted with her pendants. "It must have been a thunder."

Lach shook his head. "The sky was too clear for that. It wasn't even raining, and thunders never come alone. There are always signs." Amaya's lips tightened together, and a question danced on Lach's lips, but a groan made him swallow it back before he could ask it.

The attacker's face rose slowly, their expression groggy as if they had just come out of a deep slumber, eyes cloudy at first before they gradually found focus and darted around until they met Lach's fiery ones. The grogginess wiped itself out immediately and their features hardened. They launched forward like a wild dog, and the rope strained, threatening to snap, spurring Amaya to step back and Lach to keep a steady hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Free me right now, or I will slit your throat with my bare teeth," they barked, their long yellow hair covering their face from all the wriggling.

"Easy," Lach replied as if talking to a wild horse. It only drew another rageful groan from them. "They are nuts," Lach whispered for only Amaya to hear, but the way the attacker's eyes bored into him, it hadn't escaped their ears, too. He flinched and backed down a little.

"Let's leave," Amaya said, heading to the horses. "They won't follow us."

"Wait," Lach stepped forward, and Amaya's eyes flashed wide as Lach kneeled in front of the raging animal, still wriggling their body like a worm. "You won't be able to escape. This knot is made to even keep down the wildest horse in place," Lach stated, his eyes steady.

"A wild horse?" The attacker let out a snort. "I am a beast from hell," they growled in his face.

Lach scrunched his nose. "Yes, and a very smelly one at that."

The attacker barked even more."Release me immediately!"

"Lach, we should-"

"I want to know what happened," Lach cut Amaya off. "This light... It blew like thunder. Did you do that?" His pointy eyes found the attacker's icy ones before narrowing them with the weight of his suspicion. "Are you...a witch?"

The attacker barked a laugh so loud, it almost offended Lach. "A witch?" the attacker repeated with apparent mockery. "You think of me a witch?" Their chest rumbled, and Lach didn't know what to do with himself. The attacker's expression shifted to something deadly like the laughing had never happened. "I have no fucking clue what you are talking about, but if you don't release me..." they started, low but sheer with intentions. "Even a witch would be scared to watch what I would do to you." Their hard stare traveled to Amaya, and she flinched. "Release. Me. Now."

Lach nodded slowly, fingers massaging his chin. "This sounds like I should release you."

"Then. Do. It." Each word was accentuated by a nudge of their body. A seething dog pulling at its leash.

"Wow, wow, calm down," Lach raised his palms to calm the animal. "Why do you want to harm us so badly? What's wrong with you?" His expression turning exuberantly scared. A rage boiled inside the attacker so hard that they trembled. Amaya's eyes narrowed. "You know what, let's go. It seems like we can't have a proper conversation with them." He stepped away, but Amaya passed past him. "What-"Lach spun around, and his core froze, seeing Amaya kneel before the attacker. "Don't- don't get closer," He warned, reaching a hand to her.

Amaya's eyes met the attacker steadily. "Who sent you? Why did you try to kill us? Under whose command are you operating?"

They snorted loudly. "Nobody sent me, fool. I am a hunter; I hunt these forests, and sometimes I can find very savory preys," They said, voice raucous as they took in the sight of Amaya. The woman shifted uncomfortably under the preying gaze.

Lach's fists tightened in a ball. "Leave them."

"A hunter," Amaya whispered, ignoring Lach. "So you know these forests?"

"Like the back of my own hand," the attacker replied, a scornful smile stretching their features. Lach sent an alarming gaze at Amaya.

"I will offer you a hundred pieces of gold if you guide us through this forest," she said.

Lach's breath hitched. "Wait-"

"You are going to give me a hundred pieces of gold?" The attacker inhaled a hard, breathy sound before letting out a loud and disgraceful snort. "Look at me? Do you see a fool?"

Lach grabbed Amaya by the upper arm, raising her to her feet. Amaya glared at him. "Wait

"Don't get close to them," Lach said.

"Do you want to leave this forest or not?"

"Of course, I want to get out of here," Lach started. He sighed before turning his gaze to the attacker, still wriggling. "But we can't trust them. They tried to kill us." His eyes were pointy. "At the first opportunity, they will try again, and now that you mentioned pieces of gold, they will know that you have some sort of money." Lach searched her gaze, but Amaya stayed silent. "You can't say something like that out loud outside the castle," he whispered.

"We have to leave this forest before it is too dark."

"I know," Lach said, glancing at the attacker's devil eyes. "But this won't be how."

"Hey!" they both jerked their face to the attacker. "So where do you hide these hundred pieces of gold?" They asked in a sheer mocking tone.

Amaya detached from Lach. "You are right. I do not possess these coins as of right now, but if you do help us out, I can get them to- "

"My ass!" The attacker yelled, and Amaya startled.

Lach shook his head. "Let's go. The wolves might resonate with them."

Amaya sighed before she readjusted her cloak. As she did, a glint from her necklace was shown, and the attacker's eyes widened.

Lach mounted his horse, and a scream stopped him from putting his leg on the other side. "Wait!" They both look at the attacker. "What's around your neck, beauty?" Amaya froze.

"Nothing," she answered quickly before pushing her necklace deep inside her cloak.

"I will lead you outside if you give me what's around your neck," they said seriously. Amaya's mouth opened up slightly.

Lach clicked his tongue. "How can we even believe you after what you tried to do?"

"The forest is interesting and intense, especially at night. Trust me. You won't be able to escape this forest without me. At night, all kinds of monsters arise and attack travelers."

"Monsters like you?!" Lach threw.

"Even worse."

Lach's jaw tightened. He knew they were right. He had heard countless stories of people getting swallowed alive by the forest before being spit back in bones and flesh so rotten they were barely recognizable. Lach's boots sank back into the snow. "Well-"

Amaya jumped towards Lach. "I am not going to give them that. It's the only thing I have left from my mother," she said, panic flashing through her eyes.

Lach leaned forward, murmuring. "We won't give it to them. We will make them believe that." He looked at the pendant. "As soon as we are out of the forest, we will escape them, alright?" Amaya nodded and turned towards the attacker. "It's a deal," he said louder.

The attacker smirked, and Amaya had an uneasy sensation going through her spine.

**

They deepened into the darkening forest, accompanied by their new road friend still squeezed under the tight ropes. They were leading the way while Lach's intense eyes followed them. He held the torch, the yellow light the only thing illuminating the path beside the shy moonlight.

Amaya followed close behind with Aurora. They had been following them for an hour, and Lach's body got tense each minute spent more in that forest. "How long until we are out?" he asked.

The attacker glanced. Something in their look kept Lach on edge. "Soon," they said with an overstretched smile. The act made him more uncomfortable.

"What is your name?" Amaya asked, and Lach glanced at her with horror.

The attacker's chin jerked up proudly. "I go by Bett."

"Well, Bett, what are you doing in this forest?" Amaya went on. Lach fidgeted with his reins. Why did she want to befriend a possible murderer was puzzling to him. It was perhaps her naivety talking for her.

"I told you, I am a hunter."

"What do you hunt? Ghosts? There is not much to hunt anymore here," Lach interjected.

Bett's gaze darkened. "Whose fault is this? Since the war, Winter had killed more animals than a skilled hunter would ever do." Bitterness laced their voice." And for what? For a petty war to stroke the ego of a sick king." Amaya looked down.

"Were you there?" Lach asked.

"Where?"

"Fighting. During the war."

"No, but I have eyes. We are struggling like caged animals with only one prey for all. While the fat lions keep feeding themselves buffet behind their golden cage."

Amaya jerked forward as she said. "But now, there is peace. The King signed the Peace Treaty."

Bett scoffed. "So we don't have fatter lions eating us."

"I didn't know hunters knew much about politics." Lach rolled his eyes.

"Politics? I do not care about politics. I care about my people."

Lach sighed. He didn't want to indulge in talking with the attacker, but he felt compelled to bring this up. "The Princess is to marry the Prince of Mias, which will bring back prosperity into the country." Amaya jerked her head to Lach. He didn't look back.

"Do you really believe that a petty wedding will change anything ?" Bett spat. "Since the Favor has been lost, Ornuv has been condemned since that very moment." They scrunched their nose.

"What if we can bring the Favor back?" Amaya burst out, and Lach frowned deeply.

"You know, young lady, I would like to be as delusional. Life would be much easier." They stared at Amaya up and down.

"Enough talking now. Keep walking." Lach nudged Bett with the nose of his horse.

"There is one thing I wonder about," Bett started, and Lach rolled his eyes again. "Why would a noblewoman wander around in the woods at night with a man like...him." Their icy gaze pointed at Lach.

Amaya's body tensed, and Lach's drew a short breath.

"Noble? I don't know what you are talking about. I am- I am a simple woman." the words stumbled together quickly.

Bett's eyes narrowed. "Your clothes are simple, but your hands are too smooth. You have never worked a day in your life." Amaya pushed her hands under her sleeves. "And your cheeks are round and soft as a newborn baby." She touched her cheeks, horrified. "You have never starved a day in your life." The attacker pointed to Aurora. "Also, you mount your horse like a delicate dove."

The escapees glanced at each other. Lach's jaw tensed. If they discovered who Amaya was, things would get more complicated. But, they couldn't possibly know she was her. Amaya hadn't stepped outside the castle gates for over ten years.

"You are right.." Amaya admitted, and Lach gave her an uneasy look. "I was part of the royal court. I was one of the Princess' handmaidens."

Bett narrowed their gaze. "A pretty comfortable position you had. Why did you leave?"

"Because..." Amaya searched her words.

"Because of me." Lach burst, and Amaya's eyes fluttered at him. "We- we were caught together, and to spare us shame and a life away from each other, we decided to escape together." Lach's cheeks were heating despite the coldness while Amaya's face slowly fell to the ground. A young unmarried lady caught in a controversial situation with a man was no less than shameful. This would destroy a woman's reputation for life. Lach gazed at her, apology in his eyes, seeing how flustered Ayama had become.

"Oh, good grief." Bett barked a laugh.

They could have perceived the hot crimson on Amaya's cheeks if it wasn't so dark and cold.

**

Another hour went when Lach's frustrated voice rose. "Why aren't we out yet?" Darkness seemed to suck them more in. "You said we would be out soon."

Bett shrugged. "Well, maybe we used the wrong path."

This was the last drop. A surge of fury hopped Lach off his horse. Before Amaya could say anything, his blade pressed against the attacker's throat.

"Lach! Don't!" Amaya screamed.

"Now! You stop your little game and tell us where you are leading us," he hissed through gritted teeth as Amaya's words died on the cold ground before they could even reach his ears. "You are leading us nowhere on purpose. What is your plan?!" Lach yelled, pushing the blade even more. Bett stretched their throat as if offering it. A smirk marked their lips without even a glint of alarm in their eyes.

They looked at Lach intensely before saying slowly. "It's not nowhere."

Lach glared at them, and before he could wipe that smirk away from Bett, steps echoed around them, and Amaya's scream rose behind him.

He jolted around quickly.

"Amaya!" Lach called, seeing the woman struggling under the grip of two strong men, filled with muscles the size of the castle stones. "What did you-" Lach started, turning back to Bett, but something hard hit him on the head before he could do anything.

Darkness surrounded him while Amaya's scream faded into nothingness.