The night was thick as spilled ink, the mountains swallowed by fog. The woman curled in the corner of the wooden hut, her forehead still damp with cold sweat, her face bloodless. Even after makeshift bandages, she was weak—each breath uneven, labored.
Outside, the wind howled. The stranger sat by the fire, his expression calm, but his eyes held a sharpness like storm-wracked skies.
"You’re badly hurt." His voice was low—not concern, but calculation.
She forced her eyes open, gritting against the pain. "Who… are you?"
He didn’t answer, only smiled faintly and handed her a bowl of bitter herbal broth, steaming hot. She took it, sipped once, but her gaze never left him, watching his every move.
Meanwhile · The Crown Prince’s Pursuit
Hooves pounded through the dense woods. The prince rode like a man possessed, his robes whipping behind him, his eyes bloodshot.
"Where is she?" he snarled.
A shadow guard dropped to one knee. "She was seen fleeing north, Your Highness. We’ve sent scouts—"
The prince seized him by the collar. "She’s injured. How could she have gone far? Useless!" His voice cracked through the trees like thunder too long restrained. Then he released the man, spurring his horse deeper into the forest.
The Woman’s Perspective · By Firelight
The stranger leaned against the doorframe, his silhouette carved in flickering gold. She hugged herself, willing her pulse to steady—but his occasional glances were impossible to ignore.
He wasn’t just looking. He was measuring.
"Why did you save me?" she asked.
"Because," he said, "you remind me of someone. Just as stubborn as stone."
Her breath hitched, but she pressed no further. One thing was certain—this man was no simple hunter.
Dawn · Unbroken Mist
A sound, faint but deliberate, rustled outside. The stranger was on his feet in an instant, gaze sharpening. Through the fog, a hint of indigo—the royal house’s color.
"If you mean to run," he murmured, "now’s your chance."
She stared. "The prince’s men?"
He didn’t nod. Didn’t deny. Only said: "If he’s truly desperate, he’ll find you here."
Her fingers tightened on the doorframe. Run? Wait? Or… trust?
The wind howled again, as if laughing at her choices.
ns216.73.216.131da2
and then Add to home screen.