"Yes?" I look at the boy again.

He looks panicked for a second, and I turn a second too late.

I hear a distinct crack behind me, and turn around to see a bow, which is at full stretch, pointed at my head. A ring of sharp points surround me as someone speaks quietly.

"Don't move. Teghin, I'll have to commend you for your actions. The rebels seem to be getting younger and younger, do they not?"

"Do you really think I'm a rebel?" I argue as they swiftly tie my hands behind my back, struggling as they do so. "Look, I can explain! You don't have to do this!" I shout angrily, shooting a freezing glare at the boy, who the leader referred to by surname.

There are seven of them, all wearing the same hostile looks on their faces. And... the royal insignia.

Imperial Guards. In Marien's name.

"Can you not just shove off and leave me in peace?" I spit out.

"I don't take insolence well, especially not from children like you." he says, dragging me to my feet. "Get moving." he shoves me hard in the back, sending me sprawling in the mud, setting me back on my feet with a disgusted snort. "If you're lucky, you'll never see the light of day again. But, then again, I wouldn't put your hopes too high." He says, with evident derision clear in his tone. He shoves me along, clapping the boy on the back. The boy shoots me an almost penitent glance, looking at the floor, his face in shadow. The leader crosses over to me, wrenching both my sling and my sling pouch off my belt.

"Don't touch it." I snarl.

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"Getting a little feisty now, little girl?" The insult rankles deep. However, their leader only curls his lip in response, upending my sling pouch. I have to keep my pure, unbridled fury off my face as he watches in satisfaction as my pebbles clatter to the ground, in a seemingly unending stream. Then, he throws both my sling and its pouch into the undergrowth.

"You shouldn't have done that." My voice sounds feeble.

"What are you going to do about it, eh?"

I have no idea what to say in response, so I stay silent. Thinking that he's won, he pushes me along.

"Get moving." I don't want to oblige, but it would be a foolish idea not to. I have no weapons. Sometimes, you have to lose a battle to win the war.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see the boy sneaking over to the rough location of where my sling and the pouch was thrown. I flick my eyes back to the leader, confused by what the boy's doing.

Is he helping me? In which case, I have to stall whilst he gets my weapon back. Maybe then I'll have a chance.

Whilst this little argument is taking place, I notice that the boy's found my sling and the pouch. He puts in in his pocket just as someone turns around.

He gives me a look that seems to say "Well done." the hint of a smirk on his face.

Well, it certaintly appears that he isn't going to help me. Another chance wasted.

With a cry of "Get moving!", everyone hastens to obey. Even me.

The journey is hellish, my feet slipping over moss-covered stones and sinking into a carpet of leaves. The forest we march through is still and silent, save for the sound of our breathing and the sound of clinking mail. I shoot the boy dour glances as often as I can, reminding him that it's his fault that I'm in this situation.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he says in shock, shooting a condescending look at me. Surely, the reason should be evident, except this manre seems to think he's above everything.

We walk on in silence, the pale glow of the moons fading into the pale morning sunrise. "We have to move faster." the leader says, shooting an uneasy look back at the silent forest. I secretly grin internally, finally happy to see him get his comeuppance.

"Any manner of fiends could live here." he strides forwards. When I finally believe that he's out of earshot, I whisper.

"The only fiend here is you."