Aurein's POV
I was hiding in the depths of the forest, pressed against the rough trunk of a towering tree, lungs burning as if they were about to collapse. Every breath came out shaky, uneven—my entire body trembling from fear and exhaustion.
For now, I had managed to evade General Voltaire and his warriors. But the dread would not leave me. Something was wrong with them—terribly wrong. They were not acting like disciplined soldiers anymore. They were chasing me with wild eyes, as if I were prey.
"You've gone too far, General Voltaire..." I whispered under my breath.
"I saw the prince come this way! Search the area!" one of his warriors shouted.
My eyes widened. The sound of their boots crushed fallen leaves as they scattered, searching. They weren't supposed to be enemies—these were my own kingdom's warriors. Yet in this moment, I felt exactly like a fugitive desperate to escape capture.
A prisoner. A runaway. Hunted.
And I realized—being hunted was terrifying.
I heard their footsteps rushing in my direction. I bolted from the tree and ran as fast as my legs would allow. Morning light was beginning to pierce through the canopy. Thank the heavens. At least I could see the path ahead... but I was nowhere near safe.
"THERE! I see the prince!" another warrior screamed.
I glanced back—too many of them. Their faces twisted into unsettling grins, eyes glittering like predators who had already imagined what they would do once they caught me.
They looked deranged. Hungry.
If I didn't know this was "training," I would have sworn they were lustful men trying to capture an unarmed prince to—Ugh. I refused to finish that mental image.
"Stay away from me!" I shouted, pushing my already tired legs harder.
Pain shot through my ankle—my old wound from last night. It was throbbing badly now, but I refused to slow down.
"Come now, Prince Aurein! Just surrender!" one of them called out, laughter in his voice. I could almost feel their hands reaching for me.
"Don't you dare touch my body with your filthy hands! Disgusting!" I yelled back.
"Ouch. The prince is harsh!" one of them laughed mockingly.
"Leave me alone!" I screamed and sprinted harder, even though my lungs begged me to stop. Every muscle in my body shook. I hadn't rested. I was already exhausted—but fear made a powerful fuel.
"You can't outrun us, Prince Aurein!" another voice roared behind me.
"Tch!" I hissed, eyes narrowing. Think, Aurein. Think.
Something else was wrong—painfully wrong.
Where is General Voltaire?
He had said nothing. Made no sound. I could not hear him anywhere. And THAT terrified me more than being chased.
What is he planning? Where is he hiding?
Whatever it was—I had to outsmart him.
Up ahead, the path split—forward was a dirt trail, but to the right stood a narrow flowing river.
I risked a quick glance back. The warriors were still far enough not to see me clearly.
I stopped. My chest rose and fell rapidly, but an idea sparked—dangerous, absurd, brilliant.
"I just need..." I muttered with a grin when I spotted a long, thick fallen tree branch.
I hurried toward it. It was heavy—too heavy for me—but fear lent me strength. With a strained groan, I dragged it across the ground and laid it across the river like a makeshift bridge.
A perfect illusion.
When they arrived, they would assume I used the branch to cross the river. They would waste time searching the other side... while I continued down the path forward.
But I wasn't done.
I quickly grabbed piles of dried leaves and scattered them over my footprints, brushing away any trace of my true direction.
When I finished, I couldn't help but smirk.
"Oh, genius, brilliant Aurein," I muttered proudly to myself.
"Let's see if your precious warriors can keep up now, General Voltaire."
I took a steady breath—then sprinted forward and pressed myself behind a massive rock, just far enough to watch them fall for my trick.
"I saw the prince come this way!" one of the warriors shouted, his voice echoing between the trees.
"Hah! You really think you can still catch me?" I whispered smugly,
A heartbeat later, they arrived.
All of them.
Right in front of the branch I had laid across the river.
"The prince thinks he can outsmart us," one of the soldiers scoffed. "He still lacks strategy. He's not ready to become a real warrior."
"Come. Let's cross and follow him."
One after another, they stepped onto the branch and crossed the water—exactly as I hoped.
"Look at them..." I muttered with a grin. "So quick to judge, yet I fooled them like children."
"I must admit—that was a clever tactic, Prince Aurein," said a voice behind me.
"Of course it was clever. I'm a genius," I said proudly—then froze. "Wait!"
Slowly, I turned.
General Voltaire stood right behind me.
Smiling.
Watching his own men cross the river... as if he were watching a play unfold for his entertainment. He raised one eyebrow at me—mocking, amused.
"G-General..." I gasped, eyes wide.
He nodded once and stroked his chin in lazy amusement.
"An impressive diversion. Truly. I'm proud of that," he said calmly and looked at me. "But you won't escape me."
"Stay away from me!" I shouted and shoved him.
He stepped back a single pace—unbothered—and I ran.
"You can't run from me, Princess Aurein!" he called out in a teasing voice.
"STOP CALLING ME THAT!"
"Queen Aurein, I will always find you~" he added with a sing-song tone.
"Annoying bastard!"
Sure, I had fooled his warriors—but how in the world did HE get behind me without making a sound?
Ugh! He really thought he was so great!
* * *
The sun was high now—burning and merciless. Yet I still hadn't reached the base of Mount Tramo, where I had to stand on the pedestal before anyone could catch me. Halfway, I told myself. I had to be halfway there.
But the most infuriating part?
No matter where I hid—General Voltaire appeared.
I tried to crouch behind a boulder to rest—
"We'll never finish if you stay hiding there," he said with an amused grin, appearing behind me like a ghost.
I lay down on soft grass, hoping to find a moment of peace—
"Too early for a nap," he said casually, standing right beside me.
I even hid inside a cave—
"There are beasts deeper inside. They might eat you alive," his voice echoed through the cavern even though he was nowhere in sight.
I swear—he HAD to be using magic. Some kind of forbidden tracking ability. HOW ELSE was he finding me every single time?!
Now, I was curled inside the hollow of a massive ancient tree. For the first time in hours, he hadn't found me yet.
But...
My stomach was growling.
My legs were trembling.
And I was so hungry that even the moss on the bark looked... edible.
I whispered, voice cracking, "I'm tired. I'm hungry. I didn't even want this..."
I looked up through the hole in the trunk. A beam of sunlight fell on my face, warm yet mocking.
"Why is fate so cruel?" I murmured, closing my eyes. "Why couldn't I just be a Moon Dancer instead? Why couldn't I just dance? That is what I wanted..."
A shaky breath escaped me as my stomach growled louder.
The forest was silent.
And I felt my resolve slowly crumble with every hollow echo of hunger inside me.
"General Voltaire said the crown prince is near. Search the area!" one of the warriors shouted in the distance. Their voices weren't close yet, but they were loud enough to rattle my bones.
"Aaack! Enough already! You're unbelievable, General Voltaire! Do you really have nothing better to do than torment me?" I hissed, fingers digging helplessly into my hair.
I had no choice but to abandon my hiding spot and run once again—limping, trembling, my entire body shaking from exhaustion and hunger.
"But I cannot—I will not—let that man think I'm an easy target," I muttered to myself as I pushed my aching legs faster. "If I show weakness now, he'll never stop. He'll mock me forever. He'll make my life miserable every single day."
The sound of armored footsteps drew nearer—too near. My heart pounded louder than the branches snapping beneath my boots.
I just wanted this over with.
I wanted my bed.
I wanted sleep.
I wanted food—mountains of food. A feast. A kingdom's worth. Anything but this torture.
That was when I saw them—five bright red apples scattered neatly on the ground like little jewels glistening under the morning sun.
My stomach roared.
Without thinking, I staggered toward them. I didn't care anymore if they were dirty or bruised. Hunger had stripped me of pride.
But as I reached down—
Something slithered beneath my foot.
I froze.
A rope.
No—not a rope.
A trap.
SWOOSH!
Before I could even curse, the world flipped upside down and I was yanked violently into the air.
I dangled from a tree—ensnared inside a massive net like some wild animal.
"LET ME OUT!" I screamed, furiously clawing at the thick ropes. They didn't budge. My hunger and weakened arms barely had strength to shake them.
A familiar voice echoed below.
"I was impressed with your earlier diversion strategy," he said, voice smooth and taunting. "But I'm disappointed you fell for something this simple. I thought you were a genius, that's what you said."
General Voltaire stepped into view like a smug wolf, golden armor glinting under scattered sunlight. He picked up one of the apples I had desperately lunged for, wiped it clean, and took a slow bite—never breaking eye contact.
"You've gone too far, General Voltaire! Release me at once! I command you as the crown prince!" I shouted, indignant.
He chuckled—CHUCKLED.
"Well, well. I caught you. That means you failed your endurance training," he said.
"I would have succeeded if you weren't cheating!" I snapped. "You planted traps everywhere and—and— I don't even know how you keep finding me no matter where I go!"
"Perhaps you can outrun my warriors," he said, circling me like a predator savoring victory, "but not me, Prince Aurein. You wonder how I track you? Simple. I know these forests. I planned every possible path you might take. I think two steps ahead... and I prepare accordingly. That's how I win every war I come into."
"Oh, congratulations! You're amazing, aren't you? Brilliant strategist, unbeatable warrior, master tactician!" I spat. "Can you stop bragging and GET ME DOWN? I'm starving! I'll report you to my father and tell him you tortured me!"
He laughed—out loud this time—like that was the funniest thing in the world.
"You'll report me? What are you, a child?" he said mockingly. "If one day you become king of Ardentia and the enemy captures you... will you cry and report them too? To whom?"
My face burned with humiliation.
"For the love of the gods!" I shouted. "Fine! You win! I lost! You've humiliated me enough. Are you happy now!? Just let me down! I want to go home! I didn't even want to be here—YOU dragged me into this! And I'm starving! Have mercy! I haven't eaten anything! I am NOT built for this barbaric lifestyle!"
I felt my stomach groan dramatically, as if to punctuate my misery.
Above me, the net creaked, swaying gently in the breeze.
Below me, the general took another bite of the apple.
And with a maddeningly calm smirk, he only shook his head, exhaling in quiet resignation before walking toward the tree where the rope holding my net was tied. With slow, deliberate movements, he began lowering it.
I sat there with my arms crossed, glaring at him the entire time as I was slowly lowered to the ground—inch by humiliating inch—until my boots finally touched the dirt.
"You truly behave like you're not even a real man," he said.
"Stop talking. I'm not amused by you, General Voltaire," I snapped, standing up and dusting off my legs and rear where the net had left dirt and leaves.
"Come. We're returning to the training grounds," he said, turning his back on me as if the matter was settled.
For a moment, I only stared at him.
Then I bent down, scooped a handful of dirt, and flung it at his back.
He spun around instantly, eyes burning with fury—
—but by that moment, I was already sprinting away.
"If you think two steps ahead, I think ten!" I shouted between laughs. "You're way too easy to fool with pity! Training isn't over! You thought I'd just surrender? Ha!"
I looked ahead—and there it was.
The slope of the Tramo Ridge.
"Yes! I'm almost there!" I yelled, elated.
My legs moved faster, heart pounding with adrenaline.
"Come back here, Prince!" Voltaire roared behind me. "I will catch you myself—this time I won't let it pass!"
I risked a glance back—and my blood froze.
He was sprinting toward me like a predator, impossibly fast. For a second, I was certain I saw claws. I felt like a panicked deer fleeing from a ravenous tiger.
"Stay away from me!" I screamed in panic.
And yet—despite the fear fluttering in my chest—I couldn't help but grin.
Because somehow, despite being terrified he might catch and devour me whole... it felt like we were children again, playing tag in the forest.
"I won't stop until I catch you with my own hands!" he shouted, voice full of wrath—and something dangerously close to amusement.
I pushed harder, sprinting toward the pedestal he'd mentioned before. Then—an idea struck me.
I swerved sharply and began zigzagging between trees, weaving left and right, using the trunks as obstacles to confuse him.
He might have strength...
...but I had strategy.
And this round?
This round wasn't his.
Not yet.
"I'm almost there! You can do this, Aurein! Show General Voltaire what you're truly capable of!" I told myself, voice ragged with excitement and breathlessness.
The pedestal was only a few strides away.
Then I heard it—
a sharp, rising whistle cutting through the wind.
Fffft—
SLASH!
An arrow struck the ground in front of my foot, the impact leaving a violent tremor in the dirt.
Had I taken one more step, it would've pierced through my chest.
"What kind of trick is this now, General Voltaire?! Are you trying to kill me?" I shouted.
A moment later, five figures emerged from the shadows of the trees—all men, all armed with bows drawn and pointed at me.
Their faces were hidden behind black cloth. Only their eyes were visible, cold and unrecognizable.
"W-wait! Isn't this too serious for a training session? Why are you aiming at me?!" I said, raising both hands in surrender, my heart pounding against my ribs.
"Come with us. We will bring you to our leader. I'm sure he will be delighted—especially by that delicate body of yours," one of them said.
My stomach dropped.
"Cut the act. Did General Voltaire plant you here so I wouldn't reach the pedestal and win this stupid training?" I asked, trying to sound braver than I felt.
One of them lunged forward and seized my wrist.
"H-hey! Let go of me! I was THIS close to the pedestal!" I said, struggling, kicking my heels into the dirt. "This is cheating! How am I supposed to—"
"If you don't come quietly, we will kill you," the man said flatly.
I laughed—nervously, but loud.
"That's funny. You can't scare me. I KNOW you won't actually do it," I said, and then I wrinkled my nose. "Also—gods—your hand smells foul. Have you not washed since last week?!"
"Silence," he said coldly. "You will come with us to Solyn. You will serve as entertainment for the male warriors at a pub there."
My blood turned to ice.
Wait.
Solyn?
Kingdom of Solyn?
These men were NOT from General Voltaire's battalion—they were from that kingdom, a long-time enemy of our own!
And they wanted to take me... as a plaything?
No.
No, no, no.
This was NOT part of the training.
"GENERAL VOLTAIRE!!!" I screamed, voice cracking. "HELP!"
End of Chapter 5