THE TRIP

We started to walk aimlessly, Hiroki only told us to follow him without saying anything else and I guess it is to hide us more and that Satoshi does not find us or someone else. We walk for arduous hours under the sun crossing paths, forests and small valleys, each time the step is more infinite and I do not understand where we are going to end up, but honestly I do not care and I just want to get away from the castle, now my only confidence is in Hiroki and the uniformed man who has not told us his name.

I'm hungry and tired, it's been enough hours that the sun is going to hit past noon, i.e. lunch time. I hate having the fluids all over me, it is so disgusting to feel the sweat on my clothes from the walk, it is not worthy of a princess like me, but I have no choice if I want to escape, the only thing I want right now is a nice refreshing bath and good food, without worrying that now anyone wants to murder me. We passed by a river, with a magnificent view of the bright sunshine and the clear, clean water, where fish were taking their trip in the middle of the water.

Hiroki stops immediately and turns to me.

"Princess," the young red-haired boy calls my presence, "would you like to take a bath?" he points his finger at the river of pure water. It's a very strange question, because it sounds somehow a bit perverted. I blush instantly confused and nervous, I think he is a pervert "don't misunderstand me, it's for you to refresh yourself, the soldier and I will take care of your clothes and we won't watch" he extends his hands and turns his face with his cheeks a little red, as a sign to lend him my clothes so I can refresh myself.

I agree because I am really very tired and I just want to be ready to continue. I take off my clothes and hand them over very cautiously, I didn't know if they would steal them and then leave me alone.

I approach the river very subtly, entering one of my toes to know how cold it was, apparently it's perfect, it's not that cold and it's not lukewarm either; it has a good temperature. I enter the river and I feel the water warm me through every pore of my body and removing every bit of dirt and sweat that I hate to have on my delicate body.

Seeing the landscape full of wild trees and feeling cooler, I can finally have a few minutes of tranquility, the water current is not strong at all, I relax so I don't have to think about Satoshi and my hatred towards him, nor my father, nor my situation, but I must admit that it is somewhat inevitable not to think about that. I start to think carefully about every part of my life, I am already calmer, a little surprised still, not understanding why Satoshi wanted to kill me.

The memory of seeing Satoshi with that sword and wielding it, or when he gave the order to kill me without understanding why, my one answer is that he is a sadist or psychopath who only wants my throne, who only wants to be the only one in the Hamasaki succession and remove everyone in his way, as my father sent him away he wanted revenge, and that's why he fell in love with me, he wanted to marry me to have the empire and be the king, but as my father did not allow it, he wanted to kill him and then me too. Now he has a twisted conscience and now everything makes more sense to me.

I come out of the river fresher and much better, rested and ready, although with the connection I just made somewhat pensive.

"We're next," Hiroki says taking off his cloak so quickly. I close my eyes to avoid seeing them very nervous and they leave me in charge of their clothes, it's a little embarrassing, I turn my face to avoid seeing their nakedness.

I stay a long time looking at the trees remembering how I could be so foolish, it's just thinking that yesterday I was so happy for my birthday, thanks to Satoshi I will never forget the day he took my whole life from me and how he destroyed my confidence in such a way and not so much for the confidence, if not for the fact that he took away the only being that really loved me, because of him I have been left very lonely..... o... well... not so lonely... Hiroki even if he wants to help me, and the truth is I thank him for protecting me, and I thought horrible of him, I feel very bad for thinking in such a bad and hypocritical way, I am very sorry, the truth is I see in Hiroki's eyes that gentleness.

Hiroki approaches me with his naked body, I could notice his presence. I give the clothes to each of them without looking, my cheeks got warm so embarrassed and became a warm red color.

"You can look now" Hiroki said; I looked directly into his intense black eyes, for some reason I kept looking at him "what, do I have something on my face?" I started to think if he would be on my side. I don't know if I can trust him, or if he will protect me as he had said, "am I willing to trust him blindly during all adversities?" No idea, is my answer, but I can also notice that generosity in his eyes that somehow make me so tender, although his gesture is a frown and serious, I can't help but see beyond "How much do you see me?" he asks me already uncomfortable, I react by shaking my head pretending that I just got lost in my thoughts looking at a fixed point. I don't want to answer him or tell him everything I was thinking.

We continue to the side of the river until nightfall, according to Hiroki we will stay in this space for a while, as it is likely that guards are looking for us around the villages. I'm not surprised that Satoshi wants our heads and is offering a large amount of money to kill us.

My stomach starts to growl and ache from the lack of food this whole day, so much so that I would be able to go to the river and eat raw fish.

"Princess, you will help me with the bonfire" said Hiroki unsuspecting "and you" he points to the guard - What is your name?

"I'm Naoki..." he answered very confused.

"you will hunt the fish" he orders "well, princess collect dry firewood and logs" he says very bossy and a little rude, an attitude he had not shown until now.

"I may be a princess, but don't you think it would be better if you said it nicer with a please?" I recommended a little irritated by her classless demands, besides I hate being told what to do, I am a princess, it is not my duty to do these tasks.

"at this moment "princess" he moves two fingers supposing that I am a princess "it is not like in the palace anymore when they gave you things in a gentle way for a spoiled girl and if you want to eat or survive you will have to listen to me" he said in an ordinary way that the only thing I want is to break that idiot's face, I already changed my mind and he is definitely a fool without any education "how dare he talk to me this way? " but he is partly right, if I want to at least survive, he will be the only hope I have, the worst thing is that I came to think that he is gentle at heart, but I see that I was wrong and he is just rude.

I listened to his angry recommendation, I pick up the wood that is needed, muttering his bad manners "what kind of prince is he to be so rude" I mutter under my breath how annoying Hiroki is.

I hear a movement in the bushes, but I don't notice it's something bad, I just hope it's not a guard, but if it was a guard he would have appeared right now "it must be some squirrel" I thought without worrying too much, until.... Unsuspectingly appears a huge beast with dark eyes and a big scary snout, brown fur covering its whole sturdy body, its fangs want blood and its victim to eat. It looks at me so creepy ready to attack.

"BEAR!..." I scream so scared, the beast approaches me... with its claws and its eyes full of violence, I stand paralyzed full of fear.