Your support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)“No, I don’t want to go. Listen-” Cora tried to object, but a pair of arms were already hauling her onto her horse. “Let go!” She sent a sharp glare towards the guard who held her waist, and he visibly stumbled a few steps back once the female roared. She turned her attention back to the older man who stood in front of her. He was the King’s advisor, a man who had more or less raised her and taught her most of what she knew. Which only meant that he knew exactly just how stubborn the young female was. “Coraline,” she heard the man’s stern voice say and sighed when he used her full name. He took her hand and placed a pouch in her palm, by the weight of it she could tell it contained gold. “Take this. Ride as far as this horse will take you -- do not stop for anything.” Tears brimmed the girl’s eyes and she glanced back at the once grand castle. Chaos was engulfing the place, guards were everywhere, and she had no idea where her father was. They were being overrun, and they weren’t going to survive it, or else her uncle wouldn’t be sending her on her way. Cora glanced back at her uncle and saw the urgency in his eyes, making her finally nod. She quickly wiped away the tears that stained her cheeks and tucked the pouch into the small bag that was tied to the horse. She looked back at the man and flashed him a weak smile. Soon enough, the wind blew through her hair as she rode through the nearby woods. It took everything within her not to look back, knowing she would turn right back around if she saw the castle in flames.
Cora rode for what felt like hours. The sun was now setting, and she knew her horse had little energy left in him. Her heart raced a little since she saw nothing in the distance but more trees. Slowing down slightly, she got off the horse, her slick dress getting dragged in the mud. The night breeze was starting to circle them, but thankfully her coat was lined with fur; it warmed up everything apart from her cheeks, which had turned a shade of pink due to the cold.
After about 20 minutes of walking, Cora froze at the sight of something in the distance. Nestled between the green hills was a small town -- it looked so insignificant and small compared to the forests surrounding it, but it was the brightest beacon of hope Cora had ever seen. She could feel a breath of hope enter her body as she climbed back up on her horse and raced down the hill, in the direction of the small houses and farms. Only a few minutes later, she could finally see people once again. She looked notably out of place between them, definitely privileged. The way a few people looked at her made her almost too scared to get off her horse. On the other hand, many of them looked incredibly warm and welcoming. Kids ran around, chasing each other, and it brought a smile to her face. It looked like a simple, yet happy town. Nonetheless, Cora had no idea how to go about this -- could she simply pay someone to take her in? Would she have to work? The girl was clueless, considering she had never had to survive on her own all her life. She strolled through what she assumed was their market, and her gaze fell on one of the merchants, her stomach instantly growled at the sight of food. They were only apples, but at this point, they might as well be the juiciest apples she had ever seen. She climbed off the horse and approached the wooden stand with red apples stacked on top of it. Quickly, Cora dug into her bag and fished out a golden pound -- definitely too much for an apple -- but gold was all she had. “I’ll take one of those,” the golden-haired girl as she held out the coin for the man. It took him a couple of seconds after he took the gold to realize how much she had given him. He looked up at the girl with wide eyes, but she had already turned her attention to the apple, a satisfied hum leaving her lips once she bit into the sweet fruit.
Cora rode for what felt like hours. The sun was now setting, and she knew her horse had little energy left in him. Her heart raced a little since she saw nothing in the distance but more trees. Slowing down slightly, she got off the horse, her slick dress getting dragged in the mud. The night breeze was starting to circle them, but thankfully her coat was lined with fur; it warmed up everything apart from her cheeks, which had turned a shade of pink due to the cold.
After about 20 minutes of walking, Cora froze at the sight of something in the distance. Nestled between the green hills was a small town -- it looked so insignificant and small compared to the forests surrounding it, but it was the brightest beacon of hope Cora had ever seen. She could feel a breath of hope enter her body as she climbed back up on her horse and raced down the hill, in the direction of the small houses and farms. Only a few minutes later, she could finally see people once again. She looked notably out of place between them, definitely privileged. The way a few people looked at her made her almost too scared to get off her horse. On the other hand, many of them looked incredibly warm and welcoming. Kids ran around, chasing each other, and it brought a smile to her face. It looked like a simple, yet happy town. Nonetheless, Cora had no idea how to go about this -- could she simply pay someone to take her in? Would she have to work? The girl was clueless, considering she had never had to survive on her own all her life. She strolled through what she assumed was their market, and her gaze fell on one of the merchants, her stomach instantly growled at the sight of food. They were only apples, but at this point, they might as well be the juiciest apples she had ever seen. She climbed off the horse and approached the wooden stand with red apples stacked on top of it. Quickly, Cora dug into her bag and fished out a golden pound -- definitely too much for an apple -- but gold was all she had. “I’ll take one of those,” the golden-haired girl as she held out the coin for the man. It took him a couple of seconds after he took the gold to realize how much she had given him. He looked up at the girl with wide eyes, but she had already turned her attention to the apple, a satisfied hum leaving her lips once she bit into the sweet fruit.