The Switch

Deer

*Raina's P.O.V*

"I told you to stay in the shallow end," Mother scolded, making me look down. She had allowed me time to calm down from my sudden plunge underwater but I should have known that she would still scold me.

"I am sorry," I said as I looked down, a small frown on my lips. Her arms were wrapped around me and she allowed me to stay on her lap, letting me cuddle into her to keep warm. Her dress was soaked from the water that had soaked into my chemise.

"Being sorry is not enough. You could have drowned," she said, sounding heartbroken at the thought. "I want you to stay out of the river from now on, the only time you can go in is if someone else is willing to stay with you the whole time," she stated, her hand gently running through my hair. I frowned slightly at that but knew better than to complain right now.

"Alright," I murmured as I looked up at her. "Can I go explore then?" I questioned as I gave her a pleading look.

"I suppose you can," she agreed reluctantly. "You need to put your dress on over your chemise and you need to put on your shoes," she stated. I pouted as I shook my head.

"I will put my dress on over my chemise but no shoes," I told her, making her eyebrows furrow slightly. I heard Father snort slightly making me glance at him curiously.

"When did you learn how to bargain and demand things?" he questioned. I shrugged with a small smile as I got up, Catiline getting up with me. She lifted my dress over my head, smoothing my dress out.

"Put your shoes on," Mother said as I took off, walking up the slight hill that we had originally come down.

"I can not hear you, I am too far away," I said as I glanced back, noticing that Catiline and one of the guards were following me. I huffed, knowing that I would never be able to get away from both of them at the same time. I waited for them to catch up, Catiline smiling softly.

"I would have expected you to run off," Catiline said, a teasing smile on her lips. I shrugged as I walked ahead of her, glancing back occasionally. I noticed that the guard had his bow drawn. He had had the bow drawn on our walk down to the river but he seemed much more tense now. I imagined that he probably had to be more on guard as he was the only guard with us, the rest remaining down with the royal family.

"I figured running off would be useless. There are two of you and only one of me. Plus, one of you is probably used to having to chase after people," I said simply, a small smile on my lips.

"Brat," Catiline said with a small smile, keeping close to me. I stuck my tongue out as I noticed the wildflowers that had grown up to my knees. I grabbed a few of them, making a small bouquet. There was just something so soothing about arranging flowers, making them fit together in a way that was sort of perfect.

"Hold these please," I said as I handed the bouquet to her, stepping back to admire it. I carefully rearranged it to match better. "There," I said with a small smile as I went to gather more flowers to make the bouquet bigger. My eyes scanned over the flowers, slowly gathering more.

"How many flowers do you need?" the guard finally spoke, making me glance at him. He looked only a few years older than I but his voice sounded tired and worn however there seemed to be some happiness in his voice.

"Is that really a question?" I asked as I smiled slightly, earning a soft chuckle from him. I noticed that he had scars on his face, some of them looking fairly recent. He looked intimidating but he was pretty nice it seemed

"Look," he said, gesturing with his bow. I glanced at where he had pointed, smiling when I saw a fallow deer. It looked like a doe and she moved with a certain type of elegance. I saw a small little head pop up and grinned when I realized that she had a fawn with her.

My eyes were trained on the deer, watching the doe stop to gaze. I was surprised when an arrow struck her side, making me flinch back. I glanced at the guard who frowned, his bow having remained at his side. "Who did that?" I questioned as I watched the doe stumble, her body hitting the ground.

"I do not know but I do not think that your family gave anyone permission to hunt on their land. Especially so early into the birthing season for the fallow deer," he stated. He had pulled an arrow from his quiver and nocked an arrow into his bow.

While he was busy doing that, I made my way closer trying to keep an eye on the fawn. It seemed to be both startled and confused as to what happened to its mother. I carefully approached it and noticed that it seemed to be absolutely terrified of me. I could only imagine how scared it must be so I slowly approached it, trying not to run it off. I checked on the doe, glad to see that she was still alive. The arrow had lodged itself into her leg, making it impossible for her to get up without immense pain.

I glanced up when I heard the sound of grass being crushed under someone's feet. I glared at the man, knowing he was the one that shot the doe. He had a bow with him and the feathers in his arrows matched the feathers on the arrow that struck the doe.

"You are trespassing, you need to leave," I spoke, glancing at the man. I had no idea if he was actually trespassing but I figured if I spoke like I knew then he would leave.

"If I am trespassing then surely you are as well you little wench," he said, making me glare at him. I knew that Catiline and the guard were not that far behind so I decided to antagonize him a little.

"How dare you call me a wench you bespawling prick," I spat at him, glaring at him. I was normally so good at keeping my temper in check but he had just insulted me and he had tried to kill a doe, most likely leaving the fawn to die alone. The fawn let out a bleat as it stared at the man, clearly sensing how much a threat he was.

I glanced at the man, noticing that he had pulled a knife out of his belt. He was looking at the doe, clearly planning on killing her. I kicked the back of his knee, making him stumble slightly. He turned to glare at me and an arrow whizzed past his head, burying itself in the ground a few feet behind him.

"I suggest you put the knife up and back away," Catiline said. I glanced back and saw that the guard had nocked another arrow, watching the man. I noticed that another guard and Father had joined them.

"How dare you trespass onto the King's land and insult his daughter," the new guard spoke, sounding angry and upset. He didn't have a bow with him, rather he had a halberd. Father slowly approached, a sad look on his face as he looked down at the doe. She kicked her legs out as he crouched down beside her, watching her struggle to get up.

"Do you think she will make it papa?" I questioned quietly while looking at him. He gave me a sad look as the fawn approached it's mother, nudging against her.

"I do not know Anastasia," he said simply as he looked at the man that had trespassed with a disgusted look. "Arrest him," he said to the guards simply as he waved his hand in dismissal, gently stroking the deer. I ignored the guards and the man's scuffle and gently touched the deer, slowly laying down besides her. I watched as Father ripped part of his shirt, breaking the arrow off and then wrapping her leg. "I can not remove the arrowhead yet as I would probably only hurt her more," he stated.

"Papa, does she mean a lot to you?" I questioned as I stroked the deer, the fawn laying down besides it's mother. "She seems to trust you and does not try and run from your touch," I stated simply at his confused look.

"She is one of the special deer, the mark on her hind leg indicates that. She is separated from the sport deer and is used more as a tracking deer. We use them to learn how to track and in return we allow them to live. She is the one I used to teach your brother how to track," he sighed softly. "I do not know how she got here but we will find a way to get her to the holding pens," he stated.

"What about her fawn?" I questioned as I gently reached out and touched it, jumping slightly when it let out a bleat.

"We will take him with us," Father informed me as he reached over and gently rubbed the nubs on the fawn's head. "I think he'll make a handsome stag when he gets bigger," he stated as the fawn headbutted his hand. I giggled softly as the fawn jumped about and headbutted his hand when he got the chance. "You are a lively little thing," he muttered as the doe let out a soft bleat causing the fawn to settle down next to her.

A bespawler is a slobbering person, who spits when they talk.