If I Were You, I'd Run

Prologue

It was dark. It was scorching. My feet tramped along the path as I tried to hide my face from my captors. 

They mustn't find out. They mustn't know my secret. They mustn't know who I am.

The mantra circled through my brain, on an endless loop.

But you, the person who is reading this right now, may know. It's not like you can hurt me further than they have.

I am Ashara Kimanatall, the princess of the kingdom of Gialdanann. 

If I were you, I'd stop reading. If I were you, I'd run.

My hands trembled as the Shadow Cult leader strode up the lines of captured palace workers and guards. My breath hitched painfully as I saw the knife he was holding in his hand. He strode up to my father, and, without even aknowledging my mother's scream of anguish, stabbed it into the king of Gialdanann's throat,  drawing it back out with a spurt of blood.

I felt weak then. 

I had never even left the walls of the palace before now.

I was always sheltered.

Always kept in the dark until the day they  came, bringing with them chaos and hopelessness and despair.

I felt a tear slip down my cheek as the cult leader stabbed my mother.

I turned and ran, no longer caring who saw me anymore.

I heard footfalls crunching behind me.

I sped up, stumbling as I tripped over the long skirts of my gown.

Yes, I am a coward. 

If I were you, I'd run.

If I were you, I wouldn't have a kingdom to protect.

Soooooo.......... my first attempt at writing a non-magical story isn't turning out quite the way I expected it to.  Anyway, comment on how you think it should go please!

~SK

I am so  adding magic later on....