In desperation, Y/N accepts a job as Commander Lexa's handmaiden with hopes of earning enough money to buy her father some well-needed medication. But the Commander makes it very clear how much she doesn't want nor need a handmaiden, only making Y/N...
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The last few days had been hectic at work, with commissions coming in left, right and centre, leaving me exhausted at the end of it all. On top of that, I was fitting in clients for tattoos afterwards, so by the time I returned home, I was too tired to eat sometimes. I loved it though, just needed to manage my time better.
That's why when I remembered to book some half days in with Alana, I was relieved to enjoy a leisurely horse ride back to my village in the afternoon. It had been a while since I'd spent time with my dad that wasn't at dinner time, so we'd promised to spend the rest of the day together.
When I entered through the archway, I dismounted my horse, Florence, and walked her the rest of the way to my house. Any excitement I held for the day was immediately replaced with concern when I spotted my father on the ground outside our front door.
"Oh my God, dad!" I shouted, racing up to him and kneeling down. "What the hell happened? Who did this?!"
He was tied up, wrists and ankles bound along with a gag in his mouth. Fear and worry spread through me when he looked up and I saw the bruises on his face. Looking around quickly, I saw nobody was around, not even neighbours. Where the hell was everybody?! Who had done this?!
I pulled out his gag and moved onto his bound wrists next, but he was trying to speak.
"Stop," he muttered harshly, voice strained with pain. "Y/N, stop it, it's–"
Before he could finish, an arrow zoomed past my ear, making me jump. My eyes widened, but I never got chance to even think about moving because another one followed shortly after, landing right in my shoulder. I let out a scream as it stuck into me, then came a battle cry in the distance.
"It's an ambush," my dad warned with teary eyes, shaking his head. "They don't care about me, you need to run!"
"I'm not leaving you!" I told him, before attempting to help him up and into the house, but he was too heavy and I couldn't move him alone.
"Y/N!" he insisted, but I ignored him and turned around to face my attackers.
Despite the arrow still stuck in my shoulder, I was able to pull out my knife and attempt to defend my father and I. Looking around, I couldn't find the hunters who were shooting at us, but it didn't matter because a small group of people revealed themselves and I recognised them as Azgeda from their clothes.
Azgeda were part of the coalition now, ever since Roan had pledged his allegiance over a year ago. Why were they attacking? And why me?
"It's cute that you think you can win with that," one of them said with a sly chuckle, referring to my knife.
I swallowed hard, not giving him the benefit of the doubt, and held my ground. I still wasn't the best fighter, even with all of the extra lessons Lexa had forced me to take, but I was determined to hold my own if it meant keeping my father safe.
