The Archer Princess

Armadillo

Angel heard the words. She wasn't thinking too well at first, but then once the heat with Prince Chance's words touched her, she felt it fall on her head with a pound. Next... Angel decided she should just try to brace herself with whatever was next. The man that last saw her left and so did Prince Chance.

The next one entered into the room with heavy feet. Angel knew that by the sound of the man's breathing, heavy feet, and a little pit pat from what she guessed were his hands, she guessed the man was ready for something terrible. She knew the sound well, where someone would use one hand to fist into the palm of the other. She began to hear the knuckles crunch after a couple intimidating punches into his palm.

Brace yourself...Angel's body told her. Her body tensed out to block out whatever would soon come towards her. She felt her body stiffen, tighten, and she crunched as much as she could armadillo. Armadillo... That was a word that only the Fates and the Roamers knew because they made it up. Angel remembered it well when they would practice for bracing themselves against impact, well, unique forms of impact. It was supposed to be a funny word, but now she thought the technique they made fun off as kids would now come in handy. She never even knew she would ever use it. They never really advise you crunch into a ball when someone's about to hit you. It wasn't the kind of bracing they really talked about.

But now, she had to.

She wanted to chuckle to herself about it, that she's actually going to armadillo. But it didn't seem like a laughing matter any longer. She heard the man bad-mouthing her. She didn't entirely listen, but she could tell the man was mad and he kept mentioning that he was going to bruise her head like she did with his.

That definitely didn't sound too good, and Angel tucked her head more into her legs. It was a little difficult considering that her arms were tied behind her back, otherwise she would use it to block her head. Or even better, she would have fought back and defended herself with them. But she couldn't. She was tied. Her back was on the wall, and she couldn't do anything much about it. The only choice she really had was armadillo. To brace for it. To keep her thinking well and not to give in. She had to place a mindset that it didn't hurt too much.

She heard the man's bolting grunt to throw a punch. Angel listened. I have other choices...think clearly...use and do with what you can in any circumstance...

She heard the wind and the sound of his breath.

His throwing a punch to the right...her body told her what to do.

She leaned away, but it hit her on the leg.

"Coward! Open up, so I can hit you properly!"

Angel kept her head ducked, as she felt his fist hit her leg. Wait...he gave her an idea. I can try to fight back with my legs..

Angel listened for his next move. She heard him charging, but before he knew it, she had her leg reflex to a kick at his neck and chin. Angel was sure that the man's Adam's apple was hit. She heard a gagging cough like sound with curse words she decided to ignore.

"Leave me alone." Angel said. She didn't do it in an aggressive tone, but as a warning. She didn't need to hurt anyone and it wasn't in her plan to. She just wanted to get out.

"You—think—" Angel could hear the man holding his neck. "That—I—would leave you alone after you kicked me there?"

Angel could feel the fire in the man's voice. "Well, you wouldn't have stopped earlier if I even told you earlier, would you?"

"Don't be smart with me!" He said and lunged forward for another series of punches. Angel could hear them coming fast and from the limited space and freedom she could move, all she could do was try to avoid some and stay in armadillo.