The Law of the Prince Charming

Chapter 3.4

The fields behind the city grow wild, interrupted only by the occasional patch of bushes or scraggly tree. A guardsman creeps forward to flush out some quail from the bushes for the two princes to shoot. Tabitha kills two before Goldfield manages any.

"Good shot," Goldfield says as the bird, with an arrow sticking out of it, thumps to the grass. The guardsman gathers it up.

Tabitha smirks. "Want me to shoot you a few as well?"

Goldfield laughs. "Can't have you making me look bad on my birthday. Stay over there so you don't shoot my birds." He reins his horse to the side and most of the guardsmen follow.

Tabitha watches as the one guardsman moves forward to flush out more birds. She lifts her bow and nocks an arrow into place, readying for the bird's eventual flight.

The guardsman reach the bushes and wings flash into the sky. Tabitha trains an arrow on one when something else catches her eye. There is another figure next to the guardsman in the bushes, a cape obscuring its features. It strikes the guardsmen hard on the back of the neck, sending him to the ground.

"I got one!" Goldfield says before noticing the new figure. "What ..."

The figure tosses a card toward Goldfield and his guardsmen. Where it hits the ground, grass grows up at an alarming rate, tangling the guardsmen standing in it.

"What is ...?" Goldfield's horse panics as the grass slithers over its legs. Goldfield pulls out his sword to slash at the creeping vegetation.

While the artifact card had looked familiar, it was now completely lost in the tangle that has taken over the landscape. Tabitha scans for the Attacker, leading her sight with the arrow. The Attacker darts out of the grass and slams into Goldfield, taking him backward off his horse. Tabitha looses an arrow, but it passes harmlessly through the Attacker's cloak before the two of them hit the ground.

The guardsmen shout as they hack at the tangled grass holding them in place, straining to reach their prince. Tabitha drops her bow and digs her heels into the horse's side. The horse springs sideways with a startled leap. She struggles to get it under control, wishing she were riding the Gelding, as she looses precious time.

Goldfield's horse has fled and she only has a partial view to where he has fallen among the grass, the Attacker on top of him. A hand appearers from under the Attacker's cloak, ending in curved talons. Goldfield cries out in fear.

"Goldfield!" Tabitha forces the horse to charge toward Goldfield and his Attacker, as she draws her sword. As she rides closer, the grass catches the horse's legs and the beast stumbles, dumping Tabitha to the ground. She rolls away from the thrashing horse as it rips free and flees.

One of the guardsmen manages to pull out a dagger and flings it toward the Attacker, but the Attacker moves abruptly to avoid the blow. The grass tangles around Tabitha's legs. She slashes at it with her sword, but the magical vines reach up to wrap around the blade.

The Attacker moves back to the fallen prince. Goldfield clutches his bloodied shirt where the talons had ripped into his chest. The Attacker shoves away a protesting hand and kneels on him.

"Get away from him!" Tabitha shouts.

For a moment, the Attacker just kneels there amid the lashing grass and Goldfield's protests. Tabitha reaches for the stone ram, touching the swirl of Laws. She can feel the stone ram's Laws, the shape of them sharply clear. The desire to protect its territory, the strength of stone, the power of the stone ram's charge. She sorts through these feelings and takes hold of the Law of the Powerful Charge, pushing it outward the same way as her royal presence. She feels it hesitate, unsure of what form to take, so she pushes it into her sword and it slides in easily.

The metal of the blade turns sienna and when she slashes again at the tangle of grass, the sword moves forward more easily than she expects, like it is propelling itself and she is simply holding on. The vegetation parts easily against the blade and she is able to cut it from her legs. Once free, Tabitha charges the Attacker.

The Attacker sees her coming and jumps up to run. Tabitha drops her sword as she tackles the Attacker around the waist. "Get the Prince out of here," she orders over her shoulder as the Attacker struggles against her grip.

Tabitha reaches forward, trying to pin the Attacker when the figure turns and elbows her in the face. Tabitha loses her grip as stars swim in her eyes. By the time she recovers, the Attacker is gone. Blood drips from Tabitha's nose and she wipes it away as she glares out over the expanse of grass, just in case the Attacker is still nearby.

The guardsmen help Goldfield to his feet as the wild vegetation returns to normal.

Tabitha hurries to his side. "Are you okay?"

Goldfield's chest is smeared with blood. "Thank you for your assistance," he says with a grimace as one of the guardsmen attempts to assess the damage. "But let's avoid situations like that in the future, can we?"

"I agree," Tabitha replies. "Especially on your birthday."

Goldfield chuckles.

"The wounds don't look deep," the guardsman announces. "But we should get you back to the castle, Your Highness."

"Yes," Goldfield says. "I think that would be best."