Grey's POV

"Who are you?" I yelled out.

"You don't need to know." They said in a whisper.

Suddenly behind me, a flash of black moved and they quickly pinned me to the tree with my no longer free arm behind my back. They seemed to padding my body, searching for any loot. They grabbed my pouch full of gold coins in my left breast pocket. I wasn't sure what to do.

"Please don't kill me. I already had my father taken away from me. Soon my whole home will be taken." I plead.

They seemed to hesitate for a second. This was my chance. I quickly slammed my head back. They seemed to be shorter than me and I only managed to hit a bit of their forehead. I tried ramming my shoulder into them and tore my jacket's sleeve in the process. The person stumbled back a bit but quickly tried pinning me against the tree again.

My left arm was now off of the arrow. I swung my left arm back in a straight line and hit their jaw. I could hear a grunt from them. I dropped the pendant in the process as I was trying to break free from their grip, but they were stronger than me. I grabbed a dagger from my belt and tried slashing at them. My aim was bad as I wasn't left handed.

They ducked and kicked me in the stomach. I felt the wind knocked out of me. It wasn't pleasant. Rather than letting me catch a break, they kneed me right in the crotch, really hard. I sank to my knees and had tears come up to my eyes. I blinked them away. I desperately wanted revenge and tried jabbing them with my elbow, but it didn't work out and I hit nothing but air.

They pinned me to the ground and now were on top of me. I coughed from breathing in dirt and dust. They took my dagger away from me. I made quite a bit of ruckus trying to escape. Flailing around didn't work and I didn't have any other options. Things haven't been going right at all lately. I might as well give in.

"Fine. I don't care anymore if I die. I have nothing left to live for anymore. It's pointless for me to be alive." I said with tears welling up.

"Only monsters take lives. I take valuables." They whispered again.

I thought about what they said. J was a monster for taking away my father. Why did he want the kingdom? But then I thought about it again. My father is only a part of this. What will happen to Idela? The people? All of the children, women, men, friends, family. Would there be new laws? Would the citizens accept the new king? Or would they rebel? Would the nobles step in and try to take the throne? Would there be different customs?

I kept thinking and thinking. Then I realized the person wasn't on me anymore. They disappeared. I was confused. They stole at least 30 gold coins, which was a lot for pocket change in our kingdom. I stood up and found my dagger on the ground. The pendant was still where I dropped it.

I walked a little ways back to the stream. Winter wasn't there. Either the rogue took him, or he ran away after I made all that noise. I was exhausted from trying to fight back and decided it would be a good idea to light a fire and try to find a suitable place to sleep. I trudged through the forest and found some firewood.

I found an open place near the stream where other travelers seemed to have already used this area as there were small rocks in a small circle. I placed the wood there and pulled a match out of my pocket. I struck it and and threw it at the pile. I didn't have any food on me so I would have to forage for food in the morning.

I collected some leaves and put them in a pile. I stoked the fire with a few more logs and laid down using the leaves as a pillow. I looked up at the stars. One was twinkling at me. I thought if that was father did that mean he was in heaven? Or maybe he's trying to tell me something. No, maybe the heavens were trying to tell me something. I thought of father's pale face as he said his final words. I cried a bit and fell asleep out of exhaustion.

***

I woke up with a new resolution. I would someday come back and find J. I would take back what was originally mine. I would take back my home and end J. I could find my mother and we would be alright again. We would tell stories of father and have a proper funeral for him. I would be crowned king and make the kingdom great again. All I had to do was find a way to steal back what was stolen from me.