<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;"><span style="color: #FF0000">Delaina Astana</span></span></div><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><a class="postlink" href="http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/o793/Galvin_Fugazi/d6b8e73b-0075-4a2e-8b8d-d5ea5e65c048_zps031c72c3.jpg">[ img ]</a></div><br/><br/><div style="text-align: justify;">The young foot soldier cursed loudly when she stumbled over another root on the small trail. It was simply ridiculous to move such a large party in that speed over small jungle paths. The whole batallion was running along and Delaina knew that in latest two hours the first would drop out and would be killed by the three nobles in their hexapods. Luckily she was in good shape and fit enough to hold this speed for a while. And there was one reason why she didn't mind the running. She wanted to save someone from being killed by those dangerous animals in this jungle. And it was not this damn princess, everybody cared about.<br/><br/>Delaina had overheard the panicked report of one of the doctors to the batallion leader. That they had lost signal with one of the two companions of the princess. That they had received another pain signal over the transmitter, one that peaked incredibly high and did not ebb down for a while. Delaina had felt good at that moment, hearing that the princess was suffering was good news. It had been the father of the princess who had killed her younger sister after abusing her as his sex slave for two months. If the princess had now to pay for the sins of her father it was only fair. But then the commander had asked for the name of the companion who was still monitored with the princess. And she nearly choked when she heard the name. Gleywine Bentari. If the king would have not killed her sister, Gleywine would now be her brother-in-law. She had never the chance to meet him, as she was a soldier for five years now, but her sister had written her letters. That she was so in love with him and that he was such a good man. And then at the age of seventeen, the king wanted a new sex slave and he had chosen her from pictures of surveillance cams. They had constructed some lies to abduct her and two months later the king had been tired of the young girl and had thrown her into the arena. She had not been allowed to be there, nor had she ever the chance to thank Gleywine for the letter he had written her, telling her the truth between the lines. No, if they reached the princess in time, she would be able to thank him personally. Therefore she didn't mind all the running. But it would take at least two and a half day to reach the princess. If she would be alive. Otherwise they would slow down, that was unspoken, but everybody knew it.<br/><br/>Delaina had no idea what had happened there and neither had the nobles. They knew that the princess had been on a hunting trip her father had not approved of. That Gleywine had let the group of ten hunters. That eight hunters had returned at some point to Ovia and were still on their way. Half an hour later the transmitter of the princess had signaled stress and pain. At the same time one of the remaining two hunters had died. And since then the princess and Gleywine had not moved significantly. The best guess was that some animal had attacked the three people and now the princess was hurt and Gleywine was holding watch to prevent her from being killed. But Delaina knew that Gleywine would never hold watch over the princess if she was hurt. He would try to attract even more carnivores to her. Whatever happened there, it went down differently. But she kept that to herself.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF8000">"Dammit, get up, you fool.“</span> <br/><br/>A sixteen year old boy in front of her had stumbled and was now holding his knee. If he wouldn't get up in ten seconds, the nobles would kill him. Delaina pulled him up and pushed him along. The boy was crying of pain, but Delaina kicked him in the ass.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF8000">"Think of your parents and run boy. The pain will go away with the time, but if you fall back you are dead.“</span> <br/><br/>It seemed to work, as the boy looked in her face with fearful eyes, but picked up pace again.</div>