Hearing

Sarah stood by the edge of the river, the only sounds being the trickling of the water and the gentle breeze blowing through the trees. It was peaceful. Serene. Something that she had not experienced nearly enough in recent memory. It was early enough in the morning that the sky was blue with the sun's light, but just above the horizon, she could still see the falling moon, its color faded. This spot, this place, was hers, and hers alone. The fish and mammals had abandoned it some time ago, for though it was beautiful, there was very little there for them to substantiate themselves off of. But Sarah did not have such requirements, and was more than happy to live surrounded by so little.

And yet, as she looked up at the sky, she heard footsteps approaching her from behind. They came from a distance away, and she knew that if she so desired, she had more than enough time to hide from their source. But if she hid, they would only continue to search for her, and the sound of their footsteps would persist. It may be more painful, but it would be better in the long run for her to just interact with the person. At least then it would end quickly.

What a shut-in. "Hey, you always so-"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am." She didn't let him finish the question. She didn't need to. "Is there something I can help you with, or did you just come to antagonize me?"

Touchy. Better come at this carefully. She's clearly heard it all before. But the king was very explicit in that he wanted me to retrieve her, or he was going to have my head. Whatever her deal is, it must be important. Start with kindness. "It's a pleasant-"

"It's a bit late for the pleasantries, don't you think?" She could see the look on his face as he went to speak again. "Don't even. I don't know who your king is, and I don't care. I'm not going with you back to him. This is my home. I am not leaving it. He can come and try to find me, bring his army. I will be long gone before he can take me. I am not returning to civilization of any kind, and there is nothing you can say to me to change my mind."

What a pretentious little bitch. He went to open his mouth again, but Sarah didn't give him the chance to say another word. "Leave my home," she ordered. "You come here with evil intentions, and you can't even be damned to consider the feelings of who you speak to. You are too self-centered to be worth my time. Enjoy being beheaded. Your thoughts will not be missed in this world."