The creature lunged.
Fast.
Too fast.
Roseline barely had time to react before instinct took over. She shoved Eva backward.
"Run!"
But Eva didn't.
"I—I can't leave you!"
"Then don't get in my way! Move back." Roseline snapped, already moving.
The beast's claws sliced through the air where she had stood a second before. She rolled to the side, dirt and leaves clinging to her skin as she came up on one knee, dagger drawn.
It wasn't just large.
It was controlled.
Its movements were precise—calculated.
Trained.
Roseline's eyes sharpened.
This was no random encounter.
The creature circled her, low growls vibrating through the forest floor. Its gaze flicked between her and Eva, assessing… choosing.
Good.
Let it choose her.
Roseline shifted, subtly placing herself fully in front of Eva.
"Stay back, hide somewhere till I'm done." she murmured, quieter this time.
The beast lunged again.
This time—
She was ready.
Roseline pivoted sharply, using its momentum against it. Her dagger grazed its flank—not deep enough to kill, but enough to provoke.
A mistake?
No.
It was her strategy.
The beast roared, now fully focused on her.
"Come on…" she whispered under her breath.
It charged again, reckless with anger.
And that was when Roseline saw it—
A narrow dip in the ground behind her.
A hunter's pit half-covered with leaves.
So that's the game.
She backed away slowly, controlling her breathing, her steps deliberate.
The beast advanced.
Closer.
Closer—
Then it leaped.
At the last second, Roseline dropped low and rolled aside.
The ground gave way beneath the creature's weight.
With a violent crash, it fell into the concealed pit, its roar echoing as it struggled against the trap.
Silence followed.
Heavy and unbelieving.
Eva stared, her lips parted.
"You… you planned that?"
Roseline rose slowly, chest rising and falling.
"No," she said quietly. "But I paid attention."
—
The horn sounded again.
Clear.
Final.
The signal of completion.
Roseline stilled.
"That's… the end?"
Eva looked just as confused too.
"We didn't even hunt anything…"
Roseline's gaze drifted back to the pit.
To the trapped creature.
Then upward.
Toward the unseen watchers beyond the trees.
Understanding settled in.
"No," she murmured. "We did exactly what they wanted."
—
By the time they emerged from the forest, the mist had lifted.
The court was waiting.
The nobles leaned forward, whispers already spreading like wildfire.
Some candidates returned with small game, their expressions proud.
Others came back shaken.
A few didn't return at all.
A heavy silence fell as Roseline and Eva stepped into view together.
Alive.
Unharmed.
And walking side by side.
The announcer stepped forward, his voice cutting through the tension.
"The Second Trial… has concluded."
All eyes turned to the royal platform.
The King rose.
His presence alone commanded silence.
"This trial," he began, his voice deep and steady, "was never about the hunt."
Murmurs spread.
"It was about judgment."
A pause.
"Courage."
Another.
"And the choices one makes… when no one is there to witness them."
His gaze swept across the candidates.
Then stopped.
On Roseline.
"You were given paths," he continued. "Some led to easy success. Others… to distraction. And some…" his voice sharpened slightly, "…to truth."
Roseline held his gaze, unflinching.
"You chose to abandon the marked trail to save life."
A stir among the nobles.
"You chose to aid another candidate, placing yourself at risk."
Another pause. Allowing it to settle in.
"And when faced with danger—you did not rely on brute force… but awareness."
The Queen smiled faintly.
Kingston didn't move. He was just gazing at her with pride and happiness.
"You saw the trap," the King said. "And turned it to your advantage."
The courtyard was completely silent now.
"You did not merely survive the hunting grounds."
His voice rang out, clear and final—
"You mastered them."
A beat.
Then—
"Roseline… step forward."
She did.
She walk out calm and steady.
But inside, her heart pounded like a war drum.
The King raised his hand.
"By the authority of the crown, I declare you the winner of the Second Trial."
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
As if the world itself needed time to catch up.
Then—
The courtyard erupted.
Gasps.
Whispers.
Shock.
Some faces filled with admiration.
Others…
With something far darker.
Eva's hand found Roseline's briefly, squeezing in silent gratitude before stepping back.
But Roseline barely noticed.
Because her eyes had already lifted—
To him.
Kingston.
And this time—
He didn't hide it.
The pride.
The relief.
The quiet, burning certainty in his gaze.
You did it.
—
But not everyone was pleased.
From the edge of the crowd, a figure turned away, their expression shadowed.
"This isn't over," they muttered softly.
Because if Roseline had proven anything today—
It was that she was no longer just a candidate.
She was a big threat that needs to be alienated.
—
High above, the Queen leaned toward the King once more.
"She's exactly what this kingdom needs."
The King didn't respond immediately.
His eyes remained on Roseline.
Thoughtful.
Calculating.
"Perhaps," he said at last.
"But strength like hers…"
A pause.
"…will not go unchallenged."
—
As the cheers continued to rise, Roseline stood in the center of it all.
Victorious.
But aware that this wasn't the end.
It was only the beginning.
And the next trial?
It wouldn't be hidden in the forest. It would be far more dangerous than the first two.
Because this time—
The enemy would be watching her in the open.
—
@OlukoyaZainab