She rode a black stallion. The beast was of a pure, rare breed. Her family's coat of arms displayed front and center this war-horse, groomed for generations to be a powerful and obedient ally. A heavy cavalry charge unit was able to dominate the battlefield given these animals. Rory was accompanied by four knights, traveling to her hometown to investigate the murders of the king's men. Magnus was unaware of her departure, the only other person knowing about her trip was Alice. The knights were sworn to secrecy. As the forest path twisted and bent Rory was lost in thoughts. Her desire for Magnus grew every day, ever since they ran through the rose garden. She found herself giggling, staring at her horse's ears.
Then screams of agony snapped her back to the reality of the situation. One knight desperately tugged at a bolt sticking out of his neck. Others fell impaled by spears and bills. Taken by surprise they were no match for the attack. Rory was clutching the reins, frozen in fear. The enemy force circled her, weapons prepared for the attack. She could hardly breathe let alone speak.
"Stand down. She is of no threat." The man issuing the order walked up to her. He was holding a crossbow.
"Get off your horse."
Rory did nothing. She just stared. As the crossbow was being pointed at her she screamed
"Wait, please! I'll do as you say…"
Discarding the bolt, the man propped his weapon on his shoulder and waited for Rory to dismount. Now that she was standing face to face with her attacker, the woman noticed he wasn't very tall. He was a lean, young man, with scars running across both cheeks and eyes black as a raven's.
He walked past her and approached the horse. It stood on two feet towering above him, ready to cave his skull in with its massive hooves. With lightning speed, he grabbed the reins and mounted the beast. It only took a minute for the animal to settle and walk quietly wherever it was told to. Patting its muscular neck, the young man jumped off and said
"Take it with you. Tie it to your own, it will follow. Leave us."
The small band looted the corpses and dispersed, leaving Rory and their leader alone. He tied his horse to a tree then spun around to face her. All this time the woman just sat there, frozen in fear. Seeing men die around her so violently made her realize she was in deep trouble. The sight and smell of blood made her vomit. Struggling to remain sane she closed her eyes and curled up in a ball, losing consciousness. Her mind was not prepared for such horrors.
Rory opened her eyes and stared at the unfamiliar ceiling an action that has been occurring lately. Did she travel to another book?
She didn't even try to get up.
"If you think I am going to let you stare at the ceiling the whole day then you are wrong, princess." Rory sat up at the voice. She stared silently at the man who walked in with a bowl in his hands.
"Here." He said as he handed Rory the bowl which she took still staring at him. She studied his face avidly. She knew him, the man who killed mercilessly with no hesitation whatsoever. Drago. The name itself sent a shiver to her spine.
The memories of the earlier killing came flooding her mind and she could still smell the blood. As a result, she dropped the bowl and the man scoffed.
"You royalty are really ungrateful. Do you know how hard I worked to make that?" Drago said half irritated his hard work went in vain.
"A-are you D-drago?" Rory asked as she inched away such that she was now against the wall. She held the blanket close to her as if it were her own dear life. She knew the answer but she just wanted to hear it herself.
"So what if I am? Are you scared?" The man asked a sly smile forming on his lips.
"N-no!"Rory answered not convinced by her answer. "What do you what with me?" She asked slightly confident but her voice still shaking.
"Nothing." The man began to walk to the door. He stopped suddenly. "But...since you are someone special to Magnus...I think I'll keep you." He declared before walking out closing the door behind him.
The room instantly became dark and silent. Rory sat still clutching the blanket tightly. She looked around the room. Other than the bed there was else. There was a window a distance from the bed big enough for her to fit through. It didn't have any glasses or panes.
She got up and walked to the window. She looked out and confirmed that it was a short distance down. She stuck her legs out such that she was now seating facing outside. It reminded her of the days she used to sneak out to go to a party back at home.
She counted to three and then jumped safely landing on the grassy ground.
"Who captures someone and leaves a window for them? Most of all who leaves them unguarded?! He needs to up his game." Rory thought as before she made a sprint towards the forest. Free at last.
A few minutes passed and Rory had been running the forest without stopping. She was lost. She decided to sit down and catch her breath.
No sooner had she sat down than he had a growl. She picked up a stick that happened to be next to her and stood up. Instantly a wolf appeared in front of her.
It looked as if it had been wronged. The wolf had black fur with amber eyes. Saliva coated its tongue as it brushed against sharp, ivory canines. Its eyes were filled with fury that no negotiation whatsoever could change its mind from pursuing the girl in front of it.
Rory knowing any better than to attack it with her 'weapon', dropped the stick causing the wolf to stare in surprise.
She clearly had three options, run, fight, or die, none of which she was ready to comply. She resolved to her last option that didn't include the three options.
"Shoo! Shoo!" She swatted her hands in the air. The wolf was taken aback by the unusual behavior of the human before it. Now It wasn't whether she was safe for consumption.
"What in the world are you doing?" 393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCAGgeFNIVt
"Shoo?" Rory shifted her head towards the direction of the voice. A man in a mask was laying his back against the tree.
"You seriously are..." The man shook his head in dismay. "Come on Tree?" the man called out the wolf and it happily ran to its laps. He begins petting it gently.
"Tree? Don't tell me you named a wolf tree!" Rory spoke up.
"Fine. I won't tell you. But its name is Tree." He answered still petting it.
"Who names a wolf Tree?"393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzsLGck7QQn
"What else could I have named it?"
"I don't know? Jonny?"Rory shrugged.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsegBOGkJkW
"Jonny? No, I like Tree better." The man said and stopped petting the wolf. He stood up now he was face to face with Rory. "Anyway...How long did you think you could run from me?"
"Run from you--" The man removed his masked causing Rory to stop mid-sentence.
"You?!" She blurted.
"Nice to see you too," Drago answered as he smiled. He then grabs her hand. "Let's go."
"No! Let me go!" Rory said as she tried to wriggle from his powerful grip. It was then that Drago let go and carried her over his shoulder.
"Hey!! I can walk! Put me down!!" She yelled hitting his back with her small not so strong fists.
"Just be still will you?" Drago said irritated.393Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEDcU4R53y
Seeing her efforts futile Rory gave up letting herself be carried away.
"You won't get away from this! Magnus will find me!" Rory said confidently.
"That's exactly what I want." Drago sid an evil grin quirking up his face.
****
A small annual celebration was held by Drago and his troop outside the lair. The night seemed to be merry. The music played and the troop dancing and drinking. It was surprising how well these men got along with their leader as no one seemed to be scared.
In a dark corner, Rory sat a drink in her hand as she watched the men. It was odd being the only girl in the group. This could be her chance to run but after many failed attempts she wasn't going to try again.
Drago spotted her from the corner of his eye and walked towards her. He then sat next to her.
"Not enjoying the party?" He asked as he took a sip from his glass.
"I don't enjoy parties," Rory answered not looking at the man.
"Mmh, that's a pretty weird thing to say, princess. Are you perhaps homesick?"
"Something like that...I wish I could go home but I don't want to, I miss them but at the same time I don't."
"You know, my mother used to say that no matter what there is no place that can replace home, you might leave but your heart is always there..."
"Your mother seems like a wonderful person." Rory complimented sucking in the wise words.
"She was. She was the kindest woman I have ever known. Her smile was the most beautiful. She would always tell me to smile no matter what. She smiled at the end..." Drago said feeling nostalgic as he pictured the face of a woman who looked like him.
"W-what happened to her?" Rory couldn't help but ask. Although she read the book, she couldn't really recall what happened.
"She was killed by someone."
"Were they found?" Rory asked again and Drago turned to her his eyes searching hers. He then grabbed her fingers and brought it to his face on his scars.
"These scars were given to me by my father because he thought I killed my mother." Drago let go of her fingers and Rory gently touched his cheek. She could feel his pain.
"Is that why you are...e-evil?" Rory asked stuttering on the last word.
"Don't always believe everything you hear," Drago said before moving his head to face the starry sky.
Rory had read the book over and over again and throughout the book, Drago had caused nothing but terror. For vengeance, he killed a lot of people. He was pure evil. But now, he was speaking like a completely different person. There was kindness in his words. Could she being kidnapped somehow changed him?
Rory too lifted her head to the sky her hands on both sides. Accidentally she puts one of her hands on top of Drago's. Startled she pulled out her hand before Drago holds it back in place and the two shared a look before gazing at the sky.
"The moon is bright tonight right?" Drago began.
"Yes, We don't see the moon often back at home."
"You don't?" Drago dropped his head and turn to the woman who was still staring at the sky.
"Yes, the buildings and lights in the city don't give you enough space to see--" Rory stopped her blabbering when she noticed the surprised look on Drago's face. "I mean because of the trees."
"Ah, then I am glad you are able to see it." Drago smiled at her and she smiled back. She couldn't help but turn her gaze to the hand that was holding hers. She felt something spark inside her.
She looked at the man next to her and was quite surprised that the man was good-looking despite the scars on his face. His dark eyes shone in the moonlight and his hair danced with the wind. She felt pulled towards him and so did he. Each staring into the eyes of the other they felt a desire, just when they were about to move closer, Drago turned his head towards the party that had almost been deserted.
Everyone but then had left.
"Those Men! how dare they leave just like that!" Drago shouted as he got up and Rory chuckled slightly.
"I guess we should leave too." Rory got up and straightened her dress before walking towards her room. She stopped abruptly and said a 'goodnight' for the first time in two weeks. Leaving Drago in a daze with no response.
The next day.
"Sir, a letter from the capital has been addressed to you." A man enters and the room and finds Drago laying on the chair his arms over his face.
"Sir?" The man called out to him again.
"I have...been poisoned," Drago said in a dying voice.
"By who sir?" The man went on to ask.
"By...Are you dumb?!" Drago got up startling the man.
"N-no, sir!"
"When someone is about to die do you get some help or ask who poisoned him?"
"I am sorry Sir!" The man immediately apologized fearing for his life.
"I was joking! I was joking, no need to be serious!" Drago painfully patted the man's back.
"It's hard not when you are dealing with the Dark Prince." The man thought before flashing an awkward smile despite the pain in his back
Drago snatched the letter from the man's and begun skimming through the letter. The room became quiet.
"They want me to attend a meeting and all princes should be there? And here I thought they would at least threaten me to return the crown prince's fiancee, these people are just selfish." Drago shook his head as he muttered to himself.
"Go, gather up the men and the horses, and let's pay a visit to the royal palace." Drago smiled as he threw the letter on the floor.
He then went to Rory's room.
"Get ready we are leaving."
"What?! Why?" The young woman asked surprised.
"You are going home." Those are the last words he said before leaving.
Rory was unsure whether to be glad or not. There was one thing she knew, that all the princes were to attend a meeting a Drago took this chance to exact revenge...
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