“This sickness is taking over me and it's taking longer than I expected. I knew the plan laid out for me- I've always known that one day I would have to go. I just didn't expect it to be today. I wanted to finish watching Carnaxa grow. I wanted to watch her find her drop, even though I know she'll be stubborn. I wanted more time with Clennom, I don't think he will fare well with what's to come.”
Tears fall to the page and I quickly move it out of the way, blowing on it so the wetness doesn't ruin the ink. My father didn't fare well, but it's the mention of my name that has my heart remembering the pain of the night she passed. The pain I felt, the way my throat was raw from screaming so loudly. I brush the remaining tears away, taking a deep breath.
“The prophecy will come to pass. It has to. I don't have any control over fate at this point, but I can try to have influence, even from the other side. But even now, I wish I could do thingsdifferently. I didn't know what else to do, but I wouldn't have put her in the middle of this if I knew what was to come.”
“And who do we have here?” a gruff voice calls out before whistling, and three male figures step out from the woodline.
“Looks like the Antalian harlot,” one snickers from beside me. I grab the book, shoving it back into my pack. “Hard to forget her bloodline with her hair the color it is.”
I stand. “That's right. I am Princess Carnaxa Althister of Antalis, betrothed to your prince, Ereon.” My fingers begin to shake as the men circle around me like vultures. Their eyes are hungry.
“Our prince?” questions a man who is missing his front teeth. “Oh, darling. He's not our prince. Not yet. Is he Lonny?”
Another, his belly hanging over his pants as he adjusts them, smiles at me. “Nope. Not at all. Why, I don't remember taking an oath yet do you, Calen?”
Them talking around me has me spinning in a circle. This one, Calen, would almost be attractive if it wasn't for the look in his eyes that bores into me. His black eyes show no emotion as he licks his lips. From the way he stands, even though he is the younger one of the three, I can tell he's the leader. He takes a step toward me and I step back only to be reminded that the one they call Neol is behind me.
“No, he's not. We aren't from your continent and have not taken any oaths of loyalty to any king or” – he dips low in a mock bow – “any princess.”
“Very well. I'll just be on my way then, my guard went to fetch some water and is on his way back.” The one time, the only time that both Ereon and Thylas give me a moment of peace, and this is what happens. I should have let Ereon escort me back to camp, I thought I was safe. I always think I'm safe.
“Now, now ... we are already starting this out with a lie? Your guard is back at camp, at the edge of the forest, and we werewatching as the Prince of Shaston just left you here … all alone. No one is expecting you just yet. We've heard the rumors of the princess who ‘constantly walks off by herself.’” Calen steps forward, motioning with a jerk of his head to the one who spoke first, but I don't know his name. “Neol, why don't you help our princess out with an escort.”
Before I can even scream he has his sweaty palm covering my mouth. I scream anyway. The muffled sounds stop as he wraps his arm around my waist, keeping my arms pulled in beside me. I try to grab anything – anything that can help me but I find nothing. Leaving the dagger again in my belongings instead of keeping it on me.
He holds me still as Calen walks up to me, wiping the tears that escape down my cheek with his thumb. He takes it and sucks it off. “I would save those for later sweetheart. It's been a long time since we've had a woman, and so I expect tonight will be rather unpleasant for you.” He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a vial and a handkerchief and my eyes widen. No. It's nightlock oil, one used by healers for those in pain to be put to sleep.
As he lets the oil soak into the cloth, he whistles and it's the same song I hear as he shoves the cloth in my face and I lose consciousness.
Drip ...
Drip ...
Drip ...
The rain trickles onto my forehead and I wake in a panic. My mouth is dry and I try to smack my lips together to help bring back the moisture but it's pointless. Slowly remembering theevents that led me here, I move to pull my hands from above my head, but I can't. The ropes wrapped around them cut into my skin as I struggle against them. I try to scream and then notice that a gag is also there. Kicking my legs around I feel nothing but the grass beneath them, the grass that I expected to be resting in-not being held captive in.
“Well, good to have you back. It's no fun if you aren't awake,” Neol says, bending down beside me. “Lonny and I are waiting for Calen to get back so that we can appreciate what you are about to give us.” He slides his dirty finger down the side of my cheek before roughly grabbing my throat and pulling me up. My wrist burns as he licks from the side of my neck to the base of my ear. His stench infiltrates my nose and I gag against the cloth in my mouth. “It's been much too long since we've gotten to enjoy a woman. Who knew coming here would bless us with a princess, isn't that right Lonny?”
Lonny squats on the other side, cupping my breast roughly. “Exactly. It's almost like a reward for all that we were banished for in Lidiens.”
I fight as best I can squirming along the ground, pulling against the ropes, even biting down on the cloth hoping I can somehow rip it. But it's no use.Please, Goddess ... do something.They stand back up and I take a shallow inhale. A little more time, maybe I can figure something out. A little more time is all I need – hopefully. If I can just get my hands untied then I can possibly find a way to fight them off. I used to play-fight with Thylas all the time, but this isn't that.
I watch as they walk away from me, and back to the log circle they seem to have made camp around. I scoot my feet up, able to get into a semi-sitting position, it's the best I can do for now. I don't know where I am, nor does anything look familiar. How far have they taken me from Ereon's camp?
Calen comes back, where has he been? I don't know but he throws a bag at each of them. They rifle through them, the one they call Lonny grabbing a piece of bread out before popping it into his mouth. “That should do us for a couple of days, they haven't even noticed she's missing yet.”
My heart jumps into my throat, no one has even noticed I'm missing? Maybe I was too adamant to be alone if no one has noticed; I thought at least Siphonie would have gotten worried. I twist my wrists again, trying to find relief. Breathing through my nose is getting easier as I try to calm my heart. Calen walks toward me, his sword hangs at his side as he squats next to me. “Glad to see the boys didn't get ahead of themselves before I got back, sometimes they get too excited.” He reaches out to touch me and I turn my head trying to get away.
He grabs my chin hard, forcing my face back to his. “Now, now ... I think you should learn to like my company because Neol over there will have just as much fun killing you if you don’t cooperate.” Tears threaten to spill again and when he lets go I exhale through my nose with relief. Before I can take a breath in, the sharp sting of the back of his hand has my neck twisting. I hear laughter from where the others sit and the rain starts to pour down much faster this time, forcing its way through the thick treetops.
“Well, fuck!” Calen looks up, covering his eyes from the rain. “One of you bring the tarp over here and set up some shelter. While you do that, I'll remind our princess of who is actually in charge.”
He runs his hand up the length of my leg and I begin to shake. Muffling through the rag, I beg him to stop. I don't want this to be my first experience, I don't want this to be the end of my story. I kick out toward him, getting enough momentum to hit him in his groin and he falls over with a grunt.
I may not remember much about fighting, but I know hitting a man there is always painful. I pull against the ropes, rolling as much as I can in the dirt. I can feel the knot loosening. I pull down again, even harder, when heavy hands grab my biceps and push me down. Neol straddles me, smiling. “Oh, I do love it when they squirm.”
Calen is still lying on the ground, but he mumbles, “Just take care of her.”
