LOST

Chapter 11- Erini

Celestine

Karthur hugged me tightly. However, I couldn't return it thanks to my hands which were bound by cuffs behind my back. I strained my ears to listen to his heartbeat against my cheek. Even a few weeks inside a prison can destroy you in ways you never knew. I breathed in the sweet smell of his vest and tears welled up in my eyes. I let them fall freely. Karthur pulled back and wiped my tears with his thumbs. He pressed a finger to his mouth, motioning me to stay quiet. I nodded but I didn't understand what he was going to do. Did he not understand that the surroundings were swarming with Kythian soldiers?

"What are you doing?" I voiced out loud.

"Shush!" he hissed and led me to the back of the tent. "As soon as I heard that the Kythians had you, I had no time to think, Celestine! I needed to do something." His explanation made sense. He had just found out that I was being kept hostage and he hadn't gotten time to work out an actual plan.

"So that sword incident with Aiden was you?" I asked. When he nodded, my eyebrows shot up to my hairline.

 "But how did you manage to do that?" I asked, completely bewildered. The trick was a good one until the person realized that there was a sword on the ground that he was about to walk into. How did Karthur know that Aiden would step on the sword?

"Celestine, people like him are way in over their heads. They are proud and conceited and always hold their heads high. That does give quite an advantage to those below. I saw an opportunity and took it. I just instructed a person to hold a thin sword in the line of Aiden's footsteps," Karthur explained. "I know this isn't enough to help you escape but I had to talk to you."

Tears welled up in my eyes once more and a sob escaped my lips. Karthur smelled of the numerous women he was with but this time, the scent was not as overpowering as usual. He smelled more of Satian. Of home.

"How have y-you been-," I started, eager to talk with him like old times but he cut me off abruptly.

"We can exchange pleasantries later," he hissed. "First tell me how to get you out of here!"

"I don't know, Karthur," I said. He groaned and tugged his hair with his hands in frustration.

"What do they want to do with you?" he asked quickly. I realized why. Time was running out and it was just a matter of time before the Kythians figured out that I had disappeared.

"The King is going to try to use me to blackmail mother and father into giving up Satian," I started. Karthur snorted a frustrated laugh at that.

"Does Shackle realize that the Mydar and Sasha won't give up a country for one person? Even if it is their daughter?" Karthur snarled.

"Yeah, I think he knows that," I said in hushed tones. "That's why he's going to use me to find out who Hudson is."

There was a silence. Karthur turned red and shook my shoulders, not even bothering to be gentle.

"Never. Tell. Them. Who. He. Is," he gritted out through his clenched teeth. I nodded vigorously.

"I haven't and I never will," I assured him. "But after the war is over and if they win, I will be killed."

Karthur froze. I knew it was obvious that they would kill me once I was of no use to them but I think hearing the words just made it difficult for Karthur. He finally managed to find his words.

"We love you, Celestine. Even if we have to give you up to save Satian, we love you more than you could ever imagine," he said, his voice cracking at the end.

I heard the King of Kythia shouting at the top of his lungs. His voice itself made me flinch. I looked at Karthur one last time and sprinted out of the tent. Everyone noticed me immediately. I spotted Ramah who looked visibly relieved when he saw me. I realized that if I ever managed to escape, my guards would be beheaded for their incompetence.