The Vanished Kingdom

The vanished kingdom-stuck

"Thes is where ye will stay for tonight!" Rustic shoved Audrey into the room.

She harshly rolled onto the floor. Then Rustic pulled her by her dress and got her to her feet. He pulled her neck and brought it to a rope which was hanging from the ceiling. Then he tied the rope loosely around her neck. Her eyes turned wide with fear as she realized that she was about to be hanged!

"Don't ya wurry, little princess, I have strict orders to not kill yer. But if yer try escaping, I will pull, and it might be a little painful," he snickered.

Slowly he pulled until she was barely touching the ground. She felt a slight pain through her neck, but it wasn't too harsh. The rest of the night went by really slowly, none of them talked, but both were wide awake. Audrey didn't dare to escape, instead she remembered the events that had taken place. She had given a speech, than had been kidnapped. Given a speech, than had gotten kidnapped. Given a speech, than had gotten kidnapped......the same words circled around her head, until she had finally understood!

"Why of course! I'm in north Claristin, which is exactly the place I had said in my speech that there would," She stopped thinking for a moment, and her eyes turned wide, "I'm who the people of the north blame for the law! If I don't escape now, than the gates and boundaries between north and the south will be closed! That is if I even get to live, first."

*** 

Audrey had only rested for an hour, but when she had woken up she had noticed she was not where she was before. She was seated on a chair and in front of her was a head chopper! Many men had gathered around her eager to see the show of her being killed. Audrey's hands were again tied up, but when she looked down she also realized what she was wearing. Her dress was taken off so only her white garments she had put on under her dress were showing. She felt lighter now that the dress had been taken off. And when she looked at her hair on the side, she noticed that someone had cut her hair to neck level and had coloured it chestnut brown.

"What happened to me?" Audrey squeaked, looking directly at Rustic, who had a blade in one hand.

A tall middle aged man emerged from behind several men. The men cleared a way so the man could walk. He had a sly straight face, but was also arrogant looking. Audrey could tell that he was the leader.

"Why princess it's nice to meet you too," he bowed down trying to mock her. 

"Now, we shall not blame all on my poor worker, Rustic. He had done his job quite wonderfully. And I'm sorry if your favourite little tutu was taken off, and maybe even some hair being cut off and..." He pretended to act sorry but they all knew he didn't care.

Audrey completely loathed the man and scowled as he kept talking. He was the reason she was here. He commanded his men to bring her while all he did was stay in his luxurious home.

"See that clock over there?" The leader asked, "well, in one hour, after breakfast, we shall begin your reaping."

Then he turned his heel and walked out of the room. The rest of the men left, leaving Audrey tied up and alone in the room. Audrey felt tired so she decided to rest for a while. They had locked the door but Audrey could still tell they were all on the other side of her wall because the walls were the opposite of soundproof, so she could clearly hear them.

Ten minutes later, Audrey heard loud knocks coming from the door. Audrey closed her eyes again knowing that it was another one of their friends who had came to see the show where the princess cry's for help.

"Hello, I am one of the maids you ordered to come," the voice was faint but Audrey recognized her to be her own maid, Mary!

Audrey was in full alert now on everything that was happening.