Letters of Penance

Chapter 2

~~~~~ Timothy's POV ~~~~~

"Is everything ready?" I ask my second-in-command, Castor Contrier. "Everything's set up - just as planned." I nod in approval.

*We might make it. We might actually make it!

I thought to myself, allowing a quick flare of hope to ignite my determination. "Wait for my signal. We have to be done with this as soon as possible. The wives will be ready once we're done with this. No one will think she's the Ojo once they're done with her. Get the men ready!" I say heading for the secret entrance.

I stay silent as I see a few of the troops making the sign of the anting - an old way of wishing a person immense luck.

*I'm gonna need it.

~~~~~ Veronika's POV ~~~~~

"Presenting her Royal Highness, Regis Filia Veronika de Bough!" the announcer's loud voice echoes inside the hall.

The screams quite down - probably in fear. Fear of me.

My parents beckon me to approach them. *But I don't want to. I think dully while slowly making my way to the black marble dais. I settle into the warm throne beside my father. I nod in acknowledgement. A guard holds up a hand, signaling my father to start the Act of Tawad.

"Dear ones, you are here today to receive punishment for your wrong doings. Is anyone willing to object to this known truth?" We wait in silence, knowing that no one will ever speak up. No one ever does. "No one? At least everyone is being honest. According to this scroll, five shall be tried. Five shall be given a chance. A chance to repent, to proclaim the mercy we have bestowed." The sound of the trumpet prevents me from laughing my head off.

*Honesty? Mercy? What is this bastard talking about? I make my way to the podium.

*I don't want to do this anymore. I take the microphone from my father.

*Someone help me.

BANG! Screams and shouts fill my ears seconds after the explosion.

BANG! Hands roughly take me by the shoulders. Leading me away. *I should be panicking. Why aren't I panicking?

BANG! A handkerchief is held against my nose. *It's so bitter. Darkness creeps in from the edges. "What have you done to me?" I ask pathetically; weakly. And I am enveloped in darkness.

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I awake to a dark environment. "Where...?" I ask the dead air. I'm sitting on wet grass, leaning against a dead tree. I lift my arms but am surprised that it's bound together by a silver chain. I glance down and find that my dress is ruined. The skirt now until my knees only, the once clean silk now muddy and crumpled. The upper part of the garment seemed intact though dirty. Not like I would care. I notice that my feet were bound as well, except this time by a thick leather thong.

"Hello?" I say in a voice as loud as I can muster.

"Hello?" I repeat. "Is anyone here? Please help me..." I say, but I hear no response. I decide to let it go for a moment and try to remember what happened. I remember being in the Hall of Punishment, about to take the microphone away from my father. And then... The explosion. The screams. The hands taking me away. I can't remember anything else. Why can't I remember? Was I asleep? Maybe this is a dream. A sick nightmare my mind made up to scare me even more, to make me even guitier of what I'm about to do.

But I know that's not the case. I know.

Only now do I realize that there's a bottle of water about a foot away from me. Perhaps my captors realized that I would need that and food at some point, so I scanned the area in search of some sort of food. I'm starving. I see nothing other than the bottle of water, so I take it without hesitation. "Beggars can't be choosers..." I mutter before twisting the cap open.

"Oh, you're awake." My head snaps up, spilling some of the water in the bottle. I turn my head towards the voice and am surprised by what I see. A boy, not so far from my age, probably 18 or 19, was standing beside a tree, holding an electric lamp that gave off a slightly sepia-like color. He is handsome, I'll give you that. People I meet seldom are. He has cropped, dark brown hair that was just dying to be touched. He's tall, easily 6.2" ft and a little skinny. He wore black jeans, a white polo shirt, a navy blue windbreaker and hiking boots. His other hand was holding a bow and hanging on his shoulder was a quiver full of arrows. And his eyes... Even though there is little light, I can see how beautiful they are. A luminescent green. Kinda like the emerald ring my father gave to me during my 10th birthday.

"You must be hungry. I'm sorry, your highness, if we have caused you any... Inconvenience. Don't worry, we have no intention of hurting you. We just want to keep you here until we get what we want. I hope you don't mind." He said in an accent I just couldn't figure out. It was like a mix... How enticing. *What is wrong with you? This man just kidnapped you for heaven's sake! You should be furious! But oddly enough, I couldn't bring myself to be angry. Something in the way he talks, his voice told me that he's a good guy. No one is here in Scelus Sceleris.

"Why did you capture me? What is it you want? If you want money, I'll give it to you. Do you want jewels? We have lots in the treasury. Just let me go. " I say pleadingly.

"Please... Please let me go."

~~~~~ Timothy's POV ~~~~~

She's beautiful. She even pulled off the awful dress she was wearing. Her long scarlet hair cascaded down her shoulders in graceful waves. Skin, a pale white. With lips the color of blood. Her eyes, a beautiful grey color, like a storm cloud with thunder flashing. Her voice, though pleading, sounded like a choir of angels.

"I'm sorry Princess, but I can't do that." I say walking towards her. I crouch down and hand her the pack of crackers in my pocket. "I'm Timothy, Timothy Skimon. Unfortunately to say, I'm the one who kidnapped you. You see, I'm the head of the resistance group, and we want to get this nation back on it's feet. So please just cooperate with us if you care at all for this Imperyo." I explain. "Wait, so you're telling me to just sit back and watch you take the throne from my family? Are you honestly telling me that?" she asks smirking. *I knew this would happen. How on earth could I be fooled by her beauty? God Skimon, get your act together!

"Well princess, I guess it's gonna be a long ride back to base for you," I say to her before getting up. "Get the car ready. We have to leave now if we want to make it to base by dawn." I say into the walkie-talkie I keep in the inside pocket of my windbreaker. "Let's get going your highness. My boys don't like to be kept waiting."

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Ok guys, how was it? ^~^ Please answer HONESTLY. PLEASE!!! And please VOTE, COMMENT, AND ENJOY! :)) Remember, if you comment, or vote you are encouraging me to continue this story. :D Tell me if you have any suggestions or questions. :)) Thank You!!!

~Gaby52~

P.S. if you're wondering, I am NOT 52 years old XD.