Part 17

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  part 17

"What's wrong, your Highness?" Alfred asked as he saw the king running towards his horse. The king had mixed emotions: anger, hatred, disappointment, and worry. He continued to rush to where his horse was. As soon as he mounted his horse, he ordered sternly, "Hurry back to the kingdom! Our queen has been captured by the enemy!" and then, he dashed off with his horse.

Alfred, more popularly known as the Black Knight, hearing this had his temper ignited. He was in love with the queen and he won't allow anyone to hurt her. But of course, he did know his boundaries. The queen was already married, obviously. He cannot just barge into someone's marriage like that... especially if that marriage is of the king's.

He mounted his horse speedily and rounded all the soldiers who were still fighting. "Hurry back! We must get the queen! Everyone, retreat!" The soldiers each began mounting their horses and dashing back to the kingdom.

"Fuck that bastard who kidnapped the queen!" thought Alfred as he passed the forest in between the two kingdoms. "Al, Al!" his brother Matthew called, "What's happening? Why are we retreating?"

"The queen was kidnapped by the enemy. We were caught off-guard." He clicked his tongue as he realized their mistake. Matthew rode his horse beside his brother. He knew his brother was in love with the queen, by the tone of his voice, Alfred was not pleased—he was angered. Matthew clearly knew what Alfred could do when he gets angry.

"Brother," he started calmly, "Calm yourself down. I know what you are thinking, we will get our revenge. We will get our queen back. Don't worry, everything will be fine. You won't be able to resolve anything if you are angry right now."

Alfred turned to him, his deep blue eyes filled with hatred, "Calm down? Calm down? How the fucking hell will I calm down knowing that our queen was kidnapped, huh?" Matthew's eyes widened in astonishment, usually when he says that to his brother he would calm down, but this time, it was different. He sighed in defeat, "I know. But please, just calm down, seriously."

"I won't calm down until I know that our queen is safe!" he insisted as he pushed his horse to its fastest.


At first, she wasn't sure where she was really brought. When she left her twins, Antonio blindfolded her, and the next thing she knew, they were on a horse. Now she was sure of it... Antonio had brought her to a ship and she was tied.

The smell of the salt water air, the warm rays of the sun hitting her face, and those occasional rocking of the boat as it hit the waves. She hasn't been able to ride a ship before, and she hopes she won't get seasick. Her ears picked up a conversation, "Capitan, we are four miles away from the shore. If our estimated are correct, we will arrive there by a day or two."

"I see... Gracias."

After a few minutes of loud chattering, she heard footsteps nearing her. She wasn't really sure if she was outside or inside the cabin. She gulped in fear that it might be a pervert. She was having cold sweats. She bit her lip as the footsteps got closer.

"Mi amor, we will arrive soon." The voice was familiar, familiar indeed. The footsteps stopped in front of her, "Antonio, why do you do this to me? Arthur and I didn't do anything to you."

Antonio removed her blindfold and threw it to the ground. He caressed her cheek with a smile, "Mi amor, you haven't done anything wrong to me" And then suddenly, his voice changed into that of a mad man's. He slapped her face and stood up, "but your husband did!" he stressed, "if only you had chosen me instead of that... that... caterpillar-brow then all of this would not have happened! We could've been back in Reino, taking care of OUR children!"

He stared at her from above, "I gave you a choice, me or him. You still chose him, after I gave everything up for you?" He raised his hand, ready to slap her once again. But Maria didn't wince nor cower in fear, she remained firm, "Antonio, we haven't known each other for that long yet. Arthur and I were childhood friends. I have been in love with him since we were small! You say you love me, but you won't allow me to be happy. Why?"

Her hazel eyes started to become a blur because of all the tears that had gathered. Her left cheek had a bruise because of the man's slap. "Maria, do you not understand? I have had so many marriage proposals from different noble families, and I refused them! Why, you ask? Because deep down inside, I knew they weren't for me. I didn't love them; I never did love them." He turned away from her and started walking in circles.

"They were only after the money, reputation, the Reino! But you, you loved me for who I was, not as the king, but as a normal person. You were the first ever person who didn't want my fortune, the first ever I fell in love with."

"But Antonio," Maria sobbed, "I only loved you... as a friend. I didn't see you as a love interest. I'm sorry for raising your hopes up."

"Maria," he knelt in front of her and held her face up, "Just this once, can you not grant me my wish? All my life I have been following orders. Now that I have found something that I chose for myself, will you not give me this? I never... felt so desperate in my life. I thought I had found the meaning of my existence, which happened to be you." Antonio was now crying, he wasn't sure either why, but all he knows was that he was desperate.

"I can never love you as much as I love Arthur. I'm sorry."

"No! I will not let this! We will get married, Maria. Love or no love!" he insisted, standing up and wiping his tears. "That bastardo won't be able to follow us—he won't ever find you! So don't get your hopes up." With this, he left the girl inside the room- still tied.


The troop had arrived back at the palace, it was a bloody sight, but all they worried about was the queen. Both Arthur and Alfred dashed to the master's chamber where Maria and the twins could have been.

"Maria!" Arthur slammed the door open only to hear the pitiful cries of the twins who were left alone in that room. Arthur dashed to his children, holding them in his arms immediately. Tears ran down his face, "I'm so glad you both are safe!"

Alfred, although a bit touched by the scene, tried to look for the missing queen. "Your Highness, the queen is nowhere to be seen!" Arthur's head rose up, "I know where they are going. Tell them to prepare the fastest ships we have. We're going to sea."

Alfred saluted, and then dashed off.

"Don't worry, Elizabeth, Philip, we will get your mother back."

A few minutes later, everything was prepared for their sailing. Arthur called for a nanny to take care of his twins. He ran towards the dock and started sailing. "If my guesses are correct, they should be at the Mediterranean sea by now." Arthur walked towards the ship's wheel. "I'm driving. Lads, prepare yourselves for a war."

Everyone started rushing, preparing for another war—but this time, at sea. They loaded the canons and started wearing armours. Alfred was again with them, along with his brother Matthew who once again seemed invisible.


After a few hours of travelling at sea, the ship Antonio was on started slowing down. They were really sure that no one would ever be able to catch them.

Antonio once again entered the room Maria was in; he approached the sleeping lady who was still slumping on the floor with her hands tied to a pole. He removed her ties and carried her over to the bed. He laid her down gently, placing the blanket on top of her and giving her a quick kiss on the forehead. "It won't be long, mi amor."

He went out and closed the door behind him. It was already night time and most of his crew members were asleep.  

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