Betrothed (NOT UPDATING ANYMORE)

Chapter Four

The creature tightened its grip on me, and I could hear the tearing of my dress. "Help!" I screamed, hoping someone from the palace could hear me.

Daisy barked and then I heard a whine followed by a 'thump'. "Daisy!" I scanned the area looking for her nervously. I spotted her body lying near a tree.

I winced as I could feel the spikes starting to poke my skin. I looked at the basilisk's head and it was focused on me. It's sharp teeth were coming closer. I couldn't move, I was too frozen in fear and too focused on the sharp jagged teeth that were coming closer. Just as I was thinking about becoming this creatures lunch, an arrow was shot and landed in the snakes mouth. I breathed a sigh of relief. I looked down, and sure enough Terrence and a couple of guards were staring at the basilisk.

"Cassandra are you okay?" Terrence looked up at me concerned.

I nodded slightly, not able to say anything.

Terrence looked at the guards. The giant snake looked at Terrence. The sight of more prey made it more excited. The basilisk roared and Terrence drew his sword. The guards moved frantically, distracting the basilisk from Terrence.

I watched Terrence carefully as he came up from the side, near where I was being held. I winced as a spike touched my skin, so close to piercing me. Suddenly, the tail was chopped off and it let me go. I heard the basilisk screech and then it disappeared into the woods.

Trees whizzed by as I fell. I closed my eyes and opened them slightly when I realised that someone had caught me. Terrence looked down at me with a slight smile. "Thank goodness your safe." His arms around me tightened. I buried my face in his chest and tears started to spill. "Pick up the dog, I'll take the Princess back to the castle. Make sure that hound gets a healer, and quick." I heard the guards mumble in reply and scurry away quickly.

I was still in Terrence's arms. My pride was wounded, but I didn't care at this point. I just wanted to stay here. Terrence set me down on my feet. He held my shoulders trying to look at me. He tilted my chin and looked at me intently, with a small smile. "Are you alright?"

I stepped back. "I'm fine."

Something flashed in his eyes, but it went away as soon as it came. "That was a basilisk correct?"

I frowned then nodded. "Yes. I remember reading a book about them."

Terrence looked at where the basilisk left its trail. "It came from the west." He murmured. He walked through the brush and told me to stay where I was. I huffed and followed him anyway.

I was right behind him when I asked, "What are you doing?"

Terrence jumped slightly and I snorted. He turned to glare at me. "I thought I told you to stay put." He growled.

I crossed my arms. "Since when do I listen to you? And shouldn't we be getting back to the palace right now?"

Terrence looked at the forest where the basilisk came from then looked at me, He sighed and ran his hands through his dark wavy hair. "Fine. Lead the way Princess."

I glared at him one last time before I turned around and headed back to the palace, Terrence close on my heel.

I had crossed the gate to the courtyard and maids rushed over. "Make sure she doesn't have any injuries." Terrence said then glared at me. "I can't believe your so stupid as to go into the forest by yourself without a guard."

"Oh shush you. Daisy is far better a guard then you'll ever be." Speaking of which, I looked over to the kennel where father kept his dogs. "Is Daisy okay?"

Alison, another maid I was close with, looked at me and answered. "Princess she's doing fine. Now about your dress..."

"Where are you keeping her?"

Terrence spoke as Alison was just about to answer. "No one is allowed to tell her where the dog is until she is checked for injuries." He then looked at me. "Worry about yourself first Princess, then worry about the dog."

This shocked me and the staff as it was deathly quiet. I shot him a glare then stormed off muttering incoherent sentences.

The maids checked me once, twice and thrice over to make sure there was no poison. I asked them for the hundredth time where Daisy was and when they answered, I ran out of the room and to the kennel where most of the dogs were kept.

Tears were brought to my eyes when I walked in. Daisy was on a pillow while a healer attended to her. I walked up and put Daisy's head in my lap. I looked at the healer. "Was she hit with any poison?"

"No she wasn't, thankfully, but she was thrown pretty hard on the ground. Her back left leg is broken, so I assumed she landed on it when she fell."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "She's going to be fine then?"

The healer nodded and smiled. "She's going to be fine." I smiled down at Daisy and she gave me her signature grin with the tail wagging and tongue sticking out.