Betrothed (NOT UPDATING ANYMORE)

Chapter Eleven

The toughest part of our journey was through the Oplaque Mountain pass to get into Jarseth from Hern. Hern was all mountains while Jarseth was just a flat sheet. This pass was the longest part of our journey and would be trouble. It's where most of the bandits hide, so if we were to run into trouble it would happen here as the nearest town or village in both kingdoms is at least a good hour or so aways.

One of the guards, whose name I found out was Luke, had asked me about my relationship with Terrence. "You two finally got together eh?"

I smiled and nodded. "Yes we did. I guess everyone was pretty shocked weren't they?"

"You have no idea Princess. When I saw it with me own two eyes I didn't believe what I was seein! I thought it was me dream or somethin! Roght Jim?"

I giggled and the other guard, whose name was Jimothy smiled. "I guess it was a surprise to all of us. Especially to Her Royal Majesty. I guess she was rooting for you two to not get together."

I frowned. "But she and my mother always tried to get us together."

The two guards laughed. "The Queen never sat well with the betrothal. It was the Kings idea as your father and him were best friends and thought that it would be a good idea to join two kingdoms together." Jimothy said.

Luke nodded. "He's roght about that ain't you Jimothy? Always roght aboot somethin or other! Ha!" Luke's accent was interesting and I had no idea where he came from. I was just about to ask, but Jimothy held out his hand and stopped his horse.

Something was flitting through the trees and it wasn't an animal. Jimothy dismounted and told Luke to stay close to me. Jimothy went forward into the brush. We heard swords clashing and suddenly a shout and then silence. Luke looked at me his eyes suddenly full of sadness. Jimothy won't be coming back. "Princess, get out of here as fast as you can."

I looked at Luke. "Are you out of your mind? I can't just leave you here!"

"Princess, if something happens to you, the Prince will have my head!"

Suddenly, I heard an arrow hit flesh and Luke's body fell to the ground in front of Sterling. Both my guards were dead and I was alone surrounded by who knows what. I kicked Sterling into action and we galloped away as fast as we could. We galloped through the pass and into the grove of trees that would lead me back home to Jarseth. I didn't bother looking behind me nor did I watch out for any traps. As a result Sterling collapsed beneath me and I landed in a net trap.

My heart pounded in my chest as a large group of men surrounded the net on the forest floor. I felt my breathing go uneven as I tried to calm down. I was terrified. I had my feet tucked under me and I was noticeably shaking. All of the men turned to let someone pass and I took this moment to rip the necklace off and stuff it into my bodice.

The net was lowered and I fell to the ground. I moaned as my back had hit some sticks and rocks. I looked up and tried to scramble away but they caught me before I could even think about running. The net was nowhere to be seen anymore and I blew hair out of my face. My arms were held behind my back. I stood up straight and calmly not letting any weakness showing. Sterling lay lifeless on the ground.

The man in charge was obviously the man with the multiple tattoos of creatures that seemed to start at his head and go down his neck to his arms and I assumed his chest and legs were covered. His eyes were full of malice and anger as he looked at me. "Princess Cassandra." He laughed, his voice silencing the forest. He walked closer to me and I stepped back into the other barbarian who was behind me. I glared at him as he fingered my hair and brought it to his nose. "The rumours about you hardly do your beauty justice." I didn't say anything and let him talk himself tired. "Do you know why we want you?" He snarled when I didn't answer. "Playing the quiet game huh? Well let me tell you, I'm not very fond of that game!" He stuck a knife at my throat but I still glared at him.

"Alright. Fine, I'll play your game you ugly brute. Why am I here? Out of all of the princesses and the ladies, of all the women, why am I, Princess Cassandra Jarseth here? Out of all places in the kingdom, in the world, why. Am. I. here?" I spat, sarcastically.

The man smiled. "Because someone who was very interested in you wanted to see you." I rolled my eyes at the stupid answer. The circle of men parted again, and Nicholas was standing in front of me with a smile.

"We meet again don't we princess?"

I didn't say anything and just glared at the snivelling snake, no worm. He was most certainly a worm. His eyes were nothing but dark onyx. Hard and cold. "Nicholas. How lovely to see you again. The weather is nice, the sun is shining, it's snowing, this just seems like the perfect place for a friendly meeting." I smiled sweetly. "Especially in the forest, standing on dirt right where worms belong."

Nicolas didn't say anything for awhile but he leaned in close. "I think Terrence would appreciate knowing that I was the nephew of the man he killed. And what better way to let him know than simply taking his beloved? The basilisk was just the beginning, now this is the end."

I struggled under the man's grip on my arms and looked at Nicholas. "You were once his friend, what happened?"

He snarled and grabbed my chin in his hand turning me to look at him roughly. "That, my princess, is none of your concern."

I tore my chin out of his hand and glared at him. "It certainly is my concern especially if I'm involved." Nicholas ignored me and waved me off as he looked at the brute behind me.

"Lock her up. I'll deal with her when the time comes."

I tried to struggle but as I did the necklace fell from my person and on the ground I froze as Nicholas picked it up and smiled. He laughed sadistically and looked at me as he pocketed it.

I stopped struggling and looked at him one more time. "I hope Terrence takes his time killing you."

Nicholas clucked his tongue. "That's no way for a princess to talk now is it?" He purred. I didn't get to respond as I was shoved into a shed and locked up. I threw myself at the door and pounded on it. After a few tries, I gave up. I slumped to the floor as the reality of the situation sunk in. I pulled my knees to my chest and started to think of a way out of here.