The Vampire's Crimson Kiss (Editing)

Chapter 33/Lost in a forest

The cart had stopped. The river pirates who had caught us on the river seemed pensive. I looked at Cub/Isha.

I could hear someone on horseback riding over and stomping.

"Tell me your load and your destination," said a man's voice outside. There was clearly more than one of them, I could hear the horses stamping.

"Who the hell asks?" said the coachman up front.

"Captain Duran of the First Earth Army." said a proud young man's voice " Nothing travels without inspection and a donation to the revolution."

For an instant, I was pleased. The First Earth Army had turned up to some of my farther's meetings. They were near fanatics willing to support anyone who was willing to fight the Vampires. They could reuse us and even pass a message of my good health to my father. For a second I felt happy to be rescued by them but then I realised what happened. My heart sank. I was dressed like a familiar and now had the coven mark. The First Earth Army tended to kill familiar's first and think about the finer points later.

I looked out.

"First Earth Army" I whispered to Cub/Isha.

Even in the dim of the cage light could see her shoulders slump.

"What are you carrying?" Captain Duran said.

"None of your forking business." said the voice.

There was the sound of a sword being drawn.

"Say that again." said the voice of Captain Duran.

Suddenly there was the sound of blades being drawn. There was a short but intensive battle. The sound of metal on metal and perhaps horses running after someone. My heart sank as I realise we were now the property of the New Earth Army.

"OK let's see what was so precious to them," said the voice of the Captain.

"My name is Princess Victoria of the Badlands" I shouted before they could pull the covers off. They still did.

"I can explain the dress," I said as the covers were pulled off.

We were surrounded by a small pack of men many wearing the green of the first Earth army. The one calling himself Captain Duran had a beard and long-ish black hair. He kind of looked like Che Guevara, young revolutionary, something heroic about him. Everyone, seeing what we were like, pulled their weapons up.

"Coven witches," he said looking at us.

"Yeah I know what we look like. Honestly, I can explain. " I began smiling "Look iron cage. Name me someone who travels in an iron cage."

This had the effect of confusing Captain Duran. He looked up to the sky.

"Hmm. It's getting on. Get them back to base." he said, "We can torture them for information and execute them there."

"Good plan" I said "except for the torture and execution bit. I think we can work on that." 

One of the men jumped up and took the reins of the horses pulling the cart. The canvas was thrown over us again but badly and leaving a large gap near the back. The cart set off at a pace.

"Hey, Captain. Look I know this doesn't look good but my father the King of the Badlands is a great friend of the F.E.A and it might be, ohooo a little bit irritated if his oldest daughter was killed by mistake." I said.

"And is the other one also a daughter of the King of the Badlands" said Duran pointing at Cub/Isha.

"No she's a coven girl" I said.