The Misplaced Prince[COMPLETE]

The Prophecy

Joshua let out a snarl, suddenly engulfed in flames from head to toe. Kasey watched, struggling against the deceptively strong vines choking her, as he reappeared in the next instant, the vines around him charred to dust. He pulled himself free, starting for her just as fresh ones started creeping up his legs like darting snakes.

"Release him, Vane." Lady Gwyneth said idly, "He'll obey me if he wants to see his pretty wench live."

"Let her go." Joshua commanded, his body pulsing with power. He drew up his hands, summoning a ball of inferno.

"Oh, go ahead." Lady Gwyneth said idly, "Free the girl. Lets see you do it without burning her to a crisp."

"I know the next best way." Joshua growled, turning his gaze to the man whose magic held Kasey captive, "Let her go if you want to live."

"Such dramatics." Lady Gwyneth said condescendingly. Her voice sharpened. "You may kill my brother, but that wont stop the magic that already holds the girl until he calls it back. And no amount of cutting or burning the vines will stop them from devouring her, worse every time, so that she suffocates."

Joshua glared at her, weighing the threat in her words. His hands slowly lowered. "Let her go." he said, a vessel pounding in his temple, "If you want me to do as you say, you will let her go."

"Oh, I will let her go," Lady Gwyneth cackled, "once I have you safely wedded. Two little words from you is all it takes, my Prince. That's all I ask. I cannot risk the two of you flouncing off behind my back again."

Kasey choked, horrified for Joshua. She had never generally liked Lady Gwyneth, even suspecting her of wrong doings that Joshua had hinted at earlier. Oh, she knew he had drawn the conclusion that some of Lady Gwyneth's soldiers were fighting for the Faeries instead of their own and sought to prove it. But despite speculation, there was never any concrete proof.

She also had never before had reason to believe the woman was truly evil...until now.

"No!" Kasey gritted out, struggling to draw a breath under the pressure of the vines, "Joshua...you can't!"

"He can and he will, child." Lady Gwyneth thundered. She turned a sly smile to Joshua, "He will have to keep his word."

"You want him...even after this?" Kasey choked.

Lady Gwyneth cast her an sardonic look. Her eyes widened mockingly, "This?" she looked around, amused, "You mean after watching you to frolic like a pair of lovelorn puppies?" she let out a hoot of cruel laughter, "My dear, if I were irked by every act of debauchery my betrothed engaged in after our contract, I would've dealt with him when he turned fifteen. This..." she flicked around in lowering gesture, "is the least of my worries."

"You don't love him." It was a stupid thing to say. Of course Kasey knew the lady had never loved Joshua, but she was still stupefied that she planned to go through a wedding with  not a care for her betrothed, "You just want to use him."

"Of course I want to use him. Does that surprise you?"

"Enough." Joshua commanded, every inch the regal Prince, "Let her go, Gwyneth. Do not test my patience."

Kasey was staring into Lady Gwyneth's dark eyes. They were a hypnotizing black, sucking her into their depths. There was something odd in them...flashes of violet almost too fleeting to see...and the Lady glanced at her with insolence as if she wanted Kasey to see her for who she was.

"You're not alone." she breathed, thunderstruck, "You're her."

Gwyneth's dead, widening smile confirmed her suspicion.