The Quest

Aftermath

     I wake up to my head pounding. I reach up and touch my head, there is a huge knot where the captains punched me at. I lift my head up and see that I'm upside down, all I can see is the ground. I realize that I'm still tied to the horse, and we are moving. The horse. Alexander. The captain. That's what I remember. Him going down, me screaming, the final blow, and the dream. Hopefully Juno is okay, he has been my companion through my journey. The horse starts to slow down, and it stops. In my line of vision I see the captain come towards me.

"Finally awake, I see." He says.

"Don't get anywhere near me." I spit out.

"I'm going to have to teach you some manners before you visit the king."

"I'm not going near that filth." I sneer. In response I belive a smack right to my mouth. I taste blood, it starts running down my chin.

"That's what you get! You do not disrespect the king!" He roars in fury. What is this guy's deal? He's so obsessed with the king and respect towards him. He gets me off the horse, and ties me to a tree. It's getting dark, and I'm guessing we are stopping for the night. I watch the captain door a while, the same routine that I go through each night. Perimeter check, then the fire, and finally food. He gives me some, and water. I nibble on the food slightly, and I drink all the water. The captain rummages through his bag, and he pulls out a rag and a brush. He throws them over to me.

"Get yourself all cleaned up." He says coldly. I pick up the cloth and I dab it on my face until the dirt is all gone. I brush my hair out and I braid it into a crown. I see that the captain also has my bag filled with my things. He pulls out the dress I was going to wear to the ball.

"Here put this on, so you'll look presentable when you meet the king." He turn his back, which I'm grateful for, and I quietly get changed. It's kind of awkward when your hand are tied to the tree. But I manage. After I'm done, I look down. If only Alexander was here to see me.

"We'll rest here, and travel all day until we reach the kingdom."

"Why don't you kill me now?" I ask with my head held high.

"I don't want to kill you. You have a beautiful face that's suitable for the king." He replies. I let his words sink in. He is going to give me to the king as a gift. The king can do anything with me. I slowly shake my head.

"No!" I say fiercely.

"It's too late, the deal is already done." He replies almost instantly. I study the captain for a minute, he's a burly man. With a thick brown mustache, with matching brown hair filled with gray streaks here and there with piercing brown eyes. The most disturbing thing about him is the long jagged scar that covers the left half of his face. He catches me staring and his eyebrows go up, a mischievous smile grows.

"Like what you see?" He questions.

"In your dreams." I laugh. Though the captain would have been handsome if he was 20 years younger. Age has not been on his side.

"What's in it for you." I question, curiosity has gotten to me.

"What do you mean?" He asks confused.

"Why do you respect the king so much? Why did you come out to find Alexander?" The questions leave my mouth.

"The king is a noble man, he saved my life, and now I owe him. I'm the one who looks after Alexander, I'm his personal guard, but then Alexander was gone. His father was infuriated, with me and him. He told me to go and find Alexander, if I didn't succeed then I was not welcome back at the castle." He gets a faraway look on his face.

"That gives him no right." I protest.

"The thing is he is my king and I serve him." He replies. He turns around and walks away at that. I follow him, and I see that we have visitors. The other soldiers have finally met up with us. The speak in hushed, hurried voices. He orders them to spread out  and into their positions. They have caught my attention, I'm very curious. I sit there looking sun go down and the moon roll in. I slowly shut my eyes to escape reality.