My Choice

Chapter 3

I sit up in bed, pain still coercing through my body. I sigh, thinking about what my father will do and how I'll make it through his punishment. It is three hours before dawn. The moonlight shining brightly through my window. I get up from the warm blankets that lie on my bed. I open my door silently so I don't wake anyone. I walk down the giant hall way, down the marble steps, and into the dark kitchen. Since I obviously went to bed early last night, I missed dinner. I grab random pieces of food that lay on the counter. I hear a door squeak open so I hurriedly turn around . To my surprise, it was just Hadrian. He bows,"Good morning, my princess. Might I ask why you are up so early?" I nod,"I was just a bit hungry. I came down here to get something to put my hunger at bay." He nods,"I see." I take a bite out of whatever is in my hand at the time. "By the way, Hadrian, there's no need to be so formal when it's just you in me. You're like a brother to me." He smiles,"I see you as a little sis as well, Ry." My eyes widen at the nickname. I jump on him,"Hadri!" We laugh. I say my goodbyes and I head upstairs. I hear my parents waking up so I quicken the pace. I jump in bed and pretend to be asleep. Footsteps hurry towards my room. The door swings open and I jump up. My father stands there looking extremely angry. He grabs me by my neck roughly and yells,"Why the hell did you lie to me?!" I stare at him, confused. "What do you mean?" His grip tightens around my neck. I could barely breath as I struggle against his grip. "I-I c-can't b-breath.." He instantly let's go. I fall to the ground in a violent coughing fit. "Who were you with?" He glares at me, waiting for an answer. "N-nobody..." He slaps me,"Don't lie to me! You were with that hunter, Asher, weren't you?!" I look away. Once again, he slaps me."How many times must I tell you?! I don't like you spending your time with him! He'll hurt you!" Something in me snapped right then and there. I glare at him,"Hurt me, huh? The only one who hurts me is you! You are the one who slaps me, pulls me by my hair, locks me places, abuses me! Asher is not like you, father!" He stands there, stunned."I-I don't understand, Ryia. How could you say that?" I stand up and walk towards the door," No father! The question is how can you live with yourself? Violence will be your downfall." I run out the room and towards the stables. I get my horse, who was waiting patiently for my arrival. I hear my father calling my name and the heavy footsteps of soldiers behind me. I quickly hop on my horse and take off. I didn't know where I was going to go but I had to get away from home. I headed to the darkest part of the forest when an idea popped into my head. I got of my horse, wrote a note to Asher, and tied it to my saddle. I look at my horse,"Go to Asher." Almost immediately, it takes off. I sigh and walk to the nearest river. I stare at the sparkling water below me. I notice a large tree branch that reaches from one side of the river, sitting about 5 feet above the water. I climb it, never taking my eyes off the water. When I reach the highest point on the branch, I take a deep breath and fall. Coldness. The thing that has surrounded me my entire life. I do not resist as I sink to the bottom, slowly losing oxygen. Arms suddenly wrap around me and hoist me out of the freezing water. Let go. I am dragged on snowy ground to a tree far away from the river. I violently cough up water and look to see who the perpetrators are. To my amazement, I recognized the figures. "Dain, Berinon, what are you doing here?" They both raise an eyebrow at me. "We could ask you the same question, princess." I growl and Dain notices. He punches Berinon on the arm,"She doesn't like to be called that, idiot." I stand up and start to walk away. Dain grabs me,"Where do you think you're going, Ryia?" I frown,"Back to the river." His dark hazel eyes widen,"So you didn't fall by accident?" I shake my head. I look up at them. I notice the anger in Berinon's eyes and the pity in Dain's. A hand forcefully grabs mine and something soft touches my lips. My eyes widen as I realize that it was Dain's lips that rested on mine. He pulls away as I am captured in another kiss, this time it was Berinon. I push away from both of them, a blushing mess. They both grab one of my hands and leads me to their horses. "We are taking you home." I pull back,"No! I don't want to go back there!" Berinon picks me up and sets me on a horse. "You have no choice." I glare daggers at him but stay silent. I knew he was right. I never have a choice. It takes about an hour until we reach my home. Dain opens the door followed by Berinon and I. My father turns and stares astonished at me. "R-Ryia!" He runs to me. I freeze when he hugs me. I pull away,"Why?" Confused, he looks at me as I am still soaked with the freezing river water. "Why are you wet?" Dain clears his throat and looks away. Berinon instead was going to be an ass and tell my father. "We had just rescued her from a river not to far from here. She had been determined to end her life." He grabs me and holds me closer to him,"If I might be so bold, my king, perhaps if you allowed us to take her home with us we may keep her safe and reform her into a proper lady." My father thinks for a moment then speaks,"I suppose that's not a bad idea. Servants! Go pack a large bag for my daughter. She will be leaving soon." They bow and put there task into action. Anger consumes me. I can no longer hold back my fury. "Father! I will not go! I do not wish to go and you cannot make me!" He glares and slaps me with such strength to where I fall down on the marble floor. Dain looks at my father with such anger then at me. He helps me to my feet and stands in front of me protectively. "Your majesty, we will be leaving now." By now the servants had brought what I needed to the carriage. Dain and Berinon bow and take me away. Tears fall down my face. I do not speak for the rest of the journey. "Here we are." I get out and head to the door. Lord Oliver greets me warmly. I curtsy and the boys show me to my room, which just happened to be between both of there's. this is going to be a long couple weeks  I open the door and examine the room. I close the curtains and climb into bed. I cry and cry until I finally drift off to sleep.