Loreena

How it All Went Wrong

This was not how it was supposed to happen. A prisoner locked in the back of a carriage. Her hands bound and chained. Her lace gown wrinkled and her the feeling of her wedding ring burning her finger. Every now and then her head bangs against the dirty wood from the uneven road. However, she feels no pain. The only thing she feels are the tears streaming down her cheeks, illuminated by the moonlight that slips through the tiny iron-barred window. Her ears ring from the cries of her once fellow people. They screamed profanities at her as they let their children throw heavy, sharp-edged stones at her defenseless body. They called her daughter of the witch and the traitor. She doesn't dare to close her eyes, for the images of fire, rope and cold lifeless eyes haunt her. Why is she still alive? According to them it was so she could get a proper trial. They aren't fooling anyone. Everybody knows that once you get into dungeons of the capital you are not coming out alive, or sane for that matter. In a way her parents were the lucky ones...

After traveling for hours, maybe even days, the carriage comes to a sudden stop, causing her to fall head first onto a crate beside her. The soldiers' cries can be heard. She doesn't know what is happening so she waits silently and tries to understand the situation. The sound of metal clashing against metal sends a chill down her spine. Not even a minute later there is dead silence. She has a bad feeling. Should she try to brake the carriage door? Should she try to hide herself between the crates? Before she can make a decision the door is unlocked and kicked open from the outside. Her hopes of escape perish as she gapes at the site in front of her. A man. A man covered in blood. He looks at her, eyes widening for a split second before his cold demeanor returns.

"Rohan!" the man shouts, to his companion-she presumes. He turns his head to the right and her blood runs cold. Right there, where his shoulder meets his neck lies a tattoo of a serpent. Its body wrapped around twin daggers. She knows exactly who these people are. Pirates. The worst of their kind. Oh, she is definitely going to die. She looks away from the tattoo and the weapon he wields. Instead she risks a glance at his face. Despite the blood, he has a child-like visage. Were they not to meet like this she would never take him for a criminal. The other man however, his features may be pleasing but his piercing onyx eyes that wield a wild fire within them would make the bravest men cower and think twice before provoking him. The two pirates share a look and with a grin on his face Rohan speaks.

"What a pleasant surprise! What could the soldiers possibly want with you fair lady? Oh, you must have been terrified." he says, voice laced with sarcasm. He is without a doubt mocking her.

"If you are to kill me then do so swiftly. Take me out of my misery already." she pleads, feeling defeated. Her voice rough from crying. The pirate's sickening smile only grows.

"I am terribly sorry fair lady but i simply cannot do that. You see, you are the key to our plan."

"And why would I ever assist in your plan?"

His gaze darkens into something dangerous, threatening, deadly. He unsheathes his sword and yanks her by her long auburn hair. His face inches from hers. Eyes boring into her, warning her.

"You are to help us my fair lady. For if you do not, I will make sure to do to you ten times worse what the soldiers would have."

Her face pales. She knows what awaits her. These men are merciless. For the time being, she does not want to face the wrath of a madman so she will cooperate.

"Lock her up Merek." he gives out his command and with a gut-wrenching laugh he walks back the way he came from.

Once out of sight she lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding and relaxes her shoulders. Remembering the other presence she looks towards Merek as he approaches her once again, the looks he gives her indifferent and unforgiving.

"Name."

"L-Loreena." She curses her stuttering.

"Why were you arrested... Loreena."

"Witchcraft" The details are not important.

After giving her one last look he grabs onto the carriage door and slams it shut. The sound of the door locking can be heard and she is once again alone. The carriage starts moving again. She huddles up in a corner where she can pretend that she won't be found and finally her eyes close, heavy and exhausted.

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(originally written in french for a competition)

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Constructive criticism is well appreciated!

:)