Ariadna was jerked to her feet sometime early the next morning, torn vividly from a dream. The man gripping her arm dragged her out of the cavern and into the open.
"Where are we going?" Ariadna asked in a small voice.
"Shut up!" the man barked.
Ariadna stayed quiet as she was dragged away from the cave. Her feet met soft grass, and she almost cried as she gulped in the fresh morning air she loved so much. Looking up, she could see the sun was beginning to rise through the canopy of tree branches that hung above. Ariadna's head was jerked back down as the man roughly shoved her into another man's chest. Pushing herself back enough to see, Ariadna realized what was happening.
The man who had woken her up was carefully climbing down one of the cliff sides that led to a small area of beach and rock below. Peering over the edge, she saw a boat waiting for them. They were going to take her off the island just like Emanuel had promised.
Panic set in as she realized they were taking her away from her island, away from the only place she'd ever known. "No," she bit out, thrashing in the man's arm to get free. She stomped on his foot like a child would. Yelping in pain, he let go of her arm.
Without pause, Ariadna took off as fast as she could. It was difficult to run through the Forbidden Forest bare foot, but it wasn't something she'd never done before. She didn't bother to look back and see if anyone was chasing her; all that mattered was getting away.
As the forest began to clear, Ariadna felt her heart jump. If she could just make it to the village, she'd be safe. Her people would protect her and she'd be reunited with her family. Her world came crashing down when arms wrapped around her torso, yanking her back.
"Not this time," Emanuel Donafrio growled into her ear. "Did you think we didn't expect you to try to escape?"
Ariadna let out the loudest scream she could manage but knew it was no use. Her one chance to get away vanished. Exhausted and drained of all energy, Ariadna slumped against Emanuel and allowed him to carry her back to the cliff. He handed her off to a different man who carried her down to the boat. They brought her below deck and set her on a small cot in a closet.
Emanuel stood at the door and grinned victoriously down at his prize. "We're almost home, my love."
Numb, Ariadna rolled on the cot to face the wall. She heard the door slam shut and lock. She heard Emanuel shout orders to his men. She felt the boat shake as the engine started, and then they were off. It was as if she could feel herself being ripped from the island, like her heart had been connected to it by a string that had now snapped in two.
Tears fell down her face, but she remained silent. All hope vanished from her body until she was left feeling cold and empty.
Ariadna didn't realize she'd fallen asleep until she was startled awake by the slam of a door. A man came into the closet and began to pick her up but she yelped in protest.
"I can walk," she said, mouth dry from crying in her sleep. If they were already at Ruman, she knew she must have slept the whole day.
Standing up, Ariadna followed the man up a set of stairs until they reached the deck. She spotted Emanuel standing on the dock arguing with several men. He caught her gaze and waved them away.
"Princess," he called, happy to see her cooperating. "Welcome to your new home. Come," he motioned for her to step off the boat and follow him, "let me show you where you'll be living form now on."
Ariadna followed him to a black van much like the one she'd been forced into back on Almoena. Ariadna climbed into the back seat next to Emanuel who smiled warmly.
"I'm happy to see you're more willing to cooperate," Emanuel noted. "Life will be much easier if you learn to submit to me."
No more words were spoken as the van drove across Ruman. Ariadna stared out the window, taking in the island's bland scenery and run down buildings. They passed through a town, and she was amazed to see so many people sleeping in the streets and against building walls. Trash littered the streets, and somewhere in the distance she heard gun shots.
The van finally stopped once they'd reached a large white house. Emanuel led Ariadna through the front door. He held his arms open wide and spun around slowly. "Beautiful, isn't it? When your father banished me from Almoena, I sought shelter here on Ruman, and I've been building an empire here ever since."
Emanuel led the princess up two flights of stairs before opening a wooden door and pushing her into it the room.
"This is where you will stay until we've married," he said, "and then you will share my room until we take my castle back. Make yourself comfortable." He closed the door and locked it, leaving her alone again.
Ariadna slowly surveyed the room. There was only one window on the opposite wall from the door, but it had been barred to keep her from trying to escape. A small bed had been pushed against one wall, and next to it stood a table. There was a mirror hanging on the wall and a toilet in the corner. The walls were a bland yellow color.
Sitting on the bed, Ariadna pulled her knees up to her chest and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She saw a bruised face, dull red eyes and a small, useless body. Her whole life she had been sheltered from the evils that dwelled just outside of Almoena's borders, leaving her defenseless and scared during a time where she desperately needed Xavier's muscle or her mother's bravery. Disappointment coursed through her.
She must have sat there for hours because when a light knock pulled her from her thoughts she noticed that it was not midday. The click of a lock signaled that someone was coming in, and Ariadna desperately hoped it wasn't Emanuel.
Ariadna almost smiled when a frail girl came into the room instead of her overbearing and sick captor. A guard closed the door behind her and once again she was locked in. Ariadna wearily watched the girl as she set a tray of food on the bedside table before taking a seat beside her on the bed.
The girl appeared to be her height, but she was a sickly grey color and much to thin. She had knotted blonde hair piled on top of her head and wore a similar set of t-shirt and shorts. Bruises dotted her arms and neck.
The girl grabbed Ariadna's hand. "I'm so sorry he did this to you," she said. Ariadna was amazed that this girl, who without a doubt looked worse off than she, was pitying her. "My name is Farah."
Ariadna cleared her throat. "I'm Ariadna."
Farah let go of her hand and scooted back until her back hit the wall. "He wants me to tell you that your presence is requested at dinner tonight."
"I'm not going," she said, shaking her head. Tears welled up in her eyes as she regarded the girl next to her. "How could he do this to you?"
Farah gave a sharp laugh. "My parents sold me to him when I was sixteen. Legally, he can do with me as he pleases."
"But you're a person, not a toy."
"Things are different on Ruman."
Ariadna was suddenly mad that she'd lived eighteen years naive to what really happen on the other islands surrounding Almoena. She knew the conditions of Kozata and Lillen, the island Mariana and her family lived on, but she was ignorant to life on Ruman and Fioren.
A new surge of determination had Ariadna grabbing Farah's hands tightly. "We're going to get out of here," she promised. If she couldn't be brave for herself, she would be for this girl. She had to be, otherwise what good was she as a princess?
Farah smiled sadly. "There isn't any way out of here. If you aren't locked in this tower, you'll be escorted by two guards and watched by another ten."
The guard outside banged on the door. "Time to go, Farah."
Ariadna held onto Farah's hands, suddenly afraid to be left alone. "I can't be near him."
Farah nodded in understanding. "I'll come up with something, but I don't know how long I can hold him off."
The guard came in and dragged Farah away. He locked the door, and Ariadna was met with heavy and unbearable silence.
YOU ARE READING
Catching Fireflies
RomancePrincess Ariadna has lived her whole life beloved by her family and the people of Almoena. When she is kidnapped by the man her father once defeated and faced with decisions she never imagined she'd have to make, everything she thought she once knew...