The king's folly

VII

James sat on a tree stump near the training grounds. His head bowed and his mind distant.
A week since Rebecca's disappearance.
He lightly touched the stump he was sitting on .
He had started to miss her. He knows he didn't spend much time with her but she was a damn good trainer.
He heard footsteps. Light like that of a woman.
"Mum?"
"Yes son" she said,
"You haven't told me anything yet mum" he said as he turned to face her.
She looked at him. Her chin high in air.
"I told you all I know"
James felt the lie without looking back.
His breathing got faster and rage burned in him
STOP LYING MUM!
what are protecting me from mum! What!
The queen stood silent.
"We have a guest"
James stood up and stormed past her.
When James was well away, she wept.
**********************
WAKE UP!
A foot slammed into her abdomen.
Rebecca scrambled to a corner away from light.
She couldn't see much but she knew she had been here for a week.
The man walked towards her. Then he squatted down to her and smiled.
She wanted to rake her nails through his face and stab him repeatedly. But her hands felt bound.
He raised his hand slowly towards her face and pulled some hair behind her hair.
"For a female knight,you are quite beautiful"
Nothing could come out from her mouth.
He forced his lips on her. But she shook her face away.
I must have my dignity.
His hand landed across her face. Smack!
"You swine"he said.
He proceeded to land another.
"Bellium, leave her"
A woman said.
"We'll be late,let's go"
She had a pair of the most unique eyes you have ever seen. One was emerald blue and the other was black.
Her blonde hair was planted into pigtails and she applied tumeric to her cheeks.
Bellium stood up and walked towards the man standing near her den.
"Starve her. It will make her lose her pride faster"
"Do you have the portion?"the woman said
"Yes my queen "

Bellium knelt on one knee reaching a small round glass object which looked a small vial but full of very clear liquid out to the woman.
How gentlemanly.

She snatched it from his hands and drank whatever was in the vial, then tossed it aside.

Rebecca couldn't believe her eyes, a grown woman transformed into a young girl of her age. She had glowing dark hair and her skin was fair .
But her eyes never changed.
The girl turned towards Rebecca and gazed at her.

Rebecca started to feel drowsy and her eyelids felt heavy. She struggled with herself but the eyes kept showing. She threw herself on the ground and slipped out of consciousness.
***********************
James kept muttering to himself.
Greet and smile
Greet and smile
Greet and sm-
He stepped into the room where they meet royal delegates.
His mom sat at his side and the throne which his father sat before he died waited for him.
The room was full of people who wanted to see the king to be.
James walked with uneasiness to the throne and sat.
Then he felt something.
Power.confidence.
He plastered on a stupid grin on his face but his stomach was full of butterflies.
"The king is here so let us begin"said the royal town crier.
James looked around the room for something to fix his gaze on but it soon related on something strange.
It was a girl. Slightly higher than his age.
She had dark glowing hair and her skin was fair and pale like milk.
She walked towards the throne. Right behind her was a man. He had royal attire and briskly stood beside the girl.
"My king,I am the count of elques south of Charlotte and this is my daughter, Hanna."
James could not stop looking at her. He was freaking out like he was out of control. He couldn't control his eyes anymore. He kept looking at her.
"My king"
He heard a snap and he regained himself.
He looked at her face, her aquiline nose and her eyes.
Her eyes.
He had seen those eyes but he couldn't not place it.
"My king we would like to spend five days in your palace."
"Why?"
The man adjusted uneasily, "we need to rest for a journey to the Japanese islands for a peace treaty."

"How am I sure you are who you are?"
James asked. He didn't trust this man one bit.
"Here are letter signed by the king,my sire"
The town crier took the documents and gave it to James.
They are legit I guess.
But one more question.
"Why the palace?,why not some other inn in the village?"
The man grinned.
"Because we would like to create relations between elques and Charlotte"
James was about to ask again when his mom stepped in.
"Our guests must have a lot to do at the moment"
The man guided his daughter away, but she looked back at him, with a smile and her blue and black eyes.

Creepy.
James thought to himself.
********************
"Bellium, you almost sold us out"
The girl said as adjusting her hair in front of the mirror.

"My lady, everything is for your protection"

She stood up from the stool and turned to face him.
"We are going to proceed to plan b"
"Why, my queen"
She paused and shook her head.
"His mother is a very tough woman"
********
I must fight it.
Her eyelids felt heavy. Her nose caught the scent of rotten flesh.

She was lying in a fetal position on the ground. Her wrists were bound with iron but her legs were free.
She pushed her self against the wall trying to regain posture.
Her eyes searched the room in agony for an escape route until she saw something shiny, a little close to her feet.
The bounds on her wrist were fastened to the wall.
What could that be?
She stretched her foot towards the shiny object but it was a few inches short.
After a few minutes of sweating and stretching, she got the object under her foot.
It was hot and immediately she pulled her foot back.
She gritted her teeth and dragged the object towards her grasp.
It was a key.
Strange.
Her heartbeat triple folded as she grabbed the key and maneuvered it into the lock.
Clang!
It dropped on the floor.
She tried to move her feet but its inactivity for weeks affected her.
She grabbed the bars and hoisted herself up.
As she began to tamper with the lock, her eyes caught something on the ground.
Then she saw it.
********************
What did she see?
What's plan b?
Hey guys so sorry for the long wait.
college is hell. No time to do anything.
Well if you love it please don't forget to leave a vote and if you don't, kindly put it in the comments.
Thanks.