No Greater Love

Chapter Four

As we were forcedly walking through the woods to who knows where, my mind was in a turmoil. With a scowl on my face I pondered at where we were going, how could he do this, and why did I fall in his trap. My discust for him grew with each step. I felt like letting a bloodchilling scream part from my lips but the gag prevented me from talking with any precision whatsoever.

" 'urry up ye li'l runts." The ruffians behind me growled as they prodded us with butts of spears as they themselves rode upon the backs of horses. The sound of the horses snorting made me long for Goldie's comfort. Her and Peppercorn both would survive on thier own but I would dreadfully miss them.

We trudged on into the night hours. 'Mother would have definately send out search parties for me by now...wouldn't she?' I thought. It was in times like that, that most anyone would miss thier mother the most. A few tears slipped down my face. We kept on. My legs grew weary and my feet sore. my face dripped with sweat.

"Blindfold them now!" The leader barked. 'oh GREAT.' I thought.

In hearing his command they took out two peices of thickly woven cotton and tied it upon my eyes. All I had left was my hearing. I heard the crunching of dried leaves for some time, then a creaking of rusty hinges.

"Watch your step." The man behind me muttered.

I felt in front of me with the tip of my leather boots and felt something as hard as stone and a ledge. Stepping over the ledge I realized there were stairs. 'Must be a secret passageway.' I wondered. The stairs wound down deep into the ground. The walls were moist and the air was muggy. As we reached the end of the stairs we took a left turn and continued on. I heard the creaking of hinges and was shoved onto the ground.

"Git in there!" The man said.

The sound of the harsh leader's voice was heard. "Do ye have any weapons?"

I shook my head, "No sir."

An uproar of laughter burst from the men as I was lifted by my collar. I smelled the vomitrocious smell of his warm breath.

"Is that so......then what is THIS?" He barked as he drew my sword from its leather sheath.

I tried with difficulty to unhand his large dirty hands but he was much to strong.

"-ine thur ." I gasped muffled by the cloth.

"Thought so..." he growled as he walked off with my brand new sword. As he exited he demanded, "ungag her muttonheads."

The two men, one thick and tall and the other tall and huge! "Right sir." They agreed.

Soon my mouth was free yet I was all alone in a dark, dirt floored, muggy cell floor. As I leaned wearily against the wall I heard a rustling from the other side of the room. 'It better not be Alexander.' I warned thoughtfully.

"Victoria?"

'UGH.' "I'm not speaking to you....traitor."

"You never let me apologize."

"That's because you don't deserve it." I said coldly.

"You don't even know why I did it."

"I don't need to! You lured in with you so called 'charm' for your own selfish reasons. You didn't even think about my family. My mother probably is sick with worry and the whole towns probably going crazy and for what??"

"I would've been killed if I hadn't done it!"

"Like I said....selfish."

"Did it ever occur to you that YOU'RE being selfish?"

These words struck me like arrows to my chest. Perhaps I was being selfish....'but he doesn't realize the weight I have on my shoulders as a princess?' I thought. I sighed  in exasperation and asked, "What does that guy even want me for?"

"I can't tell you." He said regretfully

"Why not?" I said annoyingly. 

" I dont exactly know."

"Are you not allowed to?"

"Yes and no. I'm not allowed to say anything about lord Amasa's plan." 

"Why did you follow his plan?" I asked firmly.

"I already told you, I would've been killed if I hadn't."

"Anything else?" I said softly.

He sighed remoursefully. "My villiage was sacked and burned to the ground by your people. This was a way I could renew my villiage's honor."

"By stealing me?"

"Yeah I guess. It seemed a good idea at the time. But...things changed...I think." he said awkardly. 

"Uh....if you're thinking what I think you're thinking...no." I said putting up my hand and accidentally slapping him in the face because I couldn't see. 

"Okay then. Well, I'm sorry anyhow. I never wanted to hurt you."

"Thanks for the apology, but did you REALLY think that this lord Amasa wouldn't hurt me? He looks and sounds heartless."

"Like I said, It sounded better at the time."

"Honestly, you're not that smart."

He laughed, "Yeah I know."