Dangerous Royal Affair

Prologue

Isabella Marianne Livingstone's POV

"Quickly down here, princess!" I heard Antonio, my personal guard call loudly, his voice barely heard between the loud bloody screams out of the palace. The sound of the metal of the swords clicking against each other along with the slaughter and the screams of agony made the pasta I had for lunch twist around in my stomach. I remembered all the lessons I was forced to take to train my body to stop reacting badly to these circumstances.

I followed the sound, my heart racing fast as I put all my power into lifting the heavy sword in my hand.

Rushing down the stairs, I stayed alerted, eyeing all the angles around me, ready to spot any red uniform.

As I continued running down the stairs, my eyes caught a red glimpse on a glass piece splattered on the ground. Soon I felt the sound of his heavy breathing and the change in the wind as he lifted his sword up.
I braced myself and just as it was about to make contact with my shoulder, I slammed my sword against his.
He was taken back but tried to attack again. I blocked his blows with all my strengths, making him stumble back. His shock was making it easier for me. I had a pretty small body for a warrior which made a lot of people underestimate me. But that always just seemed to rule in my favor at the end.

I used his moment of weakness and pushed him with all my body weight that his sword flew from his hand and his body rolled down the stairs till his bloody face hit the floor at the very end.

I took a deep breath as I stared at it, a heavy feeling in my chest.
I didn't like doing this. But it was either my life or theirs. And with my people on the verge of breaking, I had to be selfish.

I quickly continued my way down the stairs, making the cross sign as I stared at his lifeless corpse one more time.

I looked up and felt my heart drop down to my knees.

A small group of the Italian army stood there with a wealthy man standing in front of them. He seemed to notice the sign I made and raised his eyebrow in confusion but also pity.
Nine, green uniformed men stood behind him, all smirking at me with bloodthirsty eyes.

I looked at Antonio, laying there blacked out and already felt an anxiety attack coming.
My hands were shaking as I held unto my sword for dear life.
As I observed the men more I realized I had absolute no chance of getting out alive.
Sometimes running is the smartest option.
And I was going to head for it.
If it weren't for the hands placing a cloth on my mouth and knocking off the sword in my left hand. I tried to resist my natural instinct to breathe and push the guy off me. But the more I wiggled around in his arms the more tired I grew and I couldn't stop myself from catching my breath anymore.

"Well, hello there, your highness", the one leading the group smirked at me before my body collapsed in the unfamiliar arms wrapped around me.

.

It was every girl's dream, wasn't it? Walking around in fancy gowns with beautiful tiaras and having everyone bowing at your feet and obeying every door. Having the most powerful titel in the kingdom and having a handsome prince sweeping you off your feet.

I remembered thinking the same as a little, innocent girl.

'Mommy I am going to grow up and be a beautiful princess.' I used to say while giggling at my mother.

Little did I know that one time reality was going to hit and I'd realize that all of these were just told fairytales and that royality came with responsibilities that may rip away from you everything you've ever lived for and obligations that ruin everything you have ever believed in.

My pained groans echoed through the room as my eyes carefully fluttered open. It was mostly dark with just a slight ray of sunshine lighting the room through the small window. It took me a few good minutes to see my surroundings straight and recover from the diziness.

As the features of the room I was in became clearer I realized that I was in no room. I was in a dungeon underground with two German guards standing outside, guarding me.

I realized the pain in my hands was caused by the tight chains around it, keeping me secured to the wall behind me. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to focus on anything but the pain in my hands and the sick feeling in my stomach.

So much for the perfect life of a princess, huh, I mentally scoffed.

I never thought I'd find myself in this position. Chains up in a horrendous cell with an unbearable smell and a dreading feeling that is making the nerves rise at the pit of my stomach, watching the only source of light disappear. There were ice cold drops of water falling down on my bare neck gently, making me shudder with every drop. The effect of the chemical I inhaled hasn't completely weared off so I was still kind of dizzy and my stomach had the tendency of throwing up everything in it.

This meant that I haven't been here for a long time but I knew I wasn't getting out soon either. I was kidnapped at sundown and now it was the next morning.

I felt tears roll down my cheeks as I tried my best to stop a panic attack from occuring. The echoes of my every breath and the water drops while the cold morning breeze drew goosebumps all over my tensed body were adding to my anxiety. My whole body was shaking as I tried to collect all the strength left in me and remember my trainings for these situations.

"So, listen carefully, Isabella. If you ever get abducted listen very closely to these signs. If any guards ever come into the room, check their inner wrists or the back of their shoulders so you could may be able to identify the country you're in. If you're unlucky enough to be locked up in a cell, study your surroundings well. See if there are any windows and listen closely to the sounds coming from it. You're probably going to be locked in a tower so try to see if there are sounds of water. It would mean the tower lies on a sea or a river. It could be a chance to escape. See what the doors are made of. It's probably going to be iron. In that case try to get a fire started and melt the door slowly down. It would take a lot of time. So do it carefully and slowly so no one notices. Stay strong, princess. You can do it."

Biting my lips, I scanned the cell again. Two exists, one by the door and the other one was the window but I would hardly get my hand through that tiny hole.

"But I don't want to do it. I need water. Please, this is enough!" I used to scream and whine. I thought it was pointless. I couldn't handle the thirst nor the coldness anymore.

I always thought that I would never end up in such a situation. I thought they hated and that was why they were training me like this.

But I realized now that it was because they loved me, they did it.

I rested my head against the wall behind me and closed my eyes, tears running down my cheeks.

I was scared.

But I could do it.

.

Germany and Italy have been at war for years. The two great empires despised each other and always celebrated each other's failures. Once one empire succeeds or simply wins at an international sports game, it's immediately grief in the other one as if their ruler just died or a dangerous illness has spread across the country.

The Great King of Germany Rupert II has continued the plan of his father to destroy Italy and finally put an end to this exhausting war by eventually succeeding and winning it. But after years and years of war and death, his young days died along and he slowly gave up to the pain of sickness and old age.

Now Germany had a new king and just like his ancestors, he carried the same hatered for the other country. But unlike his father, his plan on achieving peace didn't include a lot of war and fights. Instead he seemed to focus more on using his brain and the other country's greatest weaknesses.

But little did he know, his plan included a sassy little beauty who would bring him to his knees. Along with the entire German Empire.