Lost in the Hills

Chapter 13 (Reign)

"Yolam! Clark! Finius!" The princess leapt up with joy.

"That's right your highness! Your knights in shining armor have arrived to rescue-who is this guy?" 

"This is Flynn, Flynn these are... well technically these are my suitors."

"Awkward..." Said a prisoner from the other side of the dungeon. The one word echoed throughout the cobblestone room for a seemingly long moment. 

"So you're the famous Flynn?" Clark said sarcastically, attempting to break the silence. "He really isn't better looking than us I don't understand what she sees in him." He said, turning back to Yolam and Finius who quickly nodded in agreement. 

"Hey I-"

"We really don't need to waste time on formalities..." She said cautiously. 

"Right, well we snagged the keys so this'll be nice and easy." 

"I hope so." She said as the three suitors made their way to the cells and began unlocking them.

Soon enough the princess and Flynn were released from their cells and the princess from her shackles. She took one last look at Hazel, took a deep breath and she led the group out of the dungeon. 

"So what's the plan princess?" Finius said curiously.

"Well, I thought we would just be able to escape, but I can't let my father get away with what he's done."

"Do you want us to kill him m'lady?" Clark said slowly.

"No! Don't be ridiculous. I'm going to kill him." The men turned to each other with unspoken fear as a wave of uneasiness hit the room. 

"Are you sure?" Flynn said, taking hold of her hands. 

"It's long overdue." she turned to the suitors, "And then I can uphold my end of our deal," she turned back to Flynn, "and then we, can be free." 

"What do you want us to do?" Yolam asked anxiously. 

"I need you three to keep him in the throne room for at least 10 minutes while Flynn and I go grab my bow."

"She has a bow. Why am I not surprised?" Clark said sarcastically. 

"Go, we'll meet you in there." She said urgently.

"Princess, what if something goes wrong again? Would you want one of us to step in?" Flynn asked, a hint of concern appearing in his voice. 

"No. You can all get in trouble for killing a king. I can't. I'm his daughter."

"This is by far the longest day of my life. When this is over I need a drink and a nap." Yolam said crankily. 

"Oh come on." Finius said, grabbing Yolam by the arm and leading him to the throne room, followed by Clark walking closely behind them. 

The princess and Flynn made their way up to a wine cellar where a crate hid a loose floorboard that held the bow she bought from the marketplace the first time she tried to escape.

They walked toward the throne room quietly. When they were only a few rooms away they heard a booming laugh echoing through the hall. 

Flynn looked at the princess with wide eyes. She looked back, determined to do what she should have done years ago. 

"And so, I told my bartender the story, and he didn't even return my horse!" Yolam said loudly. The king burst out in laughter once more. 

"He didn't even return your horse! Sir Yolam you have quite the interesting past." Said the king, still laughing at the punchline of Yolam's joke. 

"You have quite the interesting past yourself, father." She walked in from the opposite side of the throne room, followed by a nervous yet calm-appearing Flynn. 

The king was taken aback. He wasn't expecting to see his daughter again for quite some time.

"Daughter! What are you doing here?" He said, stifling a nervous laugh and glaring at her with what seemed like immense hatred. "Why do you have a weapon? Weapons aren't for ladies. Tell her boys! She'll listen to you. She can be defiant with me, you see."

The suitors walked across the room to the princess and Flynn, and turned back toward the king, arms crossed, flanking her side. 

"You- you traitors!" The king yelled angrily, tripping on his words, not knowing what to do or say for the first time in his life. 

"Traitors? TRAITORS? So are you going to kill them too? Just like you did Hazel?"  

The king grimaced. "Hazel was helping a prisoner escape. I did what had to be done. It was admirable."

"It was barbaric! You KILLED her! You murdered her! She was the nicest, purest human in this castle and you, the cruelest villain to be, stole her innocent life!" 

"She was not innocent. And neither are they." He said, lifting a shaky hand toward the suitors. "Guards! Seize them!" No one came. 

"Have you forgotten? The guards are out looking for my kidnapper. Well, here's some news for you father, nobody kidnapped me. I left, again."

"Did your time in the dungeon teach you nothing!?" He yelled in rage.

"No. It taught me why you deserve this." She raised her bow. 

"No- no! You can't do this! Your mother wouldn't have wanted you to do this!"

"My mother? Your wife? Well she probably wouldn't have wanted you to imprison her daughter! But she's not here! So I feel this is my only option."

"You want to put me up there with her? You want to reunite us? I'm sure I can be just as terrible as you claim me to be in heaven with your mother."

"You'll rot in hell." She let the arrow fly.