the other kingdom

Estelle - capture

When she woke , Estelle was in a dark stone cell. She couldn't tell what time it was because all she could see was the dimly lit corridor beyond. There was no window to show her the sky. She could remember everything that had happened , although she wished she couldn't. She thought of what dying would be like. Her father was gone now , there was no one to protect her at all. She had remembered someone carrying her, the warmth coming from them and the feeling of peace they gave her , and that was all gone now.

She sat silently against the furthest wall for a long time. When she was starting to feel drowsy again she heard many sets of footsteps coming down the stairs. And then she saw them all. The four men, each holding a piece of the prince. She stood then , not knowing if she was delirious. Why were they bringing the prince down here.

"Back against the wall , now", they screamed at her. She turned to face the wall. They swung open the door and dropped him inside too quickly for her to move. When they left she moved away from the wall and the silence returned. Except now there was another person breathing , and his breaths were pained.

She kneeled next to him and examined him. That was when she saw the cuffs on each of his wrists , engraved with runes. She had studies runes , knew what they could do. With these clamps on the prince , he was powerless.

It made sense they had not bothered with her. She had felt the shadows stir from within her sitting in this place, but she had nowhere to run, and she had never used them before. She'd likely collapse within minutes without practice.

She had been daydreaming when suddenly a hand was at her wrist. And then she was being flipped over , so that her head bashed onto the stone and her bones were pushed up against it.

"Where am I", the prince spoke.

But her head hurt and she couldn't breathe with him on top of her. She could only manage a small croak.

But even then , she realised it wouldn't have mattered. Because realisation was setting on his face. And he moved off of her. She released an uneasy breath and lay holding her throat as the prince sat next to her now.

"Your highness", she sputtered. "Why, why are you here".

He met her eyes, and she saw the pain in him. "Because the witches have made to fight us unless they get us both. And my father , the king, has given us up".

He must be lying she thought. The witches wanted her. A half breed. They surely just wanted to kill them both. "Will they , kill us?"Estelle sat up on her elbows , trying to get breath into her lungs as the prince spoke.

"I dont know", he looked away.

Estelle felt sorry for the prince. At least she had known her life may be doomed from the start. This boy's own father had given him up. She appreciated that he was saving their people , but what of his son.

She sat with him in silence for a long time after that.

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Estelle woke to the sound of loud drumming that shook her core. In an instant ,with little sound, guards were back at the cell. The prince must have been weak for he did not wake when they tore her up by her arms and dragged her through the keep. Guards carried him behind her. She started to cry then. The reality of it all. They were being given to cold blooded beasts. Either she would die soon, or live an eternity as a slave.

When they reached the back of the castle they bustled through a small arch , and that was when she finally saw the cool evening sky that was littered with clouds. She realised too late that she should have been looking ahead. A huge dragon was there , in the middle of the moors, and standing in front of the beast, was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. The guards walked her closer and then forced her to her knees. The prince was laid on the grass beside her , along with her small dagger and the princes sword.

The king soon followed them, she only got a glimpse of him before a guard shoved her face forward once more. But in the little time she had seen him his demeanor was shifted. She could tell he was afraid of the witch. Soon two more riders fell from the heavens , like hail in a storm their falling was swift and precise. They landed on the moors not seconds after and stood together. Everyone stepped back or took a breath. They were so afraid.

"Witches", the king spoke. "Here we accept peace on both sides of an eternal battle. Our sacrifices are left to you to do as you wish. No one but me and your kingdom shall remember the origins of this prince. Use his power in all except a fight against us. Use the half breed as you please , we stake our claim to her and may she be yours for eternity." and then the king kneeled to the witches.

Estelle watched this slowly. Shock rippled through her. This was it. She would die soon. They would keep the prince for his powers, but they would gut her and feed her to their dragons. She would be nothing but a pile of bones.

The guards threw her onto the ground and then they tied her limbs and her mouth so that she could not move. She tried to struggle but it was no use. She was weak compared to them. Then they moved onto the unmoving prince.

Estelles vision now was only of the ground. But she heard as the fae all moved away after. She began quietly sobbing. Her people had left her. She heard them all as they moved into the keep, leaving the prince and her with the coldblooded beings across the moors.

Then she heard the witches moving too. Their massive beasts lumbering behind them. She was not aware they were so lose to her until a black boot entered her restricted vision.

Then she was lifted by the scruff of her jacket. Estelle closed her eyes, she could feel herself shaking and the unforgiving nails of the witch dug into her throat.

"Open your eyes half breed", Estelle obeyed , the eyes of the witch were purple and cutting and Estelle had never been more terrified in all her life.

"Our spy said your power was unmatched in all the kingdoms, we will keep you yet. Understand?". Estelle nodded slowly , why were these creatures fine with a half breed when the peaceful fae she had grown with had despised her so. "Good , you will be ours. The witch clan of Eadirn claims you. You belong to us. Now let's get you into some warmer clothes". Estelle realised then that unlike the warmly dressed prince and the armoured witches she was still in party wear from the previous night. the witches orders were a comfort. Estelle made no thought apart from following her words. it was like a spell , she was grateful for it. like a drug in her system the words seemed to control her and her thoughts calmed. with the fae she was scared , manipulated. these witches , though beasts , she was like them. sh could feel their likeness.

The witch dropped her then. And in a slice of her sharp nails, the bonds at estelles wrist and feet were released. Her mouth was still gagged though. Estelle was glad for this. It would stop her from saying things that she shouldn't.

The witch dropped a pile of simple clothes and a hooded jacket upon her then. Estelle shivered at the thought of changing in front of these women then. But the purple eyed one turned , and the other two began carrying the prince's limp body towards the dragons. Estelle changed quickly and the witch turned. She then gave Estelle her dagger. Signalling for her to put it on. Then she picked up the prince's sword, grabbed estelles arm and began striding purposefully back towards the beasts a few metres away. She realized that the witches knew even with the blade on her , she was no match for their skill.

"We will take you to our leader and you will be careful. If you run , we kill the prince". The witch looked back at her then. Estelle nodded vigorously , stumbling after the immortal warrior was like trying to outrun a tiger, she ended up being half dragged closer to the dragons.

When they reached the dragon she was hoisted up and tied by the witch to the saddle. She didn't move at all , even her breaths felt too big. The witches though seemed to hardly breath at all. Their bodies were swift but still , they had likely had thousands of years to perfect their gait, their fighting. Estelle knew she was no match for them ,not without her powers. The prince was tied to another saddle too, his body strewn like a rag doll. She couldn't stop thinking that he looked dead.

The witch mounted behind her and forced down her gag. She lifted a bottle of a foul smelling liquid to Estelle's lips. Struggling was pointless and the witch held her firm , Estelle gulped it down . It was over in a second and soon Estelle couldn't feel her body. She closed her eyes and surrendered to the cool darkness once more.