Chapter 7

August 3, 1345.

Stormhold Castle,

The walled city of Rothwell,

Capital of Myknos.

Lady Odeya Katarina Black

Excitement spread through the staff in Stormhold and they all couldn't wait to see the new arrivals. Different rumours had begun spreading about the Prince and Princess of Shiv'ra.

Some said they had black skin, someone said they were like giants and those with little imagination waited patienly to see them in the corridors leading to the Great Hall.

Princess Alyn and Odeya fed on the hum of energy and put extra time into getting ready. Odeya already knew what the Prince looked like and a smile came to her face at his charming ways.

'Khalid', she remembered.

Princess Alyn had been so jealous when she heard that she had seen him first but she soon let go of her jealousy when Odeya asked her to help her look nice. The Princess had squealed with delight and produced a red number that she claimed her look like an undead Princess. She lent her a silver necklace and combed out her long wavy black hair then put it up in a top knot and pulled some strands out to frame her long face.

"I should be helping you get ready not the other way around, Alyn." She reminded the Princess.

"And you have done your job. I just need to make sure that Khalid won't be able to take his eyes off of you." She said doing a twirl in her dark pink number. She had made the Princess wear her hair down for breakfast but she added two braids that she wrapped around her circlet.

"He is to be wed soon remember?"

"So? He can still like you. They won't be married till their coronation."

"I don't want to cause any trouble." She told the over eager Princess.

"From what I can remember of Prince Khalid, he is very responsible. Don't worry I'm sure his feelings are purely platonic."

"Who mentioned anything about his feelings?" She asked.

"I'm just saying."

"We are going to be late if I let you have your way." She said as she stood.

She dragged the Princess' soft hand and they ran together to the Great Hall, laughing as they startled maids in the hallway. They slowed down as they approached the hall and stopped outside the doors to catch their breaths.

The sentries outside the door opened and they walked in, with their heads high, spines straight and smiles on their faces.

As she had expected, food was already being served at the lower tables and people stared at them with looks of admiration and not disaproval. They curtsied and went to take their seats, she at the lower tables and Alyn on the tables made for nobility.

She looked at the table and spotted Prince Nicolas discussing with Prince Khalid. There was a lady beside him and she looked beautiful with slick black hair and the same coppery skin that he had. She was quiet and had very calculating eyes that watched everyone in the room.

When Alyn sat beside their mother, he lifted his head and looked for her in the throng of people. He finally spotted her and stared but when he saw her offer a smile to Prince Khalid, he looked away in anger.

She shook it off and thanked the servant that placed her breakfast plate in front of her. It was loaded with sausages, sweet cinnamon buns, soft cheese and some fruit. She ate and was actually enjoying her breakfast when a thought crossed her mind.

She hadn't seen the red headed Lady Emelne at all. She looked at the higher tables and saw her looking very morose beside her lord father, a terribly great distance from Prince Nicolas.

She resisted the urge to snort and hid her smile with a sip of her perry. The piquant taste made her feel all giddy inside and she couldn't hold back her smile now.

With breakfast over, she joined Alyn at the door of the Great Hall but before they could leave, Prince Khalid called them back. He stood with Prince Nicolas, who was clearly avoiding her eyes and his sister that stood behind him.

"Princess Alyn. Alicia." He called.

"Your Highness." They said with a curtsy.

"Rise please." He said, "I would like both of you to meet someone. This is my sister and wife-to-be, Princess Khasi of Shivra."

The Princess walked forward, eyes still calculating, and stood beside her brother. She wore a gold long sleeved top that ran from her neck to just above her stomach and a long skirt that was the same shade of gold and was also embroidered with beads that reflected in the sunlight. There was a long scarf on her head that covered her back and shoulders but stopped at her waist.

"Your Highness, it is an honor." Alyn said with a curtsy and she followed.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Princess Alyn. I have heard so much about you."She said with a voice that held authority, "This must be your Hand."

"Yes she is. Her name is Alicia."

"Alicia. A pretty name. What part of Myknos do you come from?"

"I am from Dronfeld." She lied.

"No wonder. You must not be purely Myknosian." She said, "Why don't we have tea together today. I really need some female company."

"That is a wonderful idea." Alyn told her with obvious excitement, "Although you could come to my chambers and prolong our conversation time."

"I would be delighted."

"Ladies, I was hoping to borrow Alicia for the afternoon. She owes me a walk."

"Aren't we going hunting?" Nicolas asked still not looking at her.

"We are. Its just, something tells me there's a little more to Alicia than just being a humble maid." Khalid told him and smiled at her.

She smiled and she noticed both Khasi and Nicolas frown. Alyn, on the other hand, was oblivious to the exchange and allowed her to go with the men.

"Make sure she comes back without a scratch." She said, "Or I will order you both be skinned alive."

"We are not children Princess Alyn." He said, "Take care of my sister. See you soon Khasi."

At that, he planted a swift kiss on her cheeks and held out his arm to Alicia. They walked in front a stormy looking Prince Nicolas. She was too busy thinking about how perfect Khalid and Khasi were to think about changing into a riding outfit and until they mentioned that they were going to change outfits did she think also about changing.

"We'll wait for you by the stables." He told her, finally letting go of her arm.

She curtsied and spared a look at Nicolas but he glared at her and turned away.

'What the devil is his problem?' She wondered.

'He might be jealous.' Her subconscious told her.

She laughed out loud at the ridiculous thought and realized that to anyone looking, she was losing her mind. She hurried and changed into dark green riding pant, a white linen shirt that had an adjustible neck line and a dark green vest. She added brown leather boots and a brown woolen fur lined cloak then put her hair up into a simple pony tail. Her favourite dagger was in her boot and she decided to leave her bow and arrows, against her wishes, then walked to the stables.

When she got to the stables, they weren't there so she asked the stable boy to saddle another horse for her. The brown mare was almost similar to hers only that it had a black mane unlike Zara's. When he had finished saddling the horse, the princes finally strolled out looking handsome in dark greens and browns like her.

Before they reached the stable doors, Lady Emelne walked up to them and catching her eyes on them, she planted a kiss on Prince Nicolas' lips.

Odeya felt something snap inside her and she didn't know why. She looked away and brushed a stray tear that had escaped and stroked the mare on her snout. She rested her head on the mares head and scolded herself for being stupid. When they walked in, she changed her sad expression to a happy one and mounted. They rode off; with Prince Nicolas in front, Khalid beside her and guards from both castles behind them.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"What?"

"I asked if you were okay. I have been talking to you for the past few minutes but it seems like your mind is elsewhere."

"Pardon me. I am just not feeling too well."

"Do you want to go back to the castle? I would be sad to see you get hurt."

"I'll be fine. The fresh air will do me a whole lot of good."

"Tell me if you need anything okay?"

She nodded and that was the last thing they said before they got to the forest line. Nicolas told the guards to stay back while the three of them went forward and when they tried to protest, he sent them a glower that scared her even though it wasn't directed at her.

Or was it?

Khalid unmounted then unhooked his bow and quiver from the side of his horse then he came to help her dismount. She spared him a smile and before they walked into the almost dark forest, she asked a guard for his bow and arrow. He looked at her with bewilderment and she smiled at him.

He handed it to her reluctantly and she thanked him then joined the men waiting for her by a tall ironwood tree.

They split up and she took careful, quiet steps toward the inner parts of the forest. Khalid and Prince Nicolas had made a bet on who would catch the first animal and since they didn't think she was a threat, she would have to teach the sexist nobles a lesson.

She climbed a tree and pulled up her hood then waited in complete silence for an unfortunate animal to pass. She didn't know where the other two men had gone but she didn't care. She had had enough of Prince Nicolas' confusing ways.

The wait seemed long and futile but just as she decided to climb down from the tree a hart cantered past her tree and stopped to empty its bladder.

She notched an arrow as quietly as she could and took aim. She pulled her arm back and let the arrow fly.

It went right through the neck of the poor beast and it lay there on the ground, spilling its life's blood. She looked around for any poachers or predatory animals before she climbed down. She was dragging the dead animal through the route she had used when some men with masks jumped down and surrounded her, all armed with swords.

"Lookie what we have 'ere. This fellow has caught a deer for us." One of them, who she assumed was the leader said.

She said nothing but thanked her stars that she still had ner hood up and her figure didn't show through the large cloak.

"Isn't you gonna say nuthin'?" Another one asked.

Again she said nothing but knew that if it came down to a fight she would be outnumbered and she wasn't sure the Princes were within hearing distance.

"Maybe 'is deaf." One of them said.

"Please spare me. Take the deer if you want. I have nothing else on me." She said with a little extra gruff to her voice.

"Nothing eh? Search him." The learder ordered.

One of the men moved towards her and she panicked. He stretched out his arm to remove her cloak and she kicked him then she ran for dear life but soon they caught up with her and a few more men dropped in front of her. Two held her arms as she struggled and another landed a blow on her jaw before taking off the hood.

They all gasped before sardonic smiles filled all their gruesome faces.

"Look boys. Fate has smiled upon us today. A bonny lass and a deer." The leader said, "I'll have her first then you boys will get a turn. I'll try not to wear her out."

They laughed and he proceeded to remove her vest and trousers. She pulled her arms from the two guys and punched him then she sent a kick to another but they overpowered her and forced her to the ground with her legs apart. She tried to kick but the leader climbed over her and pressed a blade to her throat.

"Move and I'll kill you. Dead or alive we will have you." He said.

Sleeeping with a dead body was a taboo and it seemed that this men had no love for the natural laws.

She had only one plan left and she hoped the Prince's would hear her before her virtue was taken from her. She screamed as loud as she could and felt a powder being sprayed on her face. The damage was already done and she hoped they had heard her and they would get to her soon. She started feeling light headed and hoped that it wasn't poison.

"Scream as you like bitch. No one will hear you in these woods." He said as he poised himself to enter her.

She closed her eyes and feared for what was to come. Tears left her eyes and she felt a huge weight land upon her. She opened her eyes and saw the leader, with an arrow between his eyes, on her chest. The other men holding her down scampered and she pushed off the man on top of her and adjusted her clothes then looked around. She saw Prince Nicolas and Khalid fighting the men but she was too drained to even try to join them.

She rested on the bark of a tree, not caring that her shirt was stained with blood or that she had leaves in her hair and bruises on her face, and slept.

She felt hands carrying her and she tried to talk, but her words sounded slurred.

"Did...you...see...the deer I caught?" She asked the man carrying her.

"That's not important."

"We have to take it to the castle." She complained.

"No. We are taking you back. I should never have let you come in the first place." The same voice scolded.

She pouted like a baby and heard him laugh then place her on a horse and climb up behind her.

"I want to ride my own horse." She whined.

"And fall then break your neck? No. I already told you that I would prefer to kill you myself."

She gasped and leaned back on his chest with a frown. He laughed and she felt the rumble in his chest. She smiled and closed her eyes then fell asleep to the beating of his heart.