The Vanished Kingdom

The vanished kingdom-travelling, but not to home

When Audrey opened her eyes, she saw she was in a wagon. A couple people sat at the front, including the man who controlled the wagon by the horses. Audrey sat at the back and had a blanket around her. But when she tried to talk, she found that she had tape across her mouth. Though she was thankful that she had space to breath and she wasn't dead.

"The blanket was most probably to conceal me," Audrey thought to herself, "oh I'm so foolish for what I've done. Why did I ever leave?"

"Oye, the girl iz evake!" A bald man with a circular face said in improper English.

The same man snickered,"cat got yer tung aye!"

Audrey looked at the man with an annoyed glare. The men wore ragged clothing, that were filthy and not washed in weeks. The bald man had lost one eye, so one eye stayed shut. But the proper eye stared at Audrey.

"Rustic, stop with the staring!" A man a bit smarter looking said,"hello princess, I'm not sure if you know me but my name is Claus Hendricks. I have written many of, yes, the finest books in town. So I heard you have enjoyed reading many of my books, eh?"

Claus waited for the princesses expressions. At first Audrey got her hopes up high thinking that the man could help her escape. But then it dawned on her that her favourite author was in favour against her.

"I know, I would have given you my latest book I made, but decisions have been made, you are a worthless person who did everything erroneously!" Claus exclaimed, "because of you, I have to now work with these unworthy people!"

Audrey became confused, what had she done wrong? Her parents had once told her that when you are deeply adored by many, you can also be hated by the same amount of people.

"Obviously they were referring to these people, people with no reason to hate!"Audrey thought.

After Audrey's conversation, well a one man conversation since Audrey couldn't speak back, the kidnappers went on talking to each other, or resting. There were five men, Rustic, Claus Hendricks, the guy who controlled the horses, a guy with a tooth that was red for some reason and a guy who smelt of a stinky odour.

A few kilometres later, they got to a place where there were guards lined up. Wagons, horses and wealthy lads with newly and recently introduced cars, waited to go past the guards. The guards checked each person before letting them pass. Minutes later it was their turn.

"ID please," one of the guards asked Claus.

"Your name is Shawn?" The guards asked suspiciously to Claus.

"Yes that is my name," Claus said confidently.

"And why are you going to north Claristin today?"

"We are meeting our relatives in the north."

Before the man could let them leave, he spotted Audrey.

"And who might that be?" The guard eyed Audrey suspiciously.

The kidnappers had tried there best to hide Audrey, but she was still very much visible. Audrey wanted to say that she was the princess and was kidnapped, but the tape across her face didn't allow that to happen.

"She's our maid, yes we found her somewhere in the village begging for employment. She's uh, quite unusual I must say. Feels cold all the time," Claus said referring to the blanket around her,"and puts tape around her mouth because she is very superstitious."

"Oh yes, these types of people are just roaming through the place. Well I like your sincerity for keeping her, oh and I thought she was the princess!" The guard started laughing and apologized for keeping them waiting for so long, then let them pass.