Hunted Queen

Chapter Twenty One • A Bone To Pick

*Long Chapter*

*Warning - Abusive content*

-William- 

Awaking to the sound of voices arguing and the back of his head throbbing ferociously, William slowly moved his head from left to right. His skull felt as if it would crack open from the pain. He opened his right eye in a slit and shut it right instantly when the sharp light from several torches. A loud groan escaped him. The arguing stopped. 

"He's awake." A voice he knew spoke darkly. Like trouble was coming with his awakening. 

"Shit." Another one spoke. "Shit, fuck, shit!"

"Go outside if you cannot hold it in." A third voice snarled. 

The sound of wind ripping at the tent stole William's attention for a while. The slapping sound was so soothing compared to the fretting voices around him. He focused solely on the wind for a moment - his headache fading somewhat.

"Can someone take a look at our king? Or are we all just sitting around watching each other like a couple of virgins, too scared to do anything?" A dark growl. Robert, he concluded after a second or two.

William's headache returned in a heartbeat when he forced himself to focus on Robert's voice. What had happened? Why was his head throbbing so? In a squirm his back screamed at him for moving, lying on something hard and unforgiving. The sent of dirt wafted pass his nose. Was he lying on the ground? 

"What if he-" He recognized Erik's nervous voice now. Sounding as if he was standing some distance from William. He was the one who had cursed earlier! And Christian the one to snarl back at him. Always bickering the two of them. 

William placed his palm over his eyes, without really feeling himself move his hand at all. He was around his friends then. Good. Had they overserved themselves last night? Was this pain and strange place for resting a result of too much ale? He searched his mind for anything that would tell him whatever he had his friends had been up to. Nothing. He had been sleeping... hadn't he? And his guts weren't bubbling and punishing him as they usually did the day after a night of too much drinking. Something else had happened. 

"You know his temper will turn him into that either way! Now, go over and check on him!" 

Turn? Temper? What the fuck are they talking about? He thought. 

"I'll have look." The sound of boots approaching. A hand grabbed on to his left shoulder. "William." 

Loren. 

The tone of the guard's voice made William's blood turn cool. Something was wrong. "William. Wake up." 

"How are we supposed to tell him they took her?" Erik again. Babbling on in anxiousness instead of knowing when to shut up. Sharp hushes erupted immediately. A frown grew in William's face, although every bit of it pained him greatly. 

"For fuck's sake, Erik! Shut up!" Robert snarled. "Let's wake him up before we unleash hell upon us all!"

William was just about to open his mouth and ask what they were cackling about when dark images bubbled up from the murk of is mind. 

Cold... He was cold. Chest bare, feet naked and his legs as well. He was only in his underwear. William's brows furrowed and he could sense himself starting to stir. 

Screams. The clang of blades echoed in his mind but was drowned out by more screams. Cries of pain and bodies landing with a thud as they hit the ground. Everything was a mess and dark, nothing seemed to make any sense...