The Vanished Kingdom

The vanished kingdom-travelling, but not to home

"That was close," the red toothed man grumbled.

"I told you I could handle it, just like the way everybody in my novels do," Claus assured the man.

As it was getting closer to midnight, Audrey nestled herself into sleep. 

*** 

"Rize and sine honey buttems," Rustic ordered the princess.

When Audrey opened her eyes, she noticed that she was in a prison like place. She was rested upon a hard stone bed, with bars surrounding her.

"Where am I?" She commanded Rustic to answer, relieved that she could finally talk.

Rustic ignored her and opened the metal bar door.

"Listen girly, ye go in there and do what yer were made to do. Gat it? Your reaping will begin tomorrow, but in ze meen time, make us our breakfast," Rustic whispered closely to the princess on her neck, making her shudder.

Rustic was only up to Audrey's neck so he didn't bother her that much, but what did bother her was the knife he was holding in his hand.

He then took a hold of her neck, keeping a tight grip on it. Audrey whimpered as the cold steel knife met with her soft skin. Audrey tried to loosen his grip, but soon realized there was no point so she gave up. The knife started poking through her neck, and slowly warm blood started peeping through. Audrey felt a slight pain, and was scared for what would happen next. Would she bleed to death, would he stab her in the heart. But instead he let go, satisfied with what he had done.

"Zat was to show ye that inside we all are the same. In me hert you are nothing but a pretty doll with e big tittle, nothing mur. Yer pretty little face does not fool me."

Audrey felt aghast and was fear-stricken but she still followed Rustic and headed to the main room which was a huge mess. There was a kitchen filled with wine and beer bottles, and a circular wood table where all the men were seated. The cabin was made of wood, and was located in the middle of the woods.

"Make us breakfast sweet cheeks!" One of the drunk man ordered.

"Well, lets see, we have wine, beer and your hideous face. So what do you prefer?" Audrey irritatedly asked.

"No need to get all grumpy now. Why don't we start with, perhaps...um, eggs?" he suggested.

Audrey didn't like to be told what to do, but having no other options, she looked through the cabinets. She searched through, finding many bottles of wine, but then came upon some eggs at the back. The eggs were old and were filled with various types of bacteria which Audrey didn't want to know of. She cracked the eggs, than put them on a plate.

"Enjoy," Audrey thought and was proud of what she had done.

"Feeding us raw eggs? What, are you trying to kill us?" The same man asked with an astonished face.

"Well maybe if you got a stove that could actually work, or maybe even a frying pan, than there could be a chance of fried eggs," Audrey said with a matter or fact tone.

Audrey was in no mood of having breakfast after what she had seen, so she quietly took her seat. She patiently waited for the men to finish there breakfast, if they even wanted any.

"You're gonna die anyways, so if I were you I'd just take a sip," a man beside her said pointing at wine.

Audrey just glared at him. She wasn't that hungry, after all, it was just breakfast she was missing. Rustic motioned his hand for them to leave so he could talk to Audrey. Slowly, everybody headed to the game room.

"I'm gonna be yer looking after person, since no wun elz wunts ta even luk at yer," Rustic said with a tired and drunk expression.

"So you don't think I can take care of myself?"Audrey asked challengingly.

He gave her a sly smile,"the prublum is actually yer can wury well take care of yerself. Now we cun't have yer running away can we?"

"I declare you to take me back to the kingdom!" Audrey sharply commanded, "otherwise the king will eventually find you and make yer life more miserable!"

Rustic just laughed,"now do yer actually think yer wittle parents would actually come and search for yer in the meddle of nowhere? They ain't comin' to the north where they have no care for anymore. Oh wait, wasn't it yer who declared the boundaries between north 'n south shut! Either they pick you up now, or never."

He seemed to be enjoying taunting the princess. The princess realized that Rustic was actually smarter than he seemed.

"Then why don't you kill me now? Why wait for tomorrow?" Audrey asked.

"Why all of er friends cum tomorrow! Our leader uz gonna take honering role te chop yer head off!"

Audrey deeply breathed in. She was thinking of a way to escape before tomorrow.

"Turn around now! I gonna tie yer up! Now ye cun't run lil' princess," he grinned.

He tightly ran the rope around her wrist and she squirmed but his iron grip held her tightly. Then he walked her towards her cage, where she would have to stay until it was time to get her head chopped off in front of a bunch of rodent heads. She sighed at the thought.