In The Name of The King (#Wattys2016)

The Feline

Chapter 2

Past:

"Mom!" A little girl, about nine years old, bounced down the hallway. Her long wavy brown hair swayed back and forth as she ducked her head into the dining room. An older looking boy was sitting in one of the chairs with a bored look plastered onto his face.

"Nathie where's mom?" The boy rolled his eyes at his sisters pet name for him. The room was decorated in every fine garment and piece of furniture you could think of. A large table was positioned in the middle of the room with matching stools surrounding it from every angle. Parallel to the table was the chandelier that glittered and chimed every time a gust of wind would creep into the house. Below their feet was a large mosaic that resembled much of the one in Britain at Fishbourne palace.

"It's pronounced Nathaniel, Geez Adelaide," Adelaide crossed her arms with a pout firmly in place.

"Where's mom?!" She stomped her tiny foot against the wooden floorboards, demanding an answer.

"How am I supposed to know? Go bother someone else," Nathaniel waved Adelaide off with an annoyed expression. He flipped through pages in the book that was placed firmly in his hands. It looked old and worn from years of use. The creases and tears in the spine cracked every time he'd turn a page.

"You're mean brother!" Adelaide stormed out of the dining room, muttering angrily to herself.

Present:

The image of my brother, Nathaniel, wearing his usual frown, was still fresh in my mind. I never realized how much I truly missed my family until now. Suddenly, the wagon jolted violently to the left, slamming my shoulder into the side of the wooden crate. Pain radiated in my right shoulder, causing me to flinch.

It's been days since Maelodor threatened to kill me. Right when he was about to slash my throat, Colcu reminded him of the deal they made. That's when Maelodor, Colcu, and Forannan decided it was a swell idea to bind my legs and wrists. We were traveling to god knows where while I was in the back of a supply wagon. I was confused and scared to death.

Confused to why the hell these men kidnapped me and scared to death about what was going to become of me. It rained the entire time I was bound and the only source of water was a leak in the canvas. Even the food was barely sustainable, if you could call a handful of dried corn sustainable.

A shout cut my inner thoughts short as I lifted my head up. Forannan was screaming his head off, while Colcu seemed to be trying to calm him down frantically. I cocked my head to the side, confused. What's happening now? Something dark and furry skittered between one of the crates.

"Where the hell is it?!" Forannan jumped wildly up and down. Fear was evident in his expression. The wagon jostled right, then left, and then right again as one of the crates slammed against my side. I was stuck between the wall of the wagon and the heavy crate. It seemed as if there was no way out of the small crevice. Clenching my teeth, I refrained from shouting out in pain.

Eyeing my surroundings, I propped my foot against the edge of the crate, adding as much pressure as I could. It wasn't an easy task to move a fifty pound crate full of rotten fruit. From the corner of my eye, a sharp piece of wood was jutting out of the wall across from me. An idea struck. I pushed my legs to move, scooting towards the piece of wood. Anytime I would hear any type of movement coming from the front, my head would jerk in their direction.

"Will you shut the hell up Forannan?!" Maelodor tightened his hold on the rings, trying to get Forannan to sit back down. It was quite a site. I silently chuckled, thanking whatever furry creature it was that distracted them. leaning against the sides of the wood panels that lined the walls of the wagon, I positioned my wrist, trying to catch the rope on the protruding side.

"I found the culprit!" Colcu shouted, lifting up a dark and furry cat. At that exact moment, I slid my fists up and down, wearing down the rope that was now cutting into my bruised skin. The sound must've alerted Colcu, because the next thing I knew, his face was suddenly only centimeters away from mine. Breaking out in a cold sweat, I thought about all the possible ways this could play out.

"Are you kidding me Forannan?! You were scared of a freaking cat?!" Maelodor screeched, slapping the back of Forannan's head, propelling him forward.

As if on cue, Colcu grasped the fabric of my dress, roughly pulling me up from my seated position. No one seemed to notice what was about to transpire. It seemed as if we were invisible to the naked eye. Anger burned in his eyes, my breathing becoming shallow. He pulled his ginormous hand back, not giving me anytime to react. The back of his hand connected with the side of my face. Hard. It felt like half of my face was broken and unfeeling. I had a feeling it was going to bruise.

Tears gathered at the corners of my eyes, my vision becoming blurred. The sound from Colcu's hand making contact with my skin resonated throughout the small space. Triumph and satisfaction were shining in his lifeless orbs, like a child on christmas day. I couldn't believe someone was so wicked and black inside.

"I thought it was a rat, ok?!" Forannan crossed his arms and pouted childishly. Suddenly, The feline dug his claws into Colcu's hand with as much force as the small animal could muster. It was as if the small creature was trying to save me from his wrath. Maelodor and Forannan pretended they didn't hear the painful slap, ignoring the tears that now streaked down my face. Never in my life has anyone dared to hit me. It felt like cold water was splashed in my face, reminding me that safety wasn't an option.

"Damn it! That little scoundrel!" Colcu rubbed his hand vigorously. The kitten leaped behind me, hiding from the three men. My shoulders sagged in defeat. I was drained and physically unable to move. For some unknown reason, I always had some weird connection with animals. Ever since I was a child, they seemed to be drawn to me like a magnet. This cat was no exception.

"Keep your eye out for anything suspicious, Colcu," Maelodor gave Forannan and Colcu orders, telling them exactly what to look for. Secretly, I hoped that they'd forget I was here. Yet, I had a feeling I would be served a lot more slaps in the future. Internally, I wondered why they needed to be so cautious. Unless, they were trying to stay hidden.

I hung my head, strands of dark brown hair cascading down my shoulders. There was no use in dwelling on that thought, even if it kept nagging at the back of my mind. The small kitten rolled onto its back, peering up at me. Its tiny paws swatted at the pieces of hair that tickled its white belly. A small smile tugged at my lips. This cat seemed to be the only thing distracting me from the bruise that was now fully formed.

After what seemed like days and weeks, I could finally see buildings on the horizon. Throughout the days and nights, pain was something I grew accustomed to. Every now and then, if I was out of "line," Colcu and Forannan served me with a bone crushing slap. Bruises were now indented into my skin, knowing the scars weren't going to fade.

The fields that surrounded us were bright and golden in color. It reminded me of my mothers long locks that I used to play with as a child. Frowning, I glanced up at the electric blue sky. Do mama and my brothers miss me? My heart felt as if it was being ripped in two. I missed my family more than anything, including the big oak tree I used to play in.

I always took my family for granted. I never thought I would've been kidnapped and taken to a place I was unsure of. Honestly, no one in their right mind would've seen that coming. I hated everything about this situation I was dragged into. What frightened me the most was that for some reason, I was a valuable asset. I don't exactly know why, but by any means necessary, I will find out. Even if I have to die because of it.

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Hey readers! I hope you guys have enjoyed the story so far! It took me awhile to think how I was going to start this chapter off. I kept deleting it and then rewriting it. Nothing ever satisfied me. This chapter shows a little bit of the kidnappers personalities. I rushed through this chapter just so you guys had something to read haha :) vote for this chapter if you liked it!