The Sword Of A Princess

CHAPTER FORTY

I counted every brick in the cell a hundred times over, every link on the chains that held me here, every bar that surrounded me. The lights had been put out but I could still see the bricks, the bars, the chains. Looking down at myself I realised I was completely naked. My skin was black, stained with dirt that would take months to wash off. I curled up in the corner of the cell hiding as much of my body as possible. Every part of me was exposed to the darkness. I wasn't alone- faces always appeared, my father, the doctor, Dracyian, M.J., the knights who came to taunt me, Kalec, even Thrall. Showing themselves to me then fading back. I was always being watched. Their voices grew louder, I wriggled in pre-emptive pain as my father stepped forwards from the darkness holding a vile of the greenish-brown serum. He poured it over my body and my skin started to burn in excruciating pain. I screamed out in horror watching my skin melt before my eyes, blood seeped from my body as my skin begun sliding off my arms and legs hitting the floor below. I screamed up at him as the rage inside me raised to the surface. My entire body jolted forwards and I lunged.

The darkness turned into a bright light, instead of the inside of the cell I saw a vast blue sky.

My body was moving. Pain. I was moving fast, jerking up and down, side to side. Looking down at my hands I saw two larger ones holding onto leather straps over a brown mane. My breath hitched and I jerked backwards feeling a pressure behind me, we both went tumbling down off the side of the horse. Kalec had found me- it was him. I had passed out on the ground and I had been taken back.

"Woh there!"

"Get the horse!"

"Are you alright?" His voice wasn't as deep at Kalec's, and it wasn't Thralls either.

Finally my eyes made sense of everything around me, I pushed off the hard body staring down at his shaven clean face, no scar, no dirt- hazel brown eyes started back at me in surprise. He was dressed in Britannia's armour.

I began to cry. "You're- you-" Words escaped me as I stared down at the knight. Two others stared down at us, one from his horse and the other standing, holding onto the reins of two other horses.

"Ryder you made her cry." The woman's voice called out, I heard her step towards us and looked back. The Southern armour glinted under the afternoon sun. Swords all hung at their sides. "You're alright dear, we found you passed out in the middle of the road. Looks like you've been through quite a journey." Her light brown hand reached out for me, I stared at it for a moment then realised she wanted to help me stand. I grabbed it flinching away almost immediately after I stood up off the knight who she called Ryder.

The knight sat up staring at me, "You're quite heavy you know."

"Ryder." The woman snapped again. "Is there any place we can take you?"

"We were heading back to Britannia, but if you need travel elsewhere we can assist." The man from the horse spoke, his black hair was shaven right back.

My mouth only parted as I stood in the centre of them all, the knight from the ground finally stood up, brushing off his behind. The others looked at each other- they didn't know who I was. I was unrecognisable.

"What's your name dear?" The woman asked cautiously placing her hand on the side of my arm.

I had waited for this moment for too long, my body was screaming to speak but I was stuck feeling the blood rush around my veins.

"A-Athena." I finally managed. "My name's Athena."

All three of their faces perked up and shared looks once more- though this time with shock and uncertainty.

"Can't be." The woman's brow furrowed as she looked over my body.

"Let's get her back and the others can look her over." The man from the horse ordered, I realised he had a two diamonds upon his shoulder plates. He was a captain, although I don't remember his face. I didn't know any of their faces. The woman handed one set of reins to the knight Ryder, then mounted her own horse.