*Discontinued* Taken by Xavier

Chapter 2

Here's chapter 2!! Are you excited? I hope so.
*Warning* This chapter has not been edited or revised so please be patient with any grammatical/spelling errors that may be in here.
The picture is of the beautiful actress Emilia Clarke who I see playing Isabella (Rose)
And lastly, if you guys enjoyed this chapter, like always, comment your opinions and if you really liked it give it a vote! You all are the best! Enjoy!! :)

*Isabella*
"It's magnificent out tonight isn't it?" I asked Julienne. Currently we were sitting on my window seat, overlooking the dark forrest below. Skies as dark blue as the deepest parts of the ocean could be seen above the tall evergreens, with the pale moon trying its hardest to peek out from behind some storm clouds.
"Yes m'lady, of course.." She answered timidly. I shook my head in disappointment, "Julienne how many times must I tell you to call me Rose? You are my friend, are you not?" I asked her pointedly.
"Yes m'la...Rose." She answered, looking at me with a shy smile. I grin back and turn my gaze back to the forest and sigh; my grin turning into a frown. How many days have I spent locked in this forsaken castle? Ever since the war broke out between my fathers clan and who he calls "the savages" I haven't been allowed out of the castle once. Father says it's for my own good, but the longer I'm here the more I think otherwise. Especially while him and mother are miles away, having marched with the army to meet the savages head on, leaving me here with 30 guards and the maids of the castle.
You see, after becoming Lord of the Southern clans my father declared himself King and tried to take over the northern highland clans as well; but the northern clans fought back. He almost took out the rebels and added the north to his growing empire, but a small village of warriors took out a large chunk of my fathers army. Ever since, the people of the Highlands have joined together under the lead of one man who goes by 'Xavier', the leader of these skilled warriors. I've heard rumors around the castle that he can kill three men as easy as one, and that he has never lost a battle. It's also said that he takes the shape of a wolf at night and feeds on the people he's slain but I find that very hard to believe.
"Julienne, what all have you heard about this highlander leader?" I ask lowly. If one of my guards overhear me asking about him they wouldn't allow me to even look out the window.
Julienne looks at me with wide eyes, "M'lady I'm not supposed to.." She tilts her head like she's listening to something "...I must go. I'm sorry." Faster than I could stand, she was up and closing the solid wood door behind her. I sigh again and bring my knees up and rest my chin on them once I fix the skirt of my dress. What did she mean she's not supposed to? Supposed to what? Tell me about the highlanders? The more I think about it the angrier I get. I am eighteen years of age and am to be a Lady of a great house someday very soon; how am I going to help rule this land if they won't tell me anything that's is happening or about the people threatening us?!
Suddenly I hear a horn blast three times and my heart freezes, they have taught me that. Three blasts means an invasion. I go to my window and look down into the yard to see...nothing. I can hear battle cries and metal against metal but I can't see where the fight is.
I hear my door slam open and jump around in fright before relaxing slightly when I see Zach striding towards me in what looked like animal hide and war paint? What the...?
"Rose we have to go, right now." The seriousness of the situation didn't hit me until then. He must've seen the panic in my eyes because the next thing I know, he's kneeling before me, holding my hands. "Rose, shh, listen to me. Your father and mother are okay. But the king commanded me to get you to your aunts and that's what I'm going to do." The sound of smashing wood and the orange glow of flames consumed my thoughts and all I could do was panic.
"Rose!" He yelled in my face as he roughly shook my shoulders "you have to listen to me!" The sound of shouting men could be heard down the hall and hot tears fall down my cheeks.
"Hey" Zach whispered as he gently shakes me again "you trust me right?"
How could he possibly ask me that; "of course I do, you've been my guard for as long as I can remember." I can hear my voice shaking with fear and I'm not even ashamed. I'm not ready for this.
"Then trust me now. I need you to change into these clothes as fast as you can. Take your hair down and all your jewelry. If we are going to get past them, we must convince them I fight on their side, do you understand?" I slowly nod my head and he smiles in relief. "That's my girl. Now hurry, we don't have much time!" He turns around as he finishes his sentence to give me some privacy. I silently thank him though I know he would never try anything of the sort with me.
Quickly as I can, I undo my corset and rip my dress off of my body, throwing on the torn up dress without even really looking at it. It feels rougher against my skin and much more thin compared to the layers of the previous. Just as I take the last pin out of my hair Zach turns around and nods in approval.
"Good. Let's go." He takes out a piece of rope and quickly ties my hands together in a lose knot. Before we head out of my door he stops, "if we're stopped, don't say a word and look only at the ground. Let me do the talking and just pray to the gods they don't notice your resemblance to your father." With that we head out of my door and into the hallway that's now flooding with screams and bare chested men that look bigger than two Zachs put together covered in blood and smeared blue war paint; they must be highlanders.
The smell of death is everywhere and I'm shaking like a leaf. Thankfully we make it down the stone stairs and into the grand hallway without being stopped. Looking around there is slumped bodies and puddles of blood everywhere. Stone statues and the painted pictures of my father on his throne are either broken or lay burning on the ground. I hear a scream and turn my head to the right to see a maid cornered by one of the highlanders. I can hear her begging him to let her go and see him laugh as he rips the front of her dress. I instantly stop when I realize who it is and tug on the rope that Zach is leading me with.
"Julienne!!" I scream and try to run to her and help but I'm stopped by a swearing Zach. Her eyes meet mine and go wide with horror and it's too late for either me or Zach to realize that it's someone behind us she's looking at.
I hear the snap before I turn and scream as I see Zach's body fall to his knees before finally slumping to the ground, he head turned in an odd direction. "Zach!!" I scream as tears soak my cheeks. I hear laughing and look up to see the man who killed my only protector, looking at me questioningly.
"Oh gods" I whisper in panic. I turn around and try to run and find a hiding spot but I'm ripped back by the rope tied around my wrists. The man that killed Zach is now holding the rope and starts to pull me towards him. I try to get the knots undone but the more he pulls the tighter they get and soon I'm being helplessly dragged towards this man.
My wrists start bleeding and with one last tug he has me stumbling right to his feet. He's the largest man I've ever seen. Not surprisingly, he towers over my small 5'4 frame, his large tan body looming over me like a mountain. He grabs my wrists and pulls me closer, "what is your name?" He demands looking straight into my eyes.
My breathing is getting worse and my heart is beating out of my chest. "Isabella Rose." I reply instantly but regret it immediately when I realize the mistake I've just made.
The man grins like he just found the biggest piece of gold and throws me over his shoulder, holding me in place by the backs of my knees. He walks to the door and then outside before he decides to talk.
"Sorry about yer house princess, but yer exactly what we've been searchin for." His back vibrates while he talks, his accent is thick and I know for sure that he's from the north. Rage and panic fills me and I start to pound his back with my tied hands, "put me down you big brute! Help! Please someone!" I scream hoping with all my heart that some of the guards were still alive.
"Oh deary look around ye. Who is going to help ye? One of my men? No. One of yers? Probably, if they weren't all dead." He laughed but the tone wasn't one of messing around. I was stuck. He began to run with me like I weighed nothing to him and it hit me that if I didn't get help now, I was going to be either killed or taken for ransom. I tried screaming but couldn't from being bounced around. So I did the only other thing that seemed reasonable; kick.
"Put me-e-e down you murderer-r-r!" I screamed while I beat on his back with my bound hands. Finally he slowed down to a walk and I took the chance to start kicking and squirming around, hoping he'll lose his grip on me. Suddenly he stopped and tightly gripped my upper thighs, "Now do me a favor sweetheart and stop wiggling around. Yer a pretty one, Xav will want ye for himself, but if ye don't stop wigglin that fine arse of yers in me face I'll take ye right here!" He finished his speech with a hard slap to said hind region and I instantly stop moving in shock, my face turning the color of a ripe tomato.
We've been headed through thick forest for what seems like an eternity before it finally opens to a meadow and his words finally sink in.
"Wait you..you're taking me to him?" I whisper, my body tensing with terror and the brute laughs again at the panic in my voice. "I sure am sweetheart. You heard of 'em then?" He states more than asks. I hear a growl and he instantly stops walking and sets me down in front of him. My body instantly relaxes some and I take a few steps back only to feel arms circle around my waist and a warm breath at my neck. I try to move away but whoever this guys is has arms like steel. His lips press against the back of my neck and down to my shoulder before I feel him lightly bite my ear; "Do tell me my precious mate, what've ye heard about me?"