The Royal Two

Chapter 9

A carriage pulled up at the bottom of the steep rocky hill, at the top one could see the clouds swirl around the towers turrets that loomed above.
The carriage door opened and out stepped Princess Victoria. At the front of the carriage, hold onto the horse's reins was a knight.

“PRINCESS VICTORIA!” A voice called from up the rocky cliff.

A man dressed in a long black coat with a bloody bandage over his right eye. It was Baker. 
He came slide down the hill, dust rolling around his feet and stones falling around he came running and sliding down the hill. 

“My Princess… Your sister… She's been taken” Baker panted, his voice hoarse.

Victoria reached for Baker, helping him to stop as he reached the bottom of the hill.

“What happened?” The Knight asked.

“A knight arrived a few days ago and too here, not before taking me out with some drug through my eye.” Baker raised his hand and covered his face.
“I have failed you my Lady.” He said.
Victoria bit her lip and shook her head, “We must return to the middle kingdom. Baker, transform and fly us there. Ryde and John are defending the kingdom, they will need your help.” Victoria spoke as calmly as she could.

“Defending the kingdom? From what? And why on earth are you in a wedding dress?” Baker looked down at the Princess, his eye finally seeing the Princess as he finally caught his breath.

“The kingdom is under attack by Ido Matsuda, the king of the southern Kingdom and now… The Northern. He's after every kingdom.” Victoria frowned.

Baker nodded his head and smoke surrounded his body and then before the knight and Victoria spoke another word, the Amethyst Dragon laid before them.
“Let us go to the kingdom.”

**

After an half an hour of flying, Baker flew over the kingdom, below him he could see the castle, the armies were preparing for war. The Dragon landed in the courtyard, lowing the carriage first, with the Princess and the knight inside.
Then as Baker lowered himself down, he transformed back into his human form within a large swirl of smoke.
Ryde and John came running into the courtyard as Victoria stepped out of the carriage with the help of the knight. 
John took the woman into his arms, her face pressing against his cold metal armor.

Ryde poked his head into the carriage before looking at Baker, “Where… Where is she?” He asked.
Victoria looked away and Baker bowed down, his face glum.
“I'm sorry… Your Majesty.”

“Is she… Dead? Where is she?” Ryde asked. His face showed the pain and panic his heart was feeling. 

“I don't know your Majesty. She was taken by a knight a few days ago, I was attacked and put to sleep. I had not long awoken when Princess Victoria had arrived.” Baker replied.

Ryde growled, “I bet that Ido has her. He was probably after Victoria but then if he does have hold of her, he probably knows the truth about Isabella.”
Ryde fist thumped the carriage angrily as his brow knotted together.

Once Victoria was safe inside the palace walls with the protection of Baker and Elizabet, John had slowly and calmly persuaded Ryde to go back and begin commanding sorting the armies  before slowly setting off.

The army marched forward, the two Princes marched in front, guiding the army of two thousand forward.
“I have to get her back.” Ryde muttered.
John nodded his head, “My brother, we will win. For the sake of the kingdoms and for our loves!”

***

Meanwhile in a village at the edge of Kornshire, Ido had shared his horse with Isabella. She was sat behind him, her hand bound together with rope and a silver ring on her left finger.
Her hair was no longer blonde but had been dyed blue and black, and blonde at the roots. Izzy’s hair was also much shorter now, her curls only falling to her shoulders in a rough cut fashion. Her blue eyes had dulled from the pain Ido had subjected her too and her once beautifully happy face was now filled with despair and her skin covered in scars and bruises.