CHAPTER 2
12 years later ...
The arrows flew through the air as they aimed at their target. The men fell to their feet as the arrow embedded itself into their toes. Other guards followed behind and Mina turned her head and ran once again.
It had been 12 years since her father's death and Mina had yet to find her revenge. Of course she wouldn't be running off killing every Babylonian in her sight, however she would kill those listed on the day of her father's passing. It had been huge news of the large sum of deaths that had occurred that day. However it wasn't easy for Mina to begin her mission. Miss Aya had promptly packed their luggage and took them to her sister's village, far away from her previous home.
Miss Aya had refused to let her set foot outside, in fear that she may die. Despite that Mina trained herself secretly in her room and at the age of 18, she left home. Miss Aya had tried to convince her to settle down and start a life, but Mina refused.
Mina had been travelling when she had heard about the order given to destroy her village. Villagers had confirmed it was the Queen of the Hittites, previously the Babylonian princess, who had given the order to destroy it. She had been travelling into a new kingdom once again when hunger struck. She reached out and grabbed an apple from the near by vendor, taking a bite out of it. Just as she was about to give the vendor a coin, a small child had zoomed past her, grabbing her purse in the process.
Mina didn't care to chase after a child who was obviously hungry if he had to steal home for it. However it seemed the vendor didn't think mutually. He began to yell words to Mina in a foreign language. Mina couldn't understand a word of their dialect. She tried to speak with him but it seemed that it angered him more when she didn't understand. From the corner of her eyes, she had seen the armored castle guards approaching her and decided that it was best she ran. NOW.
And that is exactly where we began. Mina was running from the soldier, her cloak loosening from around her neck as she ran. Mina turned a corner behind a wall and saw a figure covered in a white cloak.
Damn, there's a person here too, she thought
She heard the figure say something in the same dialect as the other man but as it began to remove the cloak, Mina moved back in shock.
The stranger removed the cloak and Mina watched as a man with beautiful brown hair and chocolate eyes appeared. His skin was caramel brown and he had a headband of jewels wrapped around his head. Dressed in a simple shirt and trouser, Mina knew she had never seen a man as handsome as he.
But as the voices of the men grew louder, Mina knew that she had to do something. Yet, where was she to go?
The man stared at her perplexed, and before she knew it, he grabbed her arm and covered them both in his cloak.
Wrapped in strong muscular arms, the stranger tilted her head up to his and slammed his lips onto hers.
No! she thought. Let me go!
She tried to pull away from his tight grip but he continued to keep his lips locked onto hers. His weight on her had eventually resulted on them landing on the ground.
"Hey! Where's the girl with the green eyes?" yelled a soldier.
"A girl? I haven't seen anyone here besides us? I'm a little busy here anyways." replied the stranger calmly.
Mina tried to say something but his hand quickly covered her mouth. The audacity of the man!
"That's not possible. We're sure she came this wa- ah! Ah, it's the prince!" Said one of the guards, fright in his eyes.
"Uh, we are looking for a girl with green eyes. She must have come this way," said another.
"As I said, I have not seen this woman! Do not intrude in my business. Get out of my sight!" the stranger yelled.
"YES SIR!" the guards replied back.
Mina's eyes widened as she realized she had finally begun to understand their dialect. But how? Was it the kiss?
Mina and the stranger watched as the guards finally left. Mina tried to calm her racing heart.
"Who are you?"
Her head snapped to the stranger's.
"What have you done to have those guards chasing you?" Mina didn't reply, too shocked by his actions to do anything.
The stranger smirked, "Are you perhaps embarrassed by what happened?"
Mina stood fast to her feet. Grabbing her quiver, she adjusted the cloak on the ground around her and began to move away from the stranger. His arm reached out towards her and she began to run away.
She could hear his voice yell "wait" but she ignored it and began to run.
Mina had just turned a corner when an arm reached out and grabbed her. Voices began to yell "thief" at her and she tried to break free.
Mina slumped in the guard's arms as he began to drag her away. After years of training, she was still powerless. Tears began to run down Mina's face as she realized that she might never accomplish her mission. A sudden pounding in her head began, knocking her asleep.
.............................................................................................................................................
The next time Mina woke up, her arms were hung above her head locked in cuffs. Mina tried to shake herself free but realized that her legs were also locked to the wall behind her.
"LET ME OUT!" she yelled. "LET ME GO!"
A small boy appeared in front of her. He had short curly hair and tiny fingers. He had to be about 13 years old yet his small frame made him seem younger. He had a sad expression on his face, his head tilted down.
"I'm sorry miss but I can not let you go."
"Why?" Mina said calmly.
"Thieves need to pay for their crimes so they are sacrificed to the god of Death."
"But I am not a thief!" She yelled.
The young boy lifted his head and looked at her. "Even though we may not have committed the crime, whether it be the victim or the innocent, the queen doesn't care unless there is a sacrifice."
"Ha, what kind of queen is that?"
"Not a very good one miss." The boy said with a sad smile.
"BRING OUT THE PRISONER, BOY!" yelled a powerful voice.
The young child scurried towards her and begun to unlock her cuffs. Her arms were released first and then her legs. Mina finally felt the blood rush to her veins but it didn't last long as two soldiers grabbed her arms and dragged her out of the dungeon.
Mina had been quickly changed into a white flowy gown that sculpted all her curves. The gown was beautiful but the occasion was horrendous. But Mina refused to give in. As the soldier's grabbed each of her hands and dragged her bare feet across the hot sands of the arena, Mina kept her head up. She could still hear her father's words.
Do not drop your head for you can only show your true strength when it is held up high in the air.
They tied her hands behind her back and left her in the middle of the bright sunny arena surrounded by fancy dressed men and women.
Please welcome his highness King Suppiluliuma, and Queen Malignal. Please be seated second prince Prince Aruna, and third prince Amen.
Mina's head snapped towards the thrones in the small open arena. Prince Amen, why was that such a familiar name to her? And just as she had had the thought, the same stranger from before made an appearance.
Dressed in a simply white robe, he wore a simple necklace and a black headband on his head. Mina would have sat and admired the man's beauty if it had not been for his constant appearance. The man who had helped her was the Prince himself. He was the prince. THE PRINCE.
Mina couldn't wrap her mind around her thoughts. But all she knew is, this man would be watching as she died.
LET THE SACRIFICE BEGIN. Oh god of death, we bring forth a sacrifice of theft. Please accept our holy sac-
"Pfft cough cough"
All the heads turned towards Prince Amen as his hand covered his mouth.
"Amen, if I may say so, I can not understand what you find so funny, my son" said King Suppiluliuma.
"Forgive me father. I am not trying to be rude, yet I can't help but laugh. You are offering her as a pure soul and yet is she not pure." Replied prince Amen.
"WHAT!" yelled the queen. The queen had blonde long hair that reached her hip and fiery blue eyes. It was evident that the prince and queen were not paternal mother and son. "Of course she is pure! She has no claimed husband and was found wandering around by herself." Replied the queen.
"But mother dearest, I am sorry to announce that I have taken her purity."
"What!" yelled the queen. Mina gasped as the prince wrapped his arm around her shoulder bringing her closer to him.
"What is it dear? You deny our kiss too?" he asked Mina loudly
"T-that was. Y-you forced m-bwahdfhjlafj" her sentence finishing muffled.
"It would be so much easier to save your life if you would just play along." He whispered into her ear, kissing her head lightly to show some affection.
Mina turned to face the Prince and saw the smirk on his face, causing hers to turn pink.
The king watched the exchange between the couple and laughed boisterously. He stood up and walked towards his son, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Amen my son, I appreciate your honesty however do keep your womanizing ways quiet." Said the smiling king.
Amen nodded and replied back, "Of course father. I will sacrifice 100 cows in order to make up for the one lost today."
The king nodded and announced the completion of the sacrifice. All the lords and ladies began to stand and leave the small arena however as the queen left, a shiver ran through Mina from the glare sent towards her.
Before Mina knew it she was thrown on top of Amen's shoulder and taken to the front of a horse carriage.
"let me go! MY god, just leave me alone!" Mina had grown so tired of begging people to leave her alone. In the one day alone she had said it over 10 times.
"And where exactly do I leave you?" he asked her, placing her in his carriage.
"I-I don't have a place yet. But..."
"Then you will come back with me to the palace." He said, smirking.
Knowing that was the best solution, Mina nodded. But god knows, what kind of mess she had gotten herself into.