Dedicated to: NotawolfNamedDarky
_____
"You just keep going until something clever occurs to you."
-Iolas from Hercules The Legendary Journeys. (My favorite TV show and Hercules sidekick, the character for whom this book's Iolas is named after)
_________________
Iolas awoke to the sounds of the enemy camp being packed away.
The rustle of canvas being folded and fires being doused told him so despite his lack of view from inside the wagon.
He rubbed the tiredness from his eyes with the back of his hand, surprised at himself for having fallen asleep amidst such captive circumstance.
He rubbed the stiffness from his neck as he turned to look at the girl still pressed tightly against his chest in sleep.
It was she who was the source of his exhaustion, for the previous night before this, not long after he had initially fallen asleep, he had awoken sharply in his chambers from a rather intense dream that involved the young queen gloriously naked and all tangled up with him. His emotions a mixture of disgust, confusion and lust, he had spent the rest of that night awake, trying to fend off the lurid dreams that he knew would return if he fell asleep once more without a clear head.
This is why he had been unable to speak to her the previous day, why he had been so formal, almost cold to her.
With a sigh, he gave into the urge to stare at her. She was truly beautiful; with her long red hair and soft pale skin, brushing it back and away from her eyes, he noted the small freckles the same shade as her locks that speckled across her nose and the apples of her cheeks. His jacket looked perfect on her, the white color capturing her inner innocence in a way that was always lost on him.
Seeing her in something of his sent a strange surge through his body.
Confused, he tried to place it.
Protectiveness, and perhaps something else, though he was not yet willing to admit the latter, not even to himself.
He realized, taking a sigh, that his promise was no longer just a repetition of his fathers order. He truly wished to keep her safe, even at the cost of his own life. His actions, and the emotions he experienced during their capture last night were proof of that.
Adelaide was jolted awake by the sound of a heavy key tumbling the lock of the barred wagon. The door swung open, and Iolas wrapped his arm more securely around her.
A weasley little man with cracked bull's horns crookedly attached to a simple copper helmet opened the doors and sneered at Iolas before glaring down at Adelaide with the most disgusting look of perversity.
Iolas pulled her even closer, returning the sneer with a death glare.
"Easy there pretty boy, I'm only admiring the merchandise."
He snorted, setting down the food at their feet.
He shot the queen a repulsive wink before leaving and locking the door behind him.
The wagon jolted forward. They were on the move. Adelaide closed her eyes and shuddered. Iolas unwrapped his hand from her shoulders and picked up the bowl.
"I'm not going to let them touch you again, I promise." He swore, holding the bowl out to her to grab some of its contents.
Eyeing the food suspiciously she picked up a piece of the bread.
"Thank you."
Adelaide said quietly.
The bread was hard and stale, but edible.
"Where do you think they are taking us?" Adalaide asked, trying hard to chew the stale meal down.
"We aren't headed back to the palace," Iolas whispered.
"I know that's where you think they're taking us, but you're wrong. When myself and my men were sailing in, we saw a huge Viking battleship moored off the island of Giliah." Adelaide frowned at his answer
"But Giliah is uninhabited. What business could they have there?"
She puzzled.
With nothing to conquer it seemed to be a rather pointless place to be for the horde.
"It's far enough away from the harsh snows of the Aelford winter that their warlord wouldn't have to worry about Aelford's forces having an environmental advantage. I am certain that's where we're going."
His face was grim as he spoke.
"So the warlord gets to sit back and relax, while he sends his men to take my land," Adelaide realised. She gasped. "They're taking me to Giliah so I can be married off! Oh, god. This is the second arranged marriage I've been forced into, and I doubt it'll turn out better than the last one."
Adelaide paled.
"I'm sorry, Iolas. I didn't mean-"
"It's fine. I am well aware I was far from the model fiance. And besides, you've nothing to worry about. I'm never going to let you go through with a wedding with someone as monstrous as a Viking warlord."
Iolas didn't really understand why he felt so protective over Adelaide, but he knew he had to save her from a life as the concubine of some filthy Viking warmonger.
"You have a plan?" Asked Adelaide. She wasnt the least bit skeptical of Iolas' ability to successfully succeed in planning and performing malicious actions.
"Of course I do, Adelaide. Believe it or not, I got into a lot of trouble as a boy. My father used to lock me up in my chambers as reparations for whatever messes I'd made. He even went as far as to chain the shutters. It got to the point where I was able to open my window wide enough to be able to learn to pick the lock, climb out of my window and escape."
Adelaide erupted into a toothy grin.
"So you can pick locks? Why doesn't that surprise me?"
Iolas laughed and shook his head.
"I can pick the simple locks my father used. This is a warden's lock. They're much more complicated, and no man without formal training, or a hardened life as a criminal is able to pick one."
Adelaide's face fell, and Iolas caressed her cheek with uninhibited familiarity.
"Hey, don't worry. Like I said, princess, I have a plan."
Iolas grinned.
"Sure, the locks are well-forged and complex, but whatever cargo hold, or brig cell we're to be held in will be weak, and there's no doubt that I will be able to break us out before you're to be married, and we can steal away on a smaller boat."
"I hope you're right."
Adelaide was truly hoping against hope that Iolas' plan would be a success, otherwise she was doomed to live a life of wedlock to a man she was disgusted by the thought of. She secretly hoped she'd die if she were faced with the prospect of walking down the aisle and into that man's arms. God forbid she have to lie with him, and bear his children. Adelaide felt she would sooner throw herself off of the highest tower of the castle.
"So," began Adelaide, trying to make less dread filled conversation.
"You used to sneak out of your castle a lot?"
The two spent the next few hours sharing tales from their childhood, learning more about one another.
As the time progressed Adelaide realised much that he had told her during their courtship had not been the lies that she had thought. After a particularly tantalising tale, he stopped talking abruptly.
"Do you smell that?" Iolas asked.
Adelaide took a deep breath in through her nose.
"Yes...that's the ocean. That's the ocean near the citadel. I'm...home." Adelaide pressed her face against the icy bars, trying to see her home.
The sight that met her eyes was not the familiar one that she had hoped for. They passed through the rear gate of the city walls, the one that when she had first escaped, had not yet been discovered by the enemy.
As they trodded through the main street of the citidale, her spirits sank even further as her eyes were not met with the familiar sight that she had hoped for, but instead, one that she barely recognized.
The castle walls and towers had been painted with streaks of red, to symbolize the blood of the fallen kingdom. The market was in shambles, with almost every single shop ransacked or burned.
The statue of her grandfather that was the centerpiece of the great town square, had been pulled down and lie in several chunks on the ground.
Smoke billowed from behind the walls of her late mother's garden.
Adelaide gritted her teeth, hating the barbarians for having the audacity to set up the camp there.
"My precious city..." she whispered, pained by the sight before her, as they finally passed through the city gates, and towards the docks.
What had happened to the surrounding villages was an easy guess. They were all razed. Every single cottage and farmhouse was likely nothing more than a pile of ashes. She took a breath, Glad she had managed to evacuate so many before the barbarians had been able to burn everything to the ground. She thought back to Isabelle, and to Andre, two of the many children stashed away in Isenbrok. It was Adelaide's ancestors that she truly had to thank, for without them there would be not Isenbrok, and Aelford would have fallen the moment the Vikings landed in the frozen bay, their menacing ships cutting through the ice on the water.
The wagon lurched to a halt, and soon enough the lock clicked heavily and the heavy wagon doors swung open, revealing two grotesque Vikings. One of them grasped Adelaide by the ankle and dragged her from the wagon whilst the other one stepped in further in order to apprehend Iolas. "Don't fight them," She called back to Iolas as a set of two other barbarians climbed inside to fetch him.
His life was hanging by a thin thread as it was, any sign of conflict or struggle from him and they would have the excuse they needed to sever his head from the rest of his body.
"You'd better listen to your cousin," The one holding Adelaide yelled menacingly in the direction of the wagon.
Iolas bit down onto his lip to force himself to be calm.
He knew the stakes as well as she did. He was expendable, plain and simple.
They roughly led the pair aboard a large warship, appropriately named The Bloodhound.
As they crossed the deck on the way to the brig below, Adelaide felt the man to her right sliding his hand slowly down her back and then slapping her on the rear.
She winced in suprise.
Infutiated and blinded by rage, Iolas tore loose of the guards that held him and body slammed her assailant to the floor.
"Don't you DARE touch her!"
He hissed down to the Viking who lay sprawled out across the deck of the ship. The man reached into his boot, grabbing a crude knife he slashed at him. Iolas jumped out of the way but the blade caught his shoulder, slicing through his sleeve.
"Iolas!" Adelaide screamed in fear.
Realizing that if they kill him now her chances to escape would be as dead as he.
"Enough!" The leader cried out, and Iolas's attacker reluctantly sheathed his blade. The two guards quickly latched back onto Iolas and push him down onto his knees. The tall, burly commander back hands Iolas hard across the face, and the slap resonated across the entire deck.
"Lock them in the brig!"
He ordered.
Iolas and Adelaide were shoved rather roughly into a small, cold cell below deck of The Bloodhound.
The Queens spirits rose when she saw that indeed the lock on the door looked feeble and rusted, but her relief did not go unnoticed, because skinnier, gangly barbarian caught her staring at it. Her heart sunk when she saw that he noticed the same thing.
"This lock doesn't look very strong, fetch me the one off of the jailers wagon."
Luckily the sound of the very strong jailers lock clinking into place covered up the sound of her heart breaking inside her chest.
Determined not to reveal her sadness to the enemy, she walked around the cell, examing it like one would examine a home they wished to purchase. It was small, but cleaner then she expected, and had no bed, but instead a pile of furs and blankets arranged in the corner like a mattress.
The guards turned to leave, but she stopped them, demanding bandages and hot water to be brought so that she could clean the wound her dear cousins shoulder.
The smaller, skinny one reluctantly returned and slid the items through the bars. He had a smug smile plastered to his hideous face, and it was aimed in the direction of the crimson haired Prince.
"Think you're so tough now pretty boy?" He began to sneer.
"Well guess what? Captains ordered that you put on a little show for us tonight. Then we'll see how tough you really are."
He grinned through several rotting teeth.
"What kind of show?" Iolas asked, rising to his feet and clutching his wound. The barbarian leaned forward, clutching the bar doors with a malicious gleam in his muddy brown eyes.
"Tonight you fight Big Valarry."
He spoke.
"To the death."
"But Grooa, Valarry has never been defeated."
The other gaurd spoke up in slight suprise. The one they now knew to be called Grooa turned to his companion and grined evilly.
"And he never will be."
"This is absurd. We had a bargain!"
Adelaide cried out, placing her hands on her hips angrily.
"I demand to speak with your leader. We had a deal!"
"He thought you might say that." Grooa laughed.
"He told me to tell you, You are our captive now, you have no authority anymore. Property of our empire. All deals are off! "
Our guards, satisfied with their duties, left. Speechless, she clutched her stomach, trying to control her breathing.
Gathering herself, she picked up the bundle of cloth and the skin bag filled with hot water and turn to tend to her cell mate.
"This cannot be happening." She shook her head as she knelt down beside the wounded prince, who had slumped to the floor the second the guards had left.
"Don't panic." He tried to soothe.
"And stop looking at me like that."
"Like what?" She asked.
"Like I'm on my deathbed. The battle has yet to begin. Look, I'm unmatched amongst my siblings with a blade, and it's my other arm that's the fighting one, so if I can just get my hands on a sword...."
She let out a long breath, trying hard to believe him as she examined the tear of his shirt, and the wound beneath it; the sickening red color of blood had seeped through it.
"Take your shirt off." She ordered, wetting the cloth with the hot water.
"Oh Adelaide, at least buy me some ale first." He joked, grinning instantly at her request, trying to lighten the heavy air.
"Oh shut up!" She ordered further, trying profusely to bite back a blush.
He untied his cravat from around his neck, unbuttoned his waistcoat, and then finally pulled off his sturdy, expensive white shirt.
Adelaide forced herself to only look at the wound on his shoulder, and not to let her eyes wander to... other areas.
Focusing on her work, she began cleaning the nasty gash on his upper arm. Luckily it was only a flesh wound, and not very deep at all.
"You have a gentle touch."
He complimented, watching her work.
They sat in silence as the queen cleaned and bandaged his wound, and then afterwards. Both unable to speak,
After a while, Iolas stood and dressed before taking steps and looking through the smaller set of bars that made a crude window to the outside world, the sun was getting ready to set, with the nearing evening, soon he was sure the 'entertainment' would commence. With a nervous sigh, he slid back to his spot beside her, their shoulders lightly touching.
"Soon they will be..." she begin but was unable to finish the sentence.
"I know..." He responds, head hung low.
"Adelaide..." He speaks after a few minutes of silence.
"I know this is not going to mean much, and you're still going to hate me, which you have every right to..." Iolas speaks humbly, raising his head until he is looking her in the eyes. He shly grabs her hand, but once he has it, holds it firmly.
"What I'm trying to say is... I'm sorry. For trying to kill your brother, for trying to take over Aelford, and for being in general a pompous rear end of a horse."
"And I know this probably isn't in the right order of things I should be sorry for... on the list of horrible, unforgivable crimes I've committed, the one that I'm most sorry for is what I did to you."
Her mouth was dry as she look into his eyes to see only the truth, gone was the spark of mischief, and she knew without a doubt that he meant every word.
"I'm so sorry for everything I put you through, for trying to use you, and of course, for breaking your heart. You did nothing to deserve that. I was a power hungry fool and I took advantage of a sweet, innocent girl."
She breathed deeply. It took a moment to take in all that he had said. She never in all her years expected to hear a genuine apology from this man.
"Iolas I..." She started to say before he cut her off, holding up a hand.
"You don't have to say anything. I'm not searching for forgiveness. Lord knows I don't deserve it. All I want is that you know that I am sorry, and that is enough. For us, for Xander, for everything."
"You ready boy, it's time!" A Viking calls from above deck, jingling keys. They were coming for him.
He stands up and straightens out his cravat, she rose as well.
"Well I guess this is it."
He states with a grin, trying hard to hide his dread.
The jingling sound gets louder as the gaurds approach the door.
"Adelaide, forgive me." He turns to her hastily, and with nervous eyes.
"I thought you said not to."
She asked in surprise.
"No not for that."
He shakes his head, wrapping an arm behind her back.
"For this."
Is all he says before pulling her forward roughly and crashing his lips onto her in an all consuming kiss.
_______________
#HappyTuesday guys!
Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Apparently the full book must be on Wattpad to be eligible for the wattys.
I am still in the running and still have time to fix this, so I'm contemplating if it would be worth it to repost Bedding Camp so that it can take part in the judging. I don't want to loose money, but I would love the exposure. So it's a tough call? Honest opinions?
Your Author
-QueenOfGeeks
P.s. can't wait to hear what you think about this chapter. Don't forget to vote and comment!