"Lad, are you certain this was the better path to take?" King William questioned the boy just as he felt impatience settle in his chest.
Luke nodded. "I found this path when I had gotten lost on the way to Jaria. Once I figured it out, I realized that 'tis faster than the other route." Charles nodded satisfied with Luke's answer.
King William felt a premonition. "How far away are we?"
Luke winced slightly, "I am not sure Sir." He licked his dry lips, "A few days..." he paused, "or more?"
King William signaled to Edwin and Edwin nodded. "We shall hasten a little more, no more stopping until I recognize the land."
Charles scratched the back of his neck tiredly, "Why then?"
"If there is anything I do know, 'twould be my land. I take the reigns when we arrive. Something is telling me that," he paused seemingly deep in thought, "if Isabella has arrived home, she has landed into a messy situation." The Kings continued to ride with the Jarian Knights in tow. What was at first a mission to protect Charles, became a mission to genuinely assist the Gardian royalty. Despite being bred to hate any Gardian, the men found the kind and easy-going natures of both William and Isabella endearing. The men also hoped that whatever they had sensed between Aiden and Isabella grew, and that their leader could be happy.
William sat back and whispered to Charles, "I have no idea what is going on, but we may be entering hostile territory."
Charles clasped William's shoulder, "That man has caused a nearly a two decade rift between the two of us, and the Lord has deemed it acceptable that we receive a second chance at this friendship. I will help you William, my men will help you. You will get your kingdom back, and we will avenge Margo."
William simply nodded, his throat clogged with his emotions of gratitude and grief. They eventually stumbled upon forked path and with Luke's guidance, they chose the northern path. Little did they know, had the group chose the Southern path, a little farther would have revealed the Adultrine Castle, home of the rebellious refugees.
********
Sir Baldwin walked into the throne followed by the tall and scarred man and four guards.
He sat on the throne and smiled. "Bring her in." In walked Isabella, her armor on glistening in the sunlight that danced through the crystal windows. Henry followed and the two other knights were right behind her, who unlike Isabella, wore chains. Baldwin's sinister smile morphed into shock and then disdain to finally anger. "Why is she not shackled?!" He belted.
Isabella just politely smiled while her contempt flashed in her eyes. Do not get comfortable on that throne. She thought angrily. Before Henry could explain Isabella greeted Baldwin, "Hello Baldwin. I see you have made yourself comfortable." Her smile widened. "Oh, and you've invited guests. Who are these fine..." she paused and smirked, "scarred men?"
Baldwin clinched the armrests willing self control. "Why. Is. She. Not. Shackled?" Henry tried to answer but Isabella beat him to it.
"Now Baldwin, we both know I hate jewelry. Besides, any one who dares try to chain me clearly does not value their consciousness. Ask your right hand lad for example." At the look of outrage on Baldwin's face she continued, "You know, the one who knew about your attempt on my life and so thus you promised him my position." Isabella felt satisfied at the gasps from the knights.
"That is.. is preposterous. Accusing me of assassination now are we? Trying to get sympathy with your lies you tyrant, not while I stand... Henry get the chai--" The door burst open and in walked the young knight holding his head.
"You!" He shouted. Instead of storming over to Isabella like Baldwin would expect, he yelled at Henry. "You traitorous scoundrel! You knocked me out, you side with tyranny." Henry stood silent at a loss for words. He had not considered the consequences of knocking the lad out.
Isabella quickly butted in, "How dare you?!" She yelled taking a swing at the lad when Henry grabbed her. "You men are always underestimating women, taking credit away from me. I got the hit, not Henry!" Henry continued to struggle with Isabella who turned and shot him a quick wink. Her eyes screamed to him to play along. "After you tripped me I sprinted behind you and drop kicked you before this so called knight," Henry flinched appropriately, "grabbed me from behind and held me hostage until the others appeared." She continued to falsely flail until Henry falsely hit a pressure point she taught him to which gave her a reason to go limp and save her energy. She also noticed that he left a lot of accessibility to his weapons with his open stance and loose grip.
Henry cleared his throat and spoke, "I was just about to inform Sir Baldwin about how you discovered Princess Isabella," Baldwin twitched at the word princess, "and these two men and how you took them all on and the quality of leadership you showed. You getting knocked out by the princess showed just how much you were willing to sacrifice. I wish to be as altruistic as you are one day, once we dispose of this problem." He finished resisting the urge to roll his eyes.
The lad started to argue about the presence of the other four people missing but he focused on the admiration Henry showed. Turning toward Baldwin he smiled, "Yes, I caught her. And then she attacked me from behind, but I had her, her followers could do nothing against my might." He clasped Isabella's arm pulling her away from Henry. Isabella resisted the urge to pull away. "What are we to do with her Sir?"
Baldwin did not voice his thoughts about the young man but he did stand up and walk toward the now bound princess.
"Two days away from my coronation and you suddenly show up... How?" In his peripheral he saw Trent enter the room with complete shock on his face.
"Isa--" He started but he was cut off.
"It seems your henchmen could not finish their job. Men of letters they are." She smiled at the outraged gasp from the scarred man. Baldwin turned and glared at the refugees and the knight holding Isabella. "I regret to inform you Baldy, but I have returned."
Baldwin was outraged and raised his hand to slap her. Before Henry could react he saw Trent step between Baldwin and Isabella.
"Son, what are you doing? Move."
"Father! 'Tis a miracle. Princess Isabella is alive!" he turned to Isabella confused, "Why are you chained? Never mind that... How did you manage to survive the Jarian attack?"
Isabella shook her head, "'Twas not a Jarian--"
Baldwin interrupted, "How many people know she is here? Did anyone see you bring her here?"
Trent looked confused, but another knight answered, "No Sir. They are all off preparing for the coronation."
Isabella spoke up, "There will be no coronation." Baldwin having had enough raised his hand and slapped her face. The sound of his hand hitting her cheek resounded across the large room. Henry and Trent gasped while the knights shifted uncomfortably. Though they had grown to dislike the royalty, a little seed of doubt had been planted and none of the knights knew how to react. Instinctively, they went to help her but a glare from the young knight stopped them.
Isabella's head snapped to the left and her bound arms kept her from touching her burning cheek, and striking him back. She glanced up, her usual warm brown eyes dark as night. "I will cut open your pudgy, hidden throat, first chance I get I swear it." She said in a chilling voice.
The tall man with the slashed face suppressed a shudder while Baldwin smirked and stepped close. "I will like to see you try chit."
Isabella forgoing all of her childhood teaching spat in his pudgy face and smiled when his swollen face turned a dark red, in embarrassment or anger she knew not, maybe both.
Baldwin glared and grabbed her face in his large sweaty hand, "I should kill you, not only for your actions, but for your treachery to the people of this fine nation. You will suffer just as the people have under you and your father's tyranny, may he rest in peace. You will remain alive until the coronation." He smirked and whispered. "You will watch as I am crowned King, and then you will die by my hand." He turned to the knights, who were still in shock at the turn of events. "We will not live in turmoil any longer! You will receive your wages again! Take her to the dungeon, no one shall know of her presence until the execution after the coronation. Lad, you stay."
The men reluctantly nodded and turned grabbing Isabella's chains. Isabella snatched away and walked boldly, turning once more. "We shall see Baldy."
I have to inform Hazel. Henry thought hastening out of the throne room.
*****
Two Days Later
"They're starving her."
"What?!" Aiden yelled. Eric quickly shushed him.
"Correction, they are trying to starve her. She is locked in the dungeon and looks as if she has been given minimal food but Haz--" Henry was cut off for Aiden had grabbed his throat. Eric pried Aiden off of Henry.
"Unhand me Eric! He is allowing her to suffer. I am allowing her to suffer. Baldwin plans to weaken and kill her damn you!" Aiden cried pushing Eric away from him nearly hysterical.
Aiden and Eric scoped the area and secretly met with Henry to receive information. Henry, having been kept out of the loop because of Baldwin's suspicions, had not realized what was happening to Isabella until an hour before his meeting with Aiden when he had sneaked and visited her himself.
Aiden went to kick Henry who was still gasping for breath on the ground when his arm was grabbed and he was turned around by Eric. His growl was cut off by a jab. He fell to the ground holding his jaw.
"Get yourself together mate! You cannot just choke the bloke to death. Think with your head, we need to figure out how to save her! The coronation is at dawn Aiden, we are running out of time."
Aiden sighed. He held his jaw and rose as Eric helped Henry to his feet. Henry cleared his sore throat, and coughed. "Hazel."
"What?!" Eric asked moodily flexing his sore hand.
"Hazel. A lady and friend of Isabella's, has been sneaking a little food and a few necessities to her. She was still chained when I saw her, but they unchain her at night. I was correcting myself when..." He touched his tender throat.
Aiden ran his hand through his hair in frustration, "I apologize to you both. I should not have done that." He placed his forearm over his heart in sincerity and bowed his head. "I love her, and she is suffering, and chained like some animal as I hide idly in a forest. This is hard for me, especially since there is nothing being done. I just wish to see her and know how she fares."
Henry nodded, "You will see her."
Aiden's head snapped up, "I can?"
"Yes. 'Tis late and the night guard will be asleep I am sure of it."
"How do you know?"
"Because I am the knight." Henry grinned a little. "I have a friend who has been guarding overtime so I convinced him to allow me to watch tonight. Come. We have not much time. Do you know how to scale vine covered walls?"
Aiden remembered overhearing Isabella's and Troy's conversations about it and nodded. Henry jogged toward the back of the castle.
*******
Although Isabella diligently taught Henry how to scale this wall, he never thought he would be showing a Jarian Knight how to in the dead the night. He was just glad that Aiden and Eric quickly learned the process. By time they all climbed into the room Hazel stood waiting nervously. Eric observed the pretty blonde in interest, immediately causing a blush to stain her cheeks. Henry cleared his throat rather loudly and asked Hazel, "Where is everyone else?"
"Asleep, or doing last minute preparations. Baldwin is in the village having his robe fitted. He chose lavender." She finished rolling her eyes.
Henry nodded grabbed a satchel of bread and fruit from Hazel, "Very well. Let us hurry."
******
Isabella dozed slightly in the dark chamber. The moon provided the only light through the thin barred window. Tomorrow Baldwin will be crowned. Micah how did you survive it? Isabella wondered. And there's the problem of my impending death... I will not go down without a fight. Isabella groaned in frustration at the growling of her stomach. She got up and paced until it became unbearable. She knew Baldwin was trying to break her and she'd be damned if she allowed him to succeed. She stared out the little window at the sky and tilted her head. "Aiden." She sighed.
"Isabella."
Isabella looked up at the sky. "Very funny. Now I am hearing voices."
"Hopefully 'tis my voice your are hearing." Aiden chuckled, using the key Henry gave him opened the door and entered the cell.
Isabella turned in shock, and squinted in the dark. "Aiden?"
"Try not to swoon love." Aiden joked.
Isabella launched herself at Aiden. Aiden's chuckle was cut off by a kiss from Isabella. Aiden broke away from her lips and trailed feathered kisses up and down her neck causing her to gasp and pull his lips back to hers. Aiden kissed her nose and leaned his forehead against hers. They gazed into each other's eyes as their breathing slowed.
Aiden spoke, "I am so very glad you are okay. He has not touched you has he?" He examined her face in the moonlight.
"I am faring fairly well." Isabella licked her lips and looked away. "How did you get here?"
"That Henry chap snuck us in here, Eric stayed inside of your room. Listen Bella, I want you to come with us tonight. We will--"
"No."
"What do you mean no? Bella the man wants to kill you after he takes your kingdom. Allowing you to leave the forest alone was a bad idea--"
"Allow? You did not allow anything! I chose to confront Baldwin."
"And what? Now you are locked inside of a damp dark dungeon!" Aiden ran his hand through his hair in agitation. "I want you to be safe and if you stay here you will not. We are at a disadvantage here Bella. Let us leave."
"I will not run from the likes of Baldwin. I shall stay Aiden." Both argued unaware of how loud they were becoming.
"What do you hope to accomplish by staying here?!"
"I will confront my people. You do not understand Aiden."
"No you do not understand! Bella," he grasped her shoulders, "I will not, I can not lose you. Not you Bella I would never forgive myself if he succeeded."
"Now love, you are just bluntly insulting me." Isabella pecked his lips, "Baldwin will not succeed, I won't," she intertwined their hands, "we shall not let him. Gardia is mine."
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" The couple broke apart at the sound of Baldwin's voice. Behind Baldwin stood five knights and an unconscious Henry. "Did you honestly think I did not see this coming. I have always known you held Henry's loyalty, I wanted him to think himself safe. Men, throw him in as well." Baldwin snapped. "Ah, who is this?" Baldwin held his light up higher to see and Aiden got a clear view of the pudgy man.
He laughed loudly. At Isabella's curious look he explained, "This is Baldwin? The man who is behind all of this nonsense?" Isabella nodded smirking. "I have to say love, I am disappointed."
"Why do you say that love?" Isabella smiled at him.
"Well you see, I thought that Baldwin would actually be a worthy adversary, not an old chubby balding chap." Aiden paused and laughed again, "Does anyone ever call you Baldy? You know, because you are umm, how do I put this?" He pointed to his head full of hair, "Bald?"
Isabella laughed. "I think he is envious of you and father's hair."
"Maybe--"
"Enough!" Baldwin yelled rapidly breathing. "Isabella this behavior is what got you disciplined before..." Isabella glared and Aiden looked puzzled.
"What are you-" He started.
"He struck me." Isabella touched her once burning cheek, not meeting his eyes. Aiden stood still, his face completely devoid of emotion. He slowly turned and examined Isabella's face before he turned to Baldwin stoically.
"I will kill you!" Aiden charged toward Baldwin.
A/n
Sorry for the long wait, things are busy. Honestly, I am not happy with this chapter at all and I kind of have writer's block because I want to do the end justice so it may take time. I estimate about two chapters left if I can make up my mind about stuff... Lol
Thanks for reading please leave a Vote and Comment if you enjoyed it. :D