Chapter 5

                                    

                                          
We raced toward the dock, my heart thumping against my chest. I was afraid, afraid for my friend, fearful for my safety, and terrified for the life of the man who brought me here in the first place. The unknown danger making me run forward to the concealed place that promised refuge. 
                          
The stranger dragged me toward a vessel, where people were rushing around, preparing for the voyage to the concealed place where we were traveling.
                          
Once my feet made contact with the wooden floorboards, I jerked my hand out of the man's hold, "Where's my friend?" I demanded. He turned to look at me, "She's safe. For her and your safety, you both must travel without each other," he answered, his dark eyes on my profile. "Please, I can't leave without her!" I pleaded as the man stepped away from me, leaving below deck. "She will be alright, if you want her to remain alive, you keep your mouth shut!" he spoke sternly. 
                          
I gulped, taken back by his tone and how plainly he spoke to me, "What about Arthur? Is he ok?" I asked as I pursued the man below deck, "Don't worry about him, he will be fine. He's meeting us at a safe place further downstream," the newcomer said as he leads me further into the belly of the boat. 
                          
"Please, relax here. I don't want you to worry anymore. You're safe with us, I promise." The man said, giving me a genuine look. I sighed, astounded that he was even trying to endeavor to get me to rest right now when I had no inkling what was going on or where my only friend was gone and I had no clue if she was alive. "How can I? The place I was just relaxing in was ransacked and people were being butchered! How can I rest when I don't know for certain my friend, whom I've known most of my life may or may not be alive!" 
                          
"I assure you, she is safe," he assured again. "And how do you know? Hmm? How can you be so certain my friend, my sister, is safe?" 
                          
"I just know it. Please," he motioned to the table, "rest. You aren't doing any good to me, yourself, or anyone on board demanding answers that we cannot give you. Sit here, be good, and wait." he left me alone. I turned to watch him leave, my mouth not forming a coherent sentence. I growled in frustration, plopping into one of the seats, covering my face with my hands. I felt angry and helpless tears stream down my cheeks, crying because there was nothing I could do to stop what was happening to me. If I tried to stand up against anyone, they would most likely just restrain me anyway. I was scared shitless, to say the least. I had no idea where I was going or what was happening right now, let alone who these people were. For all I know, these men weren't friends of Arthur's and were kidnapping me to sell or try and get a ransom for. I slammed my hands down on the table, discouraged that I was powerless in this situation. 
                          
After a while of crying, irritation, and impediment, I ultimately fell asleep, the tears winning the battle of my tired burning eyes, which desperately needed rest anyway. I couldn't have been asleep long before my dreams got strange. I was alone, in a forest with a dense fog around me. 
                          
"Hello?" I called into the fog, my voice reverberating off the trees in all directions, "Is anyone there?" I glanced around, scanning the area to see if I could see anything in the thick low hanging vapor. I saw a faint glimmer that was moving away from me. "Hey! Wait!" I called, my feet taking me toward the ever-fading light. 
                          
I ran after the light, trying to catch up to whomever or whatever it was. Right before my eyes, the light that I had just seen swimming in the haze vanished, making me stop in my tracks. I breathed, looking around myself confused, "hello?" I asked frantically into the fog. 
                          
The film seemed to slowly evaporate, slowly skimming over the soil, fading away. I followed the edge of the mist, watching as it flowed over objects on the ground. I recognized that I was in some sort of marble circle, enclosed by tall stones. A small woman was standing at the edge of the stone circle, looking toward me, a hood concealing her face. 
                          
"Who are you?" I asked her, too intimidated to approach the newcomer. "Who am I? I think the mystery is, who are you?"
                          
I looked at the unfamiliar woman, "What do you mean?" I questioned the woman. I heaved realizing that right before my eyes, she disappeared. I glanced around me, searching for the woman. She was atop one of the tall boulders, looking down at me. "I am not the one to give you that answer, you must find it yourself," she shifted once again, making me panic, spinning around frantically to find her before she could do something to hurt me. 
                          
Her voice came from behind me this time, "If you do not, many people you love, will get hurt." I spun around to face her, her face still obscured by her large hood. 
                          
"How do you know?" I demanded reaching out to grab her, trying to get her to unveil herself. She disappeared, like the mist. 
                          
"I've seen your fate," the woman answered behind me once again. I spun, trying to face her again, but she vanished once again. I began to get annoyed, "Show yourself!" I dared, looking around frantically. The anonymous woman laughed, her voice taunting echo rang all around me, the shrill sound bouncing off all the stones around me. 
                          
"I don't have to," she appeared in front of me, making me choke on my air. "Because," she paused, before she jumped at me, "I am you." she lunged for my throat. But before she could grab me, I flinched awake. 
                          
I panted heavily, looking around to find the unfamiliar man looking at me quizzically. "Are you alright?" He asked, looking around my face to find a sign of something off. I shook my head, "I'm fine, is there something wrong?" I asked, trying to change the subject. "No, I just needed to tell you we're at our destination. The place I am to take you to meet Arthur," He moved away from me, his eyes still searching my face, not believing my response that everything was fine. I slid out of the seat, "Good, I want off the damned boat," I promptly stepped away from the man, making my way to the outside of the ship. 
                          
The crisp morning breeze snapped my hair around my face, the sun barely kissing the heaven rise. I looked around, seeing that we were nowhere I knew. 
                          
We were at a secluded harbor, our ship parked along the edge of the river. I turned my attention to the pier, where a familiar face was waiting for me. I breathed a sigh of relief, "Arthur," I readily exited the ship, reaching Arthur's waiting figure. "What happened?" I urged, pressing myself into his open arms, seeking any form of comfort that I could get at the moment. "I'll tell you in time, but we need to get somewhere secure. I don't want you hurt," he exhaled into my hair. I nodded my head, "Ok, promise?" I asked, pulling away from him. 
                          
He stared down at me, cool cerulean eyes draining into mine, "Yes. I promise. Now please, let's get going before someone sees us." He pulled away from me, his hand staying clasped on mine. I looked around as Arthur lead me to two expecting horses, "We're traveling alone?" 
                          
"I don't need someone protecting me, I can protect myself." He said smugly, waiting by the dark horse, flicking his forefinger at me, "C'mon, don't dottle." I breathed nearing his impatient body. "I can't mount a horse in this gown, it's not accepting enough-" I gasped as he stooped down in front of me, clutching the fringe of my nightgown. 
                          
"Then let's make it a wee bit more kind," he winked at me as the material split, my heart stopped and a sharp breath left my lips. He tore the delicate fabric up to my knee, making me blush. "Don't worry, I'll cover you with something if you're worried about men looking at you." He said, clutching my waist in his hands, "but I don't think a man is dumb enough to look at a woman riding with a King unless he wants to die," he said, placing me in the saddle, without wasting a breath. 
                          
I gulped down a bit of saliva in my mouth, trying my best to not look flustered. I knew from the look in his eyes, he could tell is was bothered. He gave me one more look over, before climbing up onto his steed. 
                          
"Let's get going, shall we?" He said, clicking his tongue at his horse. 
                          









                          
SOOOO sorry that its taken me this long to update! I sincerely apologize! I've been super busy and I didn't know where I wanted the book to go. But now that I've come back to it, come back with a fresh outlook and new paths for the book, I'm ready to continue this journey! Anyway, thoughts on the book thus far? 
                          
Any idea what's happened to Olivia? On who attacked the castle?
                          
Who knows... 
                          
We'll find out in the next chapter!