Lost in Paradise
Chapter 1
"You will do your duty and marry Prince Phillip," my father replied gruffly as he leaned over a table of maps and charts. "The union that you create will finally give me enough man power to crush the Moors into dust."
I made sure not to let my eyes betray the inner turmoil I felt. Yes, Prince Phillip was handsome and kind enough but I did not love him. Most importantly, I did not want to marry him. To be honest, I did not want to marry anyone. I was content to live life with a horse between my legs and a bow on my back. Rotten luck that was born heir to a kingdom. Someday, after my father passed away I would become a queen and my husband, the king consort. Once his father died, Phillip would become a king in his own right and our heirs would unite the kingdoms once and for all. Meanwhile, King Herbert had pledged over 50,000 healthy trained men for my father's army once our marriage was consummated.
It sickened me.
He dismissed me with nothing more than a flick of his hand. I inclined my head curtly and let myself out.
Ever since my mother died of the fever, my father had become a dreary man. He had never ceased mourning and the castle had no choice but to follow his stead. I myself had grieved heavily for a time but in the end it was my father who took the joy from life. He always spoke of honor and duty but never love or happiness. Sometimes, I think that I am nothing more than a mere possession to him. A possession that he can trade at will to the highest bidder.
Later that evening, I took supper in the privacy of my own quarters instead of the dining hall. My father often invites his high ranked commanders to dine with him but I can hardly stand their presences. I hate the way they leer and undress me with their beady little eyes. The servants bring me honey ham with fresh seasoned squash and sweet potatoes. It's tasteless. I manage a few bites and push the plate back for them to take away. After supper, I string my bow up to target practice in the gardens. I'm not allowed to be in the training room with other men but I have still managed to become good on my own. I could hold my own against some of the best, I'm sure.
I drew the string back and released until my fingers went numb. The sun is well below the horizon when I finally retrieve my arrows from the wood target. Six of them were split down the middle. I smiled at my accomplishment.
On the way to my quarters, I passed the dining hall. The noblemen seemed to be in an uproar over something. I heard men yelling and swearing rather loudly with cheering in between. Curious, I crept to the large iron door partly cracked opened and listened inside.
"There is great power inside the Moors and we must claim it for ourselves!' My father slammed his fist on the table and the men erupted into cheers. "First we must destroy the winged guardian of the Moors! She is all that stands between us and the power that awaits! I require her head on a spike!"
The men cursed and cheered. My father waited for them to silence before he spoke, this time more quietly. His hair was limp and lifeless flecked with gray. I never noticed how old he looked before now. There was madness in his eyes. "The one who brings me her head will be a blessed man. I will grant him any wish he desires that is within my power to grant."
"I would have your daughter's hand in marriage!" A voice called out in response. I craned my neck but couldn't see far enough to put a name to the face. I heard a few others murmur in agreement.
"Bring me the winged guardian's head and it shall be done," my father answered darkly.
"We shall leave at first light!"
The hall interrupted in cheers and I stumbled away clutching my chest. It was one thing to marry Phillip but most of my father's men were ruthless cut throats. I would be nothing more than a high prized whore to them. My heart froze. How could he do this to me? Drunken promise or not my father would follow through to conserve his honor. I felt tears of betrayal pooling in my eyes.
My first thought was to run away. But where would I go? I had lived in the castle my entire life. I had little to no experience with the outside world. What could I do? The only thing I was good with was my bow and arrow….
That's it!
I'll kill this winged guardian myself. My father would have no choice but to grant my wish and I'll choose not to marry Phillip or anyone else for that matter.
I hurried back to my rooms to hatch out a plan. I waited until the castle was asleep before sneaking off to the armory. I took a light chain mail to fit under my clothing and more arrows. I stood in front of a full length mirror, took a fist full of my long hair and sheared it off at the shoulders with a short dagger. The golden tresses lying on the ground at my feet gave me a sudden sense of foreboding but I chose to ignore it. I eventually crawled into bed and slept as best as I could while my heart raced and my entire future seemed uncertain.
I was awake just before the sun rose. I concealed my breasts tightly with cloth and slipped a long shirt over. The chainmail came next with a black hooded tunic to cover them all. I pulled on a pair of black pants and leather boots, then slung the bow and quivers on my shoulder. I tied a black scarf around my face and raised the hood of my tunic.
I was unrecognizable.
The stable boy gave me a hard time about taking a horse until I revealed my true identity. I threatened severe punishment if he so much as breathed a word to another soul. After insuring his loyalty, I mounted a stallion with a beautiful black onyx coat and mane. He was swift as the wind and graceful with a fiery disposition for a horse. I decided to call him Diablo as we sped across the drawbridge and out into the fields. About 30 men were present all on horseback and armed to the teeth. I noticed a few archers amongst them but I tried not to let it concern me. I was confident in my own abilities. I would make the killing blow. Besides, my arrows had bright yellow tails, to distinguish them from the others. At the end of the day, no one could deny my victory. I pulled the reigns and skidded my mount to a halt. I was immediately spotted before I could even think to blend in with the others.
"You! Boy, what is your business here?" a man with yellow teeth and a neck the size of an anvil demanded clearing a path through the others. I shuddered to think of myself becoming his bride.
"I've come to win a favor from the king, my Lord. Should I slay the beast, I shall ask him for gold to buy my family land," I lied easily enough disguising my voice.
"This quest was by invitation only. How did you-."
"Ah, let the lad be! It's not like he stands a chance against the beast! Let him have his bit of glory!" The man who defended me was one of my father's commanders but I couldn't recall his name. In fact, I didn't know any of them except by sight.
"Why does he hide his face?" the yellowed teeth brute asked suspiciously.
"I was badly disfigured as a babe my Lord. I am ashamed to have others look upon me."
Yellow teeth scoffed but he slapped his reigns and sped off into the open field. The others quickly followed his lead. Diablo was swift enough to keep up but the ride was hard and relentless. We only stopped for an hour at a time to feed and water the horses. By the time we reached the Moors my thighs were throbbing and sore. The sun was low on the horizon transforming the sky into a brilliant shade of deep blue with soft violet clouds.
The creature that came out of the forest upon our arrival was even more remarkable. She walked, although I could see glorious wings spread out from her back. Light seemed to follow making her glow like some sort of an angel. Her skin was flawless porcelain, complemented with full red lips like rubies, electric green eyes and two interesting horns place adjacent upon her crown. She was beautiful. Absolutely perfect. Even as I strung my bow and readied an arrow, I knew that couldn't do anything to cause harm to her.
Wearing only a simple tan robe, she spoke with power, grace and most importantly without fear, "What business do you have here?"
I could hear my heart pounding inside of my chest. Sweat tricked down my brow from the long ride and the heavy mail.
"We've come for your head, Beast."
The winged guardian raised her head revealing a creamy white throat, "Feel free to take it… if you can."
It happened so fast. There was a roar cry and one man rushed forward tossing a spear with a loud grunt. The other men joined in his cry and soon the sky was flashing with arrow and spears. The faery took flight soaring and spinning away from the assault of weapons. I sat on my horse in astonishment of what I was seeing until something came over me.
Whether it was madness or love, I cannot say.
My arrows soon invited themselves into the battle but not to kill her. I was trying to save her. I was in rare form with my arrows leaving the bow as quickly as I could draw breath. Each time an arrow, spear or sword would come to close to her, my arrow would be there to split it in half or impede its course. After a few close calls, I think that she began to notice what I was doing. For just a moment she hovered over me, her magnificent wings glowing above that brilliant sky. She gazed down at me with a curious expression in her eyes, one elegant eyebrow raised. I gazed back from under my hood with my lips parted slightly in awe.
The magic soon faded once the men realized what I had been doing all along. They came for me. My only place to run was inside the very place I came to conquer. I kicked the horse's sides with my boots and we rushed into the untamed forest. Arrows sang over my head but I kept my body as low as possible. I was home free soon to be protected by the cover of trees when something white and hot pierced my back. I heard someone scream before I gathered that the sound came from me. I kicked even harder into Diablo pushing the poor horse near to exhaustion until we were finally safe inside the darkening forest. The men didn't follow but the damage had been done. Diablo could not take a small step without excruciating pain consuming my entire being. I tasted coppery blood in my mouth and dread in my heart. I was dying and just too stupid to accept it. I eventually slipped from Diablo onto a pile of unforgiving grass and soil. The fall knocked the breath from me and I found it too painful to draw another. Once I tried breathing again my lungs flooded with fluid and I began to suffocate.
"What a miserable way to die,'" I groaned as I choked on my own blood.
At least my father's plans for me would be ruined. I took comfort in that and the thought of the beautiful faery as I lay dying. The forest soon faded into nothingness...
TBC….
So, what do think? What will happen next?