Conquer My Heart
After witnessing the brutal murder of her parents, Sam has learned to detest people, especially the nobles of Masters Castle. When the youngest son, Daniel, is chided by his father for his cruelty toward animals and inability to tame one, he kidnaps Sam in hopes she will teach him kindness, but Sam seeks revenge. Can the young maiden reach the arrogant noble's heart before she plunges a sword right through it?
Chapter One
Daniel panted slightly, cursed under his breath, and hurled a rock in the horse's direction. The animal merely snorted as it dodged the attack before galloping toward him in fury.
The young noble quickly took stance and expectantly waited for the horse. Legs apart and arms opened, it almost looked as if he were willing to wrestle the great beast, but at the last moment Daniel moved to the side, grabbing a fistful of the horse's black mane and positioning himself over the giant body.
The animal did not like that in the slightest. The dark creature neighed stubbornly, kicked at the dirt, until finally deciding to throw the unwanted rider off. Recklessly the stallion started to thrash about, quickly standing on its hind legs. The move knocked Daniel to the ground, on his back, and out of breath.
"Damn," Daniel growled, sitting up. He glared as the magnificent animal trotted away in victory.
It was always second nature for him to hit things head on. Daniel was a brilliant young man, often in his chambers learning of the world's wonders and different cultures. He had superb skills in combat and a real love for fencing. His father, on the other hand, looked down upon these traits. "A man of higher power has others to fight battles for him," he instructed once. "He is always the one in control."
The young noble always seemed to favor his physical strength in most battles, though. "Wars are won by the stronger man," he answered his father's claims with confidence.
"Daniel."
He looked up at the strict, disappointed expression on his father's pale face. Standing quickly, he approached the man.
"Father, I did not know you had returned from your voyage."
"I arrived mid morning and I'm sad not to say earlier. What were you trying to do?"
"Mount a horse."
That made Vlad's temper flare. "Do you intend to dishonor our family then? We are the pride of this land. If you cannot tame a simple animal, you will find yourself on the streets, boy."
Daniel winced. "It was simply for sport. Under other occasions I would not approach an animal as such."
A certain expression blew over his father's face and he could not tell whether or not this was good. "Then I shall see for myself. Thirty days and it will be the jousting tournament. You will enter."
Daniel bowed his head and listened to Vlad's footsteps fall silent.
His father was the polar opposite of his son, and yet they were identical in many ways. Their attitudes and pride swelled within the pedestals they had placed themselves upon.
From a distance though, no one would understand the relation.
Vlad's hair was a shocking white against his black waist coat. He had an ascot with one red jewel holding it to his blue vest. He was a rather tall and lanky man with cold, glum eyes.
Daniel's own hair was a dark raven color, his skin a nice shade of peach. His eyes, perhaps the most attractive feature on him, were a crystal blue, warm and innocent, despite the young man's aggressive personality. Many people described them like ice whenever he was angry or rigid and some would swear they turned green when his temper flared.
Daniel glared back as the steed trotted away with an air superiority. After all, he was Daniel Masters, son of the man in power. He was better then the people who walked in the village and he sure was more important than some filthy animal. With a scowl, he sat up and brushed off his breeches.
"What a fine day for a ride." A feminine voice called out. Daniel turned to the stable posts to find his sister standing among-est the wood barrier under the mid morning sun. Her long, red hair was up as always, curled elegantly into some sort of hairstyle he never could grasp. She was dressed in a yellow summer dress, the material flowing to her feet and reflecting the sun rays. Her white gloved hands grasped a lacy parasol.
He cursed under his breath. "I do not need you making a mockery of me, Jasmine."
"I tease, brother." She gave him a small smile. "Perhaps you would like some assistance?"
He raised an eyebrow. "What good would that do?"
The gloved hand she had extended to Daniel fell back to her side. "Do you think it ill to ask others for guidance?" Her face was serious now. "Pride is not an attractive quality. You will be setting yourself up for disaster."
"You do not know of my troubles."
"Daniel." She sighed gently, her voice much softer. "Forcing yourself upon others is not going to earn you respect."
Daniel shrugged off his waist coat and lazily slung it over his arm. "Father does that plenty and you don't see anyone spitting at his feet."
Jasmine's eyes flashed hot, but she quickly regained composure. "Father is a impulsive man. When he wants something, he'll do what he must to get it." She turned, shifting the parasol to the other side so it blocked out the sun, and glanced back at her brother. "Do you see the difference now?"
The young woman walked away then, leaving Daniel to curse at the sky. Handing his waistcoat to a nearby servant, he quickly took to the woods.
Masters Castle was nestled at the end of the kingdom, the perfect spot to look over Amity with an iron fist. The view of housing and commons people had always bored him however, and it was often what lay behind the stone walls that intrigued the young noble. A dense forest was not a place for men like his father, who coward behind their army and source of power. It was the perfect place to escape such hardship and test his skills.
Coming alongside the creek on the usual route was when he saw her.
Daniel hadn't noticed her at first. Her presence was so small she practically blended with the trees. Her dress was thin and faded. What once could have been a beautiful lavender now turned a dull gray. Her hair was strangely cut short, unevenly, and to her shoulders. Slender, almost skeleton like arms curled around her knees, the flesh only a tint darker than his own. The light tan revealed her poor nature, though Daniel could smell that a mile away.
It was what she was doing that really caught his interest though. She had a gray horse beside her along with a few forest creatures that sat at her side. The horse nuzzled her head and she smiled, reaching out a delicate hand to stroke its face. The small, woodland critters traveled around her, seemingly unafraid. If Daniel had sat upon the ground like that he was sure nothing would dare go near him.
He reached his arm out to lean against a tree for a better look and something snapped under his footing. The girl's head tilted up and their gazes met. Instead of the hideous face he had expected, he was surprised it was quite clean, with soft features. A small, button nose, a pink pout, and vibrant violet eyes he had only ever seen one other time.
It was in that flash of a second that the girl stood, mounted the saddle-less horse, and disappeared into the thick foliage, but it was already too late. The wheels in Daniel's head were turning. He most definitely was going to find her again.