Chapter 7

NO WAY!

They rode for several miles in a direction Duck was unfamiliar with and soon the Rider stopped on a grassy hill for his horse and some time to rest a bit. What? Horse riding can be hard work. He got down first and pulled the Princess down, just a bit roughly, making her fall to the ground.

"You don't have to be so mean," she said.

"I also don't have to be so nice," he replied.

"What do you mean 'nice'? You've kidnapped me. I can assure that whatever ransom you want it will be paid, but please let me go," she said sadly.

"Ransom for a peasant-turned-princess? You're very funny, Highness," he said and patted his horse's neck.

"Well, excuse me mister. I'm sorry I'm not an actual princess but Prince Mytho is the greatest tracker ever, he'll find me no matter where you take me," she said.

"You think your dearest love can save you? You are mistaken Princess," he said, turning his head slightly to look at her with the corner of his eye that was hidden under a dark shadow, sort of like the Assassin's Creed guy.

"He isn't my dearest love."

"Really? You're admitting such a fact to a stranger? Interesting," he said feeding the horse a carrot and then turning back to face the girl.

"What's so interesting about it? It's not like he doesn't know. He knows I don't love him," Duck said and stood.

"You aren't capable of love is what you really mean, is it not?" he asked walking over.

"Ah! Who do think you are? You don't know me. I've loved far deeper than any cruel killer like you could ever imagine. I know exactly who you are, you're one of the Knight Riders, admit it!" she cried, her heart racing as he stared at her with a grin.

"Gladly. I see nothing wrong with being one of the Knight Riders. Is there anything I can do for you?" he asked smugly.

"Yes. For one you could let me go and for another you can go jump off a cliff with sharp rocks below. That would be very nice if you don't mind," she said and crossed her arms.

"Hardly seems likely, Princess, but why use such horrible speech with me? We've only just met," he said, circling her.

"You killed my only love!"

"Eh, it's a possibility. The Knight Riders have killed many people, what makes you think that we'd make an exception for you love? He was probably another prince who thinks he's all that and a can of sardines but couldn't handle a small group of outlaws," he said.

"No, he wasn't a prince," she said sternly.

"Oh, really? Now that's something I wasn't expecting. So if he wasn't a stupid prince then who was he?" he asked.

"A stable boy. He was so kind and perfect and caring but your gang killed him! You attacked my horse ranch and killed him!" she cried and tears began filling her eyes. "You jerks!"

"Too bad. We can't make any exceptions or else we won't be feared by you simple folk. If nobody was intimidated by us anymore then it just makes more work for us," he said.

"You're mocking my pain!"

"Life is pain Highness!" he yelled, startling the princess. "If anyone tells you otherwise then they're selling something like liquid happiness. Tell me, how long ago was this when I killed your love?"

"Five years," she said softly.

"Right, the horse farm was it? I do remember that stable boy. He put up a pretty good fight. He was very impressive but he wasn't good enough. I had never seen such gumption in anyone we had attacked before but it didn't mean we left him. He died bravely but for a bad cause. You should be glad he died before he found out just who you were," the Rider sneered.

"And what am I?"

"His fighting was obviously that of someone trying to protect something and in his case someone. I'd expect that if he fought so hard that the person he was protecting would repay him in some way but here you are, getting married to a Prince," the Rider said, getting closer to the Princess. "Tell me, did you get engaged to your Prince right after he died or did you wait a week out of respect for the dead?"

"Neither, I…I died the day I found out he wasn't found after the fire. My heart was ripped in two and it can never be healed. I don't care what happens to me but you can die for all I care!" she yelled and pushed the Rider down the steep hill.

"Of…course…Miss…Duck!" he hollered as he rolled.

"Oh my god! Fakir? What have I done?" she said and raced after him, tumbling down the hill like he was.

"Wait a minute, zura!" Uzura said. "What does she mean, zura?"

"You'll just have to find out," Drosselmeyer said with a grin.

"Stop doing that, zura! You're creepy and you're horrible at telling stories, zura," she said and banged on the drum.

"If I tell you everything in advance, then where is the surprise?" Drosselmeyer asked. "That's my favorite part about stories, they can always surprise you."

"Oh, yeah and so can re-watching movies fifteen times, zura. I don't like being surprised, zura," she said and pouted.

"You'll just have to deal with it. It happens in life, no way around that, Uzura," Drosselmeyer said.

"I'll find a way, zura. Maybe I can ask the hooker down the street, zura, she knows eeevvvrrryyyttthhhiiinnnggg," she said, thoughtfully.

"Oh, you mean Miss Edel? I know her," Drosselmeyer said and grinned again.

"Are you sure you should be near children, zura?" she asked.

"I got a degree to be near children so don't judge me," he said and looked at the book again. "So, we haven't heard from the Prince in a while have we? Let's see what he's up to."

"I don't care about the Prince, zura! Let's hear more about Duck and lovey-dovey, zura," she said, banging again.

"I thought you didn't like lovey-dovey."

"Can't hate everything, zura. Just read, zura," she said, crossing her arms.

"The two ladies in waiting had raced back to the castle as fast as their horses could carry them and quickly told the news to the Prince and Lady Rue," Drosselmeyer read.

"Prince Mytho! Prince Mytho!" Pique called breathlessly.

"Duck's been kidnapped by the devil!" Liliae said happily.

"Not the devil, but she's been kidnapped by a French guy and some other guy. They were wearing the cloaks of the Raven!" Pique said.

"What? What does the Raven want with my fiancé?" Mytho asked, truly shocked.

"Sire, shall we go after them?" Rue asked properly.

"Of course. We must. Pique, Liliae, get the horses ready and get the rest of my entourage. Rue, you will come with me as well. There is hunting to be done," Mytho said and barged off.

"Yes, my Prince," Rue said and followed with the two girls close behind.

Shortly they rode off toward the road where Duck was taken and Mytho looked closely at the ground for tracks.

"That way. They headed for the Raven frontier," he said and hopped back on his horse.

They rode quickly till they found the area where the Rider and Altor had their battle. Again he got off and looked at the tracks with Rue at his side.

"They were both masters. It seemed to have ranged all over," Rue diagnosed.

"Yes, the loser ran off that way, back to Gold Crown while the winner followed those horse tracks further into the Raven's kingdom," Mytho said, following the tracks closely.

"Shall we track them both, sire?" Rue asked. "Perhaps we can get some information from the loser if we catch him fast enough."

"No, only the Princess matters. We shall go into the raven's Kingdom to find her. She will not be killed if I can stop it," he said and they rode off.

They found the next scene where the dagger had been left behind. They stopped but no one got off at this point.

"It looks like either someone was using that dagger for show and tell or the Princess was being threatened by it. The latter makes more sense," Mytho said.

"So, whoever this pursuer is he didn't want the Princess hurt because there is no blood on the dagger," Rue said. "I wonder who he could be to go up against such bold kidnappers."

"Who indeed," Mytho said and they galloped off, chasing the never ending trail of horse tracks.