Hey guys! Here's a new chapter.

Chapter 10:

"Welcome to your new home, Princess." Karik spread his arms wide, indicating the large castle in front of Ranaya. As always his voice was sugary sweet and yet held venom. The way he had welcomed her sounded sarcastic.

Ranaya wasn't impressed. To her the overly large castle with its many towers looked like a cold prison. Dark and dreary. Just like a dragon's den. And she was being taken into it.

it was everything it was supposed to look like. Ranaya didn't expect it to look cheery in the least.

The only think she had to be thankful for was finally being able to sleep in a bed. They had been traveling for weeks or maybe it had been a month through Glander and Dashea. Past hills, mountain paths, and rivers. Ranaya's back was killing her. It wasn't helping the fact she already didn't feel so well.

She didn't answer Karik as he helped her out of the carriage. She very slowly started walking toward the entrance gates. Her stomach felt as if it would lose all its contents.

Two solemn guards stood on each side. Their faces void of any expression. Only if you looked into their eyes you could see sadness. It was then Ranaya realized why their eyes looked so sad. Their hair was hacked off and revealed pointed ears. They were some of the enslaved Tarachian elves.

They quickly opened the gates for her to go through. Ranaya could feel them staring at her. She wasn't sure why. Was it because she was new to Zachavi or because they knew she was a slave just as much as they were?

She could hear Karik's quick steps behind her. She deliberately started walking faster. She didn't want to be near him right now.

"Hello, Mistress," an elf maiden curtsied rather quickly and sharp. It was as if she were afraid to be striked.

It made Ranaya all the more nervous in the Zachavian Castle. Elves were everywhere. All the servants were elven with hacked or shaved hair. It made the princess sick to watch how they served Karik. They were quick to please and skittish as if they expected a beating if they did something the least bit wrong.

Ranaya had the distinct feeling that if she didn't do what Karik wanted, she too would be punished. Not that she cared what he did. She wasn't going to be pushed into doing or being something she wasn't.

Much to her annoyance Karik stood right behind her. "This is Sharissa, your new maid."

Ranaya smiled at the elf, wishing the young maiden would loosen up. It was probably hard with Karik around. Was she always this stiff?

Sharissa eyed Karik warily before letting her eyes settle on her new Mistress.

Karik didn't seem to have much patience as he clapped his hands.

Two elven men came walking in with Ranaya's trunk of belongings.

"Sharissa, please take Princess Ranaya to her quarters. I'm sure she's quite exhausted by her trip." Karik made a motion with his hand before walking off to shout at a few elves who were scrubbing the floors.

Ranaya's skin crawled at his harsh words of future punishment if they didn't make it sparkle.

"Come along, Mistress," Sharissa said softly, turning to walk through the halls.

Ranaya followed slowly with the elves with the trunk. "Please Sharissa, call me Ranaya."

Sharissa looked absolutely horrified as did the men. "I must call you Mistress or Your Highness. If I shan't I will be punished within an inch of my life." She exclaimed in terror. "You must know what kind of man His Majesty is."

Ranaya said no more as Sharissa opened doors to a beautiful suite. Ranaya immediately lay down on the canopy bed.

The rooms that were to be her's were stunning and yet she knew that this was to become her prison.

When Ranaya woke she felt dread. A horrible dread that seeped through her entire being. Everything seemed so surreal.

Marrying Lando secretly and then the next day being ripped away to Zachavi to live with her betrothed who was a dragon. It was a lot to take in.

Ranaya clasped the ring on the chain that was on her neck. Images of Lando collapsed onto the cobblestones flashed into her mind.

A gasping sob threatened to escape her lips but she held back. Not knowing if he was alive and well or dead at this moment killed her inside.

She rose up from the bed, taking the lit lantern that was on the nightstand to walk over to her trunk. She fumbled with the latch until it clicked and raised the lid to stare at her belongings she chose to take with her.

Her eyes were drawn to find the neatly folded navy cloak hidden under her dresses. She gently pulled it out and clutched it to her chest. The only other thing besides the ring that made her feel closer to Lando in this terrible castle and country.

The cloak still smelled exactly like him. That wonderful woodsy smell.

Ranaya unfolded it and wrapped it around herself as a shiver of cold ran through her. She rested her head on her arms on top of the trunk, not wanting to move.

Suddenly the door swung open and in came Sharissa carrying a tray. The maid stopped short as she saw the princess lying over the trunk.

"Your Highness, are you alright?" Sharissa sounded panicked.

Ranaya started as she stood up quickly. "Ye—yes, I'm alright."

Sharissa didn't look convinced as she sat the tray on a coffee table and gestured for Ranaya to sit down on the settee beside the table.

Ranaya grabbed the lantern and placed it on the table.

Sharissa stared at the cloak as if she had never seen one before. "I know it's not my place milady but may I ask where you got that cloak?" she sat down beside Ranaya.

Ranaya's eyes widened in surprise. Did this elf maiden know who it belonged to? "I—it was given to me by a stable hand." It was the truth. She couldn't help but smile. Indeed a stable hand, but not just any stable hand. Landrian the Bright One himself.

"You seem fond of this stable hand." Sharissa smiled as she fixed Ranaya a cup of tea.

Tears sprang in Ranaya's eyes. "I would be with him now if it wasn't for Karik."

Sharissa frowned as she handed the cup to Ranaya.

"Thank you," Ranaya said politely and shakily took a sip. It wasn't sweet enough so Ranaya leaned over to pop another sugar cube into the tea cup.

Much to Ranaya's horror the lantern light caught the ring around her neck just right and began to reflect.

Sharissa gasped awestruck. "Where did you get that?"

Ranaya pressed her hand against the ring quickly to make the images stop. They only made the joined trees more defined.

Ranaya leaned back into the settee with a deep sigh. "It came from the stable hand."

"A stable hand couldn't possess such a ring. Its elven crafted and fit for royalty itself or someone of high stature." Sharissa said gently.

Ranaya closed her eyes. "It belonged to an elf. His name was Lando or known to your kind as Landrian."

"Landrian?" Sharissa gasped in shock. "The great warrior—The Bright One himself?"

Ranaya was puzzled of how this maid was acting. It was as if Ranaya had just told her indeed the moon doesn't shine on its own.

Ranaya slowly nodded with a soft sigh. "My husband," She breathed almost afraid to say it out loud. The walls could betray her. She knew it sounded silly but everything about this place reeked evil and especially dragon.

Sharissa looked like she was seconds from swooning. "Husband?" she blinked then blinked a second time. It was like she was trying to process all she heard. "But you're engaged to His Majesty."

Suddenly Ranaya panicked. "You can't tell Karik. He must never know." The tea cup rattled violently in her hands. Surely Sharissa wouldn't give her away.

Sharissa smiled softly, taking the cup from Ranaya's hand before taking the princess's in her own. "You are planning on trying to runaway aren't you?" the maiden's smile faded and turned into a frown in an instant.

"I want to." Ranaya wondered why this made the elf frown.

Sharissa took a sharp intake of breath. "You will never make it as far as two inches from the castle gates. If His Majesty finds you escaping you will be severely punished. The same as me or any of the elven kind enslaved to this castle."

"Punished?" Ranaya was unnerved by the maid's expression. It was so intense. Her eyes were filled with horror and tears shone in her eyes.

"Taken to the dungeon and endure a severe beating or flogged. Scarred to remember your treachery." Sharissa placed the cup on the table before fixing her gaze back on Ranaya. "Sometimes he'll even burn us alive with his flames."

Ranaya covered her mouth to muffle a gasp. She knew Karik was evil but how far would he go?

"I must try to get away. I have to get to Lando." Ranaya protested. She didn't care if she died in the process. She had to get away and make sure he was safe.

Sharissa bowed her head before taking up the tray. Without a word she stepped out of the room and was gone, leaving Ranaya to her thoughts.

How was she going to escape?

An idea suddenly hit her. She would write a letter to Dari and ask him for advice.

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