Chapter 11: Welcome Home, Princess
The Knight had arrived at Vlad's home, and was now contemplating his situation. Now what? The Ancient Ones had said that he would know what to do, but he was drawing a blank as to what he was supposed to know to do.
He made his way swiftly through the halls, finding no clues of any sort. He had just entered a main hall all in green and yellow when a loud "thump" was heard in the ceiling overhead, and he stumbled backwards in surprise. Narrowing his eyes and drawing his sword, he jumped straight through the ceiling to find himself in a library.
...
Aibfinnia lifted her head from the floor weakly to find an armor-clad, sword-weilding figure standing above her menacingly.
"What have we here?" the figure asked, reaching down and taking her up by her arm. She hung in the air like a doll, unable to resist. His voice wavered in and out, and his image was fuzzy, though somehow, something about him was familiar...
Unable to keep her eyes open and suddenly very, very tired, she let go of the world and lost conciousness.
...
The Knight wondered about the woman. He had never seen her before, he was sure. She was weak- inexplicably weak. He carried her on Nightmare, where she lied limp and unconcious accross his lap. Should he wake her? Hurt her...? Was she an enemy? He knew not. Yet somehow, he could not bring himself to hurt her, nor to take her to the Ancient Ones, who he was sure would. Where could he take her...?
...
He ended up going back to the castle anyway, though to the throne room, where he laid her on the stone dias in front of the King's Sarcophagus. Then, he waited.
Several minutes later, she stirred, her hands clenching and her head turning restlessly. Then, she opened her eyes to see him. Her eyes flew open, and she looked at him with an indistinguishable emotion written across her face. She did not seem frightened- quite the opposite. She seemed almost joyful to see him there, smiling widly with her eyes sparkling with glee.
"What are you so happy about? Can't you see you're my prisoner?!"
A look of confusion covered her grin, and she seemed to be suddenly aware of everything else around her.
She was home! And yet, something was out of place... She found that her strength had been returned to her, and she sat up and looked above her- a coffin?! Where once sat her father's throne stood a tall, frightening sarcophagus, held shut with a heavy bolt lock. She looked wildly to the knight, pointing at the horrifying thing in terror.
"Do you know of Lord Pariah Dark, human?" the knight asked in amazement. There were only two humans he knew of who knew of the fallen king, and this woman was not one of them.
Tears in her eyes, she stood, stepping back to gaze at the thing. 'Father!' she cried in her mind...
...
Author's Note: Gasp! So now you know a little more about our Princess! More will be revealed in time... heheheh... No, I'm the only one who got that I guess. Well... ON to the next chapter!!