Chapter 11

The air was still and sticky. Nadrina rubbed her red eyes as she waited for her father to say something. They stared at each other. Neither dared to look away from the other. Finally, Folken walked around his desk and stood before his daughter.

His eyes narrowed as he reached his real hand out to touch her cheek. Nadrina flinched as he barely touched her skin. "What happened?" he asked quietly.

"It's nothing," said Nadrina brushing his hand away. "Just something really stupid."

"Ket told one of the girl that she hit you," Folken said. "Is that true?"

Nadrina closed her eyes and nodded. "She said that I was just like my mother and that I was no better than a common peasant," she said, "and that I should be thrown onto the streets where I belong."

Folken gave a small nod and then wrapped his arms around her. He had never actually touched Nadrina like this before. Usually he kept his distance but not today. It confused Nadrina but she didn't argue. It had been a long time since a man had held her.

When Folken let go of Nadrina he said, "You need to eat and then get ready to leave."

"Yes, sir," said Nadrina turning towards the doors.

"Oh, Nadrina," said Folken.

"Yes," she said looking back at him.

Folken held out a small package to her. "It'll help you where you're going," he said.

Nadrina unwrapped the small package and found a magnificent broach inside. It was made of onyx with silver detail in the shape of a pair of angel wings. "Oh my, it's gorgeous," she said, pinning it to her dress. "Thank you."

"Pin it on before anything happens to it," he said.

"Yes, father," she said as she pinned it onto the left side of her gown.

Quickly, she left and hurried into the kitchen. Jackon fixed her some sausage and eggs and gave her a glass of milk with a splash of alcohol in it. Once she was done eating, she found her father and they proceeded to the front door. Nadrina said her good byes and climbed into the awaiting black carriage. Then they were off.

They were about an hour out of town when the carriage came to sudden halt. Nadrina was thrown into the seat in front of her as they stopped. As she pulled herself back into her seat, the door to the carriage flew open. A pair of hands reached in and grabbed Nadrina's arms. She was pulled from the carriage and hoisted up onto a horse and into someone's arms. Before she knew what happened, she was being whisked away from the black carriage that was disappearing into the distance.

"Who are you?" Nadrina demanded, looking at the young man who was kidnapping her.

"Just sit still or you'll fall off the horse," ordered the young man.

He was tall and thin with short black hair and black eyes. He wore black pants, black boots, a red tunic, and a belt around his waist that was lined with daggers. Nadrina did as he instructed and looked ahead of them for any sign of where he was taking her. She looked up at the young man once more and realized she knew him.

"You were with Allen yesterday when I told him I was going on a trip," Nadrina said. "Who are you? Tell me now!"

"The name's Gaddes," he said. "You better hold still. I can feel you slipping off the saddle already."

"Yes, sir," Nadrina said holding onto his tunic. "Are we almost there?"

He ignored her. She looked ahead of them and saw a large ship growing in the distance as they got closer. Soon on each side of them, they were surrounded by dozens of men on horses. As Gaddes rained his horse in, more people exited the ship including Allen, who stood on deck watching them.

"Got her, boss," called Gaddes, as he swung off the horse.

"Bring her inside," called Allen. "She shouldn't really be outside in the sun and heat for too long."

"Whatever you say," Gaddes called back as he turned to the young girl. "Come on, let's get you inside and out of this heat."

Gaddes helped Nadrina off the horse, took her by the wrist, and escorted her inside the ship. The two dozen men that were with them, followed close behind with her luggage in hand. They climbed several sets of stairs until they reached the deck with the living quarters on them. Nadrina was shown to her room.

"The boss will be here soon to see you," said Gaddes as he closed the door.

"Thank you," Nadrina said as she sat on her bed.

The room was quite large. There was a bed, a dresser, a table, and a chair in the room, along with a large mirror above the dresser. The sheets on the bed were a dark blue color that went along with the curtains. Nadrina went tot the window and gazed at the world outside.

After an hour, there was a gentle knock on the door. Nadrina had drifted off to sleep and woke with a start. The door opened and Allen entered the room. He had a gentle smile on his face and his eyes were alight with happiness as he looked at her.

"Were you sleeping?" Allen asked, closing the door.

"Dozing," said Nadrina, sitting up. "So this was your idea? So you're not the man father thought you were. Who are you exactly?"

"I'm Allen Schezar of the Abaharaki," he said. "That's who I've been for a long time now. Before that I was a lost little boy trying to find himself in the world."

Nadrina looked at Allen. To her, he was a very complex man. A man who had many sides to him and this made him quite mysterious to the daughter of the most respected man in the Black Dragon Empire.

"So it was all part of your plan," said Nadrina, looking hurt. "You never cared for me at all."

"Of course I care for you," Allen said sitting beside her. "That was never part of the plan."

Nadrina sat there quietly with a smile on her face. She stood up and went to the window. As she looked at the passing mountains, she noticed that they were flying over them. Her heart began to beat faster as she backed away from the window.

"Isn't the view magnificent?" asked Allen resting his hands on her shoulders.

"I don't like heights," confessed Nadrina looking up at him. "But yes I agree about the view."

"Allow me to show you around our ship," Allen said. "It might calm your nerves."

Nadrina nodded and followed the young man into the hall.