Anniya 17

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A hired man stumbled through the darkness, rain blinding him. He groped for a door, and found one at last. Knocking hard on it, the door swung open to reveal several other men dressed in fine clothes, as well as a few other hired hands.

" You're late," the first cold voice uttered.

" The weather was bad! The damn rain twas blindin! It ain't my fault!," the hired man began to protest. He was silenced with a wave of a hand. One of the men placed a capsule with white powder in the hired man's hand, a small dagger in the other.

" Slit one of the girl's veins and inject the powder. She'll go through several violent spasms, and possibly begin vomiting stomach muscle, but within several hours she should be dead. Take the documents, and bring it to me so I may give it to the Count."

" What if the powder go's wrong? What if dat girl manages to outlast it?"

The man gave the hiree a cruel smile.

" No one survives Kadai Powder. Dragon saliva will need to be mixed in with it. The only way she could survive it was if-," the man was cut off by the hiree.

" Where do I get Dragon saliva from? It ain't just lying around," the hired man snapped. The man smiled.

" Follow me. Guards! Get the arrows ready!"

Before the hired man saw it, he heard it. A piercing shriek shot through the air, a wail.

" Gleexadldfj!!! achdgleex!!!," the creature wailed. Stepping in the light, the hired man could now see the dragon trapped inside a iron cage, so small that he could only move a few steps backward and nothing to the side. It's wings were ripped, and folded uncomfortably in an awkward position. The man could see now that it was only a baby---- an Emperor Dragon. He was a bit surprised- Emperor Dragons were almost extinct, but he wouldn't expect less from the Count. As the men moved closer with arrows, It wailed in terror.

" How do you get it's saliva without burning you?," the hiree asked an important looking man curiously. The man looked at the hiree with obvious annoyance, but answered his question.

" We drug it by dipping swords in a sleeping drug, then thrust them into the dragon. You might want to step out of the room- it screams like the sky is falling to earth."

The hiree followed the man out of the room, but before he did, he took one last glimpse at the baby dragon. It had Emerald eyes.

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Anniya's heart skipped a couple of beats. It was a coincidence, and it was coming from Esperanza. It was a little folk tale the gypsies probably made up, and who wouldn't throw in a good dragon? Besides, all those fairy stories have nothing but blonde girls in them. She opened her mouth to tell Esperanza that just as another flaming arrow shot past her.

" There they are!," a shout came from behind them, horses neighing.

" We have to get to the Palace!," Anniya shouted to Esperanza as they ran.

" Are you crazy? These guys are from the palace!," Esperanza shouted back, ducking to the side, narrowly missing an arrow.

" I have friends there! We'll be safe!"

" We don't have the time! Swing!," Esperanza shouted back, running up a few boxes and swinging herself over a street stand. Anniya did the same, landing on her feet like a cat. Horses neighed, galloping only several feet behind them. Esperanza was the first one to be hit. The arrow struck her in hip, flames bursting. The gypsy gave a cry of pain and rolled to the ground, putting the flame out. She swore before Anniya yanked her up, narrowing missing another one.

" Halt, or we'll kill you!," the man called out, aiming an arrow at them. The rest of the men behind him nodded, and the man, who was obviously their leader, had a smug expression on his face that was very tempting to slap.

Glaring at them, Anniya drew herself to her full height and glared at the man.

" Before I halt, who are you and why in Ayorthora's bloody name are you aiming that at me for?"

Innocence did not work well with this man.

" You, girl, are being arrested for murder and thievery. You, gypsy, are arrested for the same. Both of you shall be tortured before being publicly hanged."

The man smirked, as if Anniya's fate lay in his hands. Before she could protest further, several men moved forward with a rope. She realized what they were going to do too late. In a flash of a second, Anniya struck her foot out into one of the men's stomach, causing him to double over. Esperanza jabbed a punch as well, but the strategy did not last for long. Within a moment's time, 3 men held Anniya tightly as two others tied her up.

" What are you doing?," an angry voice called out. An angry voice Anniya thankfully recognized.

" Robert! Tell these idiots to get off me! Oh, Lovely meeting you again Char," Anniya chirped a cheerful greeting to Char, who looked quite confused. Robert and he sat on horses, along with many guards behind them.

" Release them," Char began before the man sneered at the two Princes.

" And just who do you think you are to command me, one of the highest men in Kyrria? Piddling lords?"

The question was amusing, considering it's source. The man looked like he hadn't taken a bath in weeks, Anniya thought.

" I am King Jerrold's son, and this is the Prince of Kellia. If you do not believe it, I will speak to my Father the moment I return."

The man's face paled, and he dropped to his knees.

" Your high nesses, I apologize for this misunderstanding-- my men got out of control, and I had no idea that these girls were being harmed. I assure you, we weren't going to harm them in the least bit-."

" Oh Robert, do you mind untying these ropes? Their cutting off my circulation, and Esperanza has several burns as well as an arrow buried in her back," Anniya said curtly, giving the Captain a smug grin of her own. Immediately several men cut free the two girls. Shaking off the ropes, Anniya stood up, as did Esperanza did.

" Who sent you?," was the first thing she demanded. The man looked bewildered, and stumbled over the words.

" My Lady-- you are a criminal-- I was under the impression--.."

" Spit it out."

" I was hired by another man- who was perhaps hired by someone before him. he claimed her was a Baron, but I don't know for sure. I was earning good money, but I don't know any of it else. I swear."

Char nodded, and signaled for the men to escort them out of the city. Soon the guards and the hired men were milling about. Robert turned and grabbed Anniya by the shoulders.

" Anniya, I know perfectly well that when you are determined to do something, there is no stopping you. But this I ask: next time you decide go running off, don't do it in the Guilin Bleu, and try to tell me where you're going, and-."

" Try to stay out of trouble," Anniya chimed with him. Robert stared at her, then laughed.

" You are the most--," Robert began, searching for words.

" Mischievous? Interesting? Curious?," Anniya supplied.

" All of those, I think. Except you forgot devilish."

Anniya let out one of her tinkling laughs, and turned her head to the side for a moment. Robert took her face, and turned it towards his. With that, he leaned down and pressed his lips gently to hers. The shock of it was so abrupt that Anniya didn't even have time prevent him. The kiss ended, and her astonished Emerald eyes looked into Robert's. He grinned at her, and walked back over to Char. He looks exactly like West with the golden hair, Anniya thought dreamily against her will ( she never thought dreamily). West. Anniya stopped walking. What had she done? What on earth had she done? She was in love with West! She couldn't be kissing Robert and enjoying it! How had this happened? How had Anniya managed to fall in love with Robert and West; if it were not bad enough, they were cousins. What had she gotten herself into?



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" Milady, might I ask where you are going?," a royal maid timidly asked her. Anniya glanced up, surprised. Now what should I tell the maid, Anniya mused. The truth? That I'm about to go hang out with my friend who was formerly a prostitute and is working as a thief? That I'm about to venture in the Guilin Bleu, the place no respectable woman go's to, even with an escort? The woman would probably fall dead right then and there.

" Me? Oh I'm going to go- dancing. My foxtrot needs a bit of practice," Anniya told the maid, flashing her a smile. The maid shifted nervously, and it was all Anniya could keep from snapping at her. The woman's timid mien made her hard to talk to.

" Milady- the outfit-- it is a bit revealing, is it not?"

Anniya glanced down at the outfit. Her long silk blue skirt was ankle length, matching her silky blue tunic that had a bit of a low neck, but nothing slutty. Her Emerald necklace hung around her neck; her ears were bare, the only woman in the palace who's ears were.

" It's not bad. I've seen women in this palace wear worse."

" Your hair- someone might mistake you for a----."

Anniya almost laughed, seeing the woman trying to struggle for a nice word for a prostitute. Flashing an innocent smile, Anniya replied in a voice that had a mischievous tone in it only to the careful observer.

" You mean like a whore?," Anniya said innocently, wondering if foul language would make the maid leave her alone. She'll probably faint, she thought wryly. The woman's face paled, and she began stuttering words.

" Milady, you should not be saying such things! What the Prince would say......"

" If you mean Robert, he'd probably laugh. Do you mind leaving me alone?"

" My Lady, I don't think you should be leaving palace grounds without an escort. I'll ring up Old Jeedens, and he might accompany my lady's thirst for dancing. He's a fabulous-."

" Thank you, but I already have an escort," Anniya lied, pinning up her hair. Smiling at the maid, she waltzed out of the room. The maid shook her head in wonder and disgust.

" Woman like her give the rest of us a bad name! Independent! As if she were a man!," the maid complained to herself, fluffing a pillow. She had a bad feeling about that woman. The girl didn't seem like a Noble. She looked like a swan disguising herself as a Centaur. Oh well. At least the girl was out of her hair, and had an escort. No sooner then the maid thought that did she here a whinnying outside the window. Glancing out, she saw the girl delicately leading a stallion out the gate. Without an escort, of course. Just as the maid was about to look away, she saw a figure following behind quietly. The maid smiled. So the girl wasn't completely untrustworthy after all.

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As soon as Anniya was out of the Palace grounds, she got on Diobla and went into a full fledged gallop. She had managed to get out of there unnoticed. She had promised to meet Esperanza at a bonfire party in the Guilin Bleu. Pulling her cloak tightly around her, Anniya kicked Diobla once again. The great horse rode faster. Within no time, they had arrived. Twice she was stopped and told that this was the Guilin Bleu, as if to say " Woman in here are prostitutes and you don't look like one, so you must be lost" Anniya politely told them that this place was where she was heading. Brushing back a wisp of blonde hair, she tied Diobla down and walked into the crowd. Touching the dirty parchment in her pocket, Anniya pulled it out, feeling guilty as she touched it. West was in a dungeon-- she was supposed to be in love with West. And Anniya was, she was sure of it. but Robert-- she wasn't sure what he meant. Anniya had avoided him since that morning, not sure how to act around him. Robert was her friend- he had to be one of her best friends. Taking a deep breath, Anniya unfolded the parchment in her pocket, eager to see what it said. By the dim firelight, she could barely make it out. Three notes fell out. The first was written in some sort of code- Anniya frowned at it. The second was written in West's scrawl, addressed to Robert. Curious, Anniya looked closer at it. It was written in Kellian. Scowling, Anniya glanced at the third note. Written plainly on it was Anniya, something she could read. Scanning it, the letter read:



" Dear Anniya,

I know that to your disappointment that my letter to my cousin is written in Kellian- I don't trust you that much-- and don't scowl at me now ( Anniya was scowling). I will explain as quickly as I can. King Jerrold is in danger, as well as the Queen, Prince Char, and the Princess. I can only hope that you will not suddenly get any feminine ideas of privacy and not open this, for it needs to be rushed as soon as it can to Robert or someone who will be able to stop this. If I told you I did not know the Count, I lied. You might say that we are old enemies. Most likely by the time you read this, I will not be alive. Give the documents to my cousin or Prince Char, and they will know what to do with them. The Count is planning to assassinate the King and Queen. Once they are dead, he will overthrow Char and his sister. But more likely, he will push them the same way as the King and Queen. For after Princess Cecilia, the Count is heir, being the King's right hand advisor. And take care of yourself. I will hopefully see you again one day."

Anniya stopped reading at that point. She had to get to Char! Racing to Diobla, she could hardly breathe. She had to get to Char! And in fact, Anniya might of. She might of, if that moment, a hand hadn't reached out and covered her mouth and yanked her into an alley.

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*** Author's note*** another chapter done! I read reviews before I posted this chapter, and I just wanna say thanks to everyone that has reviewed and continued to review. But, I have bad news!!!! On Sunday, I leave for camp. I will probably not be able to post chapters for about 2 weeks. I'm going to post one more before I leave. But for the record, I am going to write in this story until I finish, so if you don't see an update in two weeks, you know why.

Next chapter will be posted probably-- tomorrow. But until then, please review!!! and thanks to all you guys who have been reviewing, again.

Kira ~* Faerie_gurl*~