~The Violet City~
The crash of the door bouncing off the wall shakes the entire cabin. Clara sits bolt upright, for a moment she can't remember where she is. Then she hears Jack shouting. She jumps out of the small bed glancing around for some sort of weapon. There's a stick that looks like it's used for propping open the window. Clara snatches it up and holds it aloft like a club. It probably won't weld any damage, but it's better than nothing. Especially since she has no idea what's going on.
Large thumping boots rattle up the staircase to the tiny landing beyond her door. Many pairs of large boots by the sound of it.
"Where is she?" demands a gruff voice.
Clara's heart skips a beat. These people are looking for her? She glances back at the tiny window beside the bed. If she jumped she would probably be fine and she could be in the woods before anyone realizes she's gone.
"Get out of my house!" Jack shouts.
Alonso cries out as there's the sound of a body hitting the wall. Clara makes up her mind. There's no way she's going to stand here and do nothing. Flinging herself through the door, Clara swings the stick around preparing to whack anyone who comes towards her. Despite her fierce expression, a young woman in a night dress isn't very threatening.
A troupe of armed men and women in matching uniforms crowd the stairs. They ware chain mail covered by purple tunics embroidered with a silver crest of swan. Each has a long sword belted at their waists. The man in front has Jack by the throat. He's large and muscular with a deeply lined face and gold hair. Alonso's on the ground with a cut above his right eye. Jack is putting up one hell of a fight for a man in nothing but a pair of cotton trousers. He's landing punches left and right. Nevertheless he doesn't stand a chance against so many armed soldiers.
"Let him go!" Clara yells trying to sound braver than she actually feels at that moment. At least her voice isn't shaking. She's afraid but she refuses to let them see it.
The man fighting Jack freezes when he sees her. His eyes go wide before he hits Jack one last time then jumps to attention. The rest of the company, who wear equal expressions of shock, follow suit.
"Princess, I'm glad to see you are unharmed." says the leader as if he wasn't just beating on her new friend. "We've subdued your kidnappers, they will be dealt with. You're safe now."
Clara stands there holding her stupid stick trying to process what's happening. She waits tables and fixes computers for a living for god's sake! She isn't cut out for this medieval bullshit. One detail she latches onto, "They didn't kidnap me. I just met them."
"Yeah so get the fuck off me!" Jack spits.
Wrenching himself free of the captain's grasp, he immediately kneels down to check on his husband. Alonso is only shaken and Jack helps him to his feet. The captain looks disappointed as though he wants nothing more than to execute the lot of them. He smoothes his expression before glancing back at Clara.
"I'm not who you think I am." she says quickly, backing away from him.
She isn't an idiot, Clara knows better than to let him get a hold of her. This man is a bully, plain and simple. All her panicked brain can think is, I just want to go home. I just want to go home.
"Princess Oswin, my men and I have travelled far looking for you. It would be best for all of us if you let us return you to the palace quietly. "
Clara doesn't miss the undercurrent threat. He will drag her back quietly or not. She has to make him understand.
"I'm not Oswin! My name is Clara!" She waves the stick in front of her threateningly. "Just stay the hell away from me!"
The captain laughs. It's harsh and demeaning, making Clara feel like a child in the presence of a giant. It pisses her off. Her whole life people make her feel like an outcast. At school, at work. Just because Clara isn't like everyone else in their village. So when the captain takes a step towards her she hits him square in the face with the butt end of the stick. There's a sickening crunch as his noise brakes.
"I said stay the fuck away from me!" she hisses.
Pure rage flashes in the captain's eyes as he wipes away the blood now running down his face. Clara holds her breath wondering if he's about to run her through with his sword. Instead he does something worse, he smiles. It's the grin of someone who knows they can hurt you and is going to enjoy doing it.
Clara gasps as the sick is ripped from her hands. The captain snaps it in half making her flinch. He throws the now useless weapon to the side then grabs Clara roughly by the hair. She shrieks in pain as he drags her forward.
Jack and Alonso both try to come to her aid but are stopped by the other soldiers. They train their swords on them holding them back. Jack glares, sizing them up. It's clear from his expression he's planning on taking them all on.
"Sir." cautions one of the women, placing a hand on the captain's arm. "Remember she is the Princess."
It takes a moment for the man to relinquish his grip on her hair. He keeps a tight hold on her upper arm to prevent her from running. Clara blinks past the tears caused by pain blurring her vision. She wants to scream and kick and claw his eyes out.
"My apologies, Highness." The captain says with false contrition. "You are clearly under the spell of a Trade Witch. For your safety you must come with us."
Clara glares, right into his dark eyes. "I will not."
The captain smiles again and slowly turns to glance at Jack and Alonso. "If you don't I'll kill them."
What the hell is she supposed to do? This is all insane. She's just Clara Oswald the computer nerd from the middle of nowhere. She isn't important, she isn't special, and she certainly isn't a princess. Why is any of this happening to her? What divine power did she piss off?
"Don't listen to him!" Alonso cries, earning nothing except a punch to the gut.
Clara sighs closing her eyes. "Alright." she whispers.
"Good girl."
"Clara don't." Jack warns.
"What was I supposed to do, let you die?" she says sadly as the soldiers march her from the house.
Jack and Alonso watch her go with equal looks of anger and horror. Clara wants to thank them for their kindness. She hopes her actions speak for her. Not that she feels all that noble at the moment. Clara really just feels like a scared confused girl. A girl separated from her family and friends with no control over her fate.
A large gilded carriage is waiting outside. It's pulled by four black horses and surrounded by several more. The doors bare the same family crest as the soldier's uniforms. Just as Clara's being shoved inside she catches a glimpse of Mrs. Gillyflower standing on her front porch. She grins smugly as one of the men hands her a satchel of gold.
"It was you!" Clara shouts at the horrid old hag, "You called them! You sold me out!"
Mrs. Gillyflower laughs brightly, "Even I have enough power to send a simple message, deary."
Clara can do nothing but continue to shout expletives as the door is slammed shut. The carriage pulls away from the tiny cluster of log cabins and back onto the Royal Road. The mounted soldiers fall into step alongside the carriage forming an honor guard. She watches as the houses slowly fade into the distance.
The captain, who Clara learns is named Angelo, and the female officer who spoke up are the only other people in the carriage with her. Not that she's going to say anything but Clara's glad the woman is there. She obviously thinks this Princess Oswin should be treated with respect which means as long as she's there she'll keep Angelo somewhat in check.
Leaning back against the violet cushions of the push interior Clara does her best to ignore the pair of them. The captain is still eyeing her the way a cat would a mouse. Since there's nothing she can do now, Clara stares out the window watching the countryside roll past.
The Lost Woods are a long ways behind them when they begin to pass villages and towns. Clara studied medieval art history in collage. It's as if all those boring slide projections have come to life. Farmers and blacksmiths and women hanging out clotheslines. Even in her current predicament she can't help but be amazed. The farther they travel the nicer and bigger the towns get. Wood houses give way to stone ones and dirt roads become paved with cobblestones. Obviously the closer you live to the capital the more money you have.
"You're lucky we found you when we did." says the woman suddenly, breaking the silence of the last few hours.
"And why's that?" Clara mutters.
She seems surprised by her response. "The Harvest Festival tomorrow. The emissaries from the Gray Court are already on their way. Your presence will ease the tensions between the Kingdoms."
Angelo huffs, "That won't stop anything. War is coming like it or not." He seems to relish the idea.
Clara doesn't respond. She doesn't want to get involved in any of this. Hopefully the royal family will see that she not their daughter and can find some way to get her back home. It's the only idea keeping her going at this point.
It isn't much longer before the carriage reaches the outskirts of a great walled city. Clara's mouth falls open as the two story white walls cast a shadow over them. They pass through a giant set of wooden doors manned by a patrol of heavily armed guards. An archway above the doors proclaimes the name of the capitol in three foot tall letters.
VIOLET CITY
Once inside the wall, which is several feet thick, Clara can finally see the palace of the Violet Court. It stands, raised on a hill, in the center of the great city towering over everything. Built from the same white stone as the wall its many towers and turrets glitter in the afternoon sun. The roof tiles and stained glass windows are various shades of purple along with the flags and banners flying in the breeze. Black ivy and thick wisteria climb the walls in stark contrast the bright stone, choking out the windows.
It's so beautiful that Clara forgets her fears for the moment.
The rest of the soldiers divert from the group when the carriage reaches the drive up to the castle. They continue on towards their barracks. When the horses pull to a stop at the entrance Clara's too busy staring to notice. Angelo opens the door and hauls her out. This time he's trying to act courteous rather than commanding. Clara knows that's only because of where they are and wrenches her arm out of his grasp.
"Shit." whispers the female officer, whose name Clara still hasn't bothered to ask.
She's glaring nervously at another coach at the end of the drive. It is even nicer than the one they arrived in and is silver. There's a different crest painted on its doors in black. It features a rearing unicorn.
"The Gray Court is already here."
Hey an on time update!
We meet the Doctor (John Smith) in the next chapter! I'm excited :)
Things are picking up
umm... Review?