Chapter 9
Eric ran into the night dragging all three unconscious girls with him. He had to knock them out because they just annoyed him with all their whining and crying.
He took them to some abandoned well house and tied each girl to a chair. Then he blinded them and gagged them so he wouldn't have to hear them when
they woke up. "Oh Miranda you can have Lyra for now because I have the daughter you dared defy me for. And I will enjoy hurting her as I think of you." Eric
walked away and went back to the village to see his handy work take place as he saw the king and his eldest daughter arrive at the cottage he had just
attacked. Lyra gasped as she saw the window to this cottage broken and glass shards everywhere. Roland remembered his wife telling him how this was
Sofia's friend's house and both of them rushed inside quickly. "Sofia?! Sofia?!" A groan was heard from upstairs and the king and Lyra rushed up the stairs.
"Aunt Helen?" Helen opened her eyes and gasped. "Lyra. I'm so happy you are safe. But the girls…" She got up too fast and felt very dizzy. "Whoa Aunt Helen
be careful." "I will. The girls…. Your father got them I couldn't stop him. I'm sorry." Roland was really scared now. "No you did your best now come we have to
get back to the castle and call for help from everyone we can gather. I want those girls returned safely to us." The three jumped into the couch and headed
at full speed back to the castle. Helen and Lyra broke the news to Miranda together and tried to comfort her while the king hatched a plan. He was going to
get his daughter back no matter what. Just as he was about to go to his wife to try and ease her pain, a young girl jumped in through the open window in the
room. She wore a skin-tight scarlet outfit that hugged her body in all the right places, scarlet knee-length boots, scarlet elbow-length gloves, and a scarlet
mask that left only the eyes visible. Her beautiful long blond hair and serene blue eyes were visible as she stood from her crouch-like landing after jumping
through the window tall and proud. The king immediately recognized the girl as The Scarlet Warrior, the kingdom's savior. He didn't know how she got here but
at the moment didn't care. All he could think of was getting his daughter and her friends safely home and away from that man that he was going to make sure
would never hurt his family again. "Scarlet Warrior, I'm not sure how you got here but I'm glad you did. I need your help. My youngest daughter and her friends
have been kidnapped. Can you help?" "Of course Your Majesty. Would it be alright if I spoke with the Queen before I set out?" "U-um yes of course. But keep
in mind that she is very depressed and worried." "I will Your Majesty." With that said the king lead The Scarlet Warrior to Sofia's room where Lyra, Miranda, and
Helen were gathered together on Sofia's bed. The king asked Lyra and Helen to accompany him and give the Queen and The Scarlet Warrior a chance to talk
alone. Once the room was cleared, The Scarlet Warrior bowed to the Queen, stood, and met her eyes. "Queen Miranda, I know of about what happened with
your daughter and I've come to tell you that I will do anything to reunite you with her once more as well as save her friends. And once I have returned her I
would like to make a request, but I have to wait until I have the Princess's ok. Well I'm off." With that the young warrior girl left the castle and its grounds and
off into the night hoping to come across clues or the kidnapper responsible. Eric had been satisfied in watching the hasty retreat to the castle and imagining
the look on Miranda's face now that she knows where her youngest daughter is and who she is with. Not even bothering to keep out of sight, he lazily walked
back to the place where he stashed the girls hoping that they were still knocked out. He had hated the whining Lyra had made once upon a time and that was
only one girl. He couldn't even stand that let alone three little girls at once. As he entered the cabin he made the mistake of taking the gag off of his
daughter, Sofia. Immediately she woke and took advantage of the short reprieve. "Help! Help us! Somebody Pleas…" Eric shoved the gag back in and
threatened to backhand her before he walked to the small little office life space up three stairs. He made a mental note to never make a mistake like that
again and laid on the floor. He figured he might as well call it a night and tomorrow set off to the next town and sell the other two girls but keep his daughter
and torment her longer than what he had Lyra. With that plan in his mind he fell into a surprisingly deep sleep, so sure was he that no one would find his hiding
place. Unknown to him someone was hiding in a tree not far from the well house and a smile appeared on her face. The Long blond hair girl smirked as she had
found the kidnapper's hiding place with just Princess Sofia's short screams. Crouched in a predator like stance of the largest limb of the tree she let out a
whisper she knew her target wouldn't hear. "I found you."