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Chapter 2

The banging door woke me. I jerked up, my heart ponding. I looked over at Matthew, but he was still asleep, his bonds still tight. My breaths grew more rapid, and I slowly rose to my feet, noticing that the door next to me is quivering slightly. As quietly as I could, I crept over to Matthew and unbound his ropes, letting them fall to the floor. He mumbled unintelligibly and his eyes slid open, though sleep still mostly numbed his senses and he didn't notice that he was free.

"Saraphine? What s'wrong?" His words were slurred, but he was quickly waking up. He sat up, and a second later he gave me a very confused look. "Wasn't I tied up?"

I put my finger to my lips and pointed at the door. Matthew's eyes followed my gesture and he tensed when he saw the shadow slide under the door. A shadow much to big to be Marley. I heard, rather than saw, him slide down onto the floor next to me, and I noticed that I was dropped into a crouch. Matthew knelt beside me, and I saw his shallow breaths out of the corner of my eye.

Suddenly, the door opened, though it was silent and slow. A man stood there, and he held a mighty long-blade sword in both hands. He was more blinded than us by the darkness, but he growled softly and strode forward, raising his sword and stabbing it into the bed. Meeting no resistance, he made a strangled noise in his throat and whirled, just barely missing clouting me over the head with his massive boot.

Then, there was a flurry of movement. Matthew sprang to his feet and struck the man in the back of his head. As the man reeled forward, I jumped up and tried grab my knife out of it's sheath, but when I finally worked it free, the man was gone. The door clicked closed with a quiet sound, and moments after I heard the main door swing shut. I stumbled over to the side table and lit the lamp, turning to see Matthew watching me with wide eyes.

"What was that?" His voice shook slightly, and I noticed that his hands were clenched.

I shook my head bewilderedly. "I don't have a clue. If it was a man, then it wasn't one I know, because I've never met anyone that big. If it was a beast, then I've never seen one like that."

A light flicked on in the next room, and Matthew and I tensed, staring at the door. It opened without hesitation and Marley stepped into the room, looking flustered. We relaxed slightly, but she started to babble almost incomprehensibly.

"Heard a noise... rushed over... saw a huge shape..."

I smiled warily at her concern and I walked over and placed my hand on her arm.

"Marley, calm down. We don't know who that man was, but he attacked us, I think. Matthew fought him off, or scared him or something."

Marley was staring at the boy as if he had grown another head. She was frowning, but she suddenly shook her head and grinned widely.

"Well, my boy, you seem to have earned your keep. I have two questions though. First, how did you end up out of your bonds? And second, how did you fight off such a monster of a man?"

Matthew smiled weakly and shrugged. His auburn hair was ruffled almost to the point of spikes, and the golden spots were like streaks of sunshine. His brown eyes flicked to me before he raised a hand and rubbed the back of his head.

"Um, as for the bonds, I think Saraphine untied me because she saw that man coming. And all I did to the man was punch him in the back of the head. It wasn't anything special."

We all fell silent to the sounds of banging and heavy footsteps. Matthew tensed and turned to place himself in a fighting position, and I pulled my knife back out. Marley paled and pulled her knife as well, an action which caused Matthew to turn to us and frown slightly at his obvious lack of weaponry. I glanced at Marley and she nodded, so I signaled to him and tossed him a sheath with another knife in it. He caught it and pulled it free, his face one of pure relief.

We stood for a long time, each of us tense, expecting a group of the bearish men to burst in, but nothing happened, and after a while had passed, we started to relax. I saw Marley and Matthew drop their guard, their tightly tensed muscles uncoiling, and their focused looks slightly clouding. I knew that they had lost focus when I saw their pupils at last constrict, but at that moment, I saw the shadow in the window again. A soft tap tap tap sounded through the air, piercing to me, but I doubted the others could hear it.

Thus, I was the only one who didn't flinch at the door flying open. I sprang in front of Matthew, shielding him from view. Only a split-scond passed before Marley pushed him back through the door behind us, feigning just walking in. For in front of me, in all his glory, stood Charles, my brother, heir to the throne.

"Saraphine," he said, his voice like silk, while tossing his hair with a jerk of his neck. The white-blonde strands swept back to just past his ears only a moment later, but his pale grey eyes were focused on me. "Father was just wondering where you were. He has important business with you, and you have been gone over a week with your pet healer."

I felt Marley scowl at her feet, but she didn't speak. My brother was arrogant and rude, but he didn't prod or tell our father information that didn't directly concern his well-being. I frowned at him, but he just stared at a spot just above my head.

"What does father want?" I sighed, wanting to hit him but knowing that would do nothing to aide me.

"He says that you're needed. I didn't ask why, because I don't care. If you don't come though, I will have to tell him where you're hiding and he will send his men here, possibly to uncover some things that would cause him to be questionable of your loyalty. If I were you, I would come, but I am not you, so-"

"I get it! I'll come with you." My voice sounded exasperated, even to me, and for a moment, Charles's guard slipped and he looked into my face. He caught himself quickly though, and his eyes flicked back to the wall behind me.

"Come along, sister."

As he led me away, I turned to see Marley staring after me worriedly, and Matthew pushed open the door slightly to watch me go, his face blank except for the shocked lines beside his eyes and his lips turned slightly down. I looked directly at Marley and mouthed two sentences.

Don't tie him down. I'll be back as soon as I can.

Marley nodded and turned back to whisper to the door, where I could still see Matthew's face poking out.

Then, the door swung shut behind me and I was being led away from my safe home and back to the kingdom to face my father, in whatever problem he had.

I would still like reviews if I can get them, just to show me what I need to do, or what I'm doing right. I am writing a book right now, and I have a short story published, and this is showing me what people like, so reviews help. Thank you and I hope you like this chapter! If I get reviews, I will continue!