CHAPTER 4
Sigyn stood frozen, hand on the doorknob. The prince was strutting towards her, taking his sweet time. He looked smug, as if expecting her to turn and run out the door.
She could do it too. One moment of nearing him and she'd be off like a shot, calling for the guards.
But she couldn't just turn tail and flee, now could she?
Not when he was giving her the perfect opportunity…
No armor. No weapons on his person. Nothing outlined against his tunic or pants. Well, nothing besides that particular appendage of his.
And no escape for either of them.
Sigyn smirked at him as she turned the deadbolt on the door, the thunk sounding through the room. That gave him pause.
He stared at her, his smile dropping slightly in concern, "What is this?"
She smiled, gliding away, removing her coat with a twirl to place it on the hooked pole. She spun to face him, one hand holding the pole.
She batted her eyelids innocently, "Well, that is a good question, isn't it? What do you believe this is?"
She coated her words in sugar, a smile playing on her lips as she stared him down. He seemed to get over his brief insecurity, enjoying the rush of power he thought he held, a devious smile playing on his lips as he started to walk forward again, almost stalking.
"Well… I'd say you've been looking forward to this."
She smirked, walking around him, keeping a distance between them, "Oh, indeed. Ever since you announced your intentions, I've been looking forward to this…"
He smirked back at her, eyes glinting, "And… do I fulfill your dreams?"
"We have yet to see. But…"
His voice was almost a whisper, "Yes?"
She shrugged, "I had thought you'd be taller."
He frowned as she moved behind her desk, "What does that have to do with anything?"
"It makes this slightly less of a challenge."
She drew a sword from under her desk with a flourish, pointing it at his throat. He froze, slightly choking from the cold steel against his Adam's apple, hands going up slowly, eyes on the sword.
She chuckled dryly, "It was quite foolish of you to not bring a weapon. Even if I had no training, you would have to face the guards at the very least. I mean, what were you expecting to happen?" her laugh was high and cold, echoing through the room, "That I would be some meek, delicate little flower, shrinking away from you? Some pathetic little princess you would make scream?"
She stared him dead in the eyes. He was worrying his bottom lip, eyes darting between hers, the sword, and the room, as if trying to devise a way to escape.
She smirked, "Or did you perhaps think you'd get your wish with no consequences? That'd I'd just fall right into your arms, betraying my planet, my people, and my family? That you would take me, then sweep me off my feet all aglow back to your father to, what? Negotiate my surrender? Or to initiate a hostage situation to force my father to surrender?"
She smoothed her hair back with one hand, eyes closing, "I must admit, you have an insane amount of courage, to come here while the army is in full alert, with no weapons. But, truly, how did you get in?"
He kept his eyes on the sword, backing away from her, "I took a small ship. A single person. When the barrier dropped, I snuck in before it was renewed. I hid my ship in a dark alley and made my way here."
Sigyn kept walking slowly towards him, and he kept back away. He was close to a corner now.
"And what was your plan then? Defile me, then what? How did you expect to escape with your life intact? The guards have already been alerted to your presence."
"What?!"
She smirked, pointing at the door with her free hand, "Your country hates magic so much, it fails to see the value. That deadbolt has a rune carved into it. When I shut it, a bell goes off in the barracks. The captain of the guard should already be on his way here with a team."
A bluff. But he needn't know that.
The alarm had been sent, but it only activated when she drew the sword from the hidden compartment.
He started as his back hit the corner.
"Witch!" he spat.
"Not yet anyways. But, I do know a few tricks…"
Sigyn lifted her free hand, and turned it slightly, gently curling her fingers into an arch. His body went stiff as ice filled his throat, right where he couldn't cough it up, and it wouldn't go down either tunnel. He made gargling choking sounds as he tried to get air into his lungs.
His lips were turning blue, and his eyes were dilated as he sunk to a heap on the ground.
She walked towards his twitching body on the ground lazily, chuckling.
"Impressive. You have a high capacity for holding your breath."
She walked slowly around him, watching as his eyelids started to blink slowly.
"But you're still just a person."
His eyes closed and he went limp. She quickly flicked her wrist again, sending the ice away.
No need to kill her prize.
Sigyn looked up when she heard footsteps and clinking armor coming towards her from the hall. Waltzing over, she unlocked the door and held it open as the captain and a small group of guards walked in.
"Princess, why was the alarm set off?"
She waved at the unconscious prince.
The guards muttered and shifted, staring at his limp form. They were obviously wondering how she, small, thin, weak could defeat the bulky prince.
Well, trickery was obvious.
It was her only option.
She coughed, "Um, can we get him locked up and brought before my father?"
The captain sighed, a smiling slightly, walking up with chains, wrapping the prince up tightly and hoisting him up.
"Lead the way Your Highness"
She led them all out and to the throne room. The door was still closed as it had been yesterday.
Sigyn walked inside, followed by the group.
There was one difference from the previous day. Mother was here, and the curtains were open while the fire roared.
The Queen covered her mouth in shock as they walked up to the throne.
Sigyn curtsied, "Your Majesty."
He looked tired, but he managed a glare at the rousing prince and growled, "What is this?"
She stared at his shoulder, not looking at his face, "An intruder. He broke into our realm, snuck into the palace, broke into my room, with the intent to rape me and steal me away."
The captain dumped him on the ground. The prince woke with a grunt, and looked around in fear.
The king glared at him, staying silent.
She cleared her throat nervously, "I knocked him out before he could lay a hand on me, and the guards tied him up to bring him here for your judgment."
The Queen laid a gentle hand on his shoulder, but he never spoke a word, still glaring at the prince on the floor.
Sigyn met her mother's eye nervously before looking back to her father, "Given that he broke in to rape and kidnap the crown princess, during a time of war, he could be used."
The King's eyes narrowed, but he never stopped staring at the prince.
She took a breath, "His plan to rape and kidnap me was also a ruse to capture me and use me as leverage to force our surrender. Since he is our enemy, planned to ape and kidnap me, and has killed many of our people, it is only right we use his own plan against him."
The King closed his eyes.
"The king of Pemica would be forced to listen if we held the crown prince, as you would be if they held me, the crown princess."
He slowly turned to her, staring at her face.
"The King would have to surrender to you, which would give you control over all of Pemica's regions, more than quintupling our size and power. In doing that, you would even have a chance to join Odin's table."
There was a power hungry glint in his eye, she was sure of that. But then it vanished in a second back to his stone cold hardness.
He turned away from them all.
"Get rid of him."
Her heart skipped a beat, "Wh-what?"
"You heard me. Send him back to his father."
"But!"
"ENOUGH!"
She stepped back, looking up at him in fear, eyes wide like a doe's, as he jumped from his seat.
His eyes were wild, spittle flying out, a few drops landing on her face.
"YOU ARE A CHILD WHO KNOWS NOTHING! YOU SHOULD HAVE NEVER LAID A HAND ON HIM!"
"But, father!"
"ENOUGH! I WILL HEAR NO MOE OF THIS. GUARDS!"
They all snapped to attention fearfully.
"GET THIS BOY OUT OF MY SIGHT AND BACK TO HIS FATHER! AND GET MY DISOBEDIENT DAUGHTER TO HER ROOM AND LOCK HER UP IN THERE! DO NOT LET HER OUT FOR ANYTHING, AND DO NOT LE ANYONE IN, EVEN TO BRING HER FOOD!"
They all looked stunned.
Sigyn felt her throat close up with pain. Why now of all times? Especially in front of….
The prince was watching everything with a mixture of fascination and smugness.
No.
No, no, NO!
If he was sent back, not only would Pemica know exactly how to get in, they would know every single weakness of the realm!
"Father, please-"
His voice was shrill as he screeched, "ENOUGH! YOU SHALL NEVER LEAVE THAT ROOM AGAIN AS LONG WAS YOU LEAVE!" he stamped his foot madly, "GUARDS! GET EVERYONE OUT OF MY SIGHT!"
The younger guards picked up the smirking prince and carried him away as the captain sadly lead her away with a hand on her shoulder.
"I am truly sorry my lady."
She choked out a half sob.
"It should never have happened like this."
He opened the door for her, "I won't lock you in, but please stay in here where it is safe for the time being. At least until tomorrow. I'll ask your handmaid to bring your favorite foods and some books for you ma'am."
She sniffled, hugging her shoulders, "Thank you sir."
He closed the door. Sigyn walked over to her bed, stood for a second, then threw herself on the bed, sobbing until no more tears came out and she fell into a fitful slumber.