Arranged marriage

I was looking out of the carriage’s window. The safety and the warmth the house that i grow in was not far behind.

While our carriage was cracking up and down through the narrow road between two kingdoms, i was just wishing that all these nonsence was a dream. I would wake up in the morning and my loyal and kind handmade Mary would smile at me as complaining about my laziness.

But instead, she was sitting across to me in the small carrige, and trying to smile at me as always. But this time, the nervousness was all over on her face. She did not admit this whole thing is insane and she tried to claim that this marriage will be beneficial for all parties.

Though, everybody says the same thing for two weeks now, and I am really exhausted to explain how this is insane. But, at the end of the day, how can a woman speak for herself? My father made this deal with the neighbor kingdom, and both parties is happy about this business agreement.

“Love is an unaffordable luxury for the nobles.” Said my father. He had that luxury once in his life with my mother. Sometimes I wonder, if my mother were alive, the same thing would have happened to me?

The carriage has halted suddenly. I have tried to see the front of the carriage but I’ve couldn’t.

Suddenly a fierce scream has been heard from the maids that riding in the other carriage.

I felt fear as the first time this tense in my life. One of my guards has shout in a hurry,

“No matter what you hear, stay inside of the carriage princess.”

Then he ran towards to the other carriage in front of ours. We were traveling with three more carriages other than ours. And also with fourteen cavaliers, still I was trembling like a leaf before the wind, and I was just thinking how to hide the locket that inherited me from my mother, in case of this danger is coming from thieves. I wasn’t sure what was happening outside, though.

The shouts of the swordsmen and screams of the maids have been raised. Mary has came and sit next to me and hold me tightly. She was mumbling a pray under her breath. I wasn’t taking any breathe.

Then suddenly, all shouts and screams has been cut. Instead, a cold and dead slience has been collapsed on the carriage. I was wondering what was going on outside, but I was horrified to find the answer that had come into my mind.

Just a second later, which had taken years for me, we have started to hear a couple of footsteps coming nearer. I hoped that would be our men’s. I was wrong.

Suddenly, a huge veiny hand has dived into carriage from the window of opposite side of the carriage where we sitting at. Every where has been covered with broken glasses. One or two pieces of the shuttered glas has shot through to me and caused small cuts. But I’ve couldn’t even feel it. I was petrified and couldn’t even move an eyelash of me.

The hand grasped the door of the carriage like it is maden from cardboard and smashed it out. And we have seen the arm after the hand. A bulky and veiny as the hand, has reached in the carriage, it catched the arm of Marry and pulled her out from the smashed open gate.

I was trying to hold Marry’s hand and I was screaming as loud as I can hoping the swordsmen would help. Meanwhile, the door behind me should have been opened, before I understand, two strong arms as big as the other horrifying one, gas grasped me from the waist and pull me out of the carriage.

It was so strong and tense holding and I was feeling like I am not capable of breathing in. But this was the first time I was seeing what was going on. There were blood everywhere. I have seen the dead bodies of cavaliers’ and maids’ lying here and there. There were six men as I was seeing at the first time in my life and one of them was holding Marry from behind, he was trusting a dagger to her neck. Someone was also holding me from my waist, I felt the pressure again, I was just trying to think.

Never say you are a princess, give whatever they want and promise to give more if they let you go. I was saying to myself.

I was just bargaining in my brain then I saw him for the first time in my life. The source of my future misery was standing before me for the first time.

He was tall and thick like an oak three. His feet were standing on the earth like the big roots. His tanned skin was covered with countless scars and a big tattoo was seen from the open button of his shirt and looks like it was going through to the chest of him. His chest was as big as a trunk and his wide jaw was clasped angrily.

When I dared to look his eyes, I saw two merciless black jewel looking back at me. His long bangs were falling onto his eyes, his big and curved hawknose was giving him a more threatening air. His surprisingly shaped and plump lips has opened and he talked. Morelike he thundered.

“Be obedient, or you will die!”

I was already not thinking any other option. I was ready to cooperate until reaching out my father and giving them as much as ransom for our lives. I have gathered all of my courage and tried to speak. But the firm grasp around my waist wasn’t helping. I have cleared my throat loudly to let them understand I am preparing to talk. It worked and black jewels fixed on me.

“We are not willing to cause any trouble. We will be obedient until agreeing on a convenient ransom money between you and my family. I am the daughter of a rich duke and my father can give you a high ransom in return of us. Please don’t hurt us. “ I was thinking I am smart. But I was just wrong.

“The daughter of a duke ha?” His plump lips has been curved with a smirk.

“Yes, my father is very rich. Can give you anything you want.

“Rich indeed. He is a king afterall.”

I was aghast. He has known my fater who really was. I opened my mouth to argue with it but I have seen the uselessness of it in his eyes. He was aware who he really captured. There was no use to fool around. So I spoke throughly.

“What is your demand? “

“ I demand you, ma lady.” He said it with a playful voice but his eyes were different as cold as an iceberg. All of his men laughed exaggerated at this little joke .

I have understood that their intention was not gathering some money from a royal. Whatever their plan is, it was obvious that there was a bigger goal behind. I gulped.

“Who are you?” I asked as arrogantly as I dare, which was natural for a royal born. I thought if he knows that I am a princess now, then he acts according to that.

“Now we are revealing our true nature aren’t we? “ he asked. Then he continue talking.

“I am Tharon Aldragon. The son of the Thenin. And you are Kathleen Zayarin. The one and only daughter the king Atalen. And from now on, my prey. “

I was shocked. He said Aldragon, isn’t he? The family that swear to end mine for centuries? The kingdom of North. Big and deserted lands of grudge. That kingdom and my kingdom were fighting for centuries. Even my arranged marriage was to avoid any danger coming from north and stand more stable with an ally who bounded my kingdom with a marriage. My marriage.

My fater was hoping a grandson from this marriage to pass his power and lands.

But even he didn’t see this coming. It was bad. Very very bad.

I was trying to think but god’s sake, the arms around my waist wasn’t giving me enough air to make my brains work. I have struggled a little but there was no use. Marry was crying, this Tharon guy was smirking more than ever and I was just trying to take breath. Than I have done the stupidest thing I can ever do. I have bit the hand of the guy who was holding me. He gave a loud cry and let me go for one second. I wasn’t in intention of running but suddenly I felt like I have to.

I ran directly to the woods. The trees was coming nearer, it was happening, I was running away… but feeling a powerful pulling at my arm, nearly was dislocating my shoulder didn’t take too long. I fell down on the mud.

I turned and saw the face of Tharon guy and I sweared. Not like a princess or not even like a lady. It was more like a drunk from the horsehead inn. I said,

“ What the f*ck you think you doing you idiotic bastard of the Aldragon. You are a bastard’s son. Your father must have f*ck a pig to have like a small brained idiot like you. You were nearly dislocating my arm. Haven’t you have been taught how to act to a lady you disgusting pig?!! “

He was shocked. I was shocked too. If any of my noble friends or my governess would have heard me they would have been shocked too. But I couldn’t help. And it was coming from my disguised travels to the city. I will tell it later.

The shock that he was feeling didn’t take too long and left its place to anger. He furiously raised his hand and slapped me on the cheek.

That was all i remember for that day. I just felt e severe pain on my face. I am saying face, because his palm was so big, it was enough covering my whole face. Then I blacked out. I fon’t know how long I was away but when I came to my senses, I was lying on a horseback behind Tharon. My hands were tied in front of me. I briefly look around to see Marry. She was sitting behind somebody else’s back on a horse. I thanked to my god for she hasn’t been killed. But I was not expecting too much from the future at all. Maybe, we could be lucky if we were killed. I wasn’t eager to pull any attention this time, my face was still throbbing. But before I do anything, the guy coming from behind our horse shouted.

“She is awake your majesty!”

Then everybody stopped. He get down from the horse back and pull me down either. Hold me from both of my arms and pulled me nearer to his face. His breath was hitting my nose and tickling it.

“ If you do anything such as the nonsense before, I will kill you this time. Are we clear?”

“Yes” I mumbled in a thin voice.

“I didn’t hear you?!”

I have cleared my throat and said it louder.

“Yes!”

“Good. Now climb the horse back. If you do anything wrong I will feed the wild animals of black forest with you. “

Black Forest? I must have unconscious for a day at least. Because from the point that we have been attacked, the black forest is one and a half day away. It looks like we will be on the roads like one week more. It will take that much at least.

No one will recognize that we are lost for an another ten days because we had nearly teo weeks ahead to my arranged kingdom Nazilah when we were caught.

I hope we can survive until then.

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