thevillainscaptivecreature

[thevillainscaptivecreature]

Chapter One

Chapter One

The Kidnapping

"Princess, never thought we'd meet again." My eyes scanned up to Erik Duluth, he was a prince of a neighboring kingdom; Tarking. We danced at the Centennial ball to show good relations between our kingdoms. 

"Prince Erik," I struggled against the scratchy ropes on my wrists and ankles, a silver chain around my neck stopping all magic I could possibly muster to break my bonds. 

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting?" My voice, dripping in sarcastic anger, rang dry and horse. How long have I been gone? What day is it? Where am I? It looked like a neglected hunting lodge or abandoned peasant home. Erik chuckled darkly and turned to his second hand man, some chestnut haired knight. I never bothered learning his name at the ball and I doubt I'll live long enough to ask for it. 

"Bring her back to the Obsidian Palace." My breath hitched slightly, apparently that particular castle is guarded to the teeth with no chance of rescue or escape. The last king had kept my father's first fiancee there before he had her killed, my father told me when he got there, her body swung in the icy storm. 

     "Are you going to walk on your own or must I carry you?" The chestnut knight asked, as if it was a completely normal thing to ask your captive to walk to their death on their own. 

"Are you blind or stupid? My legs are tied together." He rolled his eyes and grabbed me up by my arm harshly. "Not a bruise or scratch on her Nathan!" Erik called from the horses. Nathan, the chestnut knight, rolled his eyes again and cut the ropes at my ankles. I felt a sting once the ropes were removed, blood trickled down my leg, I hid that fact under my skirts and flexed my foot, I might have enough where dogs would get my scent. 

     I was prodded to the horse and Erik smiled, though a normally happy emotion, on his face it looked sinister. "You ride with me,"

    "Uh, I don't do well on horseback,"

    "Well we're not asking." Nathan picked me up by my waist and plopped me in front of Erik. He wrapped his arms around me and grabbed the reins. Now that I'm getting a closer look, they both had on black leather gloves, black cloaks, and masks around their necks. Erik reeked of death, his black hair that was slicked back for the ball now caked in dark red blood, specks of it splattered his face like freckles. "You smell horrendous." Erik leaned his head over my shoulder and whispered in my ear, "you smell of perfume and oranges, Princess."

     "Did you ever learn my name? You've kidnapped me and you're still using honorifics, not that I care but I definitely don't feel like a princess." He stayed silent though. Why was I talking to him? Maybe in hopes he'd spill more clues as to why he stole me away on my wedding day. The thought of my fiance, teary eyed, at the altar made my chest tighten. I had every aspect of my life planned out, I was marrying the man my father planned to give the throne to. He was a responsible man, twelve years my senior but 37 is hardly an old man... Duke Devon will search for me, he must already be on our trail, probably why Erik and Nathan were riding so quickly, they know if we dally their heads will be on the palace wall by the end of the day!

 "Princess Evangeline, you are the most beautiful creature I have laid my eyes on, it would be a great honor if you were to join my hand in marriage." Duke Devon knelt at my feet, ring in hand after the dance of harmony. The Centennial ballroom was a buzz of positive whispers. "You need not worry, my little Dove, your father has already said yes." He soothed my hand in his. I felt a tightness in my chest, I must be so happy, everything is turning out exactly as my father planned. "Of course I'll marry you," Duke Devon slid his mother's ring on my hand as he stood. I felt a shadow cover my back, but as I turned the balcony doors closed, perhaps a guard.

 The preparations all set, though we had been engaged for five years as I finished my studies at the Academy of Magick and Scholars, the weight of the ring, of the past five years, of the rest of my life weighed on my chest. If I hadn't gone on that walk to clear my heavy thoughts Erik and his lackeys wouldn't have been able to kidnap me... Kidnap... Oh.

 I awoke as we entered an encampment, the crest of Tarking flew proudly in the wind. If I had my way I'd rip those flags down and burn them to cinders. "Men! We went, we saw, and we returned to you with none other than the crown's most beautiful jewel; First Princess Evangeline, Mavka's Moon High priestess!" A roar of cheers assaulted my ears. Recoiling away, Erik took the chance to hop off the horse and he took me with him. "You should all be ashamed, you will create a war you cannot win."

 "Oh I think we already did win, Princess!" One of the men shouted from the crowd. I bit back my bile and tried to think positively, since we're camping for the night perhaps the Duke is already close at hand.

 Erik guided me to the largest tent, a bed in the middle of the room, and a support post beside it. As tired as my body is I hope and pray to Goddesses above, let them tie me to the post.

 "Princess, must you have the look of thunder on your face? It sullies your beauty." Erik held my face in his hands, his gloves drenched in blood that had dried and caked. 

 "Don't touch me with the blood of my people, you monster." I spat in his face and a churning feeling replaced the anger. He smiled. My face felt as if all the warmth and blood left but he wiped my spit away and forcefully sat me down on the cot. My heart felt as if it would give out any second, would he bed me? Torture me? I tried calling on my magic more frantically, but still nothing. 

 "As delightful as seeing your face twist in horrific anticipation, I will not be hurting you further than you already have..." He looked at my leg caked in dried blood. His face grew dark and he raised his head back, shouting for The Chestnut Knight. Nathan sauntered in with two plates of food, my stomach again flipped. I had been so nervous for my wedding day that I hadn't eaten in two weeks, and however many days from that without a bite of food or drop to drink as a hostage. 

 "What is this?" Erik's voice seething with murderous intent. Nathan placed the food down, his face white as a sheet.

 "After I explicitly said not to harm her, you mark her skin with your blade." Was I about to see a murder? Nathan seems to be his right hand, perhaps this could work in my favor... But who would I be then? Another person pushing someone down to get ahead...

 "I wobbled while he cut my ropes, it's truly not all his fault..." I breathed out, my voice sounded foreign to my ears. Nathan slowly looked at me, confusion laced his eyes. Erik put a hand firmly on his man's shoulder as he leaned in and whispered, it was too quiet for even me to hear at nearly a foot away.

 "Yes sir I understand. Thank you, my lady," Nathan stood and walked out, I sighed a breath I didn't know I held. Erik bent down and inspected the wound, washing and dressing it accordingly. "You continue to surprise me, Princess."

 "That's unfortunate." My mind was elsewhere, I was looking at the roast deer and rice plate mere feet away, the smell permeated my very soul. "You save the life of your captor, he would have lost his head if not for your well timed lie."

 "Not a lie, I did move while he cut my ropes... Were you going to kill him?"

 "Maybe not kill, but chop his leg off."

 "Then who would I be if I let you? I'd be no better than you Tarkians." Erik paused and... Laughed? "You continue to keep me on my toes Princess Evangeline, wise as you are beautiful." 

 "You're as crazy as you are a bloodthirsty monster." He hummed and brought out a knife.

 "If I cut your bonds will you be a good girl and eat or will you try to run away?"

 "Where could I go where you wouldn't find me?" He took my chin between his fingers and the self-satisfied look on his face almost made me want to change my answer. "Good girl,"

 I sat cross legged on the ground, the post to my back, my wedding dress poofed out in a sea of white, blue, and mud. Erik sat at the table, "You know, there's two chairs, why sit on the ground?"

 "You reeked of death," he sighed, got up, and left. He came back ten minutes later, hair wet, shirtless, but every inch of him was clean. His body was scarred but still looked... Soft... He chuckled and knelt down, grabbing my hand and splaying it out against his chest. 

 "You're looking at me like your second portion." I calmed my heart, he wants a specific reaction from me I can't give him that... Perhaps if I threw him off, it might be beneficial. 

 "Those look like they hurt..." I ran my fingers along a scar that started at his collarbone; deep and still a little red in the middle almost like it didn't heal all the way. It disappeared over his shoulder and onto his back. He stopped and let me trace his, I suppose, most recent injury. 

"It did, but it was a long time ago," I ran my fingers over another and furrowed my brow, why was I doing this? I feel like I'm confusing myself more than him. I pulled away as soon as the thought crossed my mind and started eating again.

"Did you wait for me?"

"Suppose I did, more worried you were grabbing something to kill me with."

"Why would I kill you?" I paused and looked up to him, his eyes laced in confusion. I could really only shrug, "Why ask the sun why it rises? There is no reason behind it besides it just does." He stood and sat back down at the table, we didn't talk much after that, thankfully.

 When it was dark enough for bed, he put the ropes back on me, but they were no longer scratchy, they now felt fine as restraints went. He tied the long end to the pole and pulled me in his arms. "Don't shiver so much princess, I won't bed you against your will." I bit my lip, even though it was a little comforting I still didn't fully believe it.

 "Promise?"

 "You have my word, I swear, on my life, I will not bed you without your consent." I looked up at his face, without the blood on his face and now that he smelled of pine I felt more at ease... It's probably just the adrenaline that wore off... But he is handsome. I cannot begrudge him that compliment. 

 Someone came in and started a fire, but even an hour later the shivering didn't stop, I felt uncomfortable like...

 "I need the... Powder room." Erik opened his eyes and nodded, "I'll have a woman escort you, she's stronger and faster than me so please don't try anything," I nodded and he undid the rope at the pole end and we went out to get this stronger, faster woman... I felt like I was on a leash... like a dog. 

 "Anya, please help her use the toilet." Anya was a darker woman, with white paint on her face, two half crescents going under each of her violet eyes. She had extensive braids on her whole head, I expected her to laugh or pull but she just nodded and gently showed me where I could do my business. She helped me with my ball gown and pretended I wasn't going.

 "Thank you." She just nodded and handed me back to Erik, "could I wash my hands please?"

 "You are such a polite princess," 

 "If I acted like you then where would we be?"

 "Excuse you, other than kidnap you I've also been extremely polite." I paused and had to think back a bit. "Why are you looking at me like I have two heads?" Erik chuckled and I shook off the thought.

 "Why did you kidnap me? We've only met a handful of times, the Centennial ball being one of the only times we've been close enough to talk..."

 "Well, I guess I saw you and wanted you for myself and once that old man had coerced you into the marriage proposal I had to save you from that." So I will end up like the last princess of Mavka... "Though Duke Devon might be slightly older-"

 "He's nearly a decade and a half older than you." I had only just now noticed that the ring was gone off my finger... I'll really be like her, he'll lock me in the Obsidian Palace and I'll be forced to lay with him and..! "Hey, breathe, breathe, you're okay now, you're okay." Erik picked me up and dashed to his tent, he laid me down and I lost all composure. If they haven't found me by now all hope is lost! I can't feel my power, the one thing that makes me safe and now I'll die in some cold palace and... I don't know what will happen then.

Erik hurriedly removed the restraints and I ripped at the necklace, it didn't budge except a jolt of electricity zapped my neck and finger tips.

 "You're okay, you're safe-"

 "Safe! With you? The man who kidnapped me and what? Keep me restrained and then what? Why? So I can give you powerful babies?!" I pulled myself on unsteady legs and prayed to the Goddess above and God below, please help me in my time of need. I jumped for the knife and held it to my throat, I'm the thing he wants the most, the thing I won't let him have.

 "No! Evangeline please, please don't do that!" His hands were up and I felt my heartbeat in my ears, nothing but adrenaline in my veins.

 "Why?"

 "Because you don't want to die." I closed my eyes and pressed the knife to my throat hoping for relief, but instead he ripped it away from my grasp and pulled me into his chest.

 "Looks like we won't be able to trust you not to try something stupid." I couldn't say anything, I just cried, my wailing filled the camp. The crying turned to keening, it felt like my soul was about to burst. Every note I lamented for the life I knew, if I wasn't found by tonight I doubt we'd be found even once we reach the Obsidian Palace.

 Erik didn't hit me, he didn't hush me to silence, he merely rubbed my back and offered water every now and again. Slowly I could breathe and stop keening, stop sobbing. I rested back against him and just wished I slipped into sleep soon. The notes I woefully sang to the Goddess pleading for help for mercy hung heavy in the air of the tent, the whole of the camp was silent.

 "That was... Beautifully sad..." I held my wrists up and he nodded, slowly and gently wrapping my wrists, instead of tying me to the post, he wrapped the long end around his waist and pulled me close.

 "Please sleep well princess," he whispered to me as I drifted off to sleep, hoping for a dream to escape from this place.

 "Evangeline," echoes roared my name over dunes of gold. My ears were heavy, I couldn't hear well and my feet were as if I stood in quicksand. I couldn't move, hardly heard, and with the wind whipping around I couldn't see, I felt like my life was in danger. No matter how much power I called to me nothing came, I was powerless. Big black bird monsters screamed my name as they dived for me, I dodged two before the third sunk its talons around me.

 The pain of my nightmare woke me in a sweat, it was light, Erik had untied us and breakfast sat at the table. "Are you okay?" He whispered, I slowly stood and sat at the table. I looked up to him and raised my hand to my neck.

 "Will this ever come off?" My voice was hoarse, much more than I expected. Erik's jaw flexed, he refused to answer me, he just tucked into the food. I slowly followed suit and just decided, I can't get away, I can't kill myself... Just follow what they say from now on and hope for the best, maybe I'll stay alive long enough for my father to fetch me. He knows where the Obsidian Palace is, he will surely save me... 

 Two hours into our journey I stared blankly ahead, we've been in Tarking for maybe twenty minutes the magic shifted from Holy to Wild then. Anya walked beside the horse, she held up a pouch of water for me to take. 

 "Thank you," I took it with as much gratitude as one could show to their captors. She simply nodded and hung back to go back to formation.

 "She will be your guard once we get to the Palace..."

 "Doesn't matter, she'll be your informant just like anyone else would be."

 "Well, don't say that, I doubt unless I need to know if she'd tell me anything... After your, uh, singing last night, many of the female warriors offered to be your personal guard, I thought Anya-"

 "It doesn't matter." I closed my eyes and leaned forward to the horse's neck. 

 "It's not called singing... It's Keening." I said after maybe an hour of silence.

 "Well, it sounded an awful lot like singing." He mumbled but a second later his tone shifted. "What's Keening?"

 "Mourning to the Goddess and God."

 "Last I checked you have nothing to mourn for."

 "My freedom." He huffed and grabbed me around my waist, "Hyah!" My body jolted back to rest against him, the trees and bushes a blurry motion. I felt like I was flying for a moment, the branches of low bearing trees hitting and smacking our sides, light blinding me as we came across an opening. Not an opening! "Cliff!" I grabbed onto his arms and held my breath, would we die? Why would I care? Because I don't want to die I want to go home. "Open your eyes." His voice was as soft as it was last night, coaxing me to look, the light stunned me momentarily, but when I could take in my surroundings; it was beautiful. Sprawling green fields dotted with houses, a village laid at the bottom of the basin. Wild flowers grew every which way and for some reason I began to cry... Not like last night, it felt like I was seeing this world and all its beauty for the first, or maybe last, time...

 "Get it out, all out, princess." Erik slowly rubbed my back and I felt at peace. I didn't realize I was brought to tears till I felt them snake down my neck. Tarking isn't meant to be beautiful, they do what I could only wish; spending most of the royal budget on its citizens, creating a near utopia... But it's ruled by monsters, his father stole away a princess hand picked by my father, and now they've stolen me away.

 We went to a large inn, it seems like they expected our arrival. "Ah your highness, the Emerald suite is all ready for you and your bride." That word stung my heart, I stood here a prisoner wearing my wedding gown. The delicate white fabric ripped and muddied, the sapphire chiffon crumpled and ruined. Most of the jewels and silver ribbons are long gone, hopefully someone in need finds them and they won't lay on the forest floor till time falls. Erik helped me into the slightly cramped room, but anything beats sleeping on the floor... 

 "I'll trust you to bathe on your own, there are no windows or doors anywhere else and I'll be just outside, the water is warm, go." I paused and rubbed my hands together. I needed help getting this dress off but I don't want his help. "Could Anya please meet me there? I can't reach the corset in the back... Usually my lady-in-waiting would." He paused and shook his head, "I'm sorry Princess, Anya is busy currently, I'll be the one to help you." I felt my face flush of all colors, he couldn't be serious? He nodded forward to the door and I guess I had no choice... I walked into the bathroom and turned around.

 "These laces are complicated," I heard a ripping sound and the dress lost all form. I stood in my now torn and sullied silk chemise, which also nearly fell had I not caught it. "This is why I didn't want your help," I gingerly picked my ruined dress off the ground, there was no way of fixing this, this had been my father's pick, the dress he liked above all else. He told me it reminded him of my mother... My mother had long since died and it is truly my only solace that I remind my father of her, that I look so much like her...

 "Princess surely you are not so naive to see there was no fixing this dress, besides what use do you have for a wedding dress now?" I laid the fabric back on the ground and with all my might and anger pushed him out of the bathroom and slammed the door.

I soaked and preened myself back to feeling normal, the fragrance was one of my favorites, orange peel and jasmine, which I hoped to be a coincidence. I unknotted my hair and brushed through every length and curl. By the time I had sufficiently cleansed all dirt, grime, and blood off of me the bath water was cold and the candles had gone down considerably. Once I stood, I realized I had no clean clothes, but I was lucky the inn keeper had given me a robe. I double knotted the robe and walked out, I quickly walked past Erik and sat right next to the fire.

 "I thought maybe you fell asleep." Instead of talking to him I began to braid my hair, longer now that I didn't have servants to help me tend to my needs.

 "Look... I'm sorry about your dress, I know this won't replace it but you'll need clothes to make it the rest of the way without catching your death in that... Robe..." I could feel his eyes wandering my skin, his gaze felt hot, like he was running a fire poker along my flesh. I looked up to him, he had thankfully looked away before I caught him, he held up a dark green long sleeve dress, simple but it looked warm. The black belt hung loosely around his wrist.

 "I'll replace the dress once we make it to the Palace, and perhaps... Once there... We could talk about fixing the mana flow on your device so you can use a small amount of power." I studied him for what felt like forever before speaking. 

 "Why?"

"Because... I don't want you to be a dove."

 "What an odd thing to say..." I stood and grabbed the dress, walking back to the bathroom and quickly changing. I heard a knock on the bedroom door and before I could see who it was, all I could smell was food. Roasted chicken, potatoes, onions and carrots, I've never felt as hungry as I have these past few days.