Chapter 2: Back in Bariston in Hendrik's office

Hendrik's office...his dad and him have a discussion

Hendrik, sitting in his office chair, turns to the door hearing a soft knock. "Come in," He bellowed sluggishly from not have much sleep. "The door is open."

His assistant, Jamie, stepped into the room, silently shutting the door behind him. "We have a problem with that Sabriel wench," He said hesitantly.

"What is it? What happened this time? Damn it, Jamie! What aren't  you responsible like me?" Hendrik snapped.

Jamie, gulping with fright, hesitated than finally stammered. "She escaped from the inn last night," He cowered away from Hendrik in fear of getting hit.

Hendrik let the news sink in before speaking. "What? How did she escape? Did I not tell you to watch her whilst I came back to inform the King? Must I do everything myself?" He slammed his fist against the desk top. "Since she's missing, I want every guard in every village, town, and city from here to Ravenscrag to search for her! I want them to search every house and barn, leaving nothing unturned! I don't care how long it takes, I want it done 'til that wench is found!" 

Jamie winced at the slamming of Hendrik's fist. "Yes Sir! I'll round up as many troops as possible! Do you want us to leave right away, Sir?" 

"I want you to round up everything you need for the journey to Ravenscrag." Hendrik smirked at Jamie's look of shock. "Yes, I want you to be in Ravenscrag and tell the King about our plan. " He sat back into his chair, lacing his fingers behind his head. "Now, leave me. My father shall be showing soon."

Jamie nodded and left, shutting the door behind him. Hendrik leans his head back, rubbing his stubbled chin. He glances at the door, hearing another soft knock. "Come in!" He bellowed, resting his feet on the desk top.

"Aye, my son! How goes the wedding plans with the lovely Noliani?" His father, Richard, asked as he walked through the door. "You do still plan to marry the lovely young lady, right?"

"Aye, father, I still plan to marry my Noliani. But we have to set the ceremony to a different date. The king will have my head if I don't hand him over Sabriel by the next full moon." Hendrik stated as he placed his feet back onto the floor. "I still have yet to tell Noliani the news."

"Hendrik since when do you put your duties before women?" Richard chuckled softly, take a sit on one of the chairs. "You have alwasy put women before duty. You were always a lover not a fighter."

Hendrik lets out a soft laugh. "I have changed since I joined the Royal Guards, Father. My duty if more important than mere lust. Although, I do love to quench it every now and again." He spoke so softly, Richard almost fell out of his chair trying to hear what Hendrik said. "I truely love the Lady Noliani. And I plan to wed her once I hand Sabriel over to the King."

Richard drummed his fingers against the armrest, examining his son. He noticed that Hendrik looked ages older than what he really was. "My son, I can take your place so you can go marry. I'm pretty sure the King won't mind." He waited patiently for his son's reaction.

"Aye, Father, I would but I got direct orders from the King himself. He wants Sabriel brought to him by me." Hendrik frowned. "You know I would do it if it wasn't direct orders."

Richard nodded stubbornly. "Aye, Hendrik, you are a stubborn lad.  I'm sorry but I must leave before your mother fusses." Richard says as he stands. He walks to the door and stops. He looks at his son with a smile than whispers to himself. "Aye, Margaret, here I come."

After the door closes, Hendrik leans over desk and thinks of a plan to catch Sabriel.

*****************************

(Somewhere Between Bariston and Bridgeton)

Sabriel opened her eyes to the sound of birds chirping and the feel of Pegasus nuzzling her neck with his nose. She sits up stretching, and yawn widely. Before standing she scratches the soft spot behind Pegasus' ears.

Sabriel glances up at the sky assuming it was noon. Running her fingers through her hair, she walks to the near-by stream. Her hands stop mid-way to her face as a twig snaps in the forest. Instinctively, Sabriel's hand flies to the hilt of her sword as she slowly advances towards the forest.

She crouches, reaching out to draw back the leaves. She gives a half-hearted laugh as a rabbit jumps out of the brush. The rabbit sprints away from Sabriel, as Sabriel lets out a scream of pain. She falls to the ground with a thud, noticing an arrow sticking from her thigh. She breaks the arrow, than gets up, drawing her sword quickly. As a group of soldiers emerge, Sabriel gets into her fighting stance, watching the men advance towards. 

"What is your business here?" Sabriel snapped as the men drew their swords. 

The soldiers charge towards Sabriel, their swords swinging in every direction. Sabriel growls under her breathe, eyeing the charging soldiers cautiously. Just as one of the soldiers lunges at her, she brings her sword around, the blade hitting the man in the shoulder, sending him into a tree. A scream escapes Sabriel's lips as the captain's blade makes contact with her shoulder. She hits the man in the face with her elbow, shattering his nose. As the man stumbles backwards, holding his nose, he grunts in pain as Sabriel slices his stomach open with a dagger pulled from her boot.

Sabriel stumbles to the ground as another soldier smashes a rock against her skull. Before blackness overtakes her, she sees Pegasus whinneying madly while the men disarm her.

************************************

 (A couple hours later)

Sabriel tries to sit up with a groan as pain shots through her skull. Laying back down with a grunt, Sabriel looks up and sees a ceiling instead of open sky. Turning her head slowly, she lets out an gasp seeing Hendrik smirking at her.

"Aye, no we finally got you, wench." Hendrik snaps, getting up and advancing towards her. "This time you wont get away."

Sabriel presses up against the wall as he advances towards her. Hendrik grabs her hair and rips her up off the cot, making Sabriel shriek in pain. "You have no idea how long I have been waiting to hand you over to your father."

"P-please," She stammers as pain sears her skull. "I just want to live a normal life." She grits her teeth as Hendrik tightens his grip. "I never want to go back to my father's castle. I have hated him since I was a little girl."

Hendrik lets go of her hair. "But you showed so much devotion to him when we were to wed." Hendrik sits down next to her. "Why would you be cast out of Bariston after the plague?"

Sabriel sits up slowly, her head spinning with pain. "He thinks I caused the plague to get out of the wedding. He has despised me since the day I was turned into a monster." Sabriel grunts softly holding her head. "Can't you just let me go, Hendrik?" She asks as she places a delicate hand on his arm.

Feeling his blood begin to boil from her touch, Hendrik stands and moves to the door. "I shall take you to your father in the morning." Hendrik opens the door and stops. "I'm sorry Sabriel, but it's my duty."

Hearing the door get bolted shut, Sabriel gets up and walks to the door, looking out the small barred window. Placing her hand on her head, she winces in pain, feeling the huge gash on her head. Hearing loud shots, Sabriel walks to the barred window and sees an exercise yard with prisoner in it. "Feel sorry for those guys..." She whispers.

She turns around and scans her cell room. She sighs deeply seeing that there is no possible way to escape. She sits on the cot and puts her head in her hands.

-------------------------------

A couple hours later

Hendrik walks down the cold hallway, prisoners yelling and pounding on their prison bars. His eyes are set on one particular cell, as he ignores the other prisoners. He jingles his keys as he goes to unlock that particular cell door.

Sabriel sits up, hearing Hendrik open her cell door. Hendrik walks in and turns to Sabriel after shutting the door. "Is it time to go already?" Sabriel asks quietly.

"Not yet." Hendrik responds as he advances towards her. "I want some answers Sabriel." He kneels in front of her.

"What answers do you need?" Sabriel looks down at him as a lone tear slides down her cheek. "You have no idea what I have been through Hendrik!"

He frowns taking her hands into his. "Sabriel...t-tell me how you survived the plague." 

Sabriel sighs deeply looking down at the ground. "On my 18th birthday, my father threw a big celebration for me. You were there, you know how big the celebration was. Well I went out to the garden by myself to get some air, because everyone was surrounding me and congratulating me. A man attacked me while I was in the rose garden. I changed into a vampire. Yes, we have heard myths about them but they are true. He left me there hoping I would die. That's when Jamie found me. He tried to hide it from my father without success. He knew what my father would do. After the transformation, I kept sneaking out and making my father wonder what I was doing. He thought maybe I had a different lover besides you. I was actually sneaking out to feed. Finally, my father confronted me and I told him the story. Ever since, he despised me. He now wants me dead because he thinks I killed all those people due to my hunger. But Hendrik, I did not. I survived that plague because of the man who attacked me."

Hendrik looks Sabriel up and down before pulling her into an embrace. "Oh Sab, why didn't you tell me. I was too blind to see that you weren't normal anymore. I knew there was something different about you but I could not figure out what." He pulls away from her and looks her in the eye. "I promise you that I will help you out of this even if it means your father will kill me."

She sighs deeply as tears of joy stream down her face. "Thank you so much Hendrik. You are the man I fell in love with long ago. How will we get past my father and his guards?"

Hendrik pulls her close, pressing his lips against her cold, soft lips. He wraps his arms around her waist, hearing her gasp in delight. She presses herself against him, whimpering as if she has never been kissed before. They quickly pull away, hearing footsteps coming down the hallway. "Sir, it's time to go." A man says through the door.

"Okay," Hendrik answers huskily before kissing Sabriel one more time. "Come! Let's go see your father." He says while taking her hand and heading towards the door. 

Sabriel nods slowly with a deep sigh. "Aye let's go to see my father. It has been a while since I have seen him." She starts walking to the door, releasing Hendrik's hand. 

 

Author's Note

please ignore grammar errors and let me know if i need to change anything

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

Story is very good. I had to desire to read more with each added chapter. Now I need to know more. Thank you for sharing the excellent story. Description and flow of story was very good.
Coyote