Chapter 7

My hand shook, my stomach turned, my heart pounded, my breath caught in my throat. Stella’s last words echoed in my mind. I’m sorry. “What did I do?” I said out loud to myself.

    “Obviously you killed her.” I jumped when I heard someone speak behind me. I turned but nobody was there.

    “Who’s there?”

    “You know, she was sincere with her apology. She never wanted to hurt anyone, she just wanted to be loved.”

    “Who are you, where are you?” I repeated as I turned in circles trying to find the source of the mysterious voice.

“Look to the sky to receive your answer.” I slowly I turned my head to look above me. When I did a person fell in front of me. I screamed and fell to the ground at the unexpected company. It was a guy. He didn’t look much older than me. His skin was flawless, with the exception of a scar that stretched from his forehead down the side of his face. His face had very defined features. His eyes were a fierce goldish-red color that resembled the flames of a fire. His arms and chest were very muscular and were complemented nicely by a six pack. He wore simple, baggy, black pants. He had two straps that crossed over his bare chest which carried two swords.

“No need to be scared.” He said like he was talking to a small child.

“Who are you?” I asked trying to keep my voice steady.

“My name is Almeric.” He stated with a strong voice that echoed off the trees.

“Who are you?”

“I was really hoping you would’ve remembered me.”

“Will you please just  tell me who you are?” I repeated with irritation in my voice.

“My father was a… Friend, of your mothers.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I heard you were here so I decided to see for myself. I must say, I’m impressed that you were able to kill Stella so easily.” Almeric started to walk in circles around me. I turned with him, keeping my eyes on him the whole time.

“How do you know her name?” I questioned suspiciously.

“The same way that I know your name, Scarlett. It really is a beautiful name, they chose well. Anyway, I’m surprised your mother decided to go with it after what happened.”

“What do you mean, what happened, and how do you know our names?” The anger and frustration that was building up inside of me was evident in my voice.

“Like I said, my father was a close friend of your mother’s. As for your name, I’m surprised she used it because it was the name your father chose for you before you were born.”

“What happened to my father?” I asked in a quiet voice.

“Your parents didn’t get along. Your mother’s name is the one that has ruled the kingdom for so many years. Your father wanted the kingdom to himself so he planned to kill your mother and take you and Stella. You see, if your mother was to die, he was to be the overall ruler of the kingdom instead of your mother. What he said would go.

One night, the night your father planned to kill her, she was laying in bed reading to you like she did every night. He came into the room and your mother saw the reflection of the blade in the mirror on the wall. She screamed and tried to run but he was quicker. He grabbed her by the arm and threw her on the ground. Since she had not yet delivered you, he was going to cut you out of your mother’s womb and let her bleed out that way. But, before he could take you from your mother the guards came in and captured him. Your mother was taken to the family doctor and made a full recovery whereas your father was sent to the dungeon. After only a month or so he escaped and nobody has seen or heard from him since.”

“How do you know all of this?” I questioned trying to keep my tears at bay but my voice wouldn’t hide the pain I felt do to my father.

“My father told me. He was there for your mother the whole time, so he says.” He replied proudly.

“Does he still talk to her?”

“No.” He looked down and a look of what seemed like anger took over his features.

“Why not?”

“After the incident with your father she got very closed off and shut me out. After a few months my father gave up trying to get through to her.”

“Why would he give up on her?”

“There wasn’t anything else he could do for her.”

“What happened to Stella and I?”

“Well, we stuck around until you were born, Stella was only five at the time so he helped with her. My father said he wasn’t the only one your mother shut out. All she cared about was you because you were so young. Your Aunt was focused on your mother. Stella thought she had done something wrong because she was being ignored and was being made to do everything. She was very smart and well developed for her age. My father watched from a distance over the years. Stella thought you were the reason why your mother and Aunt forgot about her.

She figured that if your mother hadn’t been pregnant with you, when she recovered she would’ve still loved Stella instead of ignore her. She felt invisible and unloved. Since that day Stella vowed to kill you so she could gain back the love and attention of your mother. When she was put in the dungeon she wanted nothing more than to get her revenge on you. So, she spent two years trying to get out of the dungeon and when she did she spent the next ten years trying to find you. When she finally did, Stella was going to kill you but she wanted to make you pay first, that’s why she took your Aunt and friend.”

“How did you know she took them?” I asked no longer trying to hold back the tears.

“I saw her when she was coming out here to find you. I explained to her that your father wanted to kill your mother and take the both of you and that you had no fault in the betrayal of your mother and Aunt. She was going to tell you that but…” He didn’t need to finish the sentence because I knew what he was referring to.

I turned around and walked over to her cold, motionless body and kneeled down beside her. I took her bloody body into my arms and held her as I sobbed uncontrollably. My body shook with such force I thought I might break in half. I felt a hand on my shoulder.

“I didn’t… I didn’t know.” I forced out between sobs.

“I know.” Almeric replied with a soft voice filled with sincerity and sympathy.

“Princess I-” Bo started to say from behind the group but stopped when he saw what happened. I turned to look at him and he bowed and said, “Princess, I am sorry for the death of you sister.”

“Who -- what, is this?” Almeric questioned as he drew a sword from its holding place on his back.

Bo stood tall and replied, “I am Bo, here to serve the princess.”

“Stand down Almeric.” I commanded with a firm voice. He put his sword back and approached Bo.

“What happened to the young boy who was with you?” Bo questioned after amount. My eyes grew wide. ‘I can’t believe I forgot about Eli!’ I thought to myself. “Bo, Almeric, get Stella and follow me.” I took off running, quickly followed by Almeric and Bo.

 

We got back to the spot where Eli laid motionless on the ground. He laid in a puddle of blood where it poured out of his body from his stomach. He also had a steady stream of blood trickling down the side of his face from the gash on his forehead.

I walked over to Eli and kneeled down in front of him. I ran my fingers through his blood tainted hair. ‘Can I just go back a few days to when my life wasn’t falling apart around me?’ I thought to myself.

“Almeric, you said your father was close with my mother right?” I questioned keeping my eyes on Eli.

“That’s correct.”

“Do you remember how to get there from here.”

“Of course.” He replied proudly.

“We’re taking them there.” I said more as a demand.

“With all do respect princess, what good would that do?” Bo interjected.

“First, please stop calling me princess, I’m not a princess. Second --”

“Technically you are.” Almeric interrupted. I looked at him through narrowed eyes and he put his hands up in defence.

“My mother my be a queen but I’m not a princess. Now, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted,” I looked at Almeric again then continued. “Second, there might be someone there who can help them.”

“But princ-- sorry, Scarlett. There’s nothing anybody can do for Stella, she’s dead. As for you friend, he--”

“Eli.” I interrupted.

“My apologies. Eli, he’ll be dead before we get there.” Bo stated.

“Well what are we supposed to do with them, leave them here? No, I don’t think so.” I crossed my arms over my chest and stood my ground.

“Do you really --” Almeric started to say.

“I’m the princess and I said we’re taking them to the kingdom.” I said with a raised voice.

“I thought you said you weren’t a princess?” Almeric mocked with a grin.

I rolled my eyes and pushed pushed them as I replied, ‘Shut up.”

“So you want me to get your friend right?”

I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration and replied, “That’s what I said.”

“Get on my back princess.” Bo more so demanded.

“No”

“Please.”

“Why should I?”

“You look exhausted.” He wasn’t wrong. I was mentally drained and wanted nothing more than to collapse right then and there on the ground and sleep. I let out a sigh and got on his back. Almeric put Eli’s body on Bo’s back in a way that he wouldn’t fall. He then proceeded to sit behind me.

 

After several moments of silence I decided to ask Almeric some questions that have been begging to come out since I met him.

“What happened to your dad?” I felt him stiffen behind me. I immediately apologized. “I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have asked. I didn’t mean--”

“No, it’s okay. My father passed away a few years ago.”

“I’m so sorry. How did he die? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“I don’t mind at all. Like I told you earlier, your sister wanted to find you and my father knew where you were. Stella, along with two of her minions found my father and I. She tortured my father in an effort to make him talk but your safety was more important to him than his own life. Stella ended up killing him.” I could hear the pain in his voice of him reliving that memory.

“What happened to you?”

“I was of no use to her because my father never told me where you were. They left me and I found myself at your mother’s kingdom. I had no money, no home, no food or water. I found a little house right outside of the castle and it looked empty but I knew there was probably food from the massive vegetable garden and small livestock that they had.

I went up to the house and climbed through an open window towards the back of the house. There was a young girl in that room and upon seeing me she screamed. A man came running in -- he wasn’t small either. Little did I know he was the head Knight. Anyway, he took me to the castle, to the queen. She recognized me, she said I looked just like me father. Your mother took me in and let me stay with her.”

“What were you doing out here?”

“I love looking for an adventure.”

“What’s with the swords, and why aren’t you wearing something, I don’t know, more appropriate for somebody who lives with the queen?”

“The swords are for if I ever come across anything that’s out for blood. There’s a lot of crazy things out here, most of which are really dangerous. As for the clothes, I like to feel comfortable.”

“And you can’t feel comfortable with a shirt on?”

“Well, why have a nice body if you aren’t going to show it off?” Almeric chuckled at himself.

“There’s not exactly anybody to show it off to.”

“You’re here.” I scoffed which caused him to laugh and add,  “Don’t deny it, you know you like it.” Once again I could hear the smirk in his voice.

I rolled my eyes though he couldn’t see and replied, “Don’t flatter yourself.”

“Oh come on, you’d be lying if you said you didn’t check me out when you saw me.”

“I didn’t check you out and that’s not a lie. Need I remind you I was on the ground from the near heart attack you gave me.”

“Yeah but after that.”

“You’re not even that great looking. You might be used to girls being all over you but I’m not one of them, you have no effect on me.” I told him even though that was a lie. When he climbed onto Bo’s back I did look him over. My body went weak when I thought about that moment. His body glistened with sweat which made his muscles more defined and his dirty blonde, shaggy hair fell into his face just right, some parts pasted to his face from the sweat.

“Scarlett?” I snapped out of my thoughts by Almeric calling me.

“I’m sorry what?”

“Did you hear what I said?”

“No, sorry.”

I felt him press his body against my back and put a hand on my hip, slightly towards the front of my body. I inhaled deeply at the sudden contact.

“You’re telling me that this has no effect on you?” Almeric whispered in my ear. Chills went down my back at the feeling of his warm breath on me. I felt my face along with the rest of my body start burning like somebody lit a fire inside of me. He leaned back and chuckled. ‘This is going to be a long trip.’ I thought to myself as I sighed.