Captive of Raven Castle Read online

  “Father! What is going on?”

  “I said go!”

  The ambassador slammed the inlaid box into her hands. Before she knew exactly what was going on, she was being pushed into a carriage with the shades drawn, the horses hitched, and they were riding out of the back gates.

  Alexandra shivered as she sat next to the ambassador. The carriage tossed them about at a dreadful rate. Suddenly, Alexandra wanted to laugh as she wondered whether her future husband would have the same funny accent as the ambassador. She glanced at the man, a slight smile on her lips.

  “I hope you do not find this amusing, my dear?”

  “I do not, sir. I was just wondering...” She never had a chance to finish that sentence as the carriage came to a sudden halt, flinging them forward into the opposite seat.

  There was the sound of a struggle going on without.

  “I am going to see what this is all about,” he said, pulling back the curtain.

  Instinctively Alexandra ducked below the curtain’s view.

  “This is ridiculous; they are your father’s guards. I am going to clear this all up,” he fumed as he stepped out of the carriage.

  She heard voices rise in anger as they talked. A wild cry was raised, and the carriage bolted into a full gallop, tossing Alexandra back into her seat. Hesitantly she peeked out between the curtain. There was a lone rider urging the horses on.

  A rider in plain clothes.

  Not one of her father’s men.

  Nor one of the ambassador’s men.

  Alexandra’s heart pounded like a drum in her ears, throbbing in her dry throat. Voices cried very faintly behind her. Glancing back, she could not see her father’s men pursuing her. Quietly she began to pray out of pure fear.

  “God help me. God help me. Oh, God help me.”

  As the carriage entered the forest, the ride became more bumpy and furious than ever before. It came to a slow stop. Alexandra held her breath listening, wondering what would happen next. There was the sound of him dismounting and coming towards the carriage.

  I have to do something. Where are my father’s men? Somebody help me!

  A voice spoke. “Your Highness? Cassandra!”

  Cassandra? Who does he think I am?

  The boots were coming closer and rapidly. Alexandra surprised herself by bursting out of the opposite door and running through the woods, making loud noises as she went. There was a loud slap, and she glanced behind her. The carriage had resumed its breakneck run along the road. A man was chasing after her, close in her wake.

  Alexandra had run very little in her short life but, began to do so now. In a few short strides, she was panting for breath but strove forward. A force from behind pulled her to the ground, and they went tumbling through the underbrush.

  “Stay down; they’ll see us,” whispered the man who had been chasing her, pinning her shoulders to the forest floor.

  Alexandra listened. Horses went thundering by. Her father’s guards! She tried to cry out, but his hand nearly suffocated her, and she hadn’t any breath left to fight him.

  When they had thundered past, he stood up and whistled. A black horse came charging from the woods nearby. Before she could think of how to get away. He swung her up and pulling her in front of him. He kicked the horse into a gallop.

  Alexandra clung to him for dear life. She had never ridden a horse and now to be taken in such a manner—to be flying at such a frantic rate over the ground through forest—took her breath away. Fear clutched in her chest so hard she thought she might faint.

  When they, at last, came into a clearing, Alexandra glanced behind them, searching for help—for hope—for a rescue. This man who carried her away was not one of her people.

  He was from Raven Castle.

  Chapter 2

  At last, they appeared on the horizon—a torrent of men wearing black and silver and racing towards her. So far away, she wondered how they could rescue her. Still, they steadily approached, and her heart beat with hope.

  They grew closer as the black steed fought its way up a steep hill. Her father’s men disappeared as the steed charged over the crest and down the steep embankment head-on. Her captor leaned backward, his arm wrapping around her waist.

  She wanted to scream, but sound wouldn’t come as he charged them headlong into what she felt was certain death. The horse splashed into the river without injury, to her great shock, starting up the steep mountainside that would lead to Raven Castle; weaving in and out of boulders and trees as they made their ascent.

  Alexandra watched as her father’s men came up to the crest of the hill and stopped.

  “I am over here!” she cried out desperately.

  His hand sealed her mouth firmly.

  The men stood there. Not one dared to attempt the steep incline. They watched for several minutes as she was being stolen away, slowly climbing further and further out of their sight.

  An arrow was drawn and sent flying after them, but it didn’t even make it halfway up the hill.

  The commander gave a signal with a wave of his hand, and they turned, disappearing as they descended the hill.

  Alexandra could not believe her eyes. Her father’s men left her.

  She, the princess of Chambria, was left alone with a rebel who was no doubt, bound and determined to destroy her and her kingdom. The rebels were constantly tearing it apart into little pieces, causing uprisings and discontent with the people and wrongly creating reasons for them to rebel against their rightful king.

  Yes, times were hard. They are hard for all of us. Last month we had nearly run out of mead at the castle. If they would only work harder, we could all live better, the lazy people.

  But to be abandoned like this! To be left with the people who killed my mother, who shielded me with her own body! They didn’t even look back! What kind of betrayal is this?

  Alexandra burst into tears.

  For a long time the man didn’t speak, but as her crying continued, he spoke.

  “It’s all right, your highness; you are safe now.”

  “Safe with you?” she challenged him.

  “Of course; you are going home, Cassandra.”

  “I am not Cassandra. I am Alexandra Elizabeth Serena Dauphine Rembolt of Chambria.”

  He pulled his horse to a stop and looked into her tearful blue eyes, his own puzzled. He frowned and shook his head. “You have no idea, do you? Well, they’ll soon set you straight.” He urged his horse back into a trot, and they climbed up the slope.

  Reaching a small mountain stream, he stopped and dismounted. Dropping the reigns around the horse’s neck, he let the creature drink.

  “Care for some water, your highness?” he asked, nodding towards the stream.

  “Yes please,” she answered hesitantly.

  He helped her down. She wobbled a little, trying to get feeling back into her legs. He knelt down and buried his face in the stream. It came up dripping wet, and he smiled at her.

  “No better way to take a drink.”

  “You don’t use a cup?” she asked, disgust lining her voice.

  “Nothing like that out here.”

  She looked at him, shocked.

  He bent down for another drink. An idea struck her: to push him headlong into the stream just as he came up for breath.

  Alexandra revolted; it was such an unladylike idea...but maybe it would give her a chance to escape. She glanced at the horse. He was too big to ride but maybe...

  Before she had really thought anything through, Alexandra shoved the man with her foot headlong into the stream and slapped the horse, sending it on an unexpected crossing that nearly trampled the man. With a quick spin, she fled into the forest.

  There was a roar of sputtering anger coming up behind her, and she sped faster into the forest, trying to find a hiding place.

  In too short a time he had her again, grabbing her from behind. He ran his arm through the crook of her elbows and held them tight against himself. Alexandra kicked f
uriously, but he spread apart his feet, so her kicks found nothing but air to abuse.

  He whistled, and the black steed came prancing into view, rather damp from his river crossing.

  With a wrench, he held only one of her wrists in a painful position.

  She cried out at his brute force.

  “Ow...let me go.”

  He did not relent, but dug into his saddlebag, pulling out a thin leather cord.

  “I didn’t think I would need this, but I guess I do—if the princess of Chambria doesn’t even know who she really is.”

  He tied the wrist in his grasp first, it cut off her circulation. She whimpered, and he took her second wrist and began to pull the leather cord tightly.

  She gasped as it burned across her wrist. He paused and tied it more gently on her second wrist, then loosened the first, but not so much that she could slip her hands through the bonds.

  Biting her lower lip, she looked up at him. His dark hair hung in front of his eyes dripping with water. His brown-green eyes snapped with frustration. He was soaked from head to toe. Alexandra had no doubt that there was water in his boots. His drenched clothes had transferred dampness onto her. This was going to be a long uncomfortable ride.

  “There. That’s better. Now don’t try anything else.”

  Submissively she nodded her head. In a moment, he had mounted and pulled her up once again in front of him.

  “I would let you ride behind, but I have a feeling I have to keep my eye on you, and I don’t want you falling off for no reason. Hya!”

  In a moment they had burst into a gallop and were pressing up the steep mountain, seeming to follow no particular path but her captor’s sweet will.

  The trees slowly thinned until they were riding in almost all open space. Here he found a trail and began to weave his way up, as stars climbed into the sky from the east. Mist rose from the valley towards the summit of Raven Castle, perched on a perilous cliff with a commanding view of the valley and surrounding mountains.

  Alexandra struggled against her bonds—she must escape. Her resentment grew against her father’s men. How dare they leave me? Raven Castle was a place haunted by ghosts, legends, and something much worse: the rebel army. It was only a daring man or a resolved rebel who would dare set his foot on this mountain. At this moment, her captor was speeding the way towards the summit and an unknown fate.

  Every step placed her in more danger. With a cry of fear and rage, Alexandra turned and pummeled her captor with her bound hands.

  “I say stop that!”

  “Let me go!”

  He only shook his head. Threading his arm between her bound hands, he cinched his arm tight around her waist, preventing another attack.

  “Only a little further,” he murmured to himself.

  The path was now windy and steep. He slowed the horse to a walk. Its black coat was white with foam. Alexandra felt sorry for the beast, yet held a little resentment for him. He had been driven hard. However, his mountain spirit had outwitted and outrun all of her father’s grain-fed purebred steeds that were supposed to help keep her safe.

  Her fearful eyes looked up and beheld Raven Castle in its twilight glory. The dark stone was barely etched against the ever-deepening sky. The stars, unafraid to witness such a monstrosity of turrets and spires, shone their pure light upon it. With a shudder, Alexandra looked away.

  “Don’t worry; you will be home soon, your highness, and they will have a fire ready to warm you.”

  A fire to roast me over more likely, she muttered in her heart. Could she withstand the flame without screams? Alexandra had never been one for pain. Her mother had died defending her from the rebels.

  What will they do to me? How soon will Father be able to ransom me? What will happen if he can’t?

  The last thought made her gasp in pain as her heart twinged. They were crossing into Raven Castle. The large metal gate clanged shut behind them, and Alexandra felt her fate sealed with death written upon its closure.

  Chapter 3

  “Hello, Williamson!” shouted a stable boy coming towards them. “We are all glad to see you have her,” he said, taking the horse’s bridle.

  “I hope it’s worth it. Is James back?”

  “Hour ago. Not much worse for the wear even though he parried with the Imposter himself.” Unexpectedly the stable boy offered Alexandra a shy smile from the side of his mouth. “Hello, your highness.”

  Alexandra looked at him baffled. None of the stable boys would have dared to speak in her presence back at her castle. If they had, they might have had their tongues cut out for impertinent boldness. Why he didn’t even take off his cap.

  “Doesn’t talk much, does she?” he asked the man she now knew as Williamson.

  “Not much,” he said, dismounting. Williamson’s boots made an unusual squishing noise as his feet landed on the cobblestones.

  “What happened to you?”

  “Ask her,” he said, pulling Alexandra down from the saddle.

  The boy smuggled a laugh behind his hand and Williamson pushed the lad’s hat down over his eyes. “Do your job,” he said, annoyed. “Come on, this way. They’ll be waiting for you. Your father will be delighted to hear of your safe arrival.”

  “My father?” she said, halting dead in her tracks. “He had me kidnapped? Why would he do such a thing?”

  “To keep you safe from the Imposter.”

  “But this is Raven Castle. I don’t understand. You are the enemy of my father; why would he send me here?”

  “Your father, King Aric. He has been endeavoring to keep you safe from his brother Archibald for years.”

  “My father is Archibald, King of Chambria. Aric is the imposter.”

  “Your father and Archibald are brothers.”

  “My father has no brothers or sisters.”

  “We’ll see about that. Now, come on. They are waiting for you,” he said, pulling her bonds. They walked into the castle, up several flights of stairs, and into a large room with regal chairs set in a semi-circle around a fire.

  Men were talking in low voices. The chatter died as they came into the room. All of the men stood.

  “So this is our princess,” said one of the men with a smile and a bow.

  Alexandra pulled back.

  “Come, both of you, warm yourselves by the fire. It must have been a long ride,” offered one of the men with a sweeping gesture.

  Williamson stepped forward, but she dug her heels in. He pushed her from behind with an unexpected force that sent her stumbling forward. She tripped on her long damp skirt and fell to the floor, rolling onto the tiger skin rug.

  Alexandra raised herself partway up, but her bound hands made it almost impossible to push herself into a seated position. Her loose hair tumbled about her face, and she hid behind it as much as possible.

  “Are you all right, your highness?” said a voice she hadn’t heard before, drawing close. “Williamson, you have her hands bound. What a way to show her hospitality!” he scolded.

  He was kneeling before her. Unsheathing a dagger, he raised her hands and slashed her bonds. Pulling ropes from around her wrists, he tossed them into the fire.

  “Better?”

  She nodded and glanced up into his face. It was smiling down into hers. Hesitantly she found herself liking him and his blond hair that was neither wild nor ruly but tumbled about in some well-kept fashion that suited him. His blue-green eyes were kind and friendly.

  He slipped the dagger back into its sheath.

  “Why did you tie up her hands?” he said, turning to her captor.

  Williamson stepped forward, the squish, squish of his soggy boots making part of the reason apparent.

  “She pushed me into the river.”

  The young man beside her let out a low chuckle, amused by the fact.

  “That and the fact that she believes that we are a band of rebels and her father is Archibald.”

  There was a silence in the room that could be felt after
that last statement, and Alexandra wanted to hide as all eyes seemed to fall on her with dismay. Turning her face to the side, her black wavy hair hid most of her face.

  “Is this true, your highness?” he asked, breaking the torturous silence.

  “Archibald is my father.”

  The room grew more serious and displeased.

  “Cassandra must be tired,” spoke up one of the men from the throne-like chairs.

  “My name is Alexandra. Not Cassandra. Why do you all keep saying that?”

  “Because that is your name,” he said calmly.

  “It is not!” she protested, tears rising into her eyes.

  “My lords, may I take the princess to the room we have prepared for her? I think she needs some rest.”

  “Yes, please do, Taleon.”

  Taleon stood up and offered her his hand to assist her up. For a moment she hesitated, then placed her hands in his.

  “Follow me, if you please,” he said, leading the way.

  Alexandra hovered as close to his shadow as she possibly could, wanting to hide from all of the men who seemed to be staring at her with such unfriendly eyes.

  He seemed to lead her through a maze of hallways, rooms, and staircases, but at last, they arrived at her room.

  He opened the door for her to enter. She stopped on the threshold.

  “It’s not much of a room,” she murmured.

  “I am sure it is nothing like your room in the valley, but it is the best we could do under the circumstances.”

  “I am sure. This is the best I could expect from the people that murdered my mother.”

  “What did you just say?”

  Alexandra stepped back and away from him into her room, trying not to be fearful. The words had come out before she had really thought.

  “Nothing,” she said shyly, glancing at the ground for a moment.

  “You blame us for the death of your mother?”

  “Yes. I do.”

  “The person who killed your mother was Archibald. The reason the people are so unhappy is they are barely able to scrape together a living, and your uncle is forcing them into slavery. If they cannot pay their taxes, they are forced to work with no wage, save what they eat until their debt is paid. Do you know how long that usually takes?”