Betrothed

The Prince of Bones and his small band of men managed to sneak off in to the forest trees before anyone realized they had gone. They didn't have the time to grab their horses, but they knew the woods better than any other and were making good ground. All they had to do was get somewhere they could hide and defend. Then make their way to the nearest fortress. Then it would be impossible for anyone to get inside!


The Bone King smirked at Peter. Almost out of nowhere, a few of his reinforcements jumped out. While Peter was distracted, the Bone King managed to grab Pipa when she came out of the tent. He pulled a knife hold it up to her pretty face, and arm tight around her neck.

"Surrender, knight! Or your beautiful Princess is going to have a brand new face!" He pressed the knife against Pipa's cheek. Not yet drawing blood, but quite darkly grinning in anticipation of it!
 

Before Peter could react, instant fear paralyzing him momentarily, Pipa took the action that she knew could cost her everything, a potentially fatal action. There wasn't a specific motive anymore, it wasn't for Elaina, it wasn't for Evan, and it wasn't even precisely for Peter. It was for all of them, and she hoped that there would be some gain. Sharply, the weapon Evan had given her clutched in her hand, she put all of her effort into driving the dagger into the Bone King's jugular. Instantly, she wasn't sure whether she was dying or he was, she was simply soaked in heavy, warm blood that was coating her face and hands now. Peter hesitated only a second before he was standing between the men and Pipa, his sword drawn and his body tensed.

Evan caught sight of the ragtag band as they entered the forest and urged the horse there as fast as he could, closing the advantage of their head start. At the edge of the forest, he leapt off of the horse and pressed through the dense foliage, catching occasionally the sound of Elaina putting up a fight or the men reprimanding her for something she was doing. Evan wanted to call out to Elaina, to reassure her, but with the element so heavily favoring her captors, it would not be at all wise to give them any added advantage over him. Sweating and breathing heavily, Evan reached the smooth gray stone walls of a makeshift fortress in the middle of the forest.
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Clutching at his throat, the Bone King stumbled backwards. Blood spurting between his fingers as his eyes glazed over. Crumpling to the ground in a heap, there was only a few low groans from him before his body stilled. The Bone King was dead.

The other soldiers surrounding Peter and Pipa were nearly at a loss for what to do. Their King was dead, murdered by that Rosenthal Princess! There were several shouts as they charged forward, screaming loyalty for King and country!


Meanwhile the Bone Prince had reached the fortress. Though Evan may have reached it first, lurking outside the stone walls, none of the soldiers seemed to have noticed. The entered a wooden door at the side, a single man being left behind to guard the door and alert them if anyone approached.

Carrying Elaina, who had just began to awaken and stir, the Prince stalked down a corridor heading deep in to the fortress. He carried her down a long winding stairway, and in to a large room that smell damp with mildew. It was dark, save for a few torches and odd electric lights. He motioned for one of the men to unlock a large door. As soon as it swung open, he tossed Elaina inside. Slamming shut, he locked it. Hanging the key and chain around his own neck.

"Keep in mind, that it would be in my best interests to have you killed right here and now. ...But I am a kind ruler, I can be compassionate." He grinned wickedly through the small barred window of the door. "If you want to live, you will do everything I ask."

Elaina's head was still swimming from being struck. She pressed her fingers to her face where the dark bruise was forming, and wince. "Then I am ready to die! Free from you and your murderous nonsense!" She shouted back!

The Bone Prince growled. "You might have your wish yet, princess!" Ordering two more men to stay behind and guard the cell, he stomped away. The next move was seeing how his Father fared and hoping the stupid old geezer killed that Elipis prince and his Knight!
 

Pipa yelped loudly as they came charging but Peter's mind was in a different place. He had just witnessed delicate Pipa in a different light entirely, the determination that he had seen harden her features had impressed him deeply. Peter blocked the initial few attacks before his mind jumped suddenly to Evan and what he must be up to right now.

Peter grabbed Pipa's hand and, in a wild dash, jumped onto the back of his horse whilst yanking Pipa alongside him. She ended up on her stomach clinging to the horse's back while Peter urged the horse forward ever faster toward the direction Evan had traveled. Vowing not to forgive Peter for being tossed onto the horse, on her stomach no less, Pipa struggled to maneuver herself into a sitting position.

Evan felt woozy from his grand adventure, he was still recovering and he could think nothing but dark, angry thoughts while he regained his breath at the fortress. The sound of thumps alarmed him, they were nearby. Evan ducked into the foliage and snuck toward the sounds in time to see a large wooden door slamming shut with a single guard posted outside it, one of the men he had seen at the campsite who had apparently managed to escape the carnage. Caressing his sword in the shadows, Evan decided that the remedy to this situation would be swift in order for him to find Elaina. There was no doubt in his mind that these men had taken her inside this fortress.

Stealthily, Evan creeped as close to the guard as he could get. Lightning fast, Evan sprang at the man. The sword was ungainly for this sort of assasin work but it did well enough. A cleaner method would have been to slit the man's throat but shoving a sword through the center of his neck seemed to work equally well for now.
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The Bone Prince was now in a large conference hall that he affectionately called the War Room. Splayed out on a table was a map of the surrounding countries. His own, Goyvaerts, bordered Elipis' west side, as well as a small portion of Rosenthal. They had spent so many years trying to bankrupt that tiny little country for the soul purpose of gaining more border-land connected to Elipis. Then to find out about about the heirs of both countries going to be married. Once they married, the entire plan would fall apart. Rosenthal would have protection, and Goyvaerts would have to find a new way to invade Elipis.

Ah, but right this moment he had the Rosenthal Princess locked up in his dungeon. The Bone King wanted to marry her. Making some political union that couldn't be legally broken. But the Prince... What he wanted was blood! It would be all too easy to kill her, invade that tiny little country and kill their King too. But... now that he had the Elipis Prince on his land, foolishly coming to fetch his bride... What perfect bait he had!

"You highness! One of the soldiers has sent word from the camp site. ...The King is dead."

The Bone Prince frowned. ...but soon that frown turned in to a slow wicked smile. "That's a shame. We'll just have to continue without him." His father dead... That did make his plans so much easier. "Send every available man out of the Fortress. Search parties. Search to kill. Somewhere out there is Prince Evan and his Knights. They aren't to leave this country alive."
 

On horseback, Peter and Pipa quickly outpaced the men, coaxing the horse to gallop most of the way though the travel still took more than half an hour to complete. Once the pair reached the edge of the forest, Peter and Pipa ducked into the trees and hid themselves as they pushed quietly through, searching for some sign of where everyone had gone. They wandered on through the dense leaves and wood with their ears straining to hear any sound aside from the gentle rustle of leaves in the wind.

Evan slipped through the wooden door. Once inside, he rushed through the hall to climb the winding stairway, knowing he was most exposed here, and deftly made his way through the crossing hallways within. The damp walls dripped with moisture, smelling stale and musty, lit only by the volatile light of a few torches. Ahead, Evan could make out the artificially even glow of an electric light. Grunting breaths were just discernible through the humid air. Footsteps far behind Evan alarmed him and he quickly slid into the darkness of an empty cell and hid beneath the low wooden frame.
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Elaina, alone in a cell spent several minutes pacing and examining it's walls. There was no windows except for the single barred one on the door. The cieling was low and there were chains on the walls. Worse, there was a previous cell mate, bones still hanging from the chains. Bleached white and chewed pieces scattered across the stone floor. By all means, it looked hopeless! Inescapable. ...but Elaina had no desire to stand around praying that someone rescued her. Though she really did hope that the others were safe and would come to find her, she wasn't going to sit and cry in the corner. She may have wanted to cry, but crying was not going to get her out of this dungeon!

Picking up one of the smaller pieces of bone from the floor, she moved to the big cell door. She stood on her toes and squeezed her arm through the barred window. Trying desperately to reach the lock near the handle below. It was juuuust barely within reach, but it was an awkward stretch. Elaina wasn't sure how to pick locks, but she knew it COULD be done and it was worth the effort to try!

While picking at it, she didn't hear the footsteps coming down the stairs and stalking down in to the dungeons. When a hand clamped down on hers and jerked her forward until her arm was all the way out of the window and she was pressed uncomfortably against the door, she gave a startled yelp!

"Oy, what we got here, eh? Trying ta pick the lock! Tisk, tisk, we can't have our birdie gettin' away! Not when his Princeship wants ta have some fun with ya!" He gave her arm some slack, just enough to let her think he was going to set her loose, only to jerk her back against the door again. He chuckled in amusement!

"I am going to... to feed you to ants..!" Elaina hissed through her teeth! She pressed a foot against the door to brace herself and pulled hard to try and get her arm free. The guard suddenly released, laughing louder still when she went crashing backwards and hit the floor hard. Elaina bit back the tears, not wanting to give him anything else to cackle about. "Where is my friend!"

The Guard peeped in to the window between the bars, giving a toothless grin. "The little mousy one? Prolly the men's bitch! You jealous birdie? I could give ya a good taste o' somethin' no Prince could show ya!"
 

Evan stiffened, breathing in slowly to keep himself from making noise or, worse, rushing out to deck the man for his comment. Soon though, the rumblings of the men converged into letting Elaina lay back down in her cell and head out of the fortress to search. Evan knew that he wouldn't have long once the men left because they would discover the guard whose body he had only carelessly tucked into the foliage.

Evan heard the slamming of the door behind the men and did not waste a moment. Creeping from the cell initially, Evan tried to come as close as possible to the men in order to minimize their time to react. Finally, Evan burst from the shadows and deftly jammed the sword into the first guard's chest. There was a confusion, a momentary hesitation from the second guard that gave Evan enough time to yank his sword from the body of the first that had collapsed before him.

Peter could hear the sounds of men yelling what he presumed was a name, searching for someone. Gripping Pipa's hand, he pulled her closer in the direction of the voices. The trees rustled slightly around them but Peter had come close enough to see through the undergrowth a hairy man in a brown jerkin, crumpled on the ground and still oozing a little bit of blood with a coagulated pool on his chest. Pipa inhaled sharply and Peter clamped a hand over her mouth to quiet her. From this, Peter gathered, they must be close to where Evan was. The voices were still calling, so close now that Peter knew he'd be able to see them with just a few steps.
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Elaina was barely settled in her cell, scared and uncomfortable she couldn't seem to stay still. And certainly not with knowing there were several guards just outside. There was a few sudden shouts. Metal clashing. Elaina moved by to the cell door, trying to peer out the tiny barred window.

"Evan!" she called out, just before someone nearly swung a mace down on to his head. He thankfully dodged, but the fight was a bloodied mess! Elaina wanted to turn her head away to not see, but she kept a watchful eye and shouted every time someone nearly swung a hit or snuck up on Evan.

Once there was not a man left standing and Evan had the door unlocked, Elaina was stepping out of the cell to swing her arms around Evan's neck. "...I don't know where Pipa is! Please tell me you found her?"
 

Evan blushed as she hugged him and returned the embrace briefly. He gave her a wan, forced half-smile and detached himself from her to glance over his shoulder. "All this way and not even a thank you, they were right. This job is utterly merciless." The men were not coming for him... yet. Still, they would be back soon and Evan had to make haste to avoid meeting any more of the burly brutes since he still felt faint. The damp stones were slippery and he took Elaina's hand to lead her back to the rough wooden portal.

"Pipa's fine, should be with Peter right now" he told her in a hushed tone before he pushed open the door leading to the outside. He peered cautiously around the barely opened door first, and then, seeing that the men were some distance away calling for the guard. he grabbed Elaina and bolted silently for the foliage. As quietly as possible, the pair hurtled through the trees.

Suddenly, they hit something... someone, and tripped. Evan had to clamp his hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming. From the ground, the pair looked up to see Peter and Pipa standing over them with baffled expressions.
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Looking up at a confused Peter and Pipa, Elaina was more than relieved to see the young woman safe and sound. ...at least so far! In the near distance, there was the loud shouting of the soldiers. They were still out looking for danger, but none of the alerts sounded like they spotted the dead guards inside or Elaina missing. Yet!

There was little time to linger, but too much noise would bring all the soldiers running for sure. Elaina spoke in soft, hushed tones. "The entire place is surrounded by dozens of men. We're rather far in their country..."
 

Evan nodded to the others, grasping Elaina's hand in his own. Quietly, they moved through the foliage so that they did not make a single sound. Following suit, Peter nodded to Evan and took Pipa's hand cautiously, only just now realizing that she had been abducted in a filmy green dress that contrasted with her blond hair in a lovely fashion. As soon as they were suitably far in for Evan's liking, he explained if but a little.

"You're to stay with Peter, Pipa, no matter what. I'll protect Elaina, while Peter will be in charge of Pipa should anything go wrong again. I know where we are; if we set off through this forest down southwest, we'll come to a border village loyal to Ellipis and populated with steadfast men who guard the border from these unsavory men. We must make haste, however, since they will doubtlessly find the guard I killed or at least discover your disappearance, Princess."

Evan gave one more grim nod, knowing it might well be the last time he saw Peter alive. The thought chilled him to the bone, the prospect of losing his best friend of twenty years. Still, it was a risk that had to be taken under the circumstances. A pair would have better luck of staying together than all four of them, should disaster strike again. Evan and Peter took the girls' hands and led them onward, not speaking a word to one another as they walked side by side, stealing an occasional glance.
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The walk through the woods felt like an eternity, though the sun was only beginning to set in the horizon. Everything was cast in an orangey warm glow, despite the chill of the air and the patches of snow that were hear and there on the trees and across the ground. Somewhere along the way the had been separated from Peter and Pipa. When soldiers had nearly ran up on them again on their horses. Forced to take different directions, Elaina and Evan remained hidden in a grove of trees until it was safe to move again. She only hoped that Peter was taking good care of Pipa and that luck was with them.

They had already crossed the border back in to Evan's country, though the village where they could find sanctuary was still a good walk, yet. Elaina was exhausted, weary and hurting, but she held tight to Evan's hand. Determined to make sure she was standing solid and could support him in case he needed it. At this point she was practically sleep walking. Dozing off here and there then snapping awake to realize she was still on her feet and moving. They barely spoke at all as the entire time, listening to carefully to the woods around them in case someone were to catch up and ambush them.
 

"My poor princess" Evan murmured sympathetically to Elaina, tightening his hold on her hand when he saw her begin to stumble a little with exhaustion. From most people, such a phrase might have sounded mocking but from Evan, it was genuine. He was frustrated with himself for being unable to keep Elaina safer than this. He had already vowed not to let her out of his sight ever again for fear of something like this happening. His ears were straining to hear even the smallest of sounds and he knew he was not much better off than Elaina. The wound at the back of his head was mostly healed, but he still felt a bit dizzy, a little faint, every time he moved his head around. Best not to let her know and simply not move his head about much, though he found it difficult as he examined the forest.

"I wish I could carry you the rest of the way, but we're nearly there" he frowned a little at the trees, noting their thinning which alerted them to the fact that the forest was coming to an end. That mean that at some point, perhaps only minutes ago, they had crossed the border into their country once more. From there, it was only a small distance to the town. As they plodded onward, the trees broke finally. Evan smiled through his worry over Pipa and Peter.

"Peter?" Pipa said, trying to keep the whine from her voice. Her eyes were filling with tears and her petulant little frown betrayed her childish tendencies. Peter paused, his hand still holding hers fiercely, "Yes, Philli?" he answered, raising an eyebrow. She couldn't think of anything to say except to complain and so she said nothing, they continued walking. The darkening of the trees frightening Pipa and she clutched Peter's hand with still more force.

"Shh, it'll be all right" Peter consoled, stroking Pipa's hand with his thumb. She shivered and stumbled, causing Peter to scowl at the setting sun. "We have to get back soon" he muttered and, without warning, he scooped Pipa into his arms and began to dart through the trees. Night sounds in the dark terrified Pipa for the first ten minutes but soon she eased back, falling asleep to the steady rocking of Peter's body. Peter looked down at her, his expression softening.

Just when Peter had almost given up hope, the pair emerged from the trees. Peter breathed a sigh of relief, wondering where Elaina and Evan were now. He hoped he had come through at the right place. To be fair, it looked more akin to where they had left from to begin this harrowing journey. With a start, Evan realized his assessment might be correct. Excited, it dawned on him that this way, he could alert the men to where Evan was headed.
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"Don't worry, I can make it." Elaina responded softly. Though her feet and body ached and her mind had yet to still the tremulous thoughts in her head, she would keep moving. It was what they needed, and she was sure they would be somewhere safe soon. Her faith was rewarded with the breaking of the forest and Evan's relieved looking smile.

With the trees spread farther apart, it opened up to a small grassland valley. A dirt road led onwards towards a smaller village that could just barely be seen in the distance. With the setting sun giving the sky pinkish orange hues, it looks much like a heavenly scene from a painting. Beckoning them closer and promising rest.

Elaina squeezed Evan's hand, and though she didn't have that renewed sense of energy she really wished for, she still plowed forward urging him to keep going too. "See! We're almost there! I hope Peter and Pipa have made it too..."
 

Evan nodded groggily, his movements becoming more sluggish with every step that he took across the wind-bitten path that led away from the forest and into the quaint town that they were gradually approaching. The town seemed gray and still, swept bare of any life, yet even as they proceeded the sun grazed the roofs of the humble houses and life seemed to spring forth from them as though by magic. As the feeble rays of light illuminated each home, a person seemed to appear from it and begin to tend to the daily chores. It was comforting for Evan to watch as he witnessed life unfolding from what had appeared a dormant town, it reminded him of the mornings when he was young that he would sit in his tower bedchamber and gaze on contentedly at the awakening of the land that would one day belong to him.

"Come, Elaina," he whispered hoarsely, grasping her hand in his own still. It was unnecessary, of course, to bid her to follow but it was meant to bolster Elaina's mood, to give her some gentle words from his own mouth. He was wary of the people after their last endeavor and the entire turn of affairs involving his companions lately had him on edge. Evan turned his head slightly to survey Elaina, his expression immediately softening toward her.

In the chaos of her kidnap, Evan had not had a chance to think at all of what had occurred before that but it now came rushing back to him like a speeding train and nearly bowled him over with the enormity. In a movement that was, for him, surprisingly warm, Evan paused and tugged her against his chest to hold her. A moment later though, it was as if this were forgotten - Evan was again leading her into the sleepy town with a scowl present on his features.

It was not difficult to locate a cheery home within the town and from there Evan and Elaina proceeded to knock of the door, more Evan than Elaina. The sharp raps brought a waif-looking blond girl to the door who peered at them curiously while simultaneously calling for her mother to come to the door.

Peter and Pipa found their way back to the house where the entire catastrophe of the previous night had taken place. Still waiting obediently outside in the nature of worried guard dogs were the rest of the men from Evan's guard. As soon as Peter approached, they leapt at him with questions. Peter explained the forest to them and the way that they had become lost but his answer did not sate the appetite for peace of mind in the rest of the men. The rest would simply not have it unless they could find Evan, a difficulty when considered with the fact that Peter had been separated from Evan while they trooped through the forest.

"There's a town near here," the elderly woman offered to the fretting men. Without hesitation, the men packed what little they could carry from the woman and her husband. They were filled with guilt as they set forth from her home laden with food and flasks but she had insisted. They were all determined to more than reimburse her upon their re-entry to court and it was with this single buoying thought that they headed in the direction indicated for the next town over.
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When the little blond child's mother came to the door, she was both curious and surprised. At first, she didn't seem to have any recognition of who the man was. She certainly didn't recognize the woman. However, the state the pair was in couldn't be ignored! Injuries and dirt covered the both of them head to toe. This was a couple in need.

Ordering her daughter to go prepare a bath, she ushered Evan and Elaina inside. By now she realized she was in the presence of royalty, but decided not to make a big deal about it. It seemed to her that maybe they were on the run and may have needed somewhere subtle to hide!

"Here, here. We have a spare room. A hot bath and some food and rest will do you good." Once she had the pair tucked away in the spare bedroom, she paused. "Do you... need me to send off a message? Somewhere?"
 

Evan was so grateful for her offer, he nearly hugged the woman. Instead, he gave her the biggest smile that he could possibly manage. "If it would not inconvenience you greatly, I'm certain my parents are worried to their wit's end by now about where I've gotten to on a simply mission to retrieve my bride. Would it be possibly to send a message to the castle?" he asked her earnestly, making a mental note to ascertain the exact position of this town so that he could reward her fully after this ordeal was over.

"You cannot imagine how much this would mean to me, I assure that that for taking in my weary bride, I will reimburse you for the room and board as highly as if you had been the merchant of fine silks to outfit us in our time of need, for that is how I see these accommodations" he bowed to her and kissed the little child's hand.

"Elaina, if you would bathe first so that I might guard outside your door..." he whispered, his expression showed the strain of the past events, as did his limping walk from the extended trek that he had made on horseback.
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The older woman did seem quite pleased at Evan's compliments. It made her feel as if she were a part of some great adventure. Espionage, rescues or some other fairy tale story. She was off in an instance, taking her daughter with her and leaving her guests be while she went to fetch someone from the village to send word to the Castle.

Elaina was hesitant to step inside the room. He wanted to guard her and prevent anything else from happening, but she could see how weary he was. When the woman was no longer in site, Elaina took Evan's hands to pull him in to the room. She didn't give him any time to protest, hushing him gently when he tried, and quickly closing the door behind them before he tried to walk out.

"We can share, the tub is large enough." It was a strange mix of emotions for her. Being shy of the intimacy, but having her concern for him overshadowing it. Elaina's nimble fingers were already helping to get him undressed, while she inspected him carefully to see if he had earned any new injuries while trying to rescue her.
 

Evan turned a little red, unused to being so near a woman and for her to be making advances toward him so innocently, with such a pure expression, he was absolutely flustered. True, he'd had women at court who were determined to try to woo him, but it was always with those cunning eyes, that shrewd smile, sizing him up to try and figure out where his heart lay.

This, however, this was foreign to him entirely. Evan had never had much time for women, so perhaps that was why he was so entranced by Elaina, but he couldn't take his eyes off of her as she undressed him. Dumbly, he tried to help her undress himself, doing a worse job than she was doing. She was so soft, he reached out a hand to touch her, desperate to feel that softness beneath his fingertips.

"Here" he whispered hoarsely, instead switching to taking off her clothing, his hands trembling. He felt more like a green stableboy than a man - a prince, not less. She was partially unclothed when he pulled her to him, kissing across her jawline.
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