by Lily Thomas
Keylz heaved a sigh in defeat. “Just promise that if I don’t return by this evening to send up some armed troops to rescue me.” Taking a deep breath, Keylz left to find Stryme, hoping he would see another sunrise.
A couple more days passed, and Stryme found himself with his warriors on the practice field. Keylz had somehow managed to convince him to be here.
He watched, as his warriors battled it out. Every once in a while, Keylz would challenge him, but Stryme wouldn't take the bait.
Instead, he would just shove the closest warrior into the arena. There were no warriors standing within arm distance of him now. They were all too scared Stryme would shove them into the arena, which Keylz had taken a firm hand over.
Although Stryme understood he was neglecting his duty of keeping his men in shape, he still wasn't able to compel himself to do anything about it.
Everyday just seemed so bland to him, without Elizabeth. Not knowing how she was or what she was doing bothered him. He wanted her to be happy, since he let her leave for that very reason. He needed to know she was happy.
Eventually, watching the men dual couldn't hold his attention, and he found himself wandering off.
Everything reminded him of Elizabeth. Her presence seemed to be everywhere he went within the castle. It was as though she had permanently left a mark on everything.
Within a few more days, he found himself taking rides into the forest and trying to avoid being in the castle until late at night. Even then, he wouldn't sleep in his room. The memory of her lingered there as well, if not more so than any other spot within the castle.
It was like his life had turned into an eternal nightmare. One he wished he could turn back into a blissful dream. He would put up with anything Elizabeth dished out, if he could just have her again.
Keylz wasn't the only one who was noticing their king's behavior. More people kept voicing their concerns about Stryme, and all Keylz could say was Stryme would get over it.
When? He knew not. He wasn’t even sure he was telling them the truth. No one knew how long it might take Stryme to get over the memory of Elizabeth.
Stryme's mood was affecting his people. Something had to be done, but Keylz was having trouble figuring out what exactly to do. He’d never fallen in love, so he had no idea what Stryme could be feeling.
A hand came out of nowhere making Keylz jump sky high.
He heard a familiar laugh. “I didn't think I was that terrifying.” Kiyla remarked. Light danced in her eyes, as she joked with him.
Keylz shook his head. “I have so many things on my mind, I wasn't paying attention.”
A hard glint formed in her eyes. “I think I know what is on your mind. We need to do something about the mood Stryme is in. We need to do something about it now.”
Keylz raised an eyebrow in expectation. “If you have a solution, I’m listening. I am fresh out of any ideas, so don't ask me what we should try.”
“Do you have eyes?”
His eyebrows came down together in confusion. “Clearly, I do.”
“You haven't been using them or you would have seen the solution to our problem.”
“Please, feel free to explain it to me.”
“We need to get Elizabeth back.”
He rolled his shoulders. “If only Elizabeth could have stayed here, we wouldn't have such a problem on our hands.”
“I’m thinking we should take her back.”
“I think not, for she would not be pleased, if we ruined the aid to her people. If we steal her back, she will only want to leave again, and we will have started with the same problem again.”
“I’ve been talking to others, and they agree with me on this. We all want to see Stryme lighthearted again or as lighthearted as he can get.” Kiyla perched a hip on the fence around the arena.
“How many people would that be, exactly?” Keylz was still uncertain any other fire giants would want a human female back.
Then again they all loved Stryme. Now that they saw how affected Stryme was, maybe they would welcome Elizabeth back with open arms.
“Everyone I have come across. They all agree we should get Elizabeth back. Sure, she may be a human, but she clearly was good for Stryme.”
“If we do this, we could start our own war. I don't know if Stryme would be willing to do that, even for love.”
“Ah,” Kiyla held up a finger with a smile, “with so many people backing us, he might just do it. We just need to gather as many people as we can in the castle courtyard.”
Keylz smiled. He hoped Kiyla would be right about this. He wanted his friend and king back.
“Stryme, look at your people!” Kiyla pointed to the window overlooking the courtyard. “They’re here to support you!”
Kiyla was exasperated like no other. She had been following Stryme throughout the castle, for the last hour, and he was still refusing to listen to anything she had to say.
She looked over at Keylz and motioned for him to speak. She needed some assistance with Stryme, since he could be such a stubborn man.
“Just look out the window, Stryme.” Keylz stated unhelpfully.
He was tired of following Stryme around the castle as well, and all he wanted was something to eat. Stryme had covered miles within the castle, as he tried to avoid Keylz and Kiyla.
Stryme looked between both of them, heaved a sigh, and then glanced out the window. He was now able to see how many “all” were. His eyebrows rose up in surprise, as the turnout startled him.
“They all agree to having a human female as their queen?” He asked both of them, without turning around. He was filled with so much joy that his people loved him enough they could put aside their hatred of humans to see him happy.
“They support you in all matters, Stryme.” Kiyla took a breath and emphasized her next words. “They love you and want you to be happy.”
Keylz chimed in. “Even Lele wants the human female back, so you aren’t in such a foul mood when she tries to pursue you.”
Both Stryme and Kiyla gave him a scowl for his unnecessary comment.
Lele was a sore topic for Stryme. Even though she’d stopped pestering him, he was still debating whether or not to send her away from the castle as a punishment for her behavior.
“Will you please just get Elizabeth back already?”
Images of her face flickered through his mind. He had been warring with himself over the topic of his revenge for quite some time. He may want revenge, but he wanted to have Elizabeth back more. Revenge wouldn’t keep him warm at night, and he knew Elizabeth wouldn’t tolerate the sight of him, if he killed her last living brother.
“I’ll give up my revenge for her and get her back, if she wants to come back.” Inside his heart raced. He was excited his people were going to back him with his decision.
He only hoped Elizabeth would come back. He knew she wanted to help her people, but hoped she would believe in her people to find another way. It was far past the day he should have taken her back, and he felt his chest swell with anticipation.
He could admit he was in love. He hadn’t known what he had, until he had let her go free. Surely her heart ached for him as well.
After hearing what the servant girl had to say, Elizabeth knew she had to figure a way out of the castle. The servant had revealed how the king wasn’t going through with the marriage, and he wasn’t going to send troops either. He didn’t want to get involved with the war or that was what he was saying.
She frowned at herself in the mirror. Elizabeth could see the honesty and concern shining in the servant’s eyes. It sounded like the king of Sardarn to not honor his word. She should have taken more notice of her first feelings about this royal family.
Thankfully, the servant girl had been kind enough to inform her of what she had overheard.
Elizabeth rose and donned the prettiest dress they had given her. She had her hair styled, put on a small amount of blush, and went to search for the prince.
Today was t
he day she was going to escape. If they weren't going to help her people, then she would leave. There was no point in remaining if the marriage wouldn’t bring any assistance. Her people would have to figure out another way, and she knew her father was resourceful.
She doubted the king of Sardarn would let her leave if she asked. So she wasn’t going to tell anyone anything. She would be gone before she was missed. She just had to figure out how to escape.
Elizabeth feared the prince still wanted her in his bed. His eyes would follow her whenever she passed through the same room, and she didn’t like the image of him rutting on top of her. But he could be her key out of the castle. If she played his desire, she might be able to escape. Playing with his desire could be a dangerous game though.
Having not found him anywhere in the castle, Elizabeth tried their practice arena. She couldn't see the prince as a decent warrior, but it was the only place she hadn’t checked.
She stopped dead in her tracks, when the practice arena came into view. She had found him.
Elizabeth hid a smirk, behind her gloved hand. The prince was practice fighting with a man who was obviously allowing him to win.
How would this prince ever be a king? He couldn’t lead his troops, with those fighting skills. They wouldn’t have any faith in him, if he couldn’t fight. He would have to stay behind or he would have to pray for a miracle before charging into battle.
Elizabeth watched from the sidelines.
When he noticed her, he became more dramatic with his movements. This was just fun for him, and she would bet none of his men actually tried to win a fight against him. She could easily see the prince having their heads taken off, if they did defeat him.
She couldn’t help but compare the prince to Stryme. Stryme was a warrior who would never have any problem leading his men in a fight. He also would want his men to be the best they could be.
It finally ended, as the soldier he was fighting made an obvious error. Then the prince went in for the pretend kill. He held the sword tip to the man’s neck, forcing the man to yield.
Once the soldier admitted defeat, the prince sheathed his sword, and sauntered over to her, as though he owned the world.
Putting on a fake smile, Elizabeth cooed over his great feat. “How amazing it was to watch you fight.” She looked up at him adoringly, while batting her eyelashes for good measure. She wanted to be on his good side, if she was going to use him as her ticket out of here.
The prince beamed. “Yes, I was born quite the warrior.” His chest puffed out at her praise.
Elizabeth wanted to object to him being “quite the warrior”, but she managed to refrain.
“It’s such a pleasing day. Wouldn’t it be marvelous to take a ride through the forest?” The prince suggested as he looked around and then looked back at her.
Elizabeth eyes widened at his suggestion. Was it really going to be that easy? He was going to give her a horse and let her out of the castle? She wanted to jump for joy. This couldn’t have been planned any better. Her escape from these untrustworthy people was so close.
“A ride would be welcomed and pleasing.”
“I’ll round up some men to accompany us. With the giants getting restless, I don’t want anything to happen, since the forest can be dangerous.”
A dark glint in the back of his eyes sent a shiver through her. If there were any dangers in the woods, it would have to be him. He was a predator who had turned his sight onto her, and she knew he had ulterior motives for inviting her for a ride. He probably thought some time alone would bring some romantic adventures.
“It would be less intimate, with others there.” Elizabeth piped in. If they were alone, she might have a better chance at escaping his clutches.
He turned away, clearly not caring about her opinion on the matter. Instead he headed over to his men to recruit some guards for their ride.
At least, he was giving her an opportunity for escape, and she was going to make the best of it.
Once the horses were tacked up, they were ready for the trek into the forest.
Elizabeth was perfectly content with how things were going, until she saw the horse she was meant to ride, and she found herself unable to utter a word. The poor thing looked like it was at the brink of death. She felt certain the ride would finish it off for good.
The prince came over to help her up. “Surely, he can't be ridden. He seems too fragile.”
“I didn't want to give you too spirited a horse, my dear. He might still be a handful for you, but he is the calmest horse we have in the stables.”
Did she really look that feeble? She had ridden a giant horse into the castle courtyard, after all. Elizabeth didn't fight for a new horse though. There was no way to predict how he would react, if she refused his “generous” offer. He could end the trip into the woods, before it had even begun, and she definitely didn’t want that.
So Elizabeth took the high road and thanked him for his assistance, even if it hadn't been necessary.
After he mounted up, their little troop of four left the courtyard, and they made their way through the town. Then they headed into the forest.
She felt anticipation build within her, as her heart rate peaked. She was ready to get away from him, but she knew she had to wait for the perfect chance.
“I know of a beautiful spot in the forest you will surely enjoy.”
Chills ran down her spine, as his eyes roamed over her. She was sure it was a spot where they would have plenty of privacy. Elizabeth fought her revulsion. If this spot got them away from the guards, she was all for it. She had seen enough to know the prince wasn’t born to ride, and dodging trees would be too much for him.
She forced herself to give him a broad smile. Let him think she was just a simple woman, because when he wasn’t looking she planned on running like the wind. Leaning over the horse’s neck she gave him a pat. Hopefully, the horse would be able to last during a long gallop.
As they approached the spot, the prince called out to his men. “Make sure no one disturbs us. I want Elizabeth to enjoy what she’s going to see.”
Elizabeth had no intention of seeing anything, because she knew what he meant. It wasn’t the scenery he was going to want her to be looking at. He thought he could have her, but he was so wrong. She’d fight him to the death, if she had to.
His men gave nods of understanding, as they spread out around the area.
Elizabeth felt nerves spread through her, but she took a deep breath as she commanded her heart to steady. She could do this. She had done many things she never thought she could, since she left the safety of her castle and home.
The prince couldn't stop grinning. Not only was this a bright and sunny day, but he was about to have Elizabeth below him. He had been thinking about this moment for a long time.
Little did she know she had given him the perfect opportunity to do what he wanted with her out here in the forest. They were far away from any prying eyes. If he took her here, no one would be the wiser.
It would be her word against his, and he was the prince of this kingdom. She was just some liar. Everyone knew there had to be more to her story, but the truth had yet to slip from her lips.
He wasn’t keen on the idea of being trapped into marriage. He was young and there were so many delightful women for him to try. Having relations with many women was easier, when one didn’t have a wife. His father had taught him that much.
He felt like shouting for joy, but kept himself in check, as he led her further into the forest.
Chapter 18
Stryme couldn't believe his extraordinary luck. He and his men had just arrived in the forest surrounding the human stronghold, when the gates opened, and out rode Elizabeth with only a few men for protection.
Could it be possible that the well-dressed man riding next to her was the prince she had been to marry?
He wanted to shout to the heavens for being so kind to him. He and his men melted into the forest and waited. As th
e guards split off from Elizabeth and the prince, they picked them off one at a time.
Stryme and two of his other warriors stayed a respectful distance away, as they followed the pair through the forest. Stryme was curious why Elizabeth and this prince would be out in the forest.
Had they been married? Were they going through the forest for a pleasantly romantic jaunt?
When he was able to follow closer, he could see this was definitely the prince. His clothing screamed of untold riches, with all the gold lining.
The pair stopped. The prince dismounted, and then helped Elizabeth to the ground.
Stryme gripped his sword hilt until his knuckles went white with the strain. He watched the way the other man ran his hands down her soft sides, and Stryme wanted to smack the smirk from the prince’s face. Those curves were meant for him to caress.
Right before his eyes, the prince wrapped Elizabeth in his arms and proceeded to kiss her passionately. At first Stryme's heart broke as he thought she was returning the prince's kisses, but soon he saw her struggling to fight off the advances of the prince.
She slapped at his chest, but the prince only gripped her hair and pulled her head back. When she let out a scream, he reacted.
Before the two knew what was happening, Stryme gave the signal to his men, and they dashed out, forming a circle around the pair. Their swords were raised ready for Stryme’s signal to attack.
Elizabeth's mouth dropped open, as she saw who had come to her rescue. Stryme. Her mind couldn’t believe he was right there in front of her.
What was he doing here? She’d never thought she would actually see him again. Yet, here he was, saving her yet again. At least she hoped he was here to save her. With the fire burning in his eyes, she feared he had misinterpreted what had been happening between her and the prince.
“Stryme?” She managed to get out around her astonishment.
“Come here.” He demanded. His deep crimson eyes were fixed on the prince. They never wavered from the sight of his enemy.