The Queen & Her Knight

Chapter 17

You open your eyes slowly and vaguely see the room around you. You close your eyes again and try to breathe deeply. You feel your head pounding with pain and then you try to open your eyes again. This time you see the room around you. The room is dark and it's clear it's an old wooden building. You try to move but then you realize that your hands are tied behind your back. You're sitting on a chair in the middle of a dark room. You want to scream but there's a cloth pushed inside your mouth. You let out a loud moan.

"MMMMMM!!!!!"

That didn't help you because you know you're alone in this room. Panic starts to fill your being and you're breathing rapidly now. You don't know what to do. You've never been in a situation like this. Thoughts start to fill your mind.

(Why would someone want me? What do they want with me? Does anyone know where I am? Oh god, is James here too? Is James still alive? What am I going to do? Are they going to kill me?)

Panic is now law inside your being and you're starting to lose the feeling in your face. Suddenly you hear a door opening in the distance. It's obvious that it's a very big room. You hear footsteps walking closer. The footsteps are far apart and slow, it must be a man. You look around wildly to see something of this man coming to you.

(OH GOD!! Could this be Lord Dobson coming for revenge on me? God!! No!!!)

You're breathing even faster now and the feeling in your fingertips is gone. The man is right next to you, you can smell the expensive cologne. It must be someone with a lot of money. So they aren't looking for money from you. You feel as they put a blindfold on your eyes. You try to fight him off but you can't do much with your hands tied behind your back.

"Now, now, now"

His voice is disguised with a cloth. You can make out who he is. He walks around and is now standing in front of you. You can see his feet through the opening of the blindfold. You try and lift your head to see his face but his too tall. He moves closer and then pulls the blindfold down. 

"You must wonder why you're here? Well, unfortunately, I can't tell you this but what I can tell you is, you did something someone didn't like very much. You've been a naughty girl. You shouldn't have done it, I guess"

"Mmmm mmm mmm!!"

You try and talk to him but you can't with the cloth inside your mouth.

"I don't understand what you're trying to say. Now, I can remove this cloth but you can't scream okay? If you do, you will be very sorry and when I mean sorry, I mean your face will be very much in pain…do you understand?"

You can almost hear the smile in his words like he's enjoying what he's saying to you. You want to take out the cloth so bad and you want to get your questions answered, you decided to nod. He then walks closer to you and takes out the cloth. You cough and lick your lips.

"Thank you"

"Oh, what a very polite lady you are?"

The smile is in his words again but you ignore it and go straight to your questions.

"What did I do??"

He laughs like you just told a very good joke.

"What did you do?? What did you do?? Really, you have no idea what you could've done? You're just a little angel, never doing anything wrong?"

You think of what you could've possibly done to upset anyone so much. All you could think of is the secret rendezvous that you and the King have had.

(Could this be the princess' doing? Would she go that far? I don't think so but is it then?)

"What do you want from me?"

"I don't want anything from you. I just need you to sit here and be a good girl"

He turns around and starts walking out of the room. "Oh, and remember that thing I said about not screaming? Nevermind that, that was a lie, scream as much as you like, no one will be able to hear you"

He laughs out of his stomach and slams the door behind him. You fall back into your seat and you feel an immense feeling of defeat overtakes you. You feel as a waterfall of tears runs down your cheeks. You let your head fall and you cry out loudly.

THE KING

He wakes up in his bed in the middle of the night in terror. He looks around him and everything is as it should be. You sit on the edge of his bed and tries to think how he got into bed last night but it doesn't matter how hard he tries, he can't for the love of it, remember. He stands up and walks to his bathroom and looks in the mirror thinking.

(I was busy with some paperwork and then….then I can't remember. That's so strange)

He bends down and splashes his face with some water, trying to remember. It doesn't matter how hard he tries, he can't, it's all a blank to him.

(I must've had one too many of my whiskey then)

He puts off the light of the bathroom and looks around his room but to no avail, he can't remember. He then walks to his bed and gets under the covers.

(I wonder where Lady Winters is now? I wish she could be right next to me right now. I'll see her tomorrow, she is the brightness of my day. As long as Lord Jackson keeps his distance. Soon, my angel, we'll be together forever, just hold on)

He turns around and feels asleep, knowing he'll see the love of his life tomorrow…

The King enters the room that was allocated to you very carefully and calls out your name once more.

"Lady Winters?!"

He doesn't receive a response and then decides to look around. He walks through the living area and sees a book that you've been reading still open on the table next to a chair. He picks up the book and also spots a cup of tea on the table. He puts the book down and walks toward the bedroom. He stops himself before he walks on as he has some moral restrictions to just walk into a Lady's chambers. 

He knocks on your bedroom door and wait but for a second or two. He gets no response and swallows deep while opening your door. The smell of lavender fills his senses and he knows very well that this bedroom is yours. His heart misses you immediately and worry starts to creep into his being.

He looks at your bed and sees that no one has slept in the bed the night before. The bed mints are still on the bed and no has even so much as touched this bed since you've arrived. He walks toward the bathroom and sees your suitcase still standing against the wall, not open. Fear is the emotion that starts to rule his thoughts.

(Where are you, angel? What happened to you?)

Suddenly there's a knock on the door. He quickly hides behind a door.

"Lady Winters?"

(It's Lady Elizabeth, probably sent by the princess to see where she is?)

She knocks once more and this time more urgent saying.

"Lady Winters!"

He can audibly hear how she sighs and then turns around impatiently. The King looks one more time around her room but can't find any clue as to where she could be. He then looks out the window and makes sure no one sees him leaving her room. He quickly orders one of his kingsmen to call for Lord Walton. Not more than a few minutes later, Lord Walton arrives.

"Your Highness, you've requested my presence how can I be of assistance to you?"

"Yes, Lord Walton, please have a seat"

The King then asks one of his servants to give Lord Walton something to drink. While they pour him a cup of tea, the king paces up and down the room. It's very difficult for the King to look stoic in this situation but he knows how to hide his emotions very well.

"I need you to help me with a side project and to keep this only between us, do you think you could find the time to help me with a matter?"

"Sire, I'm always ready to help you with whatever you may need, please, how can I be of assistance?"

"Thank you, Lord Walton, you've always been good to me"

"Of course, Sire"

"I have a missing person's case I need help with" 

"It's no problem at all, sire, who is the person missing if I may be so bold?"

"It's Lady Winters"

Lord Walton chokes on his tea and spills the tea all over his suit. The King quickly calls for the servant that comes in and offers him a napkin.

"I'm so sorry, Sire. It went down the wrong pipe"

"No need to apologize, Lord Walton"

"Sire, if I may ask, when last did you see Lady Winters?"

The King starts to pace around the room again and put his hand on his chin.

"I saw her yesterday. She rode with us in the carriage from the train to this accommodation. That was the last time anyone has seen her. I did speak to Lady Anabel but she also hasn't seen her today"

Lord Walton nods his head and then stands up.

"Then, Sire, I'll do my very best to find Lady Winters"

He walks towards the door and the King stops him in his tracks. "Lord Walton!" He turns around slowly.

"Yes, Sire?"

"Remember, let's keep this between ourselves until we have further information to share with the people?"

"Of course, Sire"

He turns around again and then makes his way out of his room.

LADY WINTERS

It's been hours and you feel your body slowly starting to lose the will to live. Every bone in your body aches from being tied up the way you are and your wrists and ankles burn like a thousand fires against the rough ropes that are tied so tight. Your mouth has gone completely dry and your neck doesn't want to stay upright anymore. You hang your head to somehow give your neck rest but it doesn't matter how you try to sit or slightly move, your body has decided to protest against your every move.

You feel tears starting to once more roll down your cheeks. You don't know where you get the water inside your body to produce these tears. You crave to just lay down or just have a drop of water. You try to lick your dry almost cracked lips but your tongue is dry too. The heat of the day started to make this room very hot and the sweat is dripping down your body.

You don't know a lot about biology but what you know is, that when you get dehydrated things can only go downhill from there. 

"HELP!! SOMEONE!! PLEASE HELP!!"

You shout for what is maybe the hundredth time and like always, no comes to rescue you. You sob again and feel the burn of your tears on your dry, sticky cheeks. You start to pray as this is your last resort.

"God, if You're really up there and You can hear the words of Your people, then I pray please, please save me from this misery that has been bestowed on me. I know that I've not been the best person and I've not given enough to other people but I will do this from now on, if You, God, please can save me from my deepest and darkest hour. Please God! Please!"

You can't control the sobbing that follows your prayer as you know that there's no hope for you to make it alive out of this.

The King has just finished talking to Lord Walton and he's on the case to find you. The King must return to activities otherwise he will be missed. He makes his way back to the game when he suddenly finds himself off balance. He grabs his head and then a memory flashed through his mind.

He sees you standing in front of him. You're smiling at him and he feels very happy that you're in his room. Then he sees someone behind you and he shouts your name. Then it all goes black. It's as if he wakes up from a bad dream and he finds himself on the ground as if he has fainted. Luckily no one is around to see him. He stands up quickly and then frowns, trying to figure out what just happened to him.

(Was this a dream or was it real? It felt so very real as if it happened)

He then dusts himself off and walks back to the games. When he arrives the princess is eagerly waiting for him.

"Honey, where did you disappear to?"

"What does that matter to you?"

"Well, it matters a lot! Everyone seems to disappear on me today!"

He usually doesn't care for the nonsense that comes out of her mouth but this he really wants to hear.

"What do you mean everyone?"

"Well, first it is you and then Lady Winters?! What should a princess do keep their servants at bay?"

It's like she realizes what she said and then bows profusely.

"I'm so sorry Your Highness, please please forgive me!"

He lifts his hand as if he doesn't want to see her before him as if she's just babbling like a fool. "Get out of my sight"

The princess quickly moves away from him and his heart is deeply troubled that the princess didn't see you either. He tries to enjoy the games but his heart is heavy with grieve. He wants to see you again. After the games, they sit down for lunch. The King takes his seat next to Lord Walton.

"Lord Walton"

 Lord Walton almost falls off his chair in shock that the King is sitting next to him.

"Your Highness….what a pleasure to be in your presence"

"Am I not a man of the people?"

"Of course, sire"

"Then would you allow me to sit next to you?"

"You're most welcome, sire"

"Thank you, Lord Walton. There's actually something I needed to talk to you about. Remember that little discussion we had this morning?"

"I do, sire"

"Is there anything that you could report to me regarding our little discussion?"

"As a matter of fact, sire. I do have something to tell you but I don't know if it will be of any value to you"

"I'm open to listening to anything you can tell me?"

Lord Walton looks around him to make sure that now is eavesdropping on their conversation. Then he lowers his voice.

"Sire, one of the maids saw the princess leaving Lady Winters' courters last night around ten at night. I asked her a few times if she was sure, sire and she swears it was so"

The Kings feel the eternal hatred for the princess growing within him. He tries to control himself in front of Lord Walton but he fails at that.

"Dammit!"

"Sire?"

"Nothing, thank you for this information, it will help me a lot. Please carry on looking for any clues. We can't afford to have lost one of our party on international territory, this could hurt our Kingdom immensely"

"Of course, sire. I'll do my best in finding Lady Winters"

The King then return to eat his lunch and then makes his way casually to the princess' table. The princess and her party are so shocked that the King is standing next to their table, that they can't seem to find a word to speak.

"Your Highness" The princess stands up and bows before the King. "Please have a seat, sire"

The King lifts his hand. "No, thank you, princess. However, I would like to see you in my chambers as soon as you can make it?"

The princess stands up and then speaks. "Sire, I will follow you to your chambers"

Everyone smiles as they think that the princess might get to lay with the King tonight. "That will be good, princess"

They walk towards his chambers and the princess makes sure to keep her distance. The anger within him wants to burst out of him. If she was the one that had anything to do with your disappearance, he doesn't know what he'll do to her. He opens the door for her and she walks inside.

"Sire, what a nice gesture of you to invite me to your chambers?"

The King closes the door and fury fills his eyes. "I would not be so happy if I were you"

The King shows the princess to sit down and she obeys immediately. He paces up and down avoiding her eyes.

"When last did you see Lady Winters?"

The princess looks down on the floor. "What do you mean, sire? What does she have to do with you and me?"

"She has nothing to do with you. I need you to answer my questions"

"But sire, I don't understand-"

"I don't need you to understand!" He's not talking with a calmed voice anymore. He finds himself shouting at the princess and usually, he can control his emotions around her but now that he knows that she could've done something to you, gets his blood boiling. He takes a deep breath and tries again.

"I say again, when last did you see Lady Winters?!"

"I…I saw her last night, sire but…but why do you want to know?"

The princess looks deeply into his eyes while fiddling with her fingers. 

"What did you say to her?"

"Nothing, sire"

"What do you mean nothing?"

"I mean, I wanted to knock on her door but then when I got to her door and I saw her through the window but Lady Elizebeth then draw my attention away from her and called me over to her"

The King frowns.

(Then….then where is she?)