Chapter 5. Taken

Chapter 5. Taken (annas P.O.V.)

I woke feeling sore and sluggish from the nights events even though I healed myself from most of the damage that Colby had inflicted I could still feel the pain from the strikes as well as the pain of him trying to force his fingers inside me. Im just waiting on him to try it again. As long as I am close to the castle any pain he inflicts upon me he will feel even worse. I look into my mirror and begin to cover the remaining damage hoping and praying that mother and father doesn't notice my swollen eyes and lethargy; however they know me better than anyone and I hope I can dodge them for a majority of the day since they will be busy with planning for battle. 

I dress in a light blue gown which was snug at the waist and flows freely around me, the chest is modest because I really don't want to draw Colby's attention to me at all today, by the time this is over I will find a way to escape this cruel man. I begin to head downstairs to the dining hall when I was suddenly grabbed by the arm and slammed into the wall, hitting my head roughly up against the perfectly chiseled stone that made up the castle interior. "Aghh! What the hell!?" I hear Colby curse as the pain from my head instantly hit him ten fold "what did you do to me bitch!?" He screamed as he grabbed me by the throat to attempt to choke me but was stopped short when his own breathing became restricted then quickly released his grip "THIS is my protection from you, Everytime you lay a finger on me you will feel my pain ten fold! This is my curse to you. You will regret every single time you put your filthy selfish hands on me!" I spat at him my voice thick with distain.

Colby stared down at me with daggers in his eyes, I could see that he wanted desperately to hurt me "I will break this spell over me wench! When I do you better pray to God you are out of my reach. Once you enter my home tomorrow no one can save you. I will do as I want with you and I will have my way with you. YOU WILL bare me son's, willingly or unwillingly. The choice is yours!" I froze "What do you mean TOMORROW!?" His face then formed into a sly grin "Oh mommy and daddy didn't tell you? We will be leaving tonight to head to MY castle. WIFE." He emphasized the word wife then left me there in the hallway frozen in shock. Tonight? If I leave tonight he will have the opportunity to harm me as soon as I am no longer behind these castle walls. I suddenly didn't feel like joining my parents for breakfast, my stomach rolled and I ran to find the nearest place to vomit. 

The day suddenly flew by to my dissatisfaction. All of my belongings had been packed, my entire life placed in a suitcase to live the rest of my days with a cruel and unforgiving man. My mother and father clung to me, both in tears telling me that I always know where home is. I cried on their shoulders knowing that my new husband may be the reason I never come home, knowing that his abuse could be the end of my short lived life. I cried knowing I was leaving the love and comfort of my parents embrace to be raped and beat by I man who don't love me and also knowing I will never have a chance for my true power to manifest because us women's power never fully matures until we have felt the humility of love due to the fact our powers are generally more powerful than a warlocks. I could feel my heart shatter as they let me go from their embrace. 

   I put on a brave face and pretended that I would be happy knowing very well that as soon as I am past these gates I am no longer safe from this monster of a prince. 

The escort took my hand and helped me into a polished black carriage with four large black mustangs in elegant harnesses to pull my transportation into the pit of hell. As the carriage pulls away I look out of the window with tears now poring profusely down my cheeks and watch as my father holds my mother tightly wile she sobs into his chest. If only she knew what pain I would endure she would be in much worse shape and to see her beautiful porcelain face cry as I am taken away broke my heart even more than it already was, I don't even know how that is possible. My life is over. 

    I soon wipe the tears from my face and look across at the smug prince sitting opposite of me, his brown eyes full of lust and intent as well as something dark and devious. "So, I figured out your little spell." He announced confidently "I read up a little bit about infliction spells, such as the one you placed on yourself and me." He paused "Turns out, such spells are quite effective and powerful but only while the caster is within their own home. Unfortunately for you my dear we are no longer inside of the castle walls." Satisfaction played over his features as he watched the blood drain from my face and fear replace the sadness in my heart.

He knew already. 

       Lost in my anxiety, I didn't notice when he repositioned himself next to me. Colby then grabbed me by the throat violently to test his theory. He didn't feel a thing, he chuckled darkly knowing that once again he had the upper hand as he used his other hand to slap me into the carpeted carriage floor. The taste of metal enveloped my mouth as I tried not to give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry but the tears escaped anyway. "You will be mine tonight wench, you won't have anywhere to run this time and believe me I will be much rougher this time than I was last night" he sat back and placed his arms behind his head for support and became comfortable as I scrambled to climb onto the seat on the other side of the carriage. 

      I sat in silence for what seemed like hours, I didn't notice that we had even stopped until I heard men setting up tents to make camp for the night, I glanced out the window and noticed two larger tents, draped in king Segfried's banners, Obviously set up for the king and the prince to have Private quarters. 

My nerves was eating away at my insides, my face hurt and I was for the first time in my life, truly terrified. The prince exited the carriage without a word to me and I sat huddled into the corner of the seat hoping and praying he would forget I was there.

    I remained in that position for at least an hour before I heard the carriage door swing open and the prince, now dressed in a open white linen shirt, pants and a pair of boots wile his hair was now messy and untamed; held his hand out for me to take as he tapped his food impatiently. I slowly place my palm into his as he quickly jerked me out of the carriage. He never let my feet touch the ground as he slung me over his shoulder like a sack of flour.

 I kicked and screamed begging him to let me down, to not make me go with him alone into his tent, I even begged the soldiers who all looked at me with remorse to help me and all they did was look away, fear of the prince evident on their faces. I soon realize that these men will let the prince do as he wishes with me and nobody will intervene. He stalked through the opening of his tent and threw me down onto the elegant cot made specifically for him and began to unfasten his belt as well as removing his shirt revealing broad shoulders and a crowd of muscles across his cream colored stomach and chest. I quickly began to chant a curse, one that is fatal and forbidden but I would rather die for breaking a law than to be beaten and raped. If I am to die tonight then I will die a virgin and Im sure God will forgive me for using this unforgivable black magic to save my virtue. This spell was the worst of its kind and also is black blood magic something that was never taught to me but I had read it in my grandmothers spell book.

 I grab a small knife that just happened to be lying next to the large cot and begin to cut my palm as I chant but before I could get another word past my lips Colby uses his fist and punches me in the face throwing me backwards and making my ears ring and my head swim. I then feel something cold clasp down around my wrist then his hands wrap up into my hair and jerks me forward so he is now nose to nose with me. "You see this little trinket princess?" He asks wile holding up my cuffed wrist.  I am unable to respond, my head is now swimming and I can't fully comprehend what is happening around me, all the sound around me is as if I am under water and my vision is now blurry, he continues to speak "This thing hear it blocks your magic and the only way it can be removed is if I do so myself or unless I die and lets be honest darling, that's not happening anytime soon" he flashes a evil grin then slings me roughly back onto the cot. I feel him rip my dress from my body leaving me fully exposed. I see the need and lust in his eyes as he crashes his impatient lips to mine, I can feel his manhood pressing hard against my naked belly and I begin to cry again, my tears clearly bringing him satisfaction as his kiss becomes more violent and intruding, he uses his knee to force my legs apart as he pulls his shaft from his pants and then with the other hand he begins to strangle me muffling my uncontrollable screams and cries to stop. 

I am can't breathe and my vision is now black, I can feel the heat from his erection as it nears penetrating me. I begin to loose myself to a frightening darkness as he comes closer to raping me, my lungs are fighting for air, I am praying that I die before I feel him enter me, praying that God have mercy on me so I can't feel this man violently rip into my untouched body.

       "WOLVES! WOLVES ARE HERE, ARM YOURSELVES!" is the last thing I hear before I slip into the black abyss of unconsciousness. 

     Dravens P.O.V. 

"NO! MAMMA! PLEASE DADDY STOP HURTING MAMMA!" I cry, I see my father and he is mercilessly beating my mother, her cries and screams are like razors. I am running to her trying to save her from my fathers wrath but no matter how fast and how hard I run I still can't reach her. Mordrid is standing behind me cowering in fear as my father beats my mother, tears leave a trail of fire down my cheeks. It's my fault. I can't save her and its my fault, I'm not strong or fast enough. I see her smile at my brother and I as she mouthed her final words to us both "I love you my sweet boys" before my fathers hatchet seavers her head.

      I shot up from my bed up with tears in my eyes and sweating profusely, I can feel my stomach roll and my chest tighten at the vivid memory of how my father so horribly had taken my mother's life. I grit my teeth, thankful that Mordrid had gave my father the same punishment that he had given my mother when he was only 17 me at the age of 19. He beat my father to a pulp before taking his head and burning his body, Mordrid has been so angry since we witnessed our mothers murder. To this day I believe that is why he is such a ruthless man. He took our father's life 3 years ago however we were only small children when my beautiful mother was taken from us by that wretch of a man. I sit up from my bed and walk out of my tent, not caring to put a shirt on because it is much hotter in this land, the heat was definitely something I would have to adjust to. I look up into the night sky and rub my hands across my face, hoping to clear my mind from the nightmare that haunts me daily. I suddenly hear my troops returning from the mission I had assigned them, I'm now wondering if they was successful and I grab my boots from my tent then proceeded to greet them. 

"Joshua, do you have my prisoner" I demand as him and his team get closer "yes my Lord but we need a healer now!" He replied frantic "A healer? What happened, who is hurt!?" I ask "The princess lord, she is unconscious and in bad condition, she needs a healer." He states as he pulls a small figure bundled up in a blanket from his lap on the front of his white stallion. I feel rage replace worry as I begin to shout at my highest in command "What the fuck Joshua! I told you that not a single hair on her head was to be harmed and now you come to me telling me she is so bad off that she needs a healer!? you will be punished for this!" I snatch the small figure from him and run to my tent with her in my arms. "My lord!" He cried "she was not hurt because of our troops, she was in this condition when we arrived, she was in the care of her husband. We heard her cries from a distance." I looked at him in shock, her husband? "We will discuss this later Joshua, get the healer and bring me more light, we need to see what we are dealing with." I command and watch him sprint away. Seconds later one of the men bring several candles, lighting my tent up enough so I can get a clear look at her. I quickly remove the blanket to realize that she is completely naked, my breath caught in my throat. She was absolutely breathtaking though her face was caked in blood and bruises lined the entirety of her throat, before I could stop myself I eyed her exposed body before me, her breasts were round and succulent, her nipples was perfect pink peeks that were perfectly centered on top of the large mounds, her stomach was thin and muscular in a very feminine way, her hips were perfectly proportionate to her long and shapely legs, her hair a was made up of glowing blonde curls that framed her heart shaped face, with her plump pink lips slightly parted in her unconsciousness. It was hard to make out her other facial features due to the damage that lined her face and throat. I quickly recovered from my trance of the gorgeous creature laying bare before me and covered her back up as the healer stormed into my quarters. 

I reluctantly removed myself from my tent and let the healer do his job and walk over to Joshua to discuss the events of tonight. "Joshua, explain to me why in the hell you have brought me an unconscious, naked and beaten princess!" My voice boomed "sir, the troop and I was on our way to storm the camp, we heard her cries and pleas, she was begging him to stop. When we approached the camp the prince had taken her to his quarters and beaten her, we believe he was raping her when we found them but we aren't really sure how far it had gotten, she was unconscious and stripped and he was exposed on top of her. We beat him to a pulp, sir I wanted to kill him however you had made that off limits." 

I could feel my blood boiling, after the death of my mother and after my brother killed our father I had made it forbidden to mistreat a woman, the punishment was to be drawn and quartered the worse possible neat to die. My heart ached for this girl, her parents married her off to a rapist. These witches and warlocks was much more cruel than I ever could have guessed, to damn your daughter to that kind of abuse earned them a fate worse than death, I realized I would take great pleasure in killing them both and torturing her bastard of a husband. I was so lost in my angry thoughts that I didn't realize my brother joining Joshua and I in conversation "what's all the commotion brother? I'm trying to damn sleep." He asked lazily with a yawn, Joshua replied "we have our princess" I then seen Mordrid's eyes light up "oh yay, we need a woman in camp. I think I'm just going to go take a look at her." He grinned with his eyes full of intent. Before I could think I let out a deep growl and shoved him back, away from my tent. "What the hell Draven!" He snapped "Who took a shit in your boots? So you're allowed to have her in your tent but noone else is? She's a prisoner meaning that she belongs to all of us!" He was now shouting at me which only infuriated me even more, for the first time in our lives I used my alpha voice on my baby brother "She will not be touched by ANY FUCKING ONE! Are we clear Mordrid?! The first man to go near her will loose his life!" Shock flashed across Mordrid's face, he was surprised that I pulled rank on him. Before he could become to offended I realized that I was all worked up over a woman I didn't know, I took a steadying breath before I spoke realizing that I was taking my rage out on my brother and my lead in command "Listen Mordrid, this young woman was being abused and raped by her husband when our men arrived at her camp, she has been through alot." My brother's expression softened, he understood how I felt about women being abused, he had witnessed our mothers abuse just like I did, the only difference is I saw much more violent abuse and remembered it more vividly, however it was still devastating. He proceeded to ask "So what, it's okay for princesses to be abused and raped by her husband in this place? These fucking people are sicker than I ever thought. I'm going to kill them all. How bad off is she?" I steadied my breath and answered 

    "I don't know how bad it is but I know that she was fully exposed and covered in her own blood when I had taken a look at her. She is such a beautiful young woman, it's so heartbreaking to see something so lovely in that state… he husband should be grateful to have such a creature at his side, he clearly has taken that for granted." I trailed off, forgetting that she was my hostage. For some reason I had this urge to protect her small fragile body and to kill the man who had probably permanently destroyed her mind, I felt as though it was now my job to take care of her. This is going to put a damper on my plans, I never in a million years would have suspected my hostage to be this painfully gorgeous damsel in distress. This was going to be a problem. 

It seemed like forever before the healer came out of the tent, my brother and Joshua had already retired back to their own beds however I couldn't have if I wanted to since she now was laying where I was supposed to, even if she wasn't I needed to know that she was okay, I don't really know why i was so concerned. I don't know this woman, I haven't ever spoken one word to her but the moment I saw her beautiful frail body before me I felt my wolf instinctively go into protection mode. I don't understand, she's my captive, my hostage; yet I now have this unbearable urge to never let those people have her back at all. 

I watched as my healer Micah walked slowly out of my tent, a look of disgust on his face "Draven." He began "She will heal, her mind has simply shut down because of the trama, there are no broken bones and I don't believe that the attempted rape was successful she doesn't have any bleeding. Her face and throat is what has taken damage, I suggest that you abandon this course and simply take her back to her parents castle, I strongly oppose you returning to her so called husband, I feel as though he has no intentions of taking care of this woman. It is very clear there are no feelings associated with their relationship." I look at him sternly "Micah, I can't abandon this course. The safety and success of our people depends on it. We took her to hold her for ransom and even though she has been through alot it isn't my responsibility to care for her well being. I need her in perfect health, I need her alive so my plan can be followed through." I could feel myself choke on my words. I sounded so cruel and careless but I can't be swayed by a pretty face or have empathy for a witch whos people allowed so many of mine to suffer and die. I can't afford to play hero now, I need to be stearn and make sure the king and queen know I mean business. I won't harm her myself but I also will not allow myself to feel remorse towards the neglected beauty lying on my bed. I will have her brought back to health then she will be treated as what she is, a witch and a hostage. 

I do plan on killing her husband my self though, that will happen noatter what the outcome of this chaos is. Micah looks at me with a sad look in his wrinkled and wise eyes and says quietly "Son, I have been on this earth much longer than you have. I witnessed your father's cruelty in ways you couldn't even imagine. Your mothers murder wasn't the worst thing he had done. Please son, I beg you, don't follow in his footsteps." Micah walked away before I could come up with a response, patting me on the shoulder as he passed. I watched him disappear into the night towards his own sleeping quarters before turning to face my own.

  I walk into my tent to be greeted by electric blue eyes, my breath caught in my throat at the sight of her staring at me. Her face was pale and fear was plain across her soft features. I wasn't aware that she had awakened, she must have just come to. Now that she had been cleaned up some she was more strikingly beautiful than I could have ever imagine. Her beauty entranced me like a spell and I found myself searching for words to say. I say their gaping for a while before I managed to choke out words.