บท 1: London's Chess Pieces
"Few people can see genius in someone who has offended them."- Robertson Davies
prologue
"So what would be your next move sire?" The hooded man asked feeling very tempted to decide the next move himself but he must step back and wait for his turn...until he can have the kingdom all to himself.
I just need to be patient. He tells himself, being the greedy human he is, drives him to be so selfish to the point that a single human's life means nothing to him whatsoever.
"Seeing that I've already lost my queen and I'm in risk of having another one of my pawns taken, I'll have to play it safe, just for now. After all, no battle ends without sacrifices." The king smirked cruelly and moved a chess piece from his row. The king like his noblemen, selfish and sadistic.
"Of course, an excellent choice my sire!" The man applauded.
"My loyal steed will never fail me." It was the white horse piece that had to take a role in this one-sided battle.
What an ignorant king....
"I've heard that a young girl was found unconscious in the woods." The man started mixing the cards ready to see what fate holds for the mysterious girl.
"Ah yes, where did you hear that?"
"The servants of the castle were gossiping so how wouldn't I?"
"Then let me start from the beginning." The king said getting ready to tell him what his son had recited. The man took a card out from the stack and smiled at it with great pleasure and slid it across the table.
I guess I can take advantage of this new arrival for my own good... He glanced at the king with pure amusement and determination.
"The Queen of hearts."
Chapter zero
"Hurry, you mustn't waste any more time, they're coming!" My dad warned me, helping me with my stuff. It wasn't much but I was fast enough to pack a bag of clothes and supplies we needed along with a bit of food.
"You go on first Annabel, I'll meet you in the woods." He said, assuring me with a smile, I glanced at him, hesitantly thinking if I should leave him.
"I just have to take care of something, trust me, I promise I'll be right behind you." He patted my head, saying those words in a soothing way to calm me.
I looked into his deep chocolate brown eyes in consideration, they seemed sad, helpless, worried and even a bit scared. I had a wild debate in my mind, not noticing my father dragging me out of the house.
Tears streamed down my pale cheeks, I didn't want to leave our home, it's the house where my mother died, how could I ever leave my mother behind?
"You better keep that promise." I sniffed, wiping the tears away with the sleeve of my shirt. He nodded, a sad smile made it's way to his lips.
I ran, holding the two small bags that we needed to survive. I looked back seeing the small broken down wooden cottage, admiring it for the last time.
The shattered windows that kept the rain and cold air coming in, the crooked door that made mice and insects enter and scatter on the floor, the old rotting wood that kept the house standing.
I ran far away, seeing trees for miles, I climbed up a tree that was in the close distance and set the two bags on a long, strong, narrow branch. I slid back down, waiting for my precious father to return. Hours passed by and he still hasn't come.
I could barely see the cottage from here, maybe just a part of it's roof.
My heart raced with anxiety and fear, what if what he was running from found him? What if he was in danger? What if he got captured?
But he said he would be right behind me....he promised me... I hesitated whether I should disobey his words "No matter what don't look back and if anything happens continue on without me." He couldn't of meant those words!
Even though his order was not to, I looked back, more than once, and with the ticking of the handles of the clock, every second passing, felt like an eternity, and whenever I felt time stop and my heart suddenly stop, making a heavy painful beat...it would be a sign of something horrible about to happen or has already happened.
With that I ran back in my tracks, my breathing erratic. My vision blurred from all the tears that kept decending none stop, for a girl who has experienced many terrible things in her life, I just couldn't get used to the idea of losing the people I love.
I suddenly remembered how delicate my emotions used to be when i was a child, I would easily get hurt, one bad word about me and I would pour a bucket of tears, they would yell about me being weak and pathetic and I would cry. All I could ever do was...just....cry. That's how I could express myself.
My father tried making me stronger, to be able to survive this cruel world that we live in, but I could never master to be the strong person he always wanted me to be but he did change me into a girl who decieves others of being what she isn't. Although, my older sister was the toughest girl I had ever scene.
I smiled to myself recalling the happy memories we shared together as a happy family. When I was centimeters away from the cottage, my eyes were about to bulge out of my head, my mouth quivered, my legs shaking constantly, they eventually gave out and my knees scrapped against the hard ground.
Our home, my home, the only place I loved dearly to death, is on fire. Huge flames roared emerging from all directions, embracing the old wood with its warm flames, it burned like hell. I saw people over there, some laughing like maniacs, some pissed off.
I do not recognize those people nor their stylish oufits consisting of black pants, red shirts, brown gloves....
My eyes widened as I remembered something, dad went into the house again before I left. Is he still in the house? Where is he? Could he be where we planned to meet?
"Damn that old man wouldn't go down without a fight." A man hissed rubbing his bruised cheek. "To bad it had to end like this." A man who's younger than the other, said, watching the burning house.
My hands shook in fury, what do they mean? What did they do to him? Where is my father!?
"What a pity." A gorgeous fellow gazed at the opposite direction of the house which was in flames, but at the trees and the horizon above it, as he turned, a tattoo of a black scorpion on his upper arm showed in the orange yellow light emitted.
"That basterd deserved what was coming to him, burn in hell." The man with the huge bruise on his neck spat, then laughed. No no no no no no, this can't be happening, they couldn't have! He promised me! He..promised..me..
Sometimes promises are meant to be broken...I remembered what my mother said, when she was combing my messy brown hair. She told me a story of a rich guy who fell for her and she promised she'd be his but broke it since she fell in love my father instead.
My eyes dulled at the memory, I felt numb.
I stood up, my head in a whirl, I watched with pure hatred, the gang of monsters laughing and drinking alcohol. I retreated, going back to the tree we promised to meet at. I wasn't afraid to go at them but it would be idiotic of me to do so when I'm at a grave disadvantage.
Even so I'm not going to give up that easily, he'll be there, I know he will.....at least that's what I'm hoping for.
Hope rose with in me, I ran faster in anticipation. But when I saw the destinated tree, no one standing by it's side, I stopped dead in my tracks. I looked around, still waiting to see his sweet reassuring smile and to hear his calming voice.
I dropped to the ground again, this time from being overly tired. I hated being weak, but I was born this way, I always dreamed of being strong, not fearing anything, standing up to the people who tried to hurt me.
Before I closed my eyes, I promised myself to become the person I always dreamed of and to get revenge on my father's death, to get back at those monsters...
_______________
I woke up to the sound of shuffling feet, I opened my heavy eyelids, still groggy, I moved carefully. That person could be anyone, I don't want to deal with a serial killer or a mugger still early in the morning or night, It seems I had lost track of time when I fell unconscious.
But I couldn't just keep sleeping, well now pretend to and to let him, her or them steal my belongings, and besides I promised myself that I would change and become a better person, the person I've wished of.
I raised my head, opening my eyes fully. Two men, no not men, they looked in their teens, about my age. Quickly one of them pulled out a sword and pointed it at my head, in his hand a ripe red apple, my apple.
I glared at the juicy fruit in hunger, I haven't eaten anything for one whole day and a half. My mouth watered, but I remained still because fear currently strook me like a bat.
The guy kept the sword firm in his grip, still above my head only millimeters away from cutting off a strand of my hair. "Who are you?" He asked. The other guy beside him, not having a care in the world, looked through my bags.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that question." I sighed, I wasn't a morning person and by the looks of it, it was no longer dawn, maybe mid-day.
"What were you doing in our territory?" He asked, more harshly this time, I raised an eyebrow at him. "When did the woods belong to anyone?"
"This part of the woods is actually ours." The other boy said. "It is part of London's first kingdom." The apple guy said. Is he a knight? A guard for that castle?
"I didn't know that..." I said bluntly, not caring that it belonged to the king and queen or if the two standing were of noble blood. "May you please remove your sword from my temple?" I asked but with more authority in my voice, in short, I practically ordered him.
"No I can't, you could be a spy or criminal for all we know." He glared down at me. He does have a point, but I can't even harm a fly but he wouldn't know that. "Stop being so over protective, this little girl can't do anything even if she tried." The second boy said looking at me for the first time.
"But your highness- the boy cut him off with a mere glance. The guy removed his sword with one swift move, I stood up dusting off the dirt and leaves that stook to my clothes. Highness...I see.
"Why were you sleeping on the ground, do you not have a place to stay?" The boy asked, I did but apparently someone burned it down, my hands made fists. Thanks for reminding me...
"Don't you know who I am?" He seemed curious to know my answer. I shook my head.
"I'm prince Aaron of cylestia." The boy smiled, his blonde hair jumping along with him. His crystal blue eyes showed mischief and hid a wild glint to them, I can see why he is the prince of cylestia but nonetheless a troublemaker. "Okay..." I said nonchalantly.
"And this is my body guard and best friend William!" Aaron chirped seeming very happy to present his mean friend to me.
Dark black ink hair, some of his bangs in his purple gray like eyes, I didn't know people had purple eyes. But as I look closely they're just gray, but the purple can be seen in them, like a spark or some hidden jewel. His eyes could instantly deceive you in the dark thinking they are actually coal black. On his head a black fedora titled to the left, which complemented his cool look.
"Your highness don't you see the danger in this, you're giving us away to a complete stranger." William hissed. "Frankly I see her as my new concubine." Aaron licked his lips, what I hated the most about myself is that I immediately blush.
"Excuse me?" I said, I would never accept this, does he think that I'm that low? "But she could have aids or STD's you don't know where she's been!" William protested, who does he think I am...Do I look like a person who carries those sick diseases? I've been on the ground this whole time if you haven't noticed! Yeah I might be dirty but that was totally uncalled for.
"I'm only fourteen." I said.
"So?" Aaron looked bored. "By the looks of it you might be the same age as I or even younger, so I don't see why a boy your age would be interested in such foul activities also considering that you are a prince, would it not be better to play with your toys." I explained, such a disgraceful boy, does he not think of the consequences or of his nation.
"Whatever, if you're that mad about it, I'll just make you my maid." He frowned at me, who said I wanted to be your maid? And how will that help me if I'm angry? This boy is so irritating and selfish, has he not recommended my feelings into any sort of consideration.
I was wrong to think he was worthy of such a name prince, I pity those who are under his authority. "You can't just tell me to be something as if you have the right to do so." I replied harshly this time.
"Don't you know who I am." He came closer to me, so we were face to face, inches apart, he's just my hight, I wasn't tall neither was he, but his body guard was tall, like a pole. Hasn't he already introduced himself or had he forgotten?
"Yes I do, prince of cylestia." I answered him boldly. I am tired, it's bad enough I woke up early and my bones are aching but I had to encounter snobby nobles, just my luck. He smirked at my response.
"I could make you who ever I want, whenever I want. what I say you must do, you can't decline anything, I have full authority while you have nothing." He said them fluently like he's rehearsed those lines over and over.
Is he used to saying those awful things to people in lower classes than him? He is right, I have nothing, but I have something he'll never have, feelings of consideration, a brain to use and girl body parts.
"So when I say you're going to be my maid, you will be my maid." He ordered, I glowered at him. William just stood still and watched us, he looked a bit pitiful for me but then quickly hid it behind his facade.
"What's your name?" He asked me slowly like I have a peanut for a brain even though I know I am smarter than him, it made me feel more irritated. "Annabel." I mumbled. "And?" He continued unpatient. "Annabel lee." I replied, wincing at my last name, my family's name...
"Now was that so hard to say." He said, I kept glaring at him.
Let's see if he can handle me. I won't tolerate any excuses that he's a prince, I will treat him like the rest of us, or like how lowly he treats us, what they call us, "peasants".
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