His Abducted Bride (6 page)

“There is a legend,” King Blackheart began, undeterred by her lack of enthusiasm over the tale of the unicorn’s genesis, “that claims the person who finds out the name of the unicorn becomes its master.”

“Naturally.” Why wouldn’t there be some ridiculous legend like that?

“Please continue,” King Blackheart told Gen.

“Yeah,” Sandy continued. “Are Leo and his band of men running amok on this world as immortal men?”

“No, my lady,” Gen replied. “Leo never made it to the lake, but he did chance upon the dark magician who lives off the Grim Reaper’s Path. Leo and his men promised their service to him if he’d grant them victory over King Fairview. The deal was struck. The magician raised up his scepter and hurled it into the ground. Everything grew silent before a deep rumble emerged from the land. That was how the world became divided into four territories: Havenshire, Crystaline, Reinhold, and Floracrest. With the division of the lands, King Fairview and his allies were forced into Reinhold. Leo and his men organized an attack on all sides of the large island and finally conquered them. But there was a price Leo and his men paid for their victory. The magician changed them into trolls to do his bidding for the rest of their days, so while they were given victory, they did not have the pleasure of enjoying it.”

“That sucks,” Sandy commented. Not that she’d been rooting for Leo or anything, but it seemed like the price they paid wasn’t worth the thing they wanted.

His face somber, he finished, “The four remaining sons of King Fairview each took one of the continents and ruled over the people living on them. So it has been to this day.” He gave a bow, signaling his oral presentation was at an end.

Sandy joined the others in clapping. If nothing else, she did find the speech both entertaining and informative. She wouldn’t have made up an elaborate Twenty Year War or the whole thing with the magician if she’d written the history of this world, but since the world decided to write its own history, she just had to accept it. When she got back to her own world, she could always go back through the story and rewrite it if she wanted. But she figured it was neat enough, so she’d probably leave it alone.

When the banquet came to an end, King Blackheart insisted on escorting her back to her bedchamber.

“There’s no need,” she replied. “I know the way.” And besides, she wouldn’t mind some time alone. It seemed that ever since she woke up, someone had to be with her.

“I realize you know the way, but since my bedchamber is close by, it makes sense I take you there. Unless, of course, you’d like to take a stroll through the gardens? I think you’ll be delighted with them.”

“You don’t have any gardens. All you have is a bunch of thorns growing along your castle walls.”

With his usual irritating smirk, he said, “In your version that was true. But in my version of the story, things are different.”

She groaned at the reminder. “I’ll pass. I’ve had enough of you and this place. All I want to do is go home.” Before he could reply, she added, “Don’t say it. I know you want me to accept this place as my home, but it isn’t going to happen. Ever.”

She turned to leave, but he was quick to join her. “I’m afraid I can’t let you go unescorted until you come to accept your new life.”

“Great. Then I’ll be tailed around by some idiot for the rest of my life.”

“Must you put up such a fuss?”

“Look,” she began, “I was a good sport back there, alright? I smiled and didn’t argue when you made the marriage announcement. Then I sat through the entire spiel of things that happened long ago on this world.”

“And some of those things impact where we are today in this world.”

Being that he was a character who belonged in this world, she couldn’t argue his point, but even so, she didn’t see what that had to do with her.

She proceeded down the dark corridor lit by torches. The damp air was a solemn reminder that she should be in the comfort of her cozy, warm apartment. He had no right to drag her here against her will, to force her into a so-called marriage to change the course of her book. It was her book! Not his. She would have been better off if she’d picked King Petros to be the villain of the book instead of King Blackheart. But how was she to know King Blackheart would take on a personality of his own? He was a thing of fiction, a figment of her imagination. And now he was acting as if he was real.

“I really hate it when characters get an attitude with me,” she muttered.

“What was that?” he called out, close behind her.

She decided not to answer him. She was tired of talking to him. At the moment, she was tired of trying to think of a way to escape. It’d been a long day. All she wanted to do was go to bed, pull the covers up over her head, and wake up in her apartment.

“I was thinking,” he added as she continued her brisk walk down the corridor, “that you should refer to me by my first name.”

“You don’t have a first name.”

“Of course, I do. Everyone has a first name.”

“The villain of my story doesn’t.” She found no reason to give first names to characters she planned to kill off.

“I gave myself a name.”

She turned down the corridor and hurried up the steps that would take her to her bedchamber. Unfortunately, he was close behind and that meant she wasn’t any closer to ditching him than she’d been last night when he abducted her.

“It’s Gavin,” he called out. “I know you would have preferred something like Ire or Brute, but I thought an ordinary name fit better.”

“I don’t care what you named yourself. You can be Bob or Jim for all I care.”

“I like Gavin better.”

“Great. Then you have something you want to be.” When she reached the top of the steps, she spun around so she was facing him. “Why can’t you be content with being my character? Why do you have to be more than that?”

“Because there’s more to me than you were willing to write.”

She sighed and headed down the hallway. “Of all the characters in all the world, I had to get the one who has delusions of grandeur.”

“It’s a delusion of grandeur for me to want to live? I think that’s a rather cold thing to believe.”

She rubbed her forehead and stopped at her bedchamber door. “What you want is irrelevant. You’re not real. You’re someone I made up. But you know what? Right now I don’t care. I’m tired and my head hurts, so I’m done having this discussion.”

“Someday you’ll understand how real I am.”

“Whatever.” She opened the door and slipped into the bedchamber. “Don’t follow me in. We’re not married yet, pal.”

Then she shut the door and stumbled to the chair by her vanity and sat down. She closed her eyes and waited for the world to stop spinning around her before she opened them.

“It’s probably the corset,” she mumbled as she rose to her feet. “I’m surprised I didn’t pass out during the meal with the restrictive thing nearly suffocating me.” She was ready to pull the cord to call Noel when her lady’s maid entered the bedchamber. “Oh, good. You’re here. Please remove these abominable clothes from me at once.”

“Yes, my lady.”

She breathed a sigh of relief as Noel worked to swiftly release her from the confines of the dress and then, even better, the corset. In due time, she was comfortable in her nightclothes and settled into bed. She pulled the covers up to her chin, surprised that a chill should be in the room when the fire crackled nicely in the large fireplace. She hoped that when she woke up from her slumber, she’d be back in her apartment. But when morning came, she was still in the story.

Three days later, Gavin clashed swords with Sir Handel. They’d been practicing in the courtyard for over an hour. Usually, the adrenaline from the strenuous exercise made him feel powerful and in control of the world around him, but today, he couldn’t find peace. Sandy came to the banquet hall and had breakfast, dressed in a morning gown befitting her status. Sure, she hadn’t said more than the courtesy hello, but she hadn’t argued with him either.

He wasn’t sure what was going on inside that mind of hers, except he knew better than to think she was suddenly on board with the idea of keeping him alive or marrying him. She was up to something. This temporary lull of peace couldn’t be good.

He swung his sword with more force than necessary and Sir Handel stumbled back as he blocked the attack with his own sword. Gavin stopped fighting. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be so rough.”

“It’s alright, my lord.” Sir Handel assured him.

“No, it’s not alright. I’m supposed to be a skilled warrior. I shouldn’t be letting my emotions get in the way of my exercise.” He sighed and slipped the sword in its sheath. Placing his hands on his hips, he glanced up at the window that marked Sandy’s bedchamber. He had no idea if Sandy was watching him, or if she even cared what he did with his spare time, but he had to put her out of his mind. Even if he wasn’t the villain she made him out to be, he couldn’t let anyone detect a weakness in him.

“King Blackheart!”

Gavin and Sir Handel turned their attention to the young squire who ran across the courtyard. Curious when he saw the rolled up parchment in the squire’s hand, Gavin left Sir Handel and strode toward the youth. When he reached him, he asked, “You have a message for me?”

“Yes, my lord,” the youth replied, out of breath. “It came from a messenger. I’m afraid it’s from King Petros.”

Gavin accepted the parchment from him and inspected the elaborate ‘P’ on the seal. It was from King Petros alright. He wondered how long it would take the man to realize he’d abducted the author. Looking up at the squire, he said, “Thank you. Return to your station.”

The youth nodded and hurried to do as he was ordered.

Gavin spun on his heel. Noting the expectant stares from his knights who had ceased in their practice, he called out, “As you were. There’s nothing here that concerns you.” Not yet anyway.

The knights reluctantly returned to their practice. They weren’t fools. Gavin had trained them well, and fortunately, Sandy had made them wise enough to detect impending danger. It was what made them such a formidable foe in her story. Except, they weren’t the enemy she assumed them to be. His men, like him, were the good guys, but until she gave him a chance, she’d never believe in the good his men possessed.

He strode into the castle, giving a curt nod to the servants who bowed as he passed by. As much as he wanted to tear the seal off the missive and read it right away, he needed to wait until he was alone. He went straight to his planning room and bolted the door shut. Finally! He stopped by the round table in the middle of the room and peeled the seal off and rolled the parchment open.

King Blackheart,

I couldn’t help but notice everything I’ve worked hard to build over the past year has been wiped away in a single instant. I don’t know why or how you changed the course of the author’s story, but I demand you put things back to the way they were at once. Send the author back to where she belongs. If you don’t, I will. And you won’t like what I’ll do to you if I have to take matters into my own hands.

King Petros of Reinhold

Undaunted by the man’s threat, Gavin snorted. Did King Petros really believe a threat would work? Gavin was a dead man if he returned Sandy to her world and King Petros knew it. Even if he wasn’t a main character in the story, Petros knew enough about the plot to figure out Gavin’s end.

A sudden banging on the door grabbed his attention. Before he could ask who it was, Sandy yelled, “Open this door!”

He rolled his eyes. Leave it to the author to want to know what was going on right under her nose. It was good that she wasn’t privy to everything that happened in this world anymore. It gave him an advantage. He shoved the parchment into his pocket and strode to the door. He removed the bolt and opened the door, slightly amused when she almost fell into the room.

“You wish to speak with me?” he asked, making sure to keep his tone light in case she sensed his unease about King Petros.

She straightened up and smoothed her dress. Clearing her throat, she made eye contact with him. “You know very well why I’m here.”

He crossed his arms and walked back to the table. “Maybe I want to hear you say it.”

She grunted and headed over to him. “I saw the messenger come here. Who sent you word and where is the missive?”

Raising his eyebrow, he turned to her and leaned against the table. “You mean to tell me you didn’t recognize the messenger?” Interesting. He thought she would know who the messenger was since she created him.

“Don’t be cute. I’m not in the mood to play games. What did the message say and who sent it?”

“It was a message to congratulate us on our upcoming marriage.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “I don’t believe you.”

“It doesn’t matter what you believe or don’t believe. I’m telling you that’s what it said.”

“Must you continue to be difficult?”

“Do you still want to kill me off?”

“Do you mean, do I want to go back to my world and write this story the way it’s supposed to be? The answer is yes.”

“Fine. Then yes, I must be difficult.”

She stared at him for a moment then gritted her teeth. “I hate you.”

“Your feelings for me are of little concern to me,” he replied, refusing to let her know she could upset him. With a smirk, he added, “All I want is results. If you can’t give me what I want, you’ll be chained to me for life, figuratively speaking of course. Though I think it might be fun to try it for real, especially if we don’t wear anything.”

She frowned and turned to the window which overlooked the land. “You are aptly named Blackheart. You will do whatever you want to get your way, no matter who you hurt.”

“That’s not fair,” he argued. “I haven’t hurt you in the time you’ve been here. In fact, I’ve seen to your every need. You have everything befitting a queen.”

“Everything but my freedom.” She turned around and glared at him. “I’m nothing but a glorified slave.”