Peas and Princesses by Aleese Hughes

Author:Aleese Hughes [Hughes, Aleese]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-07-01T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

After waiting a couple hours, we were convinced the soldiers had left Marviton. We still had four or five hours of darkness left, which made it a good time to start travelling without drawing too much attention to ourselves.

I was helping Joseph tie some of the food to Borden’s saddle and trying not to cry again. Janice tiptoed outside with the last bit of supplies we had gathered and handed them to Joseph.

“That’s all the jerky we have left,” Janice said.

I bit my lip. “Will you come with us?”

She shook her head. “Three can’t fit on one horse. I’ll just slow you two down.”

We pulled each other into a tight hug. “I’ll be back someday, I promise,” I said, burying my nose into her shoulder. It was too much. First I lost my parents and now my sister.

Janice stroked my hair. I had never seen her so brave. It was almost as if she was beginning to take on the role of elder sister.

“Home will always be here,” she said. “I will always be here.”

“Did you hear that?” Joseph whispered.

My sister and I released each other, each with our ears perked. Before I could even blink, half a dozen men leaped from the bushes and trees surrounding where we stood. Janice and I screamed and Joseph drew the sword at his hip. But before he could fight, he was grabbed from behind and restrained by one of the soldiers.

“Jose—” My shout was muffled by a hand thrust over my mouth. I began squirming, trying to get a good look at my captor. It was Borge! I tried to scream through his hand, my worst fears being recognized as I was being grabbed twice by the same man in such a short time. I bit down on his palm, hard.

“Wow! You’re a feisty one, aren’t ya, Princess?” His deep voice rumbled unpleasantly. My struggling only tightened his grip on me.

Darting my eyes around, I could see Janice and Joseph struggling with their own captors. The remaining men surrounded us, swords pointed threateningly.

“Men, grab your horses!” Borge shouted, which caused my ears to ring painfully.

And before I knew it, all three of us were tied and thrown onto horses. My life was, yet again, being ripped away from me after less than a day of freedom. I let myself cry. My shoulders heaved from the sobs. I didn’t care who heard, I didn’t care who listened. It was over.

Janice, Joseph, and I knelt before King Leopold in his throne room. It was very late, and the room was lit only by two candlesticks set on each side of the King’s throne. The four of us and three other guards were the only ones present. It was a very different atmosphere than when I had last been there to address the court as Princess Amelia.

My wrists were chafing under the ropes that bound me. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Joseph twisting his hands against his own ropes furiously.

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