Chapter 2 Damsel in Distress

"Damien wake up" she said in a low tone, trying to keep her voice down. He was already awake. He had woken up earlier and he was lost in thought. He was lying down facing the ceiling-the ceiling was breath taking, the design was remarkable. It was a painting of some war scene of some sort that had some amazing carvings at the end. It gave the room the grandeur look it had.

He did not even notice that the sun had come out or that the birds had already started singing. "Oh you are awake." She said as she kissed him. "Why didn't you wake me, guards and workers will be all over by now." "Sorry, I lost track of time." He replied still looking at the ceiling. She kissed him again. "You think too much." She relaxed her back on the wooden frame to put herself in a sitting position. She smiled a bit before she questioned, "When were you going to tell me?" "I didn't think it will change anything." He answered. "Wait! What are we talking about here? What's changing? We are talking about the mission right?"

He gulped before he said, "My fiancée is coming in two week." "What!" She got out of bed and began dressing up. "Keep it down, why are you so angry? It is not like you didn't know this day was coming." " what about what you said? Did you even mean any of it? I thought things were different now?" "Things are different, nothing is going to change" "Damien, she is going to be married to you, she is going to share your bed every night and she is going to have your children." "And I told you, nothing is going to change." "Damien she is coming next week, things are definitely going to change; we can't keep avoiding this topic, maybe it's time we talk about things." "What should we talk about exactly?" "this..." she said raising both her hands out and trying not to cry." I know I said I will be okay but the truth is that... I don't...." "See! It's not like I want her here either. I have been buying time since, but it's like my luck has run out and I can't keep her from coming anymore."

"Of course you can, you are the king, and you can do whatever you want." "It's not that easy, it's a political marriage, it doesn't mean anything to me, we just have to get married and fulfill our responsibilities, that's all. I don't have to be committed or even love her." "What about her father?" "What does her father have to do with this." "Damien I don't know if I can put up with this, it's all too much." "You knew exactly what you signed up for when this whole thing started. Why are you whining now? "You are unbelievable, why did you have to play with my head, you said all those things and made all those promises. You made me want a life with you."

Raising his voice, "Stop it", he got up resting his back against the wooden part of his bed. Sobbing, tears began to roll down her face. "now it's wrong for me to imagine, for me to dream about the things you put in my head." "Wait" he said sounding worried, "you are still taking the potions right." "Fuck you Damien, that's all you care about. You know you have never cared about me or how I feel; all you care about is still sex. Well I hope you die out there." She said before slamming the door.

"Victoria, what are you doing here? Why are you coming out from Damien's room this early? Why are you crying?" She cleans her eyes, "Steven! Hey, good morning I just came to tell him goodbye." "Why are you crying?" "Don't mind me I just got so emotional after hugging him, he reminded me of my mother." "Keep him safe." She said as she walked away.

"Come in" he said. "Damien we will leave in the next one hour, you better start getting ready." "Okay" he said getting out of bed." I saw Victoria on her way out." "Yes, she just came to collect some stuffs she gave me." "Strange she said she came to tell say goodbye plus she was crying." "And that too, she probably got emotional again" he added. "If I didn't know you two well, I would have thought you two were lovers and maybe she just got her heart broken." He tried to knock it off with a laugh. "your sense of imagination never seizes to surprise me.. She is my other best friend." "And now I am jealous." "My General is jealous, that's a first." "You are enjoying this right." "Don't get me wrong pal, you are my bestest." They both laughed "Go get everything ready, I will be ready before the next one hour, we will eat and then we will leave." "I will do just that."

"Alright let's go." "Steven Why are you in such haste?" "If we don't leave early, we might arrive too late in the night." "Well how was breakfast?" "It was nice as always you know the chef always make excellent meals. Why are you asking, you didn't like it." "I like it but I was just thinking it might very well be our last meal", Damien said as they walked out through the front door. Steven paused "Be careful you know words have power right." "Yes, I was schooled by reverend Patrick too." "Okay I take it back. we will make it; it's not as if the mission is so dangerous. It is just an opportunity for an adventure." "You can never be too careful; please don't do anything too crazy." They saddled their horses, "how many men are we going with." "Twenty of the best soldiers. They are already waiting in front, all ready to ride."

They had passed the busy part of the city; they were now at the last part before the city gate. The city gate was huge made of iron. It was the only entrance through the large wall that protected the city. "That is the wall's Commander." He said sighting some men standing at the gate. "Your Majesty, General, he said before bowing." "Good day Commander." He said acknowledging him. "Your Majesty, are you sure you don't want any of my men to escort you, they know the forest better." "Don't worry", the General cut in, "this mission requires more than knowledge, it requires skills and you men are better skilled at protecting the wall." "As you wish, General."

The village way was almost lonely, it was clear that only a few people lived here. It was mainly inhabited by farmers, fishermen and people that loved the peace and quiet of the countryside. "I think that the old man house." "Which old man? ", he asked pretending to forget. "You have forgotten so soon." "Okay that old man", as if he suddenly remembered. "Should we stop by? " "No, not today, maybe on our way back if we make it." "Okay what's the problem? You have been acting dramatic all day." "Nothing just trying to have some fun with you, and I am also really excited to be out of the palace." "If we continue like this we will never make it in time." "Then less talk and ride more then, race you there", Damien kicked his horse as he left behind a gust of dust with his white stallion.

"Let's camp here for the night, tomorrow is an exciting day for us." Damien said unloading some stuffs from his horse. "I will set up the fire." Steven said breaking some twigs from some trees nearby. Some men had already started making the tents. "I guess I better start cooking." "No" Steven shouted. Some of the men start laughing. "What do you mean?" He questioned with a grim look on his face. "Well we don't want to stress you", trying to give an excuse. "Don't worry I am an excellent cook." "When last did you cook exactly?" "Well I have been observing Chef Gustafson, and I have learnt some new tricks." "Okay let's trust you on that." "Like you have a choice."

"Food is ready boys, it's a good thing that we didn't have to hunt this night, that fisherman we helped with his cart gave us some fishes." "This pepper soup tastes nice." "Yes, I just added some leaves and some spices I brought that's all." "Okay who is doing the dishes? " The soldiers shouted in laughter "Smith." "Looks like you are doing the dishes Captain." "So it's funny guys, after all we being through", he laughed, "I will make sure I increase the training when we get back."

"I will go take first watch, you should get some rest your Majesty", one of the soldiers spoke. He looked up to see the stars; thoughts of Victoria started to rush into his mind. He was not happy the way he had left her. He wondered how she was doing. He loved her but he knew he didn't deserve her and that he could never make her happy. He wanted to save her from himself but he couldn't push her away. She was his addiction-the drug he couldn't stop taking.

"It's time! ""What? ""Well its time, breakfast is ready, we roasted a squirrel." "So everybody gather up", everybody came together some still holding theirs meats in their hands. "What's the plan the king questioned." "We are going to split up into four groups so we can cover more ground. You and I should be in the same team. One team should remain here at camp." "Any comments? Your Majesty." "Okay I like the plan but I don't think we should be in the same team." "No, please I do not like this idea." "My decision is final." "Okay but captain smith will go with you at least." "All right, let's go."

They had decided to walk. The forest was beautiful filled with massive trees, although most of the trees were not the same height, they were all in some kind of layer (emergent, canopy, understory, forest floor). The forest wasn't so sunny, the suns ray was blocked by most of the trees so they enjoyed walking through the path. It would have been easy for people to get lost in these woods if not for the paths that had formed due to the travellers and merchant that regularly passed this route.

One of the soldiers kept on babbling, "Don't tell me you have not heard of the forest queen and the river goddess." "Is that a story to make me scared? ""It is a common tale among the people of Nesus, where have you being chap, so you haven't heard the tale of the lost travellers, the greedy merchants." "Okay let me make a summary, it is believed that they are sisters that control these woods, one is the forest queen while the other is the river goddess, and they decide the faith of anyone that passes through this forest. So when men pass they try not to anger them. They are some sacred things that should never be done here; those that have gotten on their wrong side have suffered the consequences." "I don't believe any of those craps." "It's not crap, its fact."

Damien noticed that one soldier wasn't in any group discussing "Smith why are you so quiet." "I am sorry your Majesty." "We are out here in the forest you can drop the formalities." "What should I say sir? "He smiled, "let's talk about something as we walk, I am stating to get bored, we have been walking for hours, let's make the journey more interesting." "What should we talk about sir?" "Anything you choose and stop calling me sir." "Well, s... I don't have anything in mind." "Are you married?" "Yes sir." "Well sir let's talk about that." "I met her in the palace sir while on duty and we eventually got married." "Sounds like a fairytale. I have a question." "Do you believe in love?" "I don't really have a definite answer." "Maybe when you get the answer you can tell me; I just hope it's not too late then."

"Can you here that?" "The birds singing?" "No the humming sound, it means there is a hive nearby." "Let's go get some honey." "Your Majesty, if I may, I don't think we have time for this, we still have the mission to complete." Hardly could smith finish talking when he sliced the hive into two with his sword. I don't know what he was expecting but the bees didn't give them a friendly welcome. "Run! Run! For your lives" he shouted. They took to their heels. "To the water" smith shouted the river. Luckily for them the river was nearby too. The river extended from the village down to the forest, it connected into the pacific sea. "Try not to go to the middle boys, the current is too strong there but for now just enjoy the swim." "I think they are gone." "Let's make a run for it back to camp"

One of the soldiers ran in, panting, "General!" Steven shouted, "Where is the king? "The soldier bent down hanging on to his knee, still panting. "Speak up! Why are you wet?" "We... were attacked." "The alligators...." "Is he wounded? Where is he? I told you guys to protect him." "Then they did a good job. "Relax Steven I am here." "Was this supposed to be a prank" he sounded relieved. "No, we were really attacked." "Really you saw one?" "I was wondering what took you so long, it looks like your team had their hands full with all the excitement." "We were attacked by bees." "Bees." Everyone that could hear started laughing. They could not control themselves "it is a good thing dinner is ready then."

"So you guys didn't see anything too" "No! Only one team encountered one." "Well if there's one, there must be more out there, wolves always travel in pack. We will try again tomorrow. They must be hiding somewhere."

"What are we having this night?" There was a loud Scream "Help!" Damien shouted, "Steven my sword." They both jump on their horses. "Follow them" Captain Smith ordered some other men to catch up. He was almost there; the voice was becoming more audible, talking to his horse, "Faster! Faster!"

"I see a girl!" "I see the beast!"