Chapter 3 Taken by faith

~Khorsan Kingdom~

King Bernard chuckled, "Yes, we did it! Captain, put them into hard labor for three days to get that stubbornness out of their bodies, understand?"

"Yes, my lord! Also, I heard from some of the captured women that there's a girl hiding somewhere. They say she's the most beautiful of them all. Should we go back and capture her?" Captain Todd asked calmly.

"Hmm..." King Bernard paused in thought. "Who cares about that girl?" he laughed darkly. "Tell the crown prince to gather his soldiers and go capture her." His tone was filled with malice.

Captain Todd bowed and left the king's presence.

---

A handsome young man in his early twenties sat beside a large ornate mirror, his sapphire eyes reflecting his striking beauty. His dark, long hair cascaded down as several maids carefully styled it. His lashes were thick, adding to his captivating appearance. Suddenly, a knock came at the door.

"Your Majesty, should I let them in?" Selena, one of the maids, asked.

"Yes, of course," Prince Julian answered, not sparing her a glance.

When the door opened, Captain Todd entered and bowed. "Your Majesty, there's a message for you," he said, his eyes cast down.

Prince Julian raised a hand, dismissing the maids. "What's the message?" he asked in a calm tone.

"The King has ordered that you go to Elyria to capture a girl who's hiding there," Captain Todd relayed.

Prince Julian's brow furrowed. "Is that really necessary?" he asked impatiently, feeling irritated. His father always knew how to annoy him. What could be so important about some girl? He muttered under his breath.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Todd affirmed.

"And after we capture her, then what?" Julian asked, feigning annoyance.

"The King said it's up to you to decide."

"Fine," Prince Julian said dismissively. "Take some soldiers and capture her yourselves. I don't have time for such trivial matters. I'm preparing for my brother's birthday party."

"Forgive me, Your Majesty, but the order is directly from the King," Captain Todd said, pleading.

"Alright, then leave. I'll handle it myself," Prince Julian replied curtly, and Captain Todd bowed and left.

---

Elyria had been in turmoil ever since the attack and the abduction of its people. A beautiful girl sat near a pile of sand, alone in the desolate environment. Tears streamed down her face, her swollen brown eyes a testament to the endless crying. Her rosy lips were chapped, trembling as she whispered words of agony. Her brown hair, disheveled and unkempt, gave her an almost witch-like appearance.

Minutes later, the sound of horse hooves grew louder as they approached. Elaine didn't move, though her heart raced with fear.

George, who was leading Prince Julian's soldiers, spoke up. "Hey! What are you doing out there?"

Elaine heard him but chose to ignore him. They had come to capture her, and she wouldn't give them the satisfaction of playing nice.

Seeing her stubbornness, George decided to issue a threat. "Turn around, little girl, or you'll be dead in seconds."

The threat worked. Elaine was terrified of dying, especially without achieving anything meaningful. She hadn't even avenged her grandmother's death. Reluctantly, she turned around and stared at George blankly, her witch-like appearance catching him off guard.

"Oh! What are you doing here?" George asked, trying to regain his composure.

"Go away!" Elaine thundered. "I'm mourning my grandmother. What else do you want from me?" she asked, her voice filled with pain.

"You're coming with us," George said, his tone impatient.

Little girl trying to be brave? he muttered under his breath.

Seeing things were not going according to plan, Prince Julian dismounted his horse and approached her. He had told his men not to use force but to talk her into coming along, but she wasn't cooperating.

As Prince Julian came closer, Elaine felt a strange sense of safety, though she quickly pushed that feeling aside. *These people are evil,* she reminded herself.

"Who are you?" she asked quietly.

"I am Julian," he replied, deliberately withholding his royal status, not wanting to scare her. He extended his hand. "You can come with me. It's safe," he said reassuringly.

Elaine hesitated, unsure if she should trust him. But before she could stop herself, she reached out and took his hand. Gently, he helped her up from the ground.

"Shall she ride with me?" Elmer, one of Prince Julian's trusted men, asked.

"No, she'll ride with me," Julian replied without hesitation.

George, surprised by the decision, tried to intervene. "Your Majesty, she-"

"I insist," Prince Julian interrupted, silencing him with a look.