Chapter Twenty-eight: “Rescue”
Adora hit the ground with a thud as men and women all around her laughed. For the last few hours, she’d been tied to the back of Gryphon’s horse. She’d watched as they came up upon a camp full of soldiers. Dolum’s soldiers.
“Bring her here!” Gryphon hoisted the girl to her feet, dragging her to a tent. As they reached the entrance, he untied her hands and threw her inside. “And here you are, dear Adora.”
Adora looked up. “Wiley?”
“Indeed,” the man she’d met a few times helped her stand up before taking her hand and kissing it. “But, I would prefer if you called me by my true name: Dolum.”
“Dolum!?” The girl pulled away from him, but he grabbed her arm.
“You left your father’s kingdom of your own free will, and now you belong to me!” A sinister smirk spread across his face. “My dear, I am about to change the world, and I want you beside me. I am going to attack Ceolum, and then I will rule this land. I am sure that you have seen how stifling the king’s rule is and how free mine is. Join us before we attack!”
“What!? No! I want my father! I want to go home! You lied to me and had Draco lie to me. My father was right about you!” She tried to struggle against the man, but he held on tightly.
“I will give you one more chance. Join me!”
“NEVER!”
The man gave her a dark stare. “Fine, have it your way. Guards!” Gryphon and Draco came inside. “Tie this girl up and throw her in the river.”
“As you wish.”
Adora screamed and thrashed as the two bound her hand and foot, carrying her outside the camp. All the other soldiers pointed at her, laughing and jeering. Adora wished she could cry out to her father as the two men carried her down to a foaming, swirling river.
“Goodbye, Adora, daughter of the king.” With a single toss, the men flung her into the icy water.
For a moment, the cold and ferocity of the current smashed against her, but then a moment later, she found herself lying on dry ground. Footsteps crunched across rock, towards her. “Adora!”
A bearded man and some soldiers, dressed in the shimmering armor of Ceolum, appeared in her vision. The man cut her bonds and helped her stand. Now that the girl could look around she saw that the waters of the river had parted down the middle, creating a path of dry ground.
“Are you alright, Adora?”
“I-I think so…” the men carried her to shore opposite the camp quickly, as Gryphon and Draco came running towards them. The river began to run again, as they stepped ashore, washing away some of Dolum’s men.
Adora saw the camp disappear behind her as she was carried away. For a while, she stayed silent, until the men reached a grove of olive trees and sat down to rest. As the man set her down, he huffed. “You shouldn’t have disobeyed, Adora.”
“I know…”
“Be gentle with her, Moss.” The king’s captain, Gavril came over. “She’s made a mistake, just like you, and just like everyone. She has endured the consequences, and now it is time to take her home. Lady Adora, the king sent us to bring you home.”
“Why…? I messed up…”
The captain knelt down to her. “So? The king still loves you; you are his daughter and he will always love you. Now, come along.” He helped her stand up and led her to where two horses stood, one tall and white, and the other was Adora’s horse, Una.
The girl mounted her horse, slowly, guiltily staring at the ground. Una turned her head and nuzzled the girl’s leg. Gavril and Adora rode back to Ceolum; by the time they reached the city, midnight was nearly upon them.
They stopped in front of the castle. Isa came down the steps, helping Adora off the horse, ushering her inside. By now, the girl could barely keep her eyes open. She distantly heard the king’s voice before everything became blurry, and the next thing she remembered was her body hitting the soft layers of her bed.
✧✧✧✧
“Good morning, Adora.” The king smiled as the timid girl came down to breakfast. “It is good to have you home again.”
The girl said nothing as she sat down, avoiding eye contact with Isa and the king. Isa came over and laid his hand on her shoulder. “We’re not mad, you know. We are just happy to have you home and safe.”
“We still love you and we have forgiven you for what you did. Do not feel ashamed anymore.”
Adora looked up at their smiling faces and she felt that true joy begin to well up inside her once again. “Thank you.” She began eating before she remembered something. “Oh, Father. Dolum is going to attack Coelum. You have to do something!”
“I know what he is planning to do.” The king spoke calmly. “I am prepared to meet him in battle. This will be the final battle between him and I. He has gathered his armies, and has control of the world outside of this city. When the battle begins, some will flee to this city, as they do believe and follow me, but the rest will join him, and they will fight.” He looked up at her. “I assume that he offered you the chance to join him.”
“Yes, but I told him no. He lied to me and used Draco to trick me. When I was captured, I wanted nothing more than to come home to you. I’d never join him.” The young girl shoved some more food into her mouth.
The king nodded. “Well, he will offer everyone in this city one more chance to join him, including you, so be prepared.” He stood up. “Now, we must gather the armies and prepare for war.
[Next Chapter: The final battle is upon the kingdom and Adora has one final choice to make.]