Chapter 13

Great tip: listen to Niall Horan's everything comes back to you or Chris Brown's Lady in a Glass dress as you read this chapter.

Big thanks to @4larkeh for your votes and everything. You inspire me and to everyone who votes and reads thank you so much.

August 14, 1345.

Stormhold Castle,

The walled city of Rothwell,

Capital of Myknos.

Lady Odeya Katarina Black

Odeya awoke to the sounds of someone snoring lightly beside her. She looked to see a head of blonde hair lying a little too close to her face.

She recalled the previous nights events and wondered of she was really going to follow through with her plans.

A knock sounded on the door and she stood to let whoever was there into the room. She donned a robe just in case it was the Prince. He seemed to meet her only when she wasn't properly dressed.

Lo and behold, he stood there with an array of maids behind him bearing trays of food and basins of water. She stood aside to let him in and all the while the other maids worked, there was only silence between them.

He refused to meet her gaze but stared intently out the window, not really seeing anything but contemplating things in his head. She took advantage of his lack of attention and stared shamelessly at him, noting how his clothes fit snugly in the right places.

His biceps, which weren't so big to be called broguish, showed muscles that had been toned from years of sword practice and weight lifting.

He was more than she expected and she couldn't still decide if that was a bad thing or a good thing.

'Weren't all rich people fat and lazy?' She thought.

She had seen kings and lords alike, all rotumbent in the tummy area with terrible table manners and princes even more spoilt. She had hoped he would be one such man and not the god she saw before her.

Alyn was awake now and noticing the tension in the room, said nothing but went to wash her face and don a robe also, waiting to be invited to the table.

They ate in silence and only the shouts of men and music from the outdoor breakfast that permeated the air could be heard. Odeya felt pressured by the tension between them and she couldn't hold it in any longer.

"My name isn't Alicia." She said dropping her fork.

The siblings turned to look at her.

"My name is not Alicia." She repeated, "I am Odeya Katarina Black. Daughter to Sir Felfar Black of Bandos and Irinea Oishra of the Far Islands."

"Odeya." Alyn said her name.

Prince Nicolas stared at her as if processing her words before a look of recognition graced his features.

"Black?" He said, "Your father joined my uncle in the rebellion. He was his right hand man."

"Yes. He boasts of it even now."

"Is that why you're here? To finish what he started?" He asked.

"I was sent here to... kill you. But it was supposed to be after you had fallen in love with me. That was my father's plan."

"How are you so proud to call yourself his daughter?"

"I am not proud to call him my father. It's just for clarity sake." She felt herself choking up as she spoke, "He has my mother locked up somewhere and if I failed, like I have, he has promised to kill her."

"Why are you telling us this?" Alyn asked coming to rub her shoulders.

"Its too late for my mother so maybe there's still a chance to save you all." She said.

"What do you mean?" Prince Nicolas asked, sitting up.

"He thinks I am on my way to camp on the outskirts of Bandos. He has an army of men within your walls but notwithstanding there are some Lords whose loyalties lie still with your dead uncle." She explained, "He means to strike the night of the ball. When you all will be most distracted."

Alyn paled visibly and looked to her older brother who tried to not look scared.

"How can we be so sure he doesn't already know you're here?"

"Oh he knows. I have a plan. He knows that you will suspect me for Lord Igneos' death and he knows that I will be placed in the dungeons on my arrival." She explained.

A guilty look appeared on his handsome face and he looked away apologetically.

"I would never have..." He started.

"So your job now is to do as he thinks. Place me in the dungeons and announce it. He will think that he is still in control. I only hope that his spy hasn't told him that I planned to confess everything to you." She interrupted.

"No. We won't do that to you!" Alyn cried, "Please brother don't let her do this."

"Its my fault, Your highness and besides, you don't have the men to face him head on. That would be suicidal." She attempted to soothe the princess but it only seemed to make things worse.

Prince Nicolas went silent for a long time, weighing the choices in his head. The silence only increasing her fear of the battle to come.

"I don't want you to do this." He said finally, "I can talk to my father and we'll find another way to go about this..."

"And then what? He'll tell one of his trusted advisors who will inform my father!" She interrupted again, "Your highnesses there should be no debate here! The future of your kingdom is at stake!"

"So what would you have us do? Drag you in chains to the dungeons? Have you hanged? Is that want you want? Either way we are still doomed. He has more men than we do!" Prince Nicolas yelled slamming the table at the end.

"Its hopeless." He said softly this time and she walked behind him and placed an arm on his back.

She had expected him to flinch but was surprised when he let out a deep breath and relaxed. She could still a little bit of tension so she sent a message to Princess Alyn who understood and left the room.

"Your Highness you can't give up yet. You will soon be king. You have to be strong for your people. We can still send riders to Imras and Shiv'ra and even hire some more men. Loyalty nowadays can be bought." She said softly.

He relaxed even more with a deep breath and turned to her. When she removed her hand from his back, he held the hand and looked into her eyes.

Many emotions swam in the now sapphire blue depths and she felt like drowning in them. His full lips looked tantalizing to her now and she noticed as his eyes darted to hers. She licked her lips and watched his eyes go wide.

She inched her head closer to his and he questioned her with his eyes. She nodded and slowly but surely, his lips captured hers. At first it was slow and soft, like he didn't want to scare her off, but gradually it turned heated like two lovers that had been starved of each others presence.

His lips on hers started a fire that she never knew she had. Yes...this was what she wanted but why did it feel so wrong?

He pulled from her all too soon and stared into her eyes and she could see an emotion that she had only seen in her mother's eyes only that his had a bit of hunger with it. His once cerulean blue eyes had darkened to an almost mid night blue color that showed his desire for her.

She was sure her eyes mirrored the expression his had and what he said next left her feeling more frightened and happy than she had ever been in her life.

"I love you." He said breathlessly.

She stared wide eyed at him. He loved her? But how? He was always cold to her but for these last few days. When did he fall for her? And why her?

All these questions swam in her head as she looked at him. She felt the same way but now was not the time for this. She knew that this would ruin the whole plan to save the people of Myknos and she couldn't have all that blood on her head.

"I don't feel the same way about you." Those eight words brought so much pain to his eyes and she knew she had finally pushed him off the edge.

He turned cold and called for the guards.

"You are under arrest for the murder of Lord Igneo Rumbart of Elden. Escort her to the dungeons and get some craftsmen to erect gallows. She will be hung on the morning after the last ball." He instructed the guards without so much as a glance at her.

What have I done?

As they dragged her out the door, she grabbed a hair pin and placed it in her hair where she could find it if she needed it.

She decided to bid her time and after the announcement of her crime, she would leave. She had to help him especially now that he seemed distracted by his hatred for her.

'Oh Lord help your servant. Don't let the evil ones prevail.' She prayed.

"Odeya you have to be strong. Your fight is just beginning." She whispered into the darkness.