Chapter 17

Owen spent days monitoring Divina's room and to his dismay, it was never left unattended. It was kept locked and guarded day and knight. He was going to have to find a way to lure the guard away from her door long enough for him to pick the lock. He was beginning to worry about her. Sometimes he would hide around the corner from her room and watch the guards take her away in the morning. Her already slight frame was beginning to look skeletal and her eyes which always seemed to sport the traces of a restless night were now starting to look sunken. He could tell she had lost all hope. He wished he could at least let her know that he was going to get her out of there.

The captain had finally conceded to Owen's plan to smuggle Divina out of the castle. He even insisted that he take her all the way to Ashoura, a small country to the west. Apparently, he had a friend there who could help Divina start a new life. Hopefully, it was a happier life.

Owen was in his barrack counting out his money. He didn't have much. Being a knight earned you honor not coin, but he was going to have to use all he had saved to ensure food to eat and a warm bed to sleep in as often as possible for Divina while they traveled. They would have no choice but to bed under the stars some nights, but he hoped to provide her some comfort when he could.

A knock on his door had Owen hurriedly dropping his coins back into his pouch and shoving the entire thing under the mattress of his bed.

"Enter," he called out. A large man entered the room. It took him a second to recognize the man as Edgar. His clothes were more on trend with current fashions and his face was shaved and his hair neatly combed.

"Edgar," Owen said shocked, "What brings you here?" Edgar looked a bit nervous.

"I've brought someone with me…" he started to say but said person interrupted by pushing past him and rushing up to Owen. It was Lady Emily, who looked frantic. Her eyes were red-rimmed and her hair looked a bit disheveled as she had been constantly playing with it or running her hand through it.

"Sir Owen," she cried.

"Lady Emily," Owen tried bowing, but Emily didn't allow him. She took his hands in his own.

"You have to help," she cried. Her small hands squeezed his tightly.

"If you do not help her… I do not even want to think about it," she blubbered with tears welling up in her eyes, "She is already so frail. You must know that. He's going to… She will break. He will kill her."

"Lady Emily, speak clearly," Owen said firmly. He looked up toward Edgar.

"Lady Emily begged me to bring her to you," he explained, "She said her friend was in danger. The one from the tournament and that you would know what to do."

"Divina? Divina is in danger? How Lady Emily? Please try to calmly explain," Owen urged her. He gripped her shoulders and squeezed them slightly. Lady Emily took a deep breath and sniffled loudly.

"I was walking around the castle. Without Miss Divina, it's become quite lonely. I avoid tea times now," Emily explained. "Early this morning I saw Divina being escorted by the palace guards out of his majesty's throne room. She looked terrible. She could hardly walk on her own." Owen sighed. This was information he already knew and although he had a plan, he wasn't willing to risk telling anyone other than the captain. Not even her friend cared for her deeply.

"That's not it though," Emily said in a rush, "I intended to follow them to see if I could have a chance to speak to Miss Divina, but Wizard Obus walked out of the throne room too." Emily visibly shuddered as she recounted him.

"He looked like he was in a hurry to go somewhere. I don't know what possessed me to, but I followed him. And you know what he did? He met up with the prince. It's strange because everyone knows that the prince doesn't care for Wizard Obus. There are rumors that as soon as Prince Gabriel is crowned king he plans to kick the wizard out of the castle so seeing them together was suspicious. So I hid around the corner and eavesdropped. They were speaking very low, but the wizard said something about lifting the spell on Miss Divina's room. The prince got a disgusting smile on his face. It made me wonder what that spell did to make him so happy that it would be removed. If the prince is happy then it had to be some sort of spell to protect her, don't you think?" Owen pursed his lips. No doubt it was a spell to keep the prince at bay. Without it, the prince could probably come and go from Divina's room as he pleased. Emily was right. She was in danger. Owen couldn't wait until he figured out how to lure the guard away. He was going to have to kill the guard or at least knock him out and hope that he and Divina could get away before the guard was discovered.

"You will help her won't you, Sir Owen," Lady Emily pleaded, "You care for her deeply do you not?" Owen didn't pause to ponder such a question.

"I will do the best I can to protect her, Lady Emily," Owen promised. He knew it wasn't as passionate a response as Emily wanted, but Owen was unwilling to show his cards to anyone yet. First, he needed to find out where the prince was.

"Edgar, will you escort Lady Emily back to the castle," Owen asked. Emily looked unwilling to leave until she had a better assurance from Owen, but Edgar recognized the silent order in his words.

"This way Lady Emily," Sir Edgar urged her, "Owen is a knight. He's bound by duty to protect all the citizens in this kingdom. Miss Divina included." Emily reluctantly took Edgar's arm.

I give my word, nothing will come to harm her," Owen promised as he followed them out. Emily gave him a wavering smile before allowing Edgar to lead her away. Owen watched them go and then quickly turned to head back to the castle. He needed to find the prince.

Owen started at Divina's room. The same ugly palace guard that had been keeping watch for the past few days was standing there looking bored and annoyed. Owen casually walked by him.

"Does that girl ever get visitors?" Owen asked nonchalantly.

The guard snorted, "Who'd want to visit such a homely woman? Maybe in the darkest of night when one cannot see a hand in front of their face." Owen joined in the guard's laughter before giving him a nod and walking away. It took everything in him not to go back and beat the guard so hard his eyes would swell shut. Maybe it would come to that later.

Suddenly Owen heard loud marching down the hall. A group of a dozen men appeared around the corner. All of them held weapons A few of them Owen recognized as the palace guards while the rest seemed to be nobles belonging to the king's advisory board. A board largely ignored by his majesty, but they still held a good amount of power. Owen stepped aside as they marched past him. Toward the back of the group, he spotted Captain Maximus. Owen grabbed his shoulder.

"What's going on," he demanded. Max's eyes softened as he looked at Owen.

"The prince has been assassinated," he said. Owen's eyes widened in surprise. Who would kill the prince? Owen noticed the group stop in front of Divina's door.

"What are they-"

"The assassin pretended to be a foreign noble and requested audience with the prince. He managed to stab him several times with a dagger before the palace guards could reach them. The assassin ran, but the wizard was supposedly able to corner him. He was able to get some information out of the assassin before he killed himself," Captain Max said. He grabbed Owen's wrist and tightened. Owen quickly glanced at his captain but looked back to the group of men bursting through Divina's door.

"The assassin said he was paid by the king's ward. We all knew about the prince's attentions to her," Max continued. Owen was no longer listening. He attempted to reach Divina's room, but Max twisted his arm behind his back.

"Do not get involved," Max said harshly. Owen heard a weak feminine cry. He struggled against his captain.

"Let go," Owen shouted. The captain dragged him back. Thankfully the group of men was too engrossed in the small female being dragged out into the hallway by her hair to notice the captain pin Owen against the wall.

"They're hurting her," Owen roared. The captain shoved a beefy arm into Owen's neck. Owen choked and beat against the captain's arm.

"Settle Owen," Max hissed, "There is nothing you can do for her now. You'll only garner suspicion against you." Owen continued to beat on the captain's arm until black spots started to appear in his vision. He desperately watched as the shadows blurred the sight of Divina being dragged away. She didn't kick or scream or fight. She just let them take her. Finally, Owen calmed himself. The captain slowly released him.

"She'll be taken to the dungeon," Max said. Were she anyone else she would have been killed on the spot. She was something of a prize possession to the king. But would that be enough to save her from execution?

"She is innocent," Owen mumbled, "This is the wizard's doing."

"I must follow them," Max called back Owen's attention.

"You have to convince them to let her go," Owen said desperately. Max sadly shook his head.

"But she is innocent," Owen argued, "You and I both know that."

"Go back to the barracks," Max ordered.

"But captain-"

"That is an order," Max shouted. Owen glared at him and Max sighed.

"Her being sent to the dungeons is her best option right now," he said in a hushed voice. Owen pictured Divina in the dungeon. A dirty dark cell covered in rat droppings. Surrounded by the corrupt and the deplorable. She didn't belong there.

"Trust me, Owen," the captain urged, "I will explain later so go." He didn't wait to see if Owen would follow his order. The captain rushed off to catch up with the men taking Divina away. Owen looked back to her room. The door was left open and the palace guard was missing.

Owen walked into her room. A stool was turned over on its side and a basket of sewing supplies was overturned. Besides that, there was no evidence of a struggle. The last time he stood in her room she was being backlit by the glow of the moon. She looked ethereal and made the golden rose in her hand look like a weed. His aim had been to make her smile, but she only looked confused when he handed her his prize from the tournament. She had looked at him with soft eyes though. Her deep blue eyes were almost black like the night sky. He was sure that he could even see the stars. His chest had flooded with something he still didn't recognize. All he knew was that the novel feeling was enjoyable. He ran his knuckle down her cheek as she admired the rose. He didn't even know why he did such a thing. He just wanted to feel her. Maybe to test if she were real.

Owen looked around the empty room. He noticed a necklace laying on the floor. A pendant of pressed metal in the shape of a moon on a broken chain. It must have fallen off. Owen picked it up and slipped it into his pocket. He went to the vanity table and pulled open the drawer. The golden rose lay there toward the back of the drawer. He grabbed that too and hid it beneath his shirt, careful not to crush it. Finally, he left the room.

Both treasures he would return to her once he ensured her safety and he freedom. He just hoped she would wait for him until he could get to her because he was coming for her. He intended to keep his promise. Nothing and no one would harm her.