Rebirth (A Remington Leith AU)

Chapter 30

When I finally regained consciousness again, I felt myself lying on a cold, hard surface. I struggled to open my eyes and started to suffer a massive migraine. I woke up to find I was lying on a floor I didn't recognize, and looked around more to realize...I was in a cage. The cage was big but only big enough for me to fit inside. It took me a minute to regain my strength and lift myself off of the ground and sit up from where I was laying. After adjusting my eyes, I looked around to find I was in some kind of run-down shelter and there were many poor and boisterous men around wearing dark colors and looking like they have no care in the world as they drank beer from glasses and acted rowdy with each other. It was loud in here and barely any light in this place. How did I even end up in this mysterious place? The last thing I remember was standing outside of our castle after I told Remington to go back inside. Remington...does he even know that I'm missing? I should never had dismissed him like that if I knew I'd be taken away from him.

One of the men noticed I was awake and called out to everyone, "Aye, men, look! The royal princess awakens from her slumber at long last!" They all laughed and turned their eyes at me, I felt scared and uncomfortable to have them look at me like I was a meal. They started to step closer to me and I backed myself farther back into the cage to stay away as they stared at me and started to taunt at me, "Come on, Your Highness! We're not gonna bite! We just wanna get tah know ya betta..." Some of them tried to reach for me but the cage kept them at a good enough distance, though I couldn't help feeling terrified. I closed my eyes and prayed that this was only a nightmare and I would wake up next to Remington again. "GET BACK, THE LOT OF YOU MAGGOTS!", a booming voice shouted over everyone else and then it fell silent as they stopped and backed away from the cage. I turned and followed the voice to find a more refined man coming down from some stairs with a serious look on his face. As he began to walk through the men and then stop close to me, I couldn't help but notice how different he looked apart from everyone else. He wore the same kind of clothes, but his seemed to possess a better hygiene than the rest of these men and his mannerisms seemed more regal than common.

"Forgive my men for causing such a ruckus, Your Highness", he apologized but his expression remained the same, "But they've just never seen such a lovely young lady like you, so you shouldn't hold it against them. Now then, I'm sure you're scared and confused about everything and that's why I'm here to explain now that you're awake. You see, the prince's family may seem like they care about their kingdom and all, but even they have foes and enemies. Especially those within their social class. Your prince may seem like a decent man, but he crossed me in our youth and I had been waiting for this opportunity to pay back what he did to me after I was nothing but loyal to him and his family." I didn't understand, Remington would never be so cruel to someone loyal to him, or at least, I didn't believe he would. He continued, "He will probably deny this, but Prince Remington knew me as Felix Everett, formerly a grand prince of my own kingdom and a once-proud descendent of a long line of devoted allies to the royal family."

A grand prince? This man who has me trapped in this cage like an animal? How could someone of nobility be so inhumane and heartless? He could see I didn't believe him and snickered at my skepticism, "You clearly must have fallen under his false "gentleman" facade, but the truth is, your husband is just as ambitious as I am. We were friends for the longest time until one day, he saw me strike a maid who deserved her punishment for being so incompetent, and after making my family aware of my actions, they disowned me and stripped me of my title as heir to the throne! I may have been the one who lost everything, but he will remain weak for not asserting his position as a man of power and making sure people fear him as they should. That is what makes a ruler respected and followed!" I heard enough and found myself kicking the wall of the cage he was close to, I didn't hit him but he flinched at my sudden action. I glared at him and turned my head away, that must have upset him more.

"Ha, it seems you care more for the prince than I expected. This will make it much more satisfying to witness when I have him begging for your life", his statement made me turn back at him in shock, he smirked as he explained, "That's right, Your Higness. I've made sure Remington knew that if he doesn't do what he's told, he'll be forced to lose not only his dignity, but the precious princess everyone's claimed he's come to care for more than life itself. I'll find it even more satisfying if he ends up giving his life for yours, then I'll kill you both." I stared with wide eyes as his words held truth in them and I feared more for Remington's life instead of my own. Though I knew it was useless to do so, I begged Felix, "Please, don't do this... Don't hurt him, whatever you do." He raised a brow at me, the other men chuckled at my pleading, I didn't know what else to do. "Perhaps I can spare him and you, but regardless of what he does, you must do something for me first." I said to him, "What is it? I just want him safe, I will do it." He held an evil grin as he gave his proposal, and I wished I never asked, "Let me have you..."