Twisted Destiny

Part 1 - The Ball

Lantana was upset. Very upset. She knew it wouldn't do anything to scream and cry so she just gave the soldiers the silent treatment.

"It's all my fault. I was so reckless. What was I thinking that it was my friend, especially with the Royal Guard outside my door? It's all my fault I got captured. All that I worked up, it's all gone because of my stupidity." She thought to herself bitterly.

She just stayed silent the whole time. It was very uncomfortable for her though. Unless she wanted to commit suicide or worse, get severely injured and live, she had to keep her hands around the the waist of the solider who had taken her. She knew it was as uncomfortable for him as it was for her though, so she took pleasure in that thought for the ride back. It would take at least two days to get back to Virago, but Lantana just sighed and took it all in.

Everything was perfect for the ride. There were no ambushes, and even the weather was perfect riding weather. That was until the second day. They were approaching Virago and had just stopped on top of a big cliff for a lunch break. During these breaks Lantana just took her food then distanced herself from the other. She wasn't hungry today and was poking at a rock when she heard the soldiers muttering.

"...Wrath,"

"...Dark clouds,"

"Should we continue?"

Lantana turned around and the one who seemed to be the leader put his hand up to pause the others. He said something inaudible to Lantana and the other soldiers hummed in agreement. He then came over to Lantana.

"We're going to find shelter. There's storm clouds moving in."

Lantana nodded, but inside she had so many questions. There were just a few dark clouds up ahead, she didn't see any problem.  They all went back on their horses and Lantana refused the soldier's hand when he offered to help her up his horse. Then someone shouted out.

"General! There's commotion up ahead!"

"General! Thought Lantana. "This whole time... I.. I... I've been so... Ah how did I not notice!  This is ridiculous!"

Lantana was snapped out of her thoughts by the sudden action. The general spurred his horse into action, and they rode faster than they ever had before. It was then Lantana decided to speak

"Hey! What do you think you're doing!"

"Getting away from here," he replies.

Lantana didn't bother asking why. All she saw was storm clouds, but one of the soldiers had said there was commotion. For all she knew Virago started yet another war with Ravennisse and there was a patrol group and they were outnumbered five to one or something.

They rode extremely fast, and Lantana couldn't help but wrap her arms tighter around Gabriel's waist. Trees whizzed by, but before she knew it they had entered the forest. There was no trail and she closed her eyes and wished for it to be over.

"There's so much that can go wrong right now! What happens if we bump into a tree! We'll both die!"

Soon enough though, she felt the horse too slow. Lantana opened her eyes and saw a cave up ahead.

Gabriel rose inside and then dismounted. She heard the other follow suit. That was it though. Gabriel started talking quietly to some of the others, but they waited there for what felt like a day. Finally, Gabriel left and came back signaling that the coast was clear to return outside. Lantana didn't get it. Why did they have to wait so long just to wait out a troop of soldiers?

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They kept riding and soon it was nightfall. Under the protest of the others, Gabriel stopped and let them rest for a few hours. He started a fire, and Lantana fell asleep near the embers. She woke a few hours later in the early hours of the morning. When she opened her eyes, she saw Gabriel sitting next to the fire. He had taken his helmet off and didn't seem to have slept at all. His shaggy hair fell into his eyes and Lantana couldn't help but stare. He seemed almost unchanged from the last time Lantana had seen him. His eyes were so calm and soft unlike when she usually saw them in the day. Then, they were always filled with fury and made him look much more menacing than he actually probably was. He looked so much more... handsome. In the firelight, the scar up his cheek was much more visible. Lantana wondered how he had obtained it. Before she had time to react though, he suddenly turned his head and was staring straight at her.