In The Name of The King (#Wattys2016)

Damsel in Distress

Chapter 29

Arthur's POV:

"You're mad! How do you expect us to infiltrate an eight story castle?!" Adri exclaimed, unable to conceal the worry that was etched into her porcelain face.

"Not to mention the myriad of guards," Gavin lazily added, quietly picking the follicles around his fingernails. "How'd ye expect to get out of that?"

"Exactly," Adrianna agreed, surprising even herself for a quick moment.

"You seem to forget that you have a Sorcerer on your side," Merlin chuckled, smiling a broad smile as he slowly studied the group, his eyes falling upon mine. "If you're willing to bend the rules a bit," he finished, daring me to challenge him.

For most of my life, I've had to deal with the beatings and negativity my mother has served me with throughout the course of my adolescence. I worked hard and tried my best to climb the military ladder, officially earning the title as a royal knight. Little did I know at the time that a wavy brown haired beauty would stumble into my life and change everything. Deep down, I knew Adelaide was thrown into my path for a reason. That helping to rescue her from the clutches of Caldwell wasn't just my duty but also my destiny.

"Is that clear?" Merlin growled out, abruptly tearing me away from my own thoughts.

"Yes, yes it is," I hastily agreed, praying to the almighty that this was thebest decision.

"Well then, shall we?" Merlin clapped excitedly, gesturing towards the entryway as he raised his hands above his head.

"Shall we what?" Gavin piped up, looking rather perplexed as he eyed Adrianna beside him.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Adri frowned, suddenly taken aback from the sudden surge of electricity that flowed from Merlin's palms.

Almost Instantaneously, the large entryway had currents of red, white, and green light flowing into a large swirl around the entrance. It seemed as if Merlin was channeling some sort of energy into the air around him. My eyes grew wide and circular as I observed the sorcerer slowly start to fabricate some kind of portal in front of us. Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever believed what was transpiring right in front of me.

"My liege," Alistair bowed, effortlessly leading the group through the portal.

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Adelaide's POV:

Light filtered through the open doorway as I gazed down at the swollen scratches that marked my thighs. I felt as if I could still feel his hands and hear my muffled screams ricochet off the painted walls. How could I let it get to this? How could I be overpowered so easily? I screamed internally, trying to quell the bile that was threatening to bubble over. It didn't have to be like this...Didn't have to end like this...If only I could escape my fate.

Quiet sobs shook my shoulders as his silhouette stood powerfully above me.

"Please...," I croaked, unable to feel the blinding pain in between my legs any longer as he held something frigid against my throat.

"You knew this was your fate from the start love," Caldwell dismissed, a triumphant glint shining in his green irises.

Sucking in a lungful of air, I tried to grasp the reality that was quickly caving in around me. That the life I hoped to live was nothing but a distant fantasy. That my father's death would never be avenged due to my incapability of defeating this unrelenting villain. I had no other choice but to accept defeat and give him what he wanted. My life in his hands.

"Good girl," he sneered, lifting the object up as it clashed with the light of the moon, Its pointed edge fiercely staring down at me in all its glory. With one swift movement, the dagger sliced against my arm, causing blood to ooze out of the open wound. Tears blurred my vision as my piercing shouts echoed throughout the surrounding corridor's.

"just get it over with," I hissed, trying to hold back the pain that was spreading up my arm.

"Get it over with? Just like that?" Caldwell leered down at me, forcefully tilting my chin up to meet his questionable orbs. "I'd rather see you writhe in pain as the light slowly drifts from your eyes," He chuckled, suddenly spearing the dagger through my upper thigh with as much force as he could possibly muster, receiving yet another pained cry from my trembling lips. Shakily, I tried swallowing the lump that was starting to lodge in my throat. I knew this was it, knew that in only a matter of seconds, my body will be lying lifeless on the silk bedding underneath me.

"I can't do this....," I breathed out, struggling to form the words that were threatening to spill out. I couldn't seem to detect Caldwell's next movements, all I could focus on was the blinding crimson that stained my legs and fingertips. Even worse, I felt numb to the stabs that he was continuously inflicting onto my battered body.

With every violent jab he took with the knife, my sense of reality started to slowly ebb away. My limbs felt leaden with exhaustion as I attempted to slide myself off the silk bedding, only to be trapped between the wooden edge and Caldwell's kneecaps. Tears started flowing more freely this time, silently slinking down the crevices of my neck. I could distinctly feel the vile red substance slinking down my arms and legs like tiny little vermilion snakes.

"Can't what love?" He sneered, seeming as if he was mocking me. Finally, he lifted the metal against my neck, pressing both of his thumbs against the center of the blade. Writhing and gasping, I clutched his wrists, trying to pry them off of the weapon that he was attempting to decapitate me with. If only I was strong enough to overpower him. Then maybe, just maybe, I'd have a chance.

All around me the scenery started gradually contorting into fuzzy white dots as darkness surrounded the edges of my vision.

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Hey lovely readers! I'm so sorry that it's been so long since I last updated. I've had major writers block and it's literally taken me this long just to write this chapter. Hopefully the next chapter will be up next Wednesday. I'm really trying to get on a schedule with my writing on top of schoolwork. There's also some editing errors but I'll always come back and improve it when I have the time. Also, I might be improving the beginning chapters and make it less choppy and more flowy (Yes, I know that's not a word LOL ;P) :) Anyways, if you liked this chapter don't forget to comment and vote! <3

Xoxo,
Natalie