ʜᴏᴏᴅᴇᴅ | ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴏɴᴇ

𝔱𝔴𝔬

The carriage pulls to a halt and you and your father climb out.

Before you stands a tall, blocky building. Your guess is that this meeting is associated with the trade of coal, or some kind of ore. Its large panelled doors creak open to display a long, basic table and roughly thirty people seated, including the city's king.

You scowl.

•"Behave." your father hisses as your guards stand closely beside you, edging nearer to the building.

Now you can see the king's bored expression quickly changing into a startled one as you fall to the ground, unconscious.

Startled expression because of the seven hooded men hovering behind you.

Unconscious because one of them just hit you on the head.

Chapter 3:

You moan as a sharp pain rings through your head. Lifting your upper body up, you try to adjust your eyes. There's nothing for them to adjust to. No light, no furniture.

You realise you're not in a meeting, or in the warmth of your safe home. Somewhere far above you, you hear voices.

•"Father?" You call, a tear dropping down your cheek as a result of both the pain in your head and the fear in your body.

•"It hurts." You cry.

A gravelly snicker echoes around the room. You gasp in fear. Somebody is in here with you, and you can't see them.

•"Hello little girl," The unknown voice chuckles.

Your heart thumps heavily in your chest as he continues.

•"Grommy from the cell next door tells me you's the pricess of Yeillson city, 'aint that right Grommy?"

An old man grunts not too far away from you. You're in a cell.

•"No need to be rude. You can reply yannow, I can sees you over there. Me eyes, sadly for you, 'ave adjusted to the dim light in this cell throughout these years. You could say hi, atleast."

•"Hi." You squeak.

He can see you, but you can't see him. You decide to be kind, because if not, something unfortunate may happen.

•"So."
He coughs.
•"Since you's a princess, and we's locked in a castle cells, I's wondering If ya wanted to know why I'm here?"

No. It will probably scare me more than I already am.

•"Okay..." You sniff

•"Well, you see, I's used to be a servant as well years ago,"

Grommy grunts.

•"Oh, you idiot, shut up Cobby! These cells 'ave 'eard this story millions of times." He shouts, coughing dangerously in his old age.

•"...well. This very, very pretty maid used to work 'ere aswell. She was about sixteen years old, I reckon. Poor little girl felt bad for me old little soul, and was kind to me. She was only sixteen. I's put in these cells for what I did to her. Don't regret it though."

Your heart skips a few beats and you gasp in fear. This couldn't get any worse.

And you were hungry.