Happily Ever After......NOT!

Chapter Sixteen

     Sunlight sparkled all around as another day began. I groaned and covered my ears as birds fluttered and tweeted to each other bouncing from branch to branch. Why did birds have to be so loud when I'm trying to get some sleep I thought grumpy as I sat up. Rubbing my eyes sleepily I looked around me, everything was where it was supposed to be, except Hayden. His black leather jacket laid on the ground where he slept, but he wasn't anywhere to be seen.
     I frown and scrambled to my feet, it wasn't like him to just get up and leave, "Hayden?" I called out looking all around. "Hayden! Where are you?" No reply.  I pierced my lips in thought and crossed my arms. Where on bloody earth could he be? And why didn't he wake me to take me with him?  Hearing a snap of twigs I smiled and turned around, "There you are! I thought you ran off and left me!" I stopped short, two men who were definitely not Hayden approached me.
     One was a big man with a long brown beard and a scar on his left cheek, a sword dangled at his waist. The other man wasn't as big and his hair was blond. He wore a Navy suit like he was part of a King's Navy, but his uniform look unfamiliar to me, I had no clue what King he worked for.
     A sinking feeling that I was in danger took over my stomach. I had to get out of here and find Hayden. I turned around ready to make a run for it, but was stopped short by a women with curly brown hair holding a knife up to my throat.
      "Don't even try to run your majesty." She said an evil twisted smile on her lips. She was taller than me and wore a tight red dress that showed a lot of her cleavage. On her head was a dark brown tricorn hat like those that pirates wore. She snatched my arm and held the dagger threatening to my throat, she hissed into my ear, "A lot of people are looking for you Princess Amaya."
       I gulped terrified, but more than that, something about this woman was familiar. I couldn't put my head to it though as I felt the cold sharp blade of the dagger against my neck. "Look, let's just talk about this." I said licking my dry lips. Maybe if I talked and stalled her she won't slice my throat.
     "Ohhhhh" the woman said sarcastically, "The Princess wants to talk."
     The two men chuckled.
      "Yes." I said my throat felt as dry as the desert. "I know my father is offering money for my return, but I'm begging you please don't! You don't know what he's like!"
      The cold dagger still pressed against my skin she laughed, "What makes you think we're going to give you to him? There's  other men willing to pay way more than your daddy." She said tracing her finger along my jaw, then her eyes narrowed, "and don't even think about yelling out for him, he's not going to be back for awhile." She pinned my hands behind my back and looped her arm around my neck the dagger pressed against my skin. "Boys! bind her wrists!" She stepped back and allowed the man with blond hair to come over to me with the rope.
      Him, did she mean Hayden? How long as this lunatic been watching us! "Ouch!" I cried as the man with blond hair pulled tightly on the rope he wrapped around my wrist.
     "I can think of other things I can do with you." He whispered in my ear running his hand down my arm. I shivered and pulled my arm away from him. He grinned and licked his dry lips.
      I bite my lip, where ever Hayden was I hope he came soon!
     The woman shoved the man to the ground angrily, "Don't you dare flirt won't her! You're with me remember!"
      I looked from the woman to the man and realized they must be together, and guessing by the glare she gave him this isn't the first time he's flirted with other women before.
      He jumped to his feet and shoved her too, "Why not? It worked with you didn't it?" He glared at her, "And don't you shove me woman!"
     "I won't have to if you didn't flirt with every girl you see!"
     With all the arguing going on I forgot about the big man with a scar on his cheek, he jumped between the lovers, "Knock it off two, let's just grab her and go get that cash!"
       She turned and looked up at the big man, "No! We have to wait for him!" She laughed evil coating her voice, she wrapped her arms around my neck; sunlight vouched off the blade of the dagger as she placed it against my throat again, "Can't you just see it now?" She laughed.
     I grimaced as the sharp edge of the dagger dug into my skin.
      Suddenly Hayden appeared out of the small forest carrying a handful of sticks. He stopped short seeing the scene before him. The two men hands on their swords grinned at him with darkness in their eyes. Hayden's eyes widened at he saw me held captive by the woman with curly brown hair. He staggered backwards the sticks he held clattered to the ground and he stared at the woman in disbelief, "Killia?!" He said almost a whisper.
      Killia pressed the dagger closer to throat and smirked at Hayden, pleased with the way he reacted, "Miss me?" She sneered.
       Then it hit me this was Killia! The woman who broke Hayden's heart in the vision I saw in the Enchanted Forest of Heartbreak! My eyes wondered over to the blond man that had flirted with me, and he was Mitch the guy Killia slept with and left Hayden to be with him. Well this just got awkward I thought to myself; I looked at Hayden hoping to catch his eyes and know what's going on in his head.
      Hayden recovered from his shock of seeing her again after so many years, squaring his shoulders he marched closer to us, "You kidding? I haven't thought about you in years."
      She laughed, "Oh really? Then why did you quit your job and started working for that so called Great Wizard?"
       Hayden grinned, "Stalk much?"
        Killia glared at him, "At least I'm not a pawn in the Wizard's game! Tell me Hayden, what does the Great Wizard have you chasing after now?"
       "Hayden I'm so sorry! I didn't see them till it was too late!" I apologized.
        "Don't worry Amaya, I got this." He turned to Killia, "I don't have to tell you a darn thing, it's between the Great Wizard, Amaya, and me."
        Mitch laughed, "You mean you and the princess are working together for the Wizard?! You've gone soft Hayden! Don't you know you could trade her in for double whatever the wizard's paying you."
       "Shut up Mitch, I'm doing the talking!" Killia snapped tightening her hold on me. Then she turned and took a strain of my blond hair and curled it in her finger tips, she glanced over at Hayden who was watching her closely, "You know I'm surprised Hayden, you went from being crazy about me, to having a proper princess around. Didn't you say you'll never go to a ball because princesses are peacocks?"
     "Amaya's different." Hayden replied, "And what can I say I've gone up in the world since you left."
     Ouch Hayden sure does know how to fight fire with fire I thought smiling.
     Hayden saw me smiling and smiled back while Killia glare at the two of us. Hayden took a step towards me.
     "Don't come any closer or I'll slice her throat right open right now." Killia said pushing the dagger against my throat.
    I cried out in pain as it dug into my skin. Blood trickled slowly from a small cut the dagger made.
     Hayden froze where he was his eyes filled with worry he gazed at me.
     "I'm so sorry Hayden, I didn't see them come up until it was too late." I sobbed trembling  in Killia's grasp. I wasn't ready to die, and I sure didn't want Hayden to have to watch me die.
     Hayden gave me forced small smile, "It'll be alright, Babe."
     Killia sneered at us a evil dark look in her eyes, she flipped her hair back grinning at us, "I've been waiting for this moment for so long!" She laughed and her Mitch and the big guy chuckled. "That scared look on your face is priceless Hayden, you should wear that look all the time."
     I couldn't believe this woman, she wasn't only insane she was heartless!
    Hayden narrowed his eyes at Killia trying hard not to show how scared he was for Amaya's life.
     Killia gave Hayden a malicious grin, "I followed you two." She fluffed her hair back and laughed, "I saw you come out of the Enchanted Forest of Heartbreak, and when I saw you had Princess Amaya of Rollick with you. I just had to follow you guys, and then wait for the perfect moment to make my move. It was too easy!" She gloated.
     "You always were the one for dramatic." Hayden said he looked at Mitch and recognized him, "You know I have to thank you Mitch."
    Mitch's eyes widened in surprise as well as Killia's, "Thank him?!" She said confused.
     "Yeah for taking Killia off my back." He turned and grinned at me, "Amaya's way better in bed."
     My jaw dropped to the ground, did he just say what I think he said! heat flooded my body from my head to my toes, I couldn't believe Hayden just said that, we never even kissed! With cheeks flaming red I glanced at Killia to see her reaction. She totally bought Hayden's white lie.
       She glared even madder, she glanced from Hayden to me and then back to Hayden. My mind spun she thought Hayden and I were together together!! I mean we were together, we just weren't together in the way she thought.
         "You have one last chance Hayden." Killia said hotly, "Help us turn this brat in and receive triple of whatever the Great Wizard is paying you; or die fighting for her."
      Hayden glanced up at the crystal clear blue sky as if thinking about the offer. Then he stared hard and cold  my captor, "I'm not leaving anywhere without Amaya."
     She glared at him, "You're foolish, boys! Finish him!"
     "NO!!!!!" I screamed as Mitch and the big man with the scar pulled out their swords and pointed them at Hayden's back.
     "Bring it." Hayden said pulling out his own sword he quickly jumped into the air doing a back flip over the two surprised men. Hayden landed on his feet behind them and the fight began!
     Their swords clanked with each hit metal against metal. Hayden's feet expertly moved back and forth as he swung his sword at Mitch who jumped back. Then jabbed his sword at Hayden tearing a piece of cloth from Hayden's cotton black shirt.
     I gasped and turned my head to the side, not wanting to watch Hayden die before my eyes.
    Killia sharply grabbed my chin and pulled it back forcing me to watch the men duel. The big man with the scar slowly approached Hayden from behind. Hayden was busy blocking Mitch's sword with his own that he didn't see the big man creeping up on him.
    I jerked my chin away from Killia's grasp and yelled, "Hayden watch out!"
    Hayden turned around but before he could react the big guy snatched Hayden and locked him in a death grip his big bulking arms tightening against Hayden's neck.
    Hayden gaped for air dropping his sword it clattered to the ground. He desperately reached for the big man's tight grip trying to free himself as struggled to breath, his feet dangling in mid air.
    "No!" I screamed, "Let him go!" I struggled against Killia's hold on me.
    Hayden coughed his eyes starting to roll back into his head as he took the final breath of air.
   Thinking quickly I bite Killia's hand that was holding the dagger against my throat.
   She let out a scream of pain and dropped the dagger cussing as she clutched her injured hand.
   Free of her grasp I ran full speed towards the big guy choking Hayden. The old princess Amaya of Rollick would never had thought of running full fledge to a man and throwing herself on him, but I did. Jumping into the air I landed on the ugly man's back digging my nails into his bald head I yanked his head backwards. "Stop you're going to kill him!" I screamed.
     The big man let out an angry roar and released Hayden letting him fall to the dirt ground.
    Hayden gasped and coughed holding onto his red throat. He slowly breathed. Meanwhile the big man turned fast bulking me around like he was a bull and I was his rider.
    "Whoa!" I cried as he through me around in his shoulders like I was a bag of four I clung on for dear life as the world around me spun making me dizzy.
     Recovering from being choked to death Hayden jumped to his feet snatching his sword. "Amaya get ready to jump!" He yelled holding his sword tightly.
    Nodding my head I braced myself pulling myself up into a sitting position on the angry man's back.
     "Now!" Hayden yelled.
    I let go of the man pushing my feet against him as I fell to the cold hard ground. As soon as I fell Hayden without missing a beat jabbed his sword all the way through the big man. He groaned and fell to the floor blood pouring out of his wound as Hayden yanked the sword from his lifeless body.
    Seeing one of her men die Killia ran towards me and dragged me up from the ground she dung the dagger against my skin again this time holding me in a death grip with her other hand digging into my arms.
    Hayden pointed his bloody sword at Mitch ready to finish the fight.
    Mitch's wide eyes stared at the end the bloody sword. He turned away and ran as fast as a scared rabbit down the path towards the Enchanted Forest of Heartbreak.
    "Mitch! You coward!" Killia yelled after him as he quickly disappeared into the daylight.
     Hayden watched in disbelief as Mitch ran away, "You seriously left me for that guy?" He grinned letting out a laugh.
       I giggled smiling at him.
    Killia turned and glared at Hayden. "Shut up."
     Hayden held the sword at Killia, it's bloody tip grazing her chin. "Don't you see Killia I won, now let her go."
     She laughed sarcastically, pushing the tip of his sword away, "You won't hurt me."
     Hayden rolled his eyes,"Oh really?" Without missing a best he swiped his sword up grazing her cheek as he did.
    Cold red blood trickled down her cheek from the the long gash that his sword made. Killia placed her finger tips to her wound then removed them and stared at the dark blood on her fingers. Her eyes widened realizing that Hayden was willing to kill her to get me back. "Find you can have your little hoe!" Removing her dagger from my throat she shoved me into Hayden's arms then ran off down that path.
     Hayden wrapped his muscular arms around me burying his head into my blond hair.
     I hugged him tightly back my arms tangled around his waist. Relief flooding over me to be ride of his crazy ex-fiancée and her cold sharp dagger. I leaned against Hayden as we hugged.
     "You alright?" He asked his voice filled with concern.
     I pulled back a little to look Hayden in his wonderful brown eyes while still keeping my hands on his waist. "I'm fine Hayden." I smiled up at him, "I'm just relieved to be rid of her."  Suddenly I felt something warm and wet on my right hand that was pressed against Hayden's black cotton shirt. Frowning I removed my hand from his shirt and stared at a dark round stain that was starting appear on his cotton shirt. My hand was covered in a layer of dark red blood.