Quest of the Bounty Hunter: Kidnapped

Marie

Marie was sitting at her desk reading the first letter from the Dragon Tamers, when Klieria knocked on her door.

"Come in, Ria."

"Your father requested to see you. He doesn't sound very good." Klieria said after she had entered the room.

Marie knew that the sickness was an act, but her father had forbidden her to tell anyone about. Threatened her more like. Threatened that he would kill Klieria if he heard any word of Marie's betrayal.

If Klieria was still standing here, then it meant that King Ewill had heard no news of Marie's letter. The dangerous letter telling the Dragon Tamers, strangers, about her father's cruel reign and conquering plan.

"Thank you, Ria. I'll go to him now." Marie said with a smile.

"Would you like an escort, my la- Marie?" Klieria offered.

"I'm fine, thank you." Marie said closing her journal with the letter inside. She had only read the response what seemed like a thousand times. She had also sent a second letter and patiently waited for a response. But none had come for at least a week. Klieria had given her sword fighting lessons to help pass the time, but even at those, Marie felt like she couldn't focus on anything.

Fearing her father's wrath, Marie walked slowly through the castle to the opposite wing, to his rooms. She passed the giant stone staircase that led down into the large welcoming hall with the massive front doors.

Headin west through the beautiful marble hallways, Marie wondered if the Dragon Tamers had managed to find someone, anyone, to help the kingdoms. Defend them from King Ewill. Her father. Her evil, dangerous father.

Finally Marie came to stand in front of his door. It was closed as always but she knew that he would be waiting for her on the other side. Awake and alert, not ill like the Royal Lands believed him to be.

With a deep breath and a quick look down the hallways on either side, Marie opened the door.

As she had expected, King Ewill was standing with his arms crossed in the middle of the room glowering at her.

"Where are the dragons?" He demanded the moment she had stepped in front of him. "I have been waiting for weeks."

"You know how long it takes for the letters to travel. I have only just had a response back. They want to know how many you want." Marie said as calmly as she could, though on the inside her stomach coiled with fear. Marie made sure not to look him in the eye; instead she focused on the jeweled shoes he wore on his feet.

"I want all of them!" King Ewill roared angrily, "You know that!"

"I know." Marie said cowering from his anger. "I was about to write back."

"Marie." King Ewill started, still seething with rage, "I have completed my army. They are waiting to attack. And they are getting anxious waiting. You better have the dragons here, before they rip each other to shreds. Before I rip Klieria to shreds."

Marie knew she couldn't wait any longer for a rescue. She couldn't wait for the Dragon Tamers to build a rebellion. For all she knew, they weren't even trying.

Marie gulped but tried to maintain a facade of indifference. "They will be here soon."

"They had better be." King Ewill said crisply turning away from Marie. "You are dismissed."

Marie held her head high as she walked from the room, but the moment she was down the hall and around the corner, she collapsed onto the ground in despair.

Her father was about to kill thousands of people in an attempt to capture all the rulers of the other kingdoms and make them his own. And she couldn't do anything to stop him.