Rightful Ruler

Kallie's surprise began to fade as she stroked her white-blonde hair, holding her in her arms. "Baylee..." She was still rather surprised, but she knew that in a moment like this, her friend truly needed her. "My brother allowed you to leave the castle?"

"N-no..." Baylee adverted her eyes, a guilty look swimming in her pale aqua eyes. "I escaped. They are sure to find me soon..." Her tone shifted dramatically into one of pleading, "Please, what ever you do, do not let Jasper Hugo hang!" Kallie's eyes widened in alarm. Hugo!?

"Jasper...?" Kallie did her best to wrap her mind around her friend's odd request.

"Tsk, tsk..." Seth approached them slowly, slinking out of the shadows of a nearby tree. His stark white, gloved hand tucked a strand of his pale blonde hair behind his ear. Baylee cowered behind Kallie with a whimper, having to duck to hide behind her friend's slight frame. "I was doing my routine sweep of the palace, and I checked your chambers. Then what do I find..." His lips wrapped around his words in a soft smirk, "You seem to have found your way to the cast off princess."

He stopped a few feet away, his hazel eyes looked down upon Kallie. "Long time no see, princess." Kallie's piercing glare carried the feminine authority that her mother's did before it as she glared upward. "You realize that you'll have to return with me, right?" Baylee nervously bit her lip and nodded as she straightened up.

"Run. Warn Hugo." Baylee whispered, passing her friend's ear.

"Let us return you to your chambers before our dearest king realizes you're gone." Seth motioned her forward politely. "Kallie..." He sent a subtle wink at her before he led Baylee away.

"Does he know I was gone?" Baylee's voice was closed and cautious. Her body tensed as she waited for an answer.

"No, but I should tell him." Seth's smirk darkened by his threat. "It was quite troublesome. Not only was I forced to hunt for you, I had to lie to my master and tell him that I was going on a simple stroll."

"No, please don't!" She begged earnestly.

"Then I want you to be a good girl and stay quiet." She let out a quivering sigh and nodded in return. He lead her through the public square, urging her forward as she tried to crane her neck to see the hanging grounds off in the distance. The way the public was surging toward it meant that there was sure to be a show.

Baylee cautiously trekked through the main hall and throne room, rushing up the grand staircase and through the corridors. She bolted for the door to her chambers in the northwestern tower, hoping that she wouldn't find an angry Demitri. Her room was nearly pitch black, the curtains around her window had been drawn and her window closed.

Light spilled into the room as Baylee shut the door behind her, making her jump back and her breath catch. The king stood before her, his severe face illuminated by the morning light pouring through the window.

Baylee glowered at him, her chest filling with unease. "I should have known that you would find out that I was gone.'

"Don't bother trying to humor me." He sneered, "Seth told me before he'd even gone."

"Seth...you traitorous bastard." She growled under her breath.

The king crossed the room in a few easy strides, gripping her arm roughly. "I was actually reconsidering hanging Hugo." He growled into her ear, "Had you been a good girl and stayed put, I would have just thrown him into the dungeons to rot. But now..."

"Release me!" She yanked her arm out of his grip. The king's mouth sank into a deeper grimace as he reared his hand back. It collided against her cheek, knocking her to the floor. She growled out in pain.

"You need to learn your place–" He barked.

"I hate you! You sicken me. You will never measure up to your father, and I will be sure to tell everyone that you are an abusive tyrant when we marry."

"Oh..." He chuckled, "So you've relented and now you want to be married. Good... Now I won't have to cope with the guilt of having my sister killed before she comes of age." His twisted grin only grew wider, "I assume you have warned my sister of the danger that Hugo is in."

"What should it matter?" She spat.

"Hugo isn't the only intended target." His tone dripped in pride. A surge of white-hot anger and protective urges jolted through Baylee as she jumped to her feet. Her fist jabbed forward in frustration, but he easily caught it and twisted her arm behind her back. She let out a yelp as the muscles in her arm protested. Her face burned where he'd smacked her.

"If you break my arm, I will ensure that-" Her challenge was cut short.

He let out a chuckle in her ear, "I will take great pleasure in consummating my marriage to you and showing you your place."

"You're disgusting." Her glare was fierce, "You're wrong if you believe that you'll be the one to steal my virtue."

"I would suggest that you begin to listen to me." His tone was laced with a threat. She parted her lips to argue, but he stopped her, "If you want little Kallie to survive, then you will heed my warning."

Kallie watched her brother's faithful servant lead Baylee away, a fearful feeling of dread pooling in her stomach. Baylee was going to be punished for this. She knew that her brother would have been alerted immediately if Baylee was no longer in her chambers. She turned away from the sight of her friend disappearing into the crowd, and began in the opposite direction for the edge of the forest beyond the crumbling wall nearest the main city gates.

She rushed as quickly as she could without exerting all of her energy. Her legs carried her through the lower side of the public square and down the narrow dirt path that lead toward the toll booth for walking travelers. She stopped twenty feet short and climbed over the crumbling wall that opened up to a dense wooded area. She fought through the vines that covered the entrance, stumbling onto a dirt path wide enough for at least a carriage. She picked up the hem of her dress so that it wouldn't drag or catch on anything and ran toward the base.

The base was covered and hidden well by large rocks and thick moss and ivy that blended in with the dense greenery around it. Sunlight streamed through the canopy above her, illuminating the ivy wrapped, mahogany door handle that is attached to the door of the resistance base. Kallie threw it open, slipping through the slightly askew, circular door frame and stepping down the two steps. Her eyes bounced around the handkerchief sized foyer, adorned only by an intricate hanging candle-lit chandelier and a warm rug over the stone paved ground. The bare, stone walls echoed emptiness as she moved further into the base.

"Hugo!?" She called out, rushing frantically into the large living area. The room held its regular scattered, plush and mahogany seating, but it didn't hold any people. They must all be at the square... Her heart pounded as rushed over the stone floor, "Hugo!?" She began to run down the hall, past the kitchen, when a strong arm snaked around her waist.

"What's the matter?" A man with a relatively handsome face, a scar through his right brow, a chiseled jaw and ebony hair with the charcoal eyes to match looked down at her. This man, Ravin, was Kallie's faithful servant, protector and caretaker. He was sworn into duty by her father, and as such, ordered to serve Kallie—as she was the future queen of Concordia.

"Where's Jasper?" She muttered urgently.

"He stepped out..." Ravin retorted. "May I inquire as to why this is so urgent?"

"Don't worry yourself with it." She continued on hurriedly. She pulled away from her protector, trudging back into the heart of town once again. "Jasper! Hugo!" She called.

"Eh, kiddo..." Jasper's playful arrogance called in the distance, "What's all the racket about?"

"Oh..." She let out a breath of relief as she walked toward him, "You're alright." She placed her hand over her chest in an attempt to silence her drumming heart.

"I guess you could say that, princess." His dark eyes motioned to his left.

An elegantly sculpted brow raised as she stared at him, a bewildered look playing on her face. It didn't sink in completely until a pair of dark boots embellished with the insignia of a bounty hunter stepped into the clear. A revolver pressed into the bandit's temple as the bounty hunter spoke with a very pleasant voice.

"Greetings, princess." He smiled politely, "My employer knew the girl would run to you."

Kallie let out a growl, crossing her arms, "That bastard."

"He also knew that you would listen," His smile darkened, "It seems as though Hugo isn't my only target."

These words froze Kallie in place, her pretty eyes widening. "What are you waiting for!" Hugo shouted, "Run child!" Her muscles didn't respond as the click of a cocking revolver rang through the air.

"I doubt that you'd want to sacrifice your hard work in finding Hugo by fleeing my dear." Kallie forcefully swallowed the lump forming in her throat. She knew that she was stuck as she watched the hunter's index finger inch toward the trigger. If Hugo was killed, she failed Baylee. But if she was killed, she failed her kingdom.

A knife sped through the air, narrowly missing Kallie's cheek and knocking the gun off balance. It fired prematurely into the ground as Ravin rushed forward and engaged the hunter in a short-lived quarrel. Jasper trudged over to Kallie, wiping the sweat from his brow as the hunter fled.

"What were you thinking!?" His now winded voice rose an octave from his natural baritone.

Kallie turned in the direction of the castle, anger now rolling off of her in waves. "What are you doing?" Ravin inquired.

"I'm going to have a word with my brother." She didn't allow him to intervene or stop her as she stormed her way through the fifteen minute walk to the castle.

She ordered the guards to open the grand front doors and stormed forward, into the empty throne room. She stood alone, seething as she glared around the grand hall.

"Hello, princess." The lanky butler greeted her, his tone soft and polite, as he entered through a narrow door to the right.

"Summon my brother." She barked the order at him.

A smirk spread across his face, "Yes, m'lady." He trudged up the grand staircase, through the corridors, and entered Baylee's chambers. "My lord," his master's glare moved from Baylee to Seth, "The princess requests your presence in the throne room." He muttered, taking in the scene. The king still held Baylee's arm behind her back.

The king rolled his eyes, "No!" Baylee cried, a tortured half-sob escaping her lips, "Why did she come here!?"

"Let's not keep her waiting." The king growled, towing Baylee behind him as Seth led him out. They ambled down to the throne room where a steaming Kallie waited impatiently.

"A bounty hunter!?" She shouted mercilessly, "Are you so full of guilt at the though of killing me yourself that you felt the need to hire someone to do it for you!?"

This struck Baylee, making her angry as she glared at him herself. "I wish I had the luxury of killing you..." She growled darkly at Demitri.

Kallie's eyes were instantly on her best friend, and her glare fiercened, "Take your hands off of her." Her order was packed full of authority, but it didn't phase Demitri like it did any other that heard it.

"You won't order me around in my own palace." He took up a hand full of hair roughly, making Baylee let out small screams of pain and stumble backward.

"Release me!"

Kallie slipped her heels from her feet and slung them at her brother. The heels slammed against his forearm, loosening his grip enough for Baylee to free herself and jam an elbow into his chest. She fell to the floor and scrambled away as he let out a growl of anger. A few guards poked their heads into the room, but Demitri ordered them to stop with one motion of his hand.

His fists clenched as he glared down at her, "You wretched little bitch." He waved the guards forward, "Take her to the dungeons."

Baylee let out a hysterical giggle as the guards seized her roughly, "I thought you wanted me to be your bride, my lord." She barked testily.

"We've both known that it was only an arrangement to keep my sister off the throne." He sneered.

"Ah...so you admit. You don't love me..." Her tone dripped with misplaced arrogance, "That makes two of us my dear...it's depressing that you didn't realize this sooner.

He scowled at her struggling form in the guards hands, "Until the day we are wedded, you are a prisoner." His violet eyes darkened and his sisters widened in horror as she started forward, stopped only by Seth, "Routine beatings, meager meals, the whole lot..."

"Tempt with with a good time, would you..." Baylee let a smirk slide across her face, wincing as her cheek stung.

"Enough!" Kallie snapped, a panicked current rolling through her words, "You are abusing your power, Demitri. You've made your point!" The guards were hauling Baylee's struggling body toward a narrow door to the left.

"You will show your King respect!" He snarled turning on his sister's petite form being restrained by Seth's arm. His hand slammed against her cheek, her head whipping to the side and her creamy skin reddening. "You are in the presence of your king and you are a woman. Learn your place." He gripped her arm and threw her to the ground, the impact knocking the breath from her lungs.

"You will pay for this! Mark my words!" Baylee screeched dramatically, attempting to draw his attention as she kicked at the guards with her bare feet.

The bounty hunter entered through the same narrow door that Seth had, striding to the King's side. "Hugo is to be hung for treason. Tonight." He barked out the order and the hunter nodded, leaving without a word.

Baylee let out a yelp as a guard threw open the door that lead to the dungeons. As they attempted to drag her down the stairs, a surge of adrenaline pumped through her, allowing her to free herself from the restraint of the guards holding her. She kicked them both, sending them toppling down the stairs as she bolted toward the nearest exit in the dungeons.

"Marry me now, bastard!" She shouted dramatically, her mind solely on escape.

Guards began to pursue her, but Demitri called them back, "She isn't my priority. She will crawl back in her own time..."

His violet gaze settled on his sisters form pushing herself up, "Lock her in her old chambers." He barked at Seth. Seth reached down, pulling Kallie to her feet and dragging her from her brother's sight.

"Release me." Kallie snapped, turning her lilac glare on the butler dragging her stumbling body up the stairs.

Seth only smiled a polite smile, "I'm sorry, princess. I can not accommodate your wishes. I serve the king, and he gave me a direct order that I can not disobey." Her room was only a few doors away from the northwest tower—which was where Baylee lay her head.

He opened her door to show a dark, unlit pleasantly decorated room with a magnificent four poster, canopy bed across from the window. He pushed her in and shut the door behind him, then crossing the room and opening the window to allow some light in. Kallie stumbled to find her footing, her fingers gently rubbing her reddening arm from Seth's tight grip. She turned a piercing glare on Seth as he pushed the curtains aside.

He sauntered in her direction. "Your glare is soft and gentle next to your brother's." She stumbled away from him, her heart beginning to stutter in her chest. She was never comfortable when he was too close to her. He had always made her nervous. She'd realized that she'd gone too far when she backed into her bed and fell back on it. Seth continued forward, pressing her against it. "Do you truly believe you will be a worthy queen? Such a fragile child...so small and helpless." His lips lingered at her earlobe teasingly as he molded lean body to hers.

Kallie kept her face turned from hers, her cheeks heating and her chest pounding loudly, "Do you want to know the irony in this?" Her voice was winded as she tried to catch her breath as it escalated toward hyperventilation.

"Hmm?" A smile spread across his face as if he was expecting her answer.

"My brother would have your head if he knew of this. Whether I consented it or not..." She pushed at him feebly in an attempt to calm her soaring hear. He only chuckled, telling her that it was hopeless. She could only hope that Seth didn't notice the effect he held on her.