Hunt Me Down (Vortigern)

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

Stealthy and invisible… stealthy… invisible… and fast! Those were the words most on Yassia’s mind and vocabulary at the moment. With leaving Ailanthan borders behind unnoticed the struggle didn’t end, it only just began! Who knew how many miles lay between her and the canal shore she had to reach to cross over to Albion and eventually reach beautiful Camelot? Her ideas were sketchy at best, although she had listened to her mother’s stories, telling her of her troublesome way towards Ailantha in vivid detail. Yassia knew she had to travel northeast and pass through a few kingdoms until she would reach Camelot in two months, if she was lucky and didn’t get lost. Two months of travel… that seemed endless! And the road she had to take was far from easy, bandits could ambush you everywhere and then there was that ‘little’ detail of her actually fleeing from her uncle Guifré’s grasp. He would move heaven and hell to get her back and let her dance to his tunes, there was no doubt of it.

Or… the thought also had crossed Yassia’s mind, he would see this as an opportunity to silently and inconspiciously get rid of her. Send men after her not to catch her but to kill her… or alarm other kingdoms on the way to do the dirty work for him…
Right now she had crossed the borders of just such a candidate, and even if it wasn’t for this very immanent reason to be afraid, the sheer name of Soleria would send Yassia shiver every time it was mentioned or just thought.
Soleria… this had been where her brother Raúl and her mother had been killed, on this very road on their way back to Ailantha after making a courtesy visit. It had been maraudering mercenaries and the old king of Soleria had done anything in his power to make amends. Still, Yassia couldn’t quite shake off the horror that was now irrevocably connected with this kingdom’s name. Even more so, as another person of Soleria, the old and ill king’s son, was not of a material to be remembered fondly.

No, Yassia did definitely not to think of HIM now, Vortigern, from all she had come to know a heartless and ruthless man, only looking out for his own gain and far too fond of violence to hold his peace for long.
She was riding all alone through his country now, dressed in the most common clothes she could muster, hoping to slip through his ever grasping fingers. Only three days of laying low and hoping for the best… she could do that! If she believed in only half of the stories brought to you by travelors, the worst was yet to come anyway…

Still, you didn’t need a whole bunch of imagination under this circumstances to suspect every tree and every underbrush to have eyes… She had left the wide Ailanthan plains where you could see any ambush from miles away behind… now came hills and forests… practically waiting for her to go blindly into a trap.

[Vortigern]

-------The news had spread and it was of no good fortunate that it had reached Soleria. Princess Yassia had fled Ailantha. Now, to anyone who had little to benefit from this, such news was of no interest or relevance. But from the moment Vortigern had heard it, his mind had been working. Yes; shockingly he had a brain to go along with his arrogance. And in this instance, it did not fail him. He wanted war. That was what he so desired but with his father sending him off to extend hands of peace to all the great kingdoms, it left very little possibility for war and violence. Gildas saw allies as strength; Vortigern saw war as strength. A major clash between father and son and often the source of a great many debates. Of course Gildas' decision was final, but Vortigern was far from accepting. Which was why he had to handle this personally. And by personally, he meant sending his men to keep an eye out for it.

He had stationed specific men at the border; those who had been present on his journey to Ailantha so that they would recognize her. It had been another fruitless attempt by his father to establish peace through marriage. They had both been young at the time, but it was not youth that prevented them from reaching acceptance. It had been so many other things. Appearance was not one either, for she was indeed a beautiful little princess. But it had been a clash of personalities, which was the most common reason the proposals failed. Vortigern had high standards, finding fault in practically everyone, apart from his egotistical self. But of course now, was not a time to dwell on the past failings. It was about solidifying a future... a future of war!

Vortigern was now off doing his duties. It was late at night which meant it was the perfect time to hunt down those who he needed to have a little chat with. Darkness was something people feared. All the criminals and creatures lurked in the shadows of the night and Vortigern used this to instill further fear in his people. He was dressed in his armor, of a darkened color, for he felt it gave a far more intimidating appearance. Not that he needed it. His name was enough to make any citizen of Soleria tremble... or so he lay witness to. To maintain this reputation was not easy, but it was indeed fun. He put his foot on the chest of the lifeless body and pulled out his sword, taking a cloth to wipe the blood from it. "Now, does anyone else have a problem with paying their taxes?"

He asked the family who had witnessed the murder of their husband and father. He was a useless old man, unable to provide for his family and Vortigern had to set an example. "Good. Then I expect double payment by next week. Or you will all share his fate." Whether it be a helpless old woman, or 'innocent' little children. His orders had been given and it was up to them whether they wished to follow it or follow in the path of the now deceased. As Vortigern turned to leave, putting the sword back in its holder, he heard the rapid rustle of leaves around him. He was in one of the outlying villages of the kingdom, being in convenient distance of the border. One of his knights suddenly burst out of the concealment of the bushes, out of breath. Vortigern did not give him a chance to catch it. "Well?" He demanded impatiently. A few seconds dragged on before he responded.

"She.. has... crossed... the border... sire." Vortigern found himself lifted by this news. It was what he had been waiting for since the moment he had found out she'd escaped! And if his knight was wrong, then he would just kill him. Simple as that. And it was why Vortigern did not bother asking him if he was sure. He sure as hell better be certain, otherwise it would be a waste of his time, and cost the man his life. Vortigern quickly went to his horse, mounting and kicking at its side so that it would charge forward. His group of six men followed on horseback. When they were at a fair distance from the border, Vortigern held his hand out to stop them. He did not want to get close for he may scare her, and he needed to stratagize a bit.

He silently motioned with his hand for a few of his men to go one way and then others go the other way. With these positions, they could circle her, like a vulture did its prey. Vortigern remained on his high horse, literally, and continued on forward, listening very carefully for any sounds of movement. There in the distance, it did not take long to see a figure and he quickly moved towards it, managing to block its path. When his eyes looked down on her, he almost did not recognize the woman before him. She was indeed Yassia, but she looked very different without her more regal clothing on. A small smug grin formed on his lips, as his plan was slowly falling into place. "Peasant clothing really does not suit you," he commented as he emerged from the shadows, coming into clear view of the so called Princess of Yassia. She sure did not look like a princess now.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

Night was now falling in rapidly and it magnified the anxiety in Yassia by at least four times. Night was the time of the ruthless of heart and those too afraid to attack in daylight. Night could see double the crimes than daylight could, and not only human dangers were to be feared. Wild animals roamed especially any forests and as Yassia was now coming near one, she highly debated staying outside for the night. What good could come out of riding on? Soon it would be too dark to see a way and her horse could trip and break its leg – now where would she be without it then? She might have enough money with her to buy at least a halfway suitable new one, but that would draw attention to her persona, and attention was the last thing she needed.

On the other hand, travelling by night also minimized her chances of being picked out by the wrong people. It was a tough choice. Yassia had never been one to be easily scared, but she mostly had spent the nights behind the secure walls of Ailantha’s castle or securly in the company of her half brother Mircea, who would have taken her out for an adventure night ride. This however, this was different. Very different ideed, and the darker it got, the more the fear crept into Yassia’s heart.
Now every tree and brush did not only seem to have eyes, but hands as well which seemed to reach for her, wanting to hold her back. As hard as they had tried to maintain peace with Soleria over the past couple of years, this could very well be considered enemy territory. Everyone besides a very far away uncle in Camelot now seemed to be Yassia’s enemy…

Suddenly her horse seemed to catch on a whiff in the distance, as it began to neigh and snort uneasily. Yassia gripped the reins tighter and peeked out into the darkness, for now unable to make out any movement. Her other hand moved slowly to the dagger at her side, the only weapon she possessed apart from one herbal knife and a throwing knife in her left boot. None of these could be of much use should she really be faced with difficulties, but for the moment her horse seemed to have alarmed her for nothing.
“Calla, vell rossí!¹” she chided the mare with a little laugh to ease the tension that had built up inside her – just when she saw him.

He had materialized from the shadows, as if he had been one with them, silent and invisible. Shocked by his sudden appearance, the princess jerked the reins which made her horse rear up in protest. It might have even looked threatening, but it all had been born out of sheer fear and shock. It was too dark to make out specific features right away, but the moon provided a dim light and she would have – sadly enough – recognized his voice under a few hundred at least. Vortigern!
And by the tone of his voice and what he had said, it was clear he had recognized her at once, might have even waited for her like she had feared.
”That was the intention”, she replied with a firm voice, overplaying her fear by sheer practise, steeled in court live as she was.

Then, without so much as a coherent thought or clear decision, more fuelled by instinct than anything, she suddenly kicked her mare in the flanks to make her speed forwards. Surely he was not on his own, and she might not come far, but she had to at least try and make a run for it!

---

^1:"Shut up, old nag!"

[Vortigern]

-------Vortigern did not like her sarcastic reply. It only fueled his irritation towards her. Irritation, because she had made him wait so long for her to come. And now that she was here, he was not letting her out of his sight. Which was a tad bit ironic, for the next thing he knew she raced right past him. One moment, he had been scoffing at her remark, the next... she had run right past him! How dare she?! How did she have the audacity to do such a thing? Vortigern's anger began to build inside of him as he pulled the reigns of his horse to turn it and force to run as fast as it could: after her. There was a reason Vortigern did not have his whole army out. If his father caught wind of this, and his awareness rose to what his son was doing... it would not proceed how Vortigern wanted it to. She needed to stay as secluded as possible, and what better way to ensure this than her being under his 'care'. Well, more like his hostage.

-------He heard his men reappear from their commanded positions as they seemed to take notice that the former princess had escaped from their grasp. He flicked the reigns, digging his heels into the horse to urge it to move faster. He could see her in the distance, but it was not enough to just reach out and grab her. He would have to go with a more creative plan. He needed to keep her alive... maybe. It would probably be more beneficial for him to have her alive so that her uncle would be aware of this, rather than just kill her and take the responsibility for it. He wanted to leave no room for doubt. If he was to kill her, it would be with witnesses who could attest to it. So if he could not target her, he would go with her mode of transportation.

-------Grasping the reigns with one hand, he reached to his side and pulled out a dagger. With the gloves on his hand, as well as the tremendous speed he was traveling, it would be difficult to throw it with very precise aim. But he would do his best. His eyes focused in on the general area that he wished to aim for. It would not work if he was directly behind her, so he pulled his horse a bit to the side. She was still ahead of him, but at this angle, he had a better view. He raised his hand clutching the handle of the dagger and in one swift motion, threw it towards the thigh of the horse, in the hopes that it would puncture it and cause it enough discomfort to stop, or at least slow in its speed.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

Just away, away, as fast as she could! Gone was the concern about riding in the dark, nothing that was before her could be as horrible as what was behind her! She had no doubt that Vortigerns intentions were far from proper and right. Whether her uncle had truly contacted him or if he was just acting on fortunate hearsay and opportunity, the outcome stayed the same: she would be his hostage if he got a hold on her.
Her head-over-heels flight would be the shortest to go down in history! She had not even managed to come more than few days from her home, and now she should be held up by this cruel prince? Never! Leaning forward in the saddle, she heard hurried and multiplied hoofbeats behind her, now she was hunted like a hare or a fox!

Casting back a wary glance she made out a few shadows making ground faster than she would have liked. Vortigern as well was only a few horse lengths behind now, even if she had had a head start! This was not going to end well… but giving up was no option for Yassia either, she’d rather have the horse break its neck or she herself, before she would voluntarily give herself to the mercy of Vortigern of Sorelia! Everyone knew after all that mercy was not in his vocabulary!
She shouldn’t have thought so much about someone breaking his neck perhaps, she realised with a fearful lurch in her stomach, as suddenly her mount seemed to be hit by something, shrieked in pain, stumbled and reared up.

Leaning forward as she was, Yassia did not have the perfect balance in her position, and so when the horse faltered she already lost balance and was thrown off her horse the next instant at nearly top speed. Flying through the air with arms and legs flailing like those of a pupper being tossed away, she tried to curl up into a ball and roll off the impact of her crash, like every good rider learned from an early age, but it all happened so quickly, and the only result of her stunt was that the princess twisted her right leg painfully, before the crash beat the air out of her lungs.
For a moment the world went even darker, but then the flight instinct kicked in yet again.
A foolish, maybe even pathetic act, she tried to scramble to her feet and run, but the leg would not bear her weight for now, just sent her falling to her knees again, where she still tried to scramble away, even though Vortigern must have caught up with her until now.

Her eyes were burning with uncried tears of anguish and her whole body was aching, but still she couldn't give up. If anything, Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha was stubborn.

[Vortigern]

-------The events that unfolded had gone perfectly. Far better than Vortigern would have expected. The dagger had hit the horse, it had reacted as the animal would be predicted to react, and the princess of Ailantha had gone flying off her animal. Vortigern had been racing so quickly that he had moved on ahead from the scene, having to turn his head to look behind him. He pulled his horse to a halt, turning it once more as he watched Yassia in the distance. Was she going to make a run for it on foot now? Oh that would be such a fun chase indeed. He was even in a good enough mood to tease her a little. Perhaps make her feel as if she had the advantage. But as he continued to watch, he noticed that she was having trouble walking. A smirk formed on his face. This was all too perfect.

When one of his men had paused near him to also watch, Vortigern spoke, giving out his next command. "See if the horse can walk. If not, kill it." The last thing they needed was a limping horse with them to slow down their pace. The knight trotted off on his animal to check the physical state of the horse that the princess once rode. Which now meant, that she was at his mercy. Vortigern felt himself in no rush. In fact, he was rather enjoying this moment. The opportunity to gloat. Basking in this victory; in success. His horse took slow and proud steps towards her until he conveniently placed the animal right in front of her to block her path. She had been on her knees, so it made Vortigern have to look down even more on her. An accurate position, if one looked at the symbolism of it.

Here she was, the princess of Ailantha; on her the ground, dressed in the clothing of a peasant. And to think, there had been a time when his father expected him to marry a woman like this. He scoffed at the idea. Still smirking, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the blood stained cloth that he had wiped his sword clean with. He tossed it to Yassia, hoping it landed on her face. After all, didn't women cringe at the sight of blood? He hoped she would be no exception. Though, she seemed to be an exception to many things. "Wipe yourself off Princess Yassia. You are in the presence of royalty." Royalty being him, and the word Princess being spoken with the utmost sarcasm and condescension.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

The game was lost – if it ever had been a game and not bloody and scary reality! Yassia knew any further try to escape was futile, she might as well try to face the inevitable with as much dignity as she could muster. Unfortunately there was not much dignity in crawling on the ground and being approached by a figure towering over you on horseback. In a very old volume in the library, Yassia had once seen the drawing of a stone statue, a proud man on horseback, his mount equally proudly prancing, lifting its right foot as if about to treat on someone beneath, even though the space was empty. Yassia now felt exactly like that, being some poor soul underneath the conquerors hooves, about to be smashed by the horse’s foot.
There truly was no dignity in any of this, and knowing Vortigern, he would surely milk it to the last drop.

Which in fact he did. "Wipe yourself off Princess Yassia. You are in the presence of royalty."
Never before had she been address with such sneer and scorn, it was a completely new and unpleasing experience for the proud princess. She couldn’t help but wince as the cloth he had tossed sailed down just inches from her face, touching her hair before falling to the ground. A faint metallic stench had reached her nostrils and as she looked down at the cloth now, she found it to be splattered with blood.
Her guts started to twinge, not because she hated seeing blood – as a parttime healer like her mother had been, she was used to the sight of it – but because it made her think whose blood this exactly was. Who had been the poor soul suffering from his hands before her? The blood seemed horribly fresh…

She shot a death glare upwards, again trying to regain her footing and get to her feet, to end this humiliating equestrian statue situation. “And you watch your tongue, Prince Vortigern, or the next lucky one with a scissor will cut it out! How dare you treat me like this, fill de…” The insult was only just cut off mid-sentence, as her temper once again took over. She could not very well accuse him of a loose tongue and then sprout such unseemly words!
Gritting her teeth and biting her lips hard, she made one last attempt to come to her feet, pushing herself off the ground with both her hands. Swaying, she finally stood. If she leaned her whole weight only on one leg, she managed just fine, but every blind man probably could see that just a breath of wind could blow her off balance again. This was all very unfortunate indeed…

[Vortigern]

-------One moment, Vortigern had been smug and arrogant about how he had the upper hand. But those things seemed to quickly escape him. For they were soon replaced with anger. Fury. Rage. All these things caused by the woman's words. It was of no consequence of who she was. He did not tolerate being spoken to in such a manner by anyone. It was why he had gained such a sinister reputation in Soleria; because those who openly defied him, were short of their head. His expression transformed to an intense glare, angered by the mere audacity of this woman. She should be begging for her life. Not insulting him! Not threatening him! They were in his kingdom! She had no status here! Vortigern was unable to restrain himself. He dismounted from his horse and marched towards her. She was standing now... a pride thing no doubt.

-------Despite his hot temper, and complete intolerance for disrespect, he had to remind himself that he needed her alive. That she would be more benefit to him, alive. Not dead... alive! But that did not mean he couldn't harm her in the process. He raised his gloved hand and in one swift motion, struck her across her face, right across her cheek. It was not a punch, but a heavy slap, to teach her that she would do well to remember who he was. That he would not stand for her threats or any words of degradation. He hoped it left a bruise, but would not be able to tell right away. "You would do well to remember your place Yassia!" He snapped, purposely saying her name void of any title of rank. "You are in my kingdom, and you should not be quick to forget that!" He was angry. She had managed to set his fuse off in a matter of seconds... in the course of one phrase.

He was clearly not above hitting a woman, not even one of royalty. For when they insulted him, it was all the same. "You are worth nothing!" He added, more in reminder than mocking. He was too infuriated to be mocking her right now. This was precisely why the marital arrangement had not worked out. Well, not because she had threatened him and he had hit her... but because they had such a clash of personalities. That it never would have worked. "You are in Soleria and at my mercy. So beg for your life, or feel the full extent of my wrath." Not to sound too dramatic. But it was his wrath that made people dread the day he took the throne. And it was his wrath now that had caused him to strike a princess.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

At least she had managed to wipe the sneer off his face! That could be called a small victory indeed, as he seemed to find less and less reason to be amused by this situation. Yassia knew that her biting remark would most likely get her into more trouble, and probably more than it was worth, but it had never been in her to back down. In Ailantha, her temper fits were feared, and so far Vortigern had seen nothing yet! She was as tame as a kitten compared to her usual outbursts.
The other half of the story however she had not foreseen, like she never did. That was typical Yassia, burn the bridge underneath her feet and then wondering where the secure pathway over the fathomless deep had gone. Not that his behaviour had been any bridge at all though, still, keeping her mouth shut MIGHT have been the better option.

It might have spared her another serious humiliation. Not in her wildest dreams would Yassia have forseen what he did next. He… actually hit her! Only one man had ever before raised his hand against her in her life, and this event had been on of the final straws setting her decision firm to leave and find help elsewhere. Because if a man of royal blood stooped to hit a woman, there surely was something dearly wrong. Codes of chivalry meant nothing to this man and therefore no one could expect proper treatment.
Now she surely hadn’t left Ailantha to be greeted in the same manner here!
Needless to say that the slap was more than a light breeze managing to make her stumble with the impact, for a moment bringing all her weight down on her injured leg, which caused her to moan and fall to the side.

Not much dignity indeed! For now, her rage had died down considerably, being numbed by incredulousness and shock. How dare he indeed?! Vortigern had now overstepped more than one line, his last comment only being the unbelievable top of it all:
"You are in Soleria. And at my mercy, so beg for your life, or feel the full extent of my wrath."
It was true, her life was in his hands now, but what was the ancient phrase: battered but not broken, Vortigern would have to do a lot more than that to ever get Yassia to beg for her life!
Struggling again to her feet, feeling like one of those weird toys children sometimes had that constantly fell and got up again to the young ones’ greatest amusement, the princess hissed between clenched teeth:
”Beg for my life? Oh you would like that wouldn't you?! But I tell you one thing: I might be at your feet right now but I will never stoop THAT low!”

Absentmindly she rubbed her cheek where she was sure a bruise was already forming, she could even feel a bit of split skin where his gloves had hit right home. Excellent… so much for looking inconspicious! But right now she surely had other troubles than how she looked on her further jouney… if there was to be a further journey…

[Vortigern]

-------He was glad to see her stumble over from his strike. Though was less enthused when she got to her feet again. This woman was far too resilient for his liking. Usually when one hit a woman, it was an aggressive sign for them to shut up. Yet with her, it seemed to have the exact opposite effect. It appeared that she was even more encouraged to speak against him. Something that just angered him further... and she would continue to be the outlet for his anger. Maybe it would be for better show if he presented her, battered and bruised, to display the fact that he was not kidding. That if they wanted her back, they would have to invade Sorelia to get her back. But the plot had just started. And it was already thickening.

-------He did not even scoff this time when she fell to her feet. He was far too mad. He stepped closer to her, trying to appear intimidating, knowing that the height difference would only do so much. She was a proud princess, and he was a proud prince... and it was a bad combination when two such people were in one another's presence in less than amicable circumstances. "Oh you will," he said warningly, unable to conceal the rage he felt for her right now. He somehow restrained from striking her again, this time harder. There would be time for that. If he did it all now, how could he instill the fear? What he did know was that he was going to treat her as his prisoner, more than royalty. "You will beg for your life or beg for death." By the time he was done with her.

-------For Vortigern, just as he was not past striking a woman, he was not past torturing her either. He would do whatever he needed to demand respect. He planned to break the princess's spirits, slowly. Show her of his superiority. Demonstrate to her who was in command. And if she suffered by learning this lesson, then so be it. "Unless you wish to escape now." Again, he was being patronizing for he had seen for himself, that she could not move with ease as her foot was far too wounded for that. "In which by all means, run." He even took a small step back and extended his arms out, as if giving her the opportunity, but obviously would not grant her the passage. He just wanted her to lose her dignity. Beyond humility; to degradation. "Prove through actions what makes you so bold and strong as to defy me." Basically, put actions to her words for he wanted to prove that she had no advantage that enabled her to be so courageous with him.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

Yassia had a hard time recalling when before in her life she had felt so helpless, humiliated and downright afraid. No real incident would come to her mind, and that didn’t make it any better. She might act all brave and defiant, and a part of her truly was, but it was a small part and it was losing groudn rapidly. She had heard enough rumors of Vortigern’s doings to know that he wasn’t all talk, and what she read in his eyes didn’t need any translation as well. He wanted her to pay, and so she would pay. For all her talk one fact could not be changed for now: whether she liked it or not, she WAS at his mercy… and would stay there unless some miracle happened, which was unlikely. Miracles don’t seem to accumulate in Yassia’s life. No miracle had saved her mother and brother and no miracle had saved her father from a crippling stroke. She had thought to defy fate by fleeing the scene that had been set up for her, but now she found herself wishing she still was locked up in her room and the worst prospect of the near future was marrying her cousin.

She had nothing to say to him for now, what would repeating that she didn’t intend to beg for either life or death help? She only shot him another of her favourite death glares, which probably wouldn’t even faze him. It was a cursed fact, but Yassia might have met her match. That might be why the actual trial of match-making had not worked out. She had despised him almost from the start for being the brute he was, and he had despised her for not being the fearful, doe-eyed airhead princess he probably wanted for his wife. And now their previous ‘history’ made matters only worse.
For now Yassia even resigned to staying on the ground. She would have to wait until her leg responded again without too much pain, even though she hated this visible act of superiority-inferiority the prince liked to play on. He WAS an intimidating figure when looming over her like that, like a hawk ready to pounce down on the mouse.

But however resigned she was, she would not dance to his tune.
"Unless you wish to escape now." "In which by all means, run." "Prove through actions what makes you so bold and strong as to defy me."
To that Yassia even managed an aloof eyeroll, though it didn’t match her inward feelings at all. She could already see his men and himself laughing at any futile limping escape, and this was just too much to bear. “Another thing you would like, eh?” she muttered, looking up to him with poisoned daggers in her eyes. “But it is not my body that makes me stronger than you are, it’s something you painfully lack: a brain.”
Alright, that again might not be the smartest thing to say, but Yassia was past caring. He already hated her and until she sat on horseback again there was no chance of escape. For now she had to literally ‘sit it out’, and pray her biting tongue would not kill her beforehand.

“You know full well I cannot walk, so you want me somewhere you might have to drag me there.”

[Vortigern]

-------This woman just did not learn! It was maddening! If there was anything that one could do to infuriate the prince of Sorelia, it was to challenge his authority. To display clear signs of defiance. To show him disrespect. To insult him! He could not stand any of these things and Yassia seemed to encompass every single one. Especially with those glares she was giving him. She should be too afraid to look in him the eyes! And yet, she was glaring at him with a cold stare. How dare she! Who gave her the right to look at him? She was nothing. She was the dirt beneath his feet! And he would make her feel as such for the duration of her time as his hostage. Despite the fact that he had her in his clutches, he remained unsatisfied. For she was not complying with his warning. Her stubbornness and criticism towards him was increasing his impatience and causing the rage to course through his body. He slightly lowered himself and raised his hand to towards her as if to strike her again yet paused midway. He had not been sure if he would go through with it or not, but decided against it. And it had nothing to do with compassion for her.

-------"The next time I strike you it will be with a blade in my hand." And he would make sure it was a nicely sharpened blade. He crouched down in front of her, forcefully cupping her chin in his hand and abruptly turning her head to the side, as if he was inspecting her face. "And I would not want to scar that pretty little face of yours," he added. Of course, there was really no truth of remorse in his words. He would do it without hesitation, and leave the most gruesome scar on her otherwise flawless and fair skin. He would then see how proud of a princess, and how much confidence she had after that. He rose to his feet once more, finding her far too unworthy for him to keep at his eye level. Her invitation to drag her was an enticing one. "You have no idea what I would like Yassia," he commented, going back to her earlier comment. "But do not think I will warn you again. You will be on your best behavior or suffer the consequences." He spoke to her as if she was a child, in the most demeaning way he could.

-------"Here in Sorelia you are not a princess. You are my prisoner." He knew his words contradicted his firm belief in that one could not escape the blood that ran through their veins for they were bound to their true rank from them. It was why someone of lower class could never increase their rank. Even if it was through adoption, even through marriage... they would always and forever remain as a lower ranked citizen. But right now, he was going to go with that policy. Not when it came to the princess of Ailantha. "But since my hostage has given me permission..." He continued, obviously sarcastic since he did not need her permission for anything. He was simply referring to her 'permission to drag her'. He grabbed her by the arm, aggressively pulled her to her feet and began to drag her through the dirt to where his horse was. Here she was; grand princess of Ailantha, being dragged by the greatest prince of all realms! What a title that would be!

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

Her luck was running out. Yassia was smart enough to realise that. Any luck she might have had with this situation to begin with was rapidly fading. Time to rein herself in perhaps. Oh yes, it was high time!
When Vortigern, that impossible and yet highly to be feared man raised his hand again, the princess couldn’t help but draw back the tiniest inch, fear flaming up in her eyes. She remembered the pain, and it had not been a pleasant experience. He refrained from hitting her this time, but what he said was not made to make her relax. On the contrary!
"The next time I strike you it will be with a blade in my hand."
She didn’t need the look in his eyes to know he was speaking naught but the truth. If the situation had not been so severe, Yassia might have laughed. The sheer thought of someone of royal blood being hit in the face or cut with the blade was absurd. And yet she knew it would happen. Vortigern was a man to stay true to his gruesome promises.

Wincing yet again when he grabbed her chin brutally, Yassia tried to yank herself free, but that was all she did. However much she would have liked to call him the most unspeakable names in every language she was capable of, she knew she could not risk it. Not with her face in peril. That might sound vain indeed, and maybe Yassia also was vain, but she was also realistic. She knew that the looks of a woman were her greatest asset, and for a woman of her status all the more. Tales of love were all well and good, but fact was that in her world matches were made if the dowry was high enough and if the bride-to-be was not hideous. In Yassia’s case the dowry would be a whole kingdom and the prospect of a shared rule, but she knew she would be far from the choosing side if her looks were in any way mutilated. And Vortigern knew that too, he truly was a cunning bastard and knew exactly where to place his threats.

Silence seemed the best policy for Yassia right now, before her impossible tongue got her in trouble again. She ached to throw all his words back into his face, wanted to show him that he might think her his prisoner, but that nothing could ever take the dignity of a princess away from her, but instead she balled her fists and kept her peace – for now. Only two words managed to slip out through her tightly pressed lips, and they put into a nutshell all that she felt righ now and all that she wished on him: “You’ll pay.”
The moment those words about dragging had left her mouth, Yassia had wanted to slap herself, knowing full well what she had opened herself up to. Vortigern truly was in the mood to take her by her very word, just to humiliate her more and hurt her in every possible way. Never before had she felt so hated by anyone, even her uncle saw her more as a nuisance than actually truly disliked her. With this man it seemed different.

But Yassia had neither time nor peace to further ponde on this sad fact, as Vortigern let deeds follow his scornful words. She felt herself being dragged forward and hastened to get her legs in the right position, but the moment she put weight on the right foot, her knee twisted and buckled painfully.
“OW! Stop, STOP” she cried out, meaning it to sound demanding but a hint of pleading was audible for attentive ears. “For goodness sake, stop! AH!”
With that last outcry she involuntarily gripped the arm that dragged her tighter, chomping down on her lips as tears began to brim in her browngreen eyes. She knew the injure might be nothing serious, she had just twisted her knee and in a few days she’d be as good as new. Right now though, she was literally walking through hell.

[Vortigern]

-------Vortigern was not sure how a woman could be so... annoyingly defiant. It was truly infuriating and with every word she spoke, his hatred for her grew. Hatred. Perhaps that was the wrong word. Or maybe it was the perfect way to describe the nature of their, relationship. He had not liked her when he met her upon the proposal, but his motives for kidnapping her were purely political. Now however, his motives for beating her were personal. Perhaps the personal and political would intermingle after all. "A woman in your position should not make such empty threats," he snapped back when she told him he would 'pay'. It was something to be laughed about but right now, he did not express the humor in her words. He was just purely irritated by them. And perhaps, this was what drove her to be so foolishly bold. Or incredibly stupid rather.

-------He continued to drag her forward, obviously paying no need to her 'order' to stop. The plea in her voice was detected, as were the tears in her eyes, but both things went unacknowledged. He had no time nor desire to comfort the tears of the woman. Hell, he was more pleased with himself for having put them there. When he got where he could release his hold, he threw her forward, hoping she would fall to the ground. Where she belonged. "Did I not tell you that you would beg," he said in a strongly patronizing voice, a smug grin on his face. Whether it was really begging or not, something had to have fueled her words to make him stop. Other than because she felt she was entitled to respect. At this moment his men approached the scene, passing Vortigern his dagger to him; the one they had pulled from the horse as the young prince put the weapon back in its holder at his side.

-------"Is everything prepared?" He asked them. One of the knights tossed Vortigern a sack filled with things, as he responded to the question from their leader. "Yes Sire. The site is ready for her." Vortigern knew he could not take her back to the castle, for several of reasons. The first, being because of his father. And the nobles and knights loyal to his father, would obviously report the presence of a hostage princess. Vortigern knew he could get his revenge on them and even though they feared him, it was far too great a risk to take. He had to think this through carefully. Then of course there was the other matter of when word got out that Yassia was in his clutches, the castle would be the first place they would look for her. And Vortigern wanted a more, private arrangement between her uncle and him.

-------So instead, he had chosen an abandoned estate, one that was not too great in size but it was not the size of it that mattered. It was the fact that it was so isolated, so far from everything, that one would not be able to find it unless they were looking. And even it's existence was unknown to anyone foreign to the land. In fact, it was unknown to anyone who was not fully versed in the history of Soleria. Vortigern proceed to dug into the sac he had been given, already knowing the content of it. They had pre-prepared it for when the time came of her arrival. He pulled out a rope, for starts, and moved towards her. "Are you going to stay still?" He questioned, already aware of how resilient she proved to be. "Or am I going to have to teach you another lesson in discipline," he added, with dead seriousness. And now, he had the dagger to make good on his previous threat.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

Of course he would call her out on her admittedly empty threat. She had expected it, but that didn’t diminish the uproar of anger she felt towards him yet again. Oh, he would see in time! Right now he might have the upper hand on things, but soon there would come a time when the tables could be turned. And then he would pay. For every slap, for every threat and for every single humiliation. Yassia had never thought herself to be an avenging angel or ever wanting to stoop to violence as a reconciliation, but Vortigern brought the worst out in her. Imagining what she would do to him after she had safely returned from Camelot with the help she needed gave her a grim satisfaction that made the situation right now almost bearable.
Those images even calmed her down enough she could answer his comment with a smug look, as if she knew something he didn’t; but she didn’t speak up. For now she had learned her lesson.

The pain crowded out any other feelings for a short while, but as soon as he tossed her to the ground again, where her already aching body made contact with the hard and slightly rocky soil, the hatred for him flamed up again like a flash fire. How dare he treat her like this! How could he even think to add more and more humiliation to everything?! It was as though he had no idea who she was, but the fact that he knew it all to well made the matter even worse.
“Oh yes you must feel so grand, kicking someone who’s already down”, she jeered. It was out before she could stop herself and for a moment raw fear took over her mind, her guts contracting with a sickening feeling as she dreaded the consequences of her rash action. Shouldn’t she know by now that you better never opened your mouth in rage before having counted to ten? It was a wise council her nursemaid, all too familiar with her hot blooded temper, had given her once. But Princess Yassia did not often heed advices that were not her own.

Now the other men came into view, and Yassia recognized some of them by sight. They had been with Vortigern on his cursed courtesy visit to Ailantha the previous year. Either he had no other friends or he had chosen them deliberately, for whatever purpose.
Her mind started to race as they talked about ‘the place’. Would they bring her somewhere far enough away from the castle? But why? She already had had the suspicion that this action could by no means be taken with the consent of King Gildas, but that was by no means a comforting thought. What was going on here for real? Wasn’t he going to make her a state hostage? Again fear found its way into Yassia’s mind. If she was locked away somewhere remote with only Vortigern and his goons knowing her whereabouts, anything could happen… it was by no means sure she would ever leave this place again… no witnesses…

No, she did not like this, and she did like the rope in his hands even less, as he now approached her. Being restrained like that would limit her chances of escape considerably! Everything in her practically screamed to squirm even in advance, trying to avoid the rope, but she was reasonable enough to weigh the consequences more severe than the binding itself. Instead of answering his question, she hurled her other concern at him:
“Where will you take me? What’s on your wretched mind Vortigern?! What is this ‘site’ you are talking about?!”

[Vortigern]

-------Kicking someone how was down. She just did not stop, did she. Her words, or threats, or whatever remarks meant to infuriate him just kept flowing out of her mouth. Talk about a woman with a loose tongue. He was sick of it. She should not be so bold and be aware that he was not a man to be reckoned with. That when he told her to do something, or not do something, he expected his words to be followed. Everyone else in Soleria did it, why not her? It was undoubtedly a pride thing. But he did not care. What pride and dignity did she have left in such a position. "Hmm, now what an intriguing thought," he commented in mock contemplation. As if he was now considering the possibility of kicking her. It was not too far from the brutal acts he displayed when teaching someone else a lesson. Maybe it would come into play with her.

-------But for now, they needed to get to a more discreet location, rather than out in the open, near the border. She did not seem to be fidgeting away from him when he approached her with the rope. He grabbed both her wrists, a gesture that was done easy enough considering the petite nature of her wrists and proceeded to tie the rope around her. He intentionally made it tighter than need be. Hoping it would cause discomfort; and hoping even more than it would leave a significantly strong rope burn. Her questions did not fall in deaf ears but he was not going to grant her with the privilege of knowing before arriving. "But if I told you that, where would the surprise be?" He asked mockingly, well aware that this could not be deemed as a 'pleasant surprise'. Once her hands were bound, he looked back into the sac, looking for something that would benefit them all.

-------He would not have to bind her ankles together as she had already injured one. An unforeseen perk in this matter. He pulled out a piece of cloth and tied it around her mouth, the length of it enabling him to tie it with ease at the back of her head. "Since you will not shut up otherwise, this is the best way to make you hold your tongue. Unless you force me to cut it out." Another threat. But he did not want her to scream and whine on their ride from here. Though it was night and not many were out at this hour. It could still attract unwanted attention. "And last, but certainly not least..." Concealment. He had limited her mobility, ceased her incessant talking, and now he would protect the location of where he was taking her.

-------He dumped the rest of the content from the bag, the remainder only being a flint and tinder, and he held the sack up. Well, first things first. He was obviously not going to be the one riding with her, so grasping the ropes he dragged her over to where one of his knights waited on the horse. "Pardon," he said as if he was about to excuse his next actions, but they were said with more sarcasm than anything else. For he would never ask for her pardon or forgiveness for anything. He lifted her onto the back area of the saddle, seating her in an upright position. But he still had one more thing to do before they left. "I expect you to behave Yassia," he said in that same condescending tone. "And I will see you again very soon."

-------With those words of finality, he placed the sac over her head, covering her sight with darkness. He hoped it scared her; he hoped it terrified her! But these were only hopes, for she was not one who he could easily predict. She spoke out when he warned her otherwise, and she held herself up high when he tried to degrade her. A proud princess indeed. Vortigern then moved to the front of the horse to address its rider. "Ride as quickly as you can, and do not stop until you have reached the arranged destination." It was about an hour's ride, and that was going at full speed. So that was the estimated time of arrival he expected from his knight.

-------He then moved to the side of the horse, smirking though Yassia could not see his expression. "Pleasant journey Princess Yassia," he said mockingly. He then hit the side of the horse so that it brought its front legs up in the rode and bolted off into the distance. Vortigern was not about to waste any time. He quickly went back to his own horse, mounted, and took an alternate route to the same location. He firstly had to make sure that his men were cleared from the border. Most of them at least, so that it would not look suspicious; so that it would not look like they were waiting for someone which is precisely what they had been doing. And now, they had found her.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

Would he do it? Would he really kick her now? She should have known he would take that as the same invitation as he had done before when she had said something about dragging. Forcing herself to take deep and levelled breaths, she tried to hide her fear to the best of her abilities, and was gladly rewarded with him dropping the subject – for now! There was still no telling what would all come later, when they had reached their mysterious destination… No, better stay in the present, Yassia, don’t worry about what’s to come next, that will only drive you mad with fear… nothing is worse than an imagination running into overdrive because all it could be fuelled with was remarks and speculation…
And she needn’t forget who she was! Vortigern was on a good way to make her believe she was the scum he treated her as! But she was a princess and always would be, regardless what he said! And a princess did not bow to savagery!

She hadn’t even entertained the high hopes of actually getting to know his plans. He was right, in a sick way. Following his logic it was a far better way to keep her in the dark, about anything. Yassia would only dread the worst, and that’s where he wanted her: scared witless. Nothing was as fearful as the unknown. A detached part of her mind actually bowed to the efficiency of his mind. He seemed to have planned this at length, and so far the plan was flawless. She had even helped him along with her stupid try to escape. With two intact legs she could have waited for the perfect opportunity to really make a run for it, when he least expected it. But now… she would have had to think harder. Giving up of course was out of question! Even though nothing would come to her mind right now, she simply HAD to find a way.

But another humiliation was yet to come, and there was nothing she could do about it. First he tied up her hands, the rope he used cutting already into her skin when he fastened it, fastened it tight! Chomping down on her lips again she fought against the urge to whimper with pain. Then he even produced a rag from this dreaded sac he was carrying and Yassia’s eyes grew wide when she realized what he wanted to do. “No, don’mmmhhmmmm!” she called out the rest of the sentence already made unintellegible by the cloth. It was dirty and reeked of something she didn’t even want to waste any thought on, the sour taste of it against her lips made her retch. Gagged… like a common criminal… truly, what was next?!

Apparently, THIS was next: Without so much as a proper warning, he put his hands on her waist and lifted her up on a horse, already manned by one of his knights. His touch made her shudder visibly, but it was at least not him who she was riding with…
But she had not much time to be smug, because Vortigern’s worst coup so far was just waiting around the figurative corner. At first she didn’t understand when the sac came closer and closer to her face, but then she yelped up in shock, producing nothing but another “hhmmmmmhhhhmmmm” sound. Then her world went dark. Yassia’s heart started to race and her breathing accelerated, making her head swim. Air! She needed air!!! She would suffocate in this sac before the next ten minutes were through!!

Faintly she heard Vortigerns last words: "Ride as quickly as you can, and do not stop until you have reached the arranged destination." "Pleasant journey Princess Yassia," and then the horse reared up and sped forward. For a few moments Yassia had more to do with staying on horseback with her hands tied up and trying not to get any body contact with the knight in front of her, and when she finally had a secure position again, she found that the panic had died down considerably. She could even feel a light breeze making its way under the hood that covered her head now. So she would not suffocate. If that was a good thing, concerning the hours or maybe even days that were to come, Yassia didn’t know.
But yet again there was nothing she could do about it. Soon losing track of time, the repetetive dull rhythm of the horse hooves lulled her into a dozing state and so she actually starteled when the hooves suddenly clattered over stone, and the horses were reined in. They had reached their destination… what would come now?

[Vortigern]

-------The knight, following his master's orders, rode non stop to the estate. As soon as he entered there was a small gathering of men to greet him. He got off the horse, pulling off the princess of Ailantha with him. "Is the room prepared?" He asked one of them. "As prepared as it is going to be," another answered as he started to lead the way. The knight left the sac on Yassia's head, pulling her with the rope her hands were bound with. "Watch your step princess," he said, but not to be polite. Only to make sure she did not fall and crack her skull... for then Vortigern would have his head.

-------He led her, or dragged her rather, to the lowest level of the estate, warning her of the steps. Once they arrived, a couple of men opened two doors that were the equivalent to a castle's dungeon. It was a small, empty room with no window. A stone cold floor with stone walls and nothing to make it charming or provide a welcoming atmosphere. Once she was inside, the knight kept the bag on her head, under the prince's orders, threw her inside and closed the door behind him. "Keep an eye on her. Sir Vortigern should be arriving any time now." And with that, went off to get some food into his empty belly.

-------Vortigern rode towards the abandoned estate with minimal stops. He only went to the border area to dismiss his men, telling them to accompany him and leaving a couple for patrol. Which of course was common. He then rode steadily and speedily toward the designated holding place for Yassia. A few fleeting thoughts of whether his father's knights would intercept entered and fled his mind. Now was not the time to be paranoid over such things. He needed to focus on the task at hand; on taking her to a more secure location were he could properly extract information from her. Through whatever means necessary. He rode quickly until the area came into view. With his stop, the others should have arrived already by now. Vortigern took the opportunity however to get a report on whether anything eventful occurred in his absence.

-------Once he rode through the gates one of his men hurried to his side, taking the reigns of his horse so that Vortigern could dismount. "Sire," he greeted as the prince dismounted. "Anything to report?" He questioned as he walked towards the entrance of the estate, his knight following quickly behind him. "No sire. We kept watch diligently and have men placed in the surrounding area, should your father's men take notice to our presence, or grow suspicious." Good. That was what Vortigern wanted to hear. That there was proper surveillance. "And they have arrived?" He asked, already walking towards where he had told them to take her. "Yes Sire. Sir Sheldon is resting and the princess is in the room you designated."

-------Vortigern continued on forward, descending the steps of the estate. He made his way to the room she would be waiting in, the door being opened for him before he even needed to ask. It was left open only a little to allow some light inside. But otherwise, Vortigern purposely left it dark, void of any torches. Just to add to its effect of being remote and isolated. He walked towards Yassia, reaching his hand up to finally pull the sac off of her head. "Yassia," he greeted, in an exaggerated and rather sarcastic amicable tone. "How have you been faring?" He asked, once again with sarcasm for he knew it could not be well. "I know you are used to more, extravagant accommodations." Yes. Now he was flat out mocking her.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

With her eyesight gone for the moment, Yassia tried to make use of her hearing and other senses to get a rough idea of where she might be. Stone under her feet, at least this could not be a mouldering forest cabin… only richer men could afford paving their courtyard with stone. But it was not only stone she felt, most of the courtyard seemed overgrown to an almost neglected extent. Then again, Yassia had never been in Sorelia before, so this would not help her in placing her whereabouts on any higher scale. She might not even have needed the sac over her head to be completely lost, but Vortigern was nothing if not thorough.

Soon though Yassia had many other problems being more prominent than the question of her current lodging. Whether her captors had forgotten she was injured or they were brutes enough to merely not care, the princess was apparently expected to walk inside. She felt herself being dragged forward, and even though she was provided with a considerate: "Watch your step princess,", the mercy didn’t stretch so far as to spare her the agony of walking. Hobbling as best as she could, Yassia for once was glad that the sac concealed her face. So she could screw up her face into a mask of agony and even letting a few tears run down her cheeks, as she tried with all her might to let no sound of pain escape her lips. Silently she cursed every single man of this group of savages to the lowest parts of hell, but she did not dare voice any of this, for fear of crying out instead.

And once again, the worst was yet to come. A staircase! Normally those were mere inconveniences, but as soon as she has managed the first two, it dawned on Yassia that pain beyond compare was to be her new friend. However much she tried, there was no circumventing the fact that for a short few seconds all her weight needed to be beared by the injured leg, and that her twisted knee didn’t buckle and let her tumble down the flight below was nothing short of a miracle. However as things were now, with pain erupting from her leg and radiating from there into her whole body, Yassia didn’t know she wouldn’t have liked that better, falling, and maybe breaking her neck. At least then it would all be over. Already she could taste blood on her lips where she had bitten right through in the agonizing attempt to not give them the satisfaction of hearing her pleading.

Being tossed into the room, however brutal it was and however hard the cold stone floor greeted her, felt almost like salvation. At least she didn’t have to stand anymore. Like this, sprawled on the ground in complete darkness, she stayed for a countless while, waiting for the pain to die down and for her heartbeat to slow. Again, all she could do was wait, already dreading the instant Vortigern would walk through the door, starting who knew what with her.
She didn’t have to wait long. Sooner than she would have liked she heard the heavy lock rattle and hastily rolled to face the direction she remembered the door to be in. Her knee now felt hot and swollen, hurting even without weighing it. That was not good. But there was nothing she could do about it now.

"Yassia," "How have you been faring?" "I know you are used to more, extravagant accommodations."
She blinked up at his towering presence, even the little light hurting her eyes after the complete darkness she had been in. As if he would care for her wellbeing, what a laugh! What should she grace his comments with? Just a snort or a cheeky remark? Even though neither was advisable, Yassia decided on the latter.
“They were almost amiable until you showed up”, she told him frankly, shrugging. “Can’t say I was too crestfallen not to see your face for a while.”

[Vortigern]

-------Before she could speak, he knew he would have to remove the binding from her mouth. Not that he actually wanted to hear her irritating voice which held only defiance and stubbornness. But it would make it far more fun to hear how she talked herself out of this one. Or attempted to. Or even tried to reason to him. If she was smart, she would admit defeat. Vortigern pulled out his dagger and held it in a downward direction. The blade slipped in between her cheek and the cloth tied around her mouth, though the flat edge was on her cheek so that it did not pierce her skin. In this motion, he slowly lowered the blade as it caught on to the cloth, pulling it down around her neck.

-------She wasted no time speaking. He pulled out his dagger and kept it held in his hand. It was easy to threaten someone with words, but weapons added more legitimacy to it. He had already slapped her once. Had he not warned her that he would do it again with a blade? And now, he had one, firm in hand; ready to strike if need be. He smirked upon hearing her response to his sarcastic and uncaring question. "Well I can easily leave you once more in the darkness. If that is what you should desire." Right now, he was making it sound like her sight, her ability to see, was a privilege and not a right. That he could strip her of that privilege easily. For she would have to earn these small perks of her current condition.

-------And he was obviously not going to make things any easier for her. "And here I thought you would have had the time during your travels here to reflect on your outrageous behavior. And perhaps recognize and attempt to redeem your mistakes." Her mistakes; not his. She was the one who had provoked him. Granted, he would have tied her up and dragged her here anyway. It was just fun to remind her that her stubbornness and pride could not get her out of this. That her defiance was not working in her favor. He saw it not as bravery, but rather foolishness. And the sooner she realized that, the less inclined he would be to wound her further. "But if you have not learned your lesson yet, then I am sure you will soon enough." For he had many ways to teach her how to act properly in her presence.

[So I just had him remove the cloth from her mouth so she could speak. Hope it was not too much god modding there!]