Prisoner

Brock was watching her from one corner and tailing her from behind without making his presence known to her. He could barely resist moving closer to her, one part of him wanted to take her to the darkest corners of the castle, where he could have his way to him, but another part of him wanted to keep her safe in a glass cage.

Brock remembered her talking to the other man and the way she smiled, made his blood boil. He wanted to make it clear to her whom she belonged to; it should be imprinted in her memory so that she does not put the lives of innocent men in danger.

He emerged from the shadows revealing himself to her, he could see that she was getting scared. She did not shy away and starred right into his eyes; she was trying to hold her ground without letting a tinge of fear show on her face when in truth; her knees would soon buckle.

It was obvious to Jess, that the crown prince was interested in her with the way he had shown himself to her for the third time. Jess recognized his voice but his face was still covered by the mask and she could not tell how he looked like in person.

Your Highness, what do you want? She asked him while curtsying.

He was the crown prince and she knew not to cross him, the stories of how girls were abducted as mistresses to satiate the lusts of kings and princes as told by her mother when reading bedtime stories to her, were ringing in her ear.

If I ask, will you give? He replied.

There was something very dangerous in the way he asked her. Jess did not answer not knowing what the man was looking for.

He finally dropped his hands that were holding her prisoner.

Go, he said, having had his fill of amusement.

She gulped, taking one step away tentatively as if he would pounce on her, then took another step still facing him. She held the front of her dress with both hands, quickly turning and running away before she could be caught in his webs.

Brock kept his eyes trained on Jess as she ran away and disappeared behind one of the many corridors of the castle, he finally pulled up the mask he had been wearing to reveal his handsome face which nothing less, than that of an angel.
Brock has heard people rumbling about falling in love and how indescribable the feeling was. Ever since he laid eyes on Jess, he had experienced such foreign feelings which was hard to put into words.

Brock was not one to bide his time in chasing after things that catches his eyes. He did not like to have regrets in life, unlike some of his acquaintances who regretted confessing their feelings to the ones they loved as many of them were already married by the time the war was over.

Todd, one of the skilled warriors who fought alongside Brock in the war, still carried the guilt in his heart. It weighed more on him than losing one of his legs, he never ceased to remind him to go after the things he loved.

He said he was too petty, egoistic rather to apologize and make up with her after a fight they had that strained their relationship. As the invaders drew closer to the border of their village, he and his men had to arm themselves to defend the border and stop them from gaining entry into their villages.
.
By the time he realized his error, he had written a letter hoping to give it to her.

“Once the war is over, we will get married and the earth will grow flowers like you, and your womb would carry the most beautiful girl in the universe, he penned. But it was too late as she died in the war before the letter could arrive,”

Seeing Jess now, he understood what Todd meant. It is as if space and time became the finest point imaginable, as if time collapses into one tiny speck and explodes at light speed, and as if his universe begins and ends with her.

Brock remembered that cold winter evening, when he decided to put an end to the pain and suffering that tormented him after the demise of Daniella.

He blamed himself for not being able to save her, the pain and guilt haunted him; it troubled him and left him gasping for breath. His heart filled with rage yet unable to express the pain in his heart.

Everyone looked up to him to lead the army to victory, there was no time to process her death nor come to terms with the reality of her not being around anymore. He became withdrawn, choosing loneliness and war just to numb the pain, yet it wouldn’t go away.

He got used to the loneliness, and preferred the solace of darkness as it made him feel invincible, and allowed him cry silently, without anyone noticing and using it against him as a weakness.

H had gone to the top of a high cliff, without any of his bodyguards, he managed to evade them as he strolled around the palace gardens and sneaked out through the back doors in disguise.

He looked down into the deep dark lake and remembered thinking he could finally reunite with his sister and also be at peace as he found it difficult to cope with the judging eyes of the world.

As he stood there, seconds from committing the most atrocious sins ever, there came a voice from behind him.

Do not do it, I know that life must be hard and you feel no emotion other than pain, but do not let it consume you. Fight and overcome that pain.

Many have lost loved ones to the cold hands of death and to ruthless enemies, but be rest assured that they could not touch their souls. Your loved ones are now in a better place, with the host of angels in heaven and are eagerly waiting for you to join them but only after defeating the enemy.

So, stand up my people and stand behind your king and our dear crown prince because they have not only won the war but they have also conquered the enemy and has brought peace to our land once again, said the feminine voice.

That was such a cheesy speech, said another female voice, and they both giggled.

The message may not have been intended for him but it spoke to the darkness within his soul and gave him some kind of strength to carry on and keep fighting, despite the pain.

Curious to see the face of his invincible savior, he had climbed down the cliff and followed the trail of their voices, which brought him to the bank of the river that ran from the hill down to the valley. He hid behind one of the trees and peaked at her from there.

It took me three years to finally see the face he had longed and yearned for. A face that left him with renewed hope and a chance at love.