ROYAL BLOOD

The prisoner

A lady reclined at the corner of the cell, her legs drawn up to meet her chest and both her hands wrapped around her knees.

The cell was cold, and her dress was torn and had more dirt than it did before she ended up here. Her black hair draped over her face, she looked mentally deranged.

"Hey, you there! A guard screamed. Micah ignored him, her head facing down.

Just then a rat ran across the cell, making squeaky noises. Micah's breath became etched.

"I am talking to you! The guards screamed, but Micah paid no heed to what he was saying.

"Fine! We will do this the hard way." The guard said before taking out the keys to the padlock of the cell. He opened the cell and stepped in. Micah had her face buried in between her legs, her hair draped over her knees.

The guard was with a stick; he used the stick to prick Micah gently to see if she was still alive.

"This one is soft; just a few days in a cell without food and she's already dying." He mocked and then turned around to leave.

Micah finally raised her gaze, her brown eyes filled with dread, seeing that the man was about to leave. She slowly rose to her feet before the guards knew what was happening. Micah ran past him out of the cell.

"Hey! Come here! He said he was going after her.

Micah staggered as she ran; she was weak, hungry… She paused in her steps, looking around her environment.

The dungeon was huge, having different pathways. She chose a path and ventured into it, staggering frantically as she walked.

Just then she falls on the black soil in the cold dungeon, unable to move because she is weak and tired. She remained like that, and the guard caught up to her almost immediately.

"You spiteful cunt! He insulted her by grabbing Micah by her hair.

"You will spend the rest of the day doing hard labor." He concluded before bundling her up in chains. He dragged her out and took her to a place where other prisoners were carrying heavy bricks.

The bricks were to complete the house of the hunting dogs in the castle.

"Get to work! The guards said, uncuffing Micah's hands. The latter crumbled to the ground, her knees violently hitting the soil.

The guard left her there, seeing that his other colleagues were there to keep things in check.

Micha saw an aged man drinking water from a water bag. She crawled up to him slowly….

"Please, sir… water." She asked, her lips quivering.

"You want water? He asked, looking sympathetic at first. Micah nodded, stretching out her hand.

But suddenly the man gargles the water in his mouth and spits it at her face.

"There you go! Some water! He said, bursting in a fit of laughter, and the rest of the prisoners around him laughed.

"Gal, get out of here." He said his horrible accent signified he came from a poor background.

Micah quivered and then slowly wiped her face; she crawled up to a corner, licking her dry lips. She was thirsty; her throat was parched. Suddenly the rain began to drizzle.

Micah's eyes shone brightly; she cupped both her hands together, allowing the droplets of water to fill her hand, then she slowly brought it to her chapped lips and then drank it. She kept doing that until she was satisfied.

"Change of plans, fellas! A guard, he said, walking up to them.

"Today you all will fill up the dry well at the castle's garden with water; quickly get a bucket each… it's going to be a long day." The guard said, and everyone began to dispatch while grumbling.

Only five prisoners were handcuffed to a long chain connecting them together. Then they were escorted to the castle garden. Among them was Micah; she could hardly walk, she would stagger then fall, and the guards would kick her and tell her to stand up.

"This one is useless; let's end her life already." A guard said while walking up to where his colleague was. Micah had fallen to the ground again; this time she was in pain, and tears trickled down her face.

"Take her to the execution block and behead her there; make it quick. Come back with a new prisoner to take her place." The guard who had just walked up to his colleague said, and Micah was immediately uncuffed and disconnected from the train of chains connected to other prisoners.

"No…" came her voice almost in a whisper as she tried to struggle, but a whip was landed on her back.

Micah became vengeful; she bit her lips in agony as she groaned in pain. The whip had penetrated into her clothes; it bruised her skin.

She was pushed forcefully, her bare feet scraping a stone. She was barefoot, and under her feet was dirty.

"I never realized you were this pretty." The guard said, giving Micah a lecherous gaze.

"I will have two rounds with you before beheading you. What do you say, hmmm? He said, coming close to her. Micah spat on his face in disgust, then staggered backwards.

Suddenly a hand descended on her cheeks, and she fell on the ground, unable to maintain her balance. The guard wiped his face….

"I just changed my mind; I am going to fuck you until you die! The guard said then yanked Micah by her hair before dragging her away. He was taking her back to Prisoners Bay.

Micah was pushed on a floor in a wooden cabin; she watched the man slowly take off his clothes, his gaze ogling at her body.

With a single turn, the guard made Micah turn over; he wanted to bang her from behind.

"Please don't do this… please! Micah cried. But he didn't listen; he placed his hand on her waist and tried to raise her dress…

Suddenly everywhere became silent; Micah, who was sniffing uncontrollably, turned and saw a girl with a knife stained with blood. The guard who wanted to rape her was on the floor; he was stabbed in the back.

"Quickly, cover yourself up with this, and follow me." The young girl said, throwing a black cloak at Micah.

Micah looked surprised she reached out to the cloak and wore it; they both climbed out of the cabin, which seemed like the guards quarter.

"Who are you?" Micah's voice quivered as she asked.

"Doesn't matter..." The girl sounded harsh.

"Why did you save me? Micah asked again.

"Because I wanted to…and it was the right thing to do."

Micah gazed at her; she remembered she was the lady washing some clothes close to the prisoner's cell. She was there when Micah asked the aged man for water but didn't say a word when they maltreated her.

Micah didn't mind; she was grateful…

"Thank you for saving me." She said, and then the girl paused and turned to look at her.

"You are definitely not from here; you are too soft. That guard wanted to use you, and you were just going to let him have his way without fighting." The girl said in disdain.

"I…I can't fight; I am too weak…and hungry." Micah said with trembling lips. The girl looked at her and then suddenly untied a wrapped portion of a line under her clothes. She brought out a dry bread and gave it to Micah.

"Eat this… I am going to get you out of here. There is a waiting caravan outside these prisoner walls heading to the traders market; I will sneak you in, and you can kiss this place goodbye." The girl said, pulling Micah along.

Micah shoved the bread into her mouth like a starving lioness; she devoured it in one go.

"Poor thing, those bastards starved you to death." The girl said as they walked through a dark alley.

"Here we are. Climb through that wall using the broken part of the fence. I will stay here and look out to see if anyone is coming." The girl said, urging Micah.

"Go! She said, and Micah quickly took some steps forward, then paused.

"Come with me." She said, suddenly turning around.

"This place is horrible; if they can't have me, they will try to have their way with you. Come with me." Micah said, stretching out her hand.

The girl scoffed….

"You are just adorable, aren't you? I will be just fine; I have survived in these walls for many years. This is where I belong. Now, go before anyone sees you." She said, and Micah smiled faintly.

*What's your name?" She asked.

"Caroline." She answered, and Micah nodded.

"Caroline, I will never forget this good deed you have done for me. I pray we meet again in a better place, that I may repay your kindness." Micah said, then turned around; she ran to the broken side of the fence and climbed on it.

The caravan was already moving; an old man was the rider. Micah ran some more towards the caravan, then took a gentle leap; she landed behind the caravan safely.

From where she was, she waved at Caroline. The latter waved at her, then quietly turned around and left.

Micah sighed in relief; as the caravan moved, it trotted through the great walls of the castle.

Micah suddenly raised her gaze and saw the huge castle coming into view; suddenly she remembered why she ended up here in the first place—she was going back without accomplishing what she came here for.

Her father's destroyed farm flashed in her head…the voice of the knight that gave her three days to see the king also echoed in her head.

She tried to shake off the thoughts, but they kept hunting her. Without thinking twice, Micah jumped out of the moving caravan.

"If I am going to die doing this, then so be it."