"I couldn't marry him even if I wanted to," she said to no one in particular. "The status alone would separate us." She sighed and got up and began to pace around the room. Seeing as she wasn't going to fall asleep she walked out of the room. "I have to talk to Justin," she muttered. She walked into the War Room where a meeting was just adjourned. "Alexandra, you should be resting," said her father.
"Father, I am perfectly fine." She turned toward Justin who was about to walk out. "Justin? Can I talk to you?" He nodded and waited while everyone left and the doors were closed behind them. "What did you want to talk to me about?" Alex took a deep breath. She hoped she wasn't doing the wrong thing, but she just couldn't go through with it, her heart wasn't in it. "About the betrothal� I... I..."
"Geez Lexi, just say it."
"I don't think I can go through with it." Justin stared at her. "I just don't think that it would work and my heart just isn't in it. I'm sorry if I've hurt you or something, but this is just the way I feel."
After a few minutes, a smile crept over Justin's face. "You just said what I have been trying to say for a while." Alex's eyes widened. "Really?" Justin nodded. "My heart wouldn't be in it. I just didn't want to say anything. I'm glad we agree over this. Now we just have to figure out how we are going to get out of it." Alex sighed and sat down into a chair. "I have absolutely no idea. Think talking to them might work?"
Justin shook his head as he sat down next to her. "I already tried that with my parents. Didn't work."
"Well, just getting mad at them won't work either. I had a whole argument with them and they brushed it off."
"Why do parents have to be so stubborn?" he asked, massaging his temples. Alex shrugged. "Who knows. Look. We need to figure this out and soon."
"I know I know. Just give me some time to think of something, okay? We will think of something."
Alex nodded and looked at the hourglass. "Shoot, I have to go. We'll talk later." Justin nodded as she jogged out of the room and went down to the medical wing to get her bandages changed. "Good evening Princess," greeted Markus, the chief healer. "Let's see how your arm is doing after a few hours." She sat down and he unwound the bandage. He gasped. "That's amazing. It's healing very quickly and nicely. You are very lucky your highness. It would appear that you heal quickly."
Alex nodded. What he didn't know was that she had said a healing spell to help with her arm. She was a bit tired after it, but the spell had worked for the most part.
"How are you feeling?" he asked looking up at her.
"A bit tired, but I'm okay." He nodded. "Well, take it easy. Why don't you go and rest for now?" Alex nodded and walked out of the room. She went toward her room and ran into JC along the way. "Hey," she said smiling brightly.
"Hi. How are you feeling?"
"Okay, just a bit tired. I'm going to go and rest."
"Okay, just remember your father wants you to attend that meeting in an hour."
Alex nodded. "I'll be there. I'll see you later." He smiled as she walked off and disappeared into her room. She yawned and flopped down onto the bed. Closing her eyes, she fell into sleep, her mind begging for a release from all of the stress.
"Sire!" shouted Coram running into the room. "The operatives have told us that if we wish to strike, that we should do so now!" Dain nodded. "Than by all means, let us strike."
Eric walked down the halls toward Alex's room. He nodded at the guards and walked into her room. Her friend Ari was there straightening things out while Alex slept.
She turned toward him and looked at him with confusion. "Eric? What are you doing here?" she whispered. Eric moved over to her and let a handful of dust fall in front of her face. She dropped to the floor, unconscious. "Who says sleeping powder
doesn't work?" he muttered moving to the bed.
He put his hand over Alex's mouth and pulled her off the bed. Shock overcame her as she was jolted awake. She started to struggle, but he grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back, making her yelp with pain. "Shut up," he whispered, leaning in close to her ear. "Don't make me kill you." She stopped struggling but slipped off one of her rings, letting it fall to the floor. He dragged her out of the room, past the two guards that stood by her door. She started to struggle more as he pulled her to the stable. He cursed and reached into his pocket, pulling out more dust.
He sprinkled it in front of her face and she dropped off to a deep sleep as she slumped in his arms. He carried her out and placed her on the horse in front of him as he galloped off.
"Where is Alexandra?" asked Roald with frustration, as the meeting was about to start. "And where is Princess Arianna?"
"We will go find them," said JC as he and Chris got up and left the War Room. "Ari is probably with Alex right?" Chris nodded. "Well then they should be in Alex's room." They walked down the hall and stopped in front of the door. "Where are the guards?" asked JC.
They walked inside and Chris immediately ran to Ari who was unconscious on the floor. JC looked around. Nothing seemed to be very out of place. The sheets were in disarray but there wasn't anything besides that. Then he looked down and saw Alex's ring. He picked it up and looked at it. It had a small inscription written on it that was foreign, but he didn't need to be able to read it to know what it meant.
"JC!" shouted Chris. JC looked over and saw Chris kneeling next to Ari. There was a small mound of dust on the ground. "Isn't that sleeping powder?" asked Chris.
JC looked at it. "I think it is. Alex is gone. Someone took her. I'm going to go tell the others. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'll take care of her." Chris picked up Ari and began to walk to the medical wing as JC ran to the War Room. He burst inside. "Alex is missing!" he shouted.
"What?" thundered Roald. "Are you sure?" JC tossed him the ring and nodded. "He used sleeping powder on Ari and I'm pretty sure he did the same to Alex."
Roald stood up. "Joshua, get the other important officials and then come back here. We're getting my daughter back."
The meeting soon adjourned and everyone went to their own tasks. They had found out that Eric and several other guards had helped in the kidnapping. Eric had rerouted most everyone so that he had a clear path for escape. Ari hadn't woken yet and Chris refused to leave her side. Justin walked down the hall toward the stable as Char joined him. "So what exactly are you guys going to be doing?"
"We're going to try and infiltrate the castle, just a small group of us. If things get rough, the others will come and help us so that we get Alex out using force. Our army is coming over and will be standing by if we need the extra power."
Char sighed. "Just don't get hurt, okay? I don't want to end up having to tend your wounds." Justin smiled and hugged her. "I'll be fine. We'll be back." He turned and walked to the stable.
"Okay, Joshua, Justin, Lance, and Joey will all be the main force accompanied by several guards. I myself would go, but I must stay here. Try to be as quick as you can and don't draw unnecessary attention to yourselves. Try and get Alexandra back without any problems. Okay? Good. Then you are dismissed." The guys mounted their horses as Roald finished his briefing. They quickly began to canter down the trail, most lost in their own thoughts.
"JC?" asked Justin. "What did the ring say?" JC sighed. "The inscription reads 'thy will hast done'. It is an old saying that not many can remember the significance of. When Alex got the ring as a little girl, she was instructed that should anything happen, to
try and slip the ring off. This was when our borders were not so well defended. Every precaution was taken and then some." Justin nodded, knowing how it felt. He looked over at JC and saw a glint of metal around his neck. "Is that necklace along the same lines?"
JC reached up and played with the pendant. He shook his head. "I was found with this around my neck. No one knows what it means." He shrugged. "I try not to think of it that much." Justin nodded and slowed down as they reached the border. "Okay, easy
in and easy out." Everyone nodded and left their horses, entering in on foot.
Seven