"Lia, I won't marry Draco. But I'll have to agree to his wedding proposal, just to keep the three of you safe," Zara answered.
"But Zara, isn't that too risky? After you agree to his marriage proposal, what happens next?" Lia asked.
"Then we think of a way to escape. I'm thinking of making a deal with him, in exchange for marrying him. And if it doesn't work, we'll try something else like, getting them drunk. Although I don't know if it will work, we have to at least try," Zara muttered.
Lia nodded, then she said, "You're right Zara, that's the only option we have now."
...
Meanwhile, Jerald took two men with him, as they rode fast to Azrael. They barely stopped to rest, only when it was really necessary, like when they had to feed themselves, and their horses. Or when they had to ease themselves.
IN AZRAEL
Jerald and his men arrived in Azrael at dawn, and they were ushered in by two guards, who lead them to the throne room.
"Wait here, while I summon the King and Queen," one of the guards said, walking away.
Soon he arrived with King Alan and Queen Lyarra, who gave Jerald a surprised look, since they had been to Everton once before, and they recognise him.
"Sir Jerald, what brings you to Azrael, hope all is well?" King Alan inquired.
Jerald bowed his head in respect, then he said, "Greetings King Alan, and queen Lyarra. I wish, I could say that all is well, but it isn't."
King Alan and Queen Lyarra gave Jerald a questioning look. "What do you mean Jerald? Did something happen?" they asked, at once.
"What I mean is, Queen Zara left Everton, without our knowledge, and she did not return or send a letter, telling us where she is. And since you didn't reply to King Carl's letter either, he sent me here to inquire if she is in Azrael," Jerald explained.
King Alan and Queen Lyarra were gobsmacked. They couldn't believe what they had just heard. "Sir Jerald, we don't understand. Did Zara not return to Everton? I mean, she was here due to some misunderstanding, but she left for Everton at Dawn yesterday, she should be in Everton," king Alan retorted.
It was now Jerald's turn to look confused. "If queen Zara, did leave for Everton at dawn yesterday, she is supposed to be in Everton by now, even though Azrael is quite far from Everton. unless she stopped on the way to rest," he pondered. Then he said, "King Alan, I'll have to return to Everton at once. And if queen Zara, is yet to return, then we'll send you a letter."
King Alan scoffed."I'm afraid I can't sit and wait for a reply, I'll have to come with you."
Jerald was taken aback. "But King Alan, who will take care of Azrael if you come with me?" he asked.
"I'll leave Azrael in the hands of my wife, Queen Lyarra. She will rule until I return."
Queen Lyarra did not object because she was extremely worried about her daughter. "Zara, I hope you're safe? may the Lord protect you..."
OUTSKETCH OF NIVAL
Draco was up early just to get an answer from Zara. Although he didn't need her answer, he still wanted to have the pleasure of hearing her say yes to him.
He walked into the room, where Zara and Lia were kept...
Seeing Draco, Zara and Lia straightened, taking hold of each other. "He's so ugly," Lia whispered into Zara's ear, earning a giggle from her.
Draco watched them and wondered what Lia might have said, to enable such a reaction from her. And had to admit that Zara looks beautiful when she smiles. (How can one be this beautiful, it's no wonder king Carl fell for her. And I'm sure there are other men out there who also want her. Too bad, I have her already, and I won't let anyone take her away," he pondered.
Zara's smile was replaced with a scowl when she saw Draco staring at her in admiration. "Such a vile man," she muttered, under her breath.
Draco was suddenly brought back to the reality of why he was there. "My Goddess, I'm pretty sure you know why I'm here, and I hope that you've made up your mind.
Zara scoffed, rolling her eyes. She wished she could scream no to him, but right now, their safety comes first.
"Draco, I've decided that... I will marry you," Zara muttered, and Draco was taken aback at first and was not sure if he heard it well. "What did you say?" he asked.
Zara gritted her teeth and answered again. "I will marry you Draco."
Draco chuckled. "Finally! I knew you would agree. Now you'd be mine forever."
" it will be under one condition, Draco," Zara added. She decided to try and see whether Draco would release her friends.
Draco frowned slightly. "What condition?"
Zara sighed, then she said, "The condition that you let my friends go."
Draco burst into laughter. "Zara, I'm sorry, but that's not possible. The moment I let your friends go, you'd refuse to marry me. I'm no fool, Zara. But maybe after the wedding, and the consummation, I'll let them go."
Zara scoffed. "I don't trust you Draco. how I'm I sure that you'd let my friends go after the marriage?"
"I give you my word Zara, and I won't go back on it," Draco retorted.
"Your words mean nothing to me Draco, but your actions will," Zara blurted out angrily. She had hoped that her plan would work, but it didn't. What should I do now?" she thought, forgetting her plan of getting them drunk until Lia spoke up.
"You should at least do something for queen Zara. Like releasing her men, and organizing a small celebration before the wedding."
Zara tilt her gaze to Lia, and Lia signaled her to convince him. "Yes Draco, shouldn't we at least eat and drink?" Zara added immediately.
Draco gave the two women a suspicious look. "what are they up to?" he pondered, but shrugged. It's just drinking anyway, nothing harmful.
"Fine! I will release your men, and we'll have a small feast," Draco muttered.
A smile instantly appeared on Zara and Lia's faces. Yes, it's working.
...
Jamie and Theon were treated and clothed, before the feast... At the feast, Draco and his men ate and drank, while Zara and her friends only ate, since they were hungry and needed the strength to escape.
ZARA'S POV
I was sitting beside Draco as I watched him and his men drink and laugh like madmen. . "Finally, the plan is working. But there were some things, I had to know before we escaped.
"Draco," I called, inching a little bit closer.
Draco giggled."Zara, my goddess, you know I like it when you said my name."
I wrinkled my face in disgust, before saying, "Draco, did Nadia ask you to abduct me?"
Draco nodded, tilting his gaze to meet mine. I could tell he was drunk by the way his eyes were slightly closed, and the constant nodding of his head.
"Zara, Nadia made a deal with me, and she used you as my price," he blurted out.
"What deal is he talking about?" I turn to Lia, who also had a curious look on her face. "Zara, ask him what deal he made," she muttered and I nodded.
"Draco, what deal did you make?"
Draco chuckled, then he said, "Zara, in other to stop me from killing her and to take revenge on lady Gwen, she gave you to me. Why do you think lady Gwen disappeared? Its because she was abducted from the palace by King Neil's men. And then given to me and two other men to rape and kill. Gwen is dead, Zara, She's dead."
I shivered slightly after hearing what he said. "So King Neil and Nadia could do something so despicable. What else have they done that we don't know about?
"Draco, did you send me that letter? The one which states that my father was ill?"
"Of course, Queen Zara. It was all Nadia's plan to help me abduct you, and it worked."
That means my intuition was right. I will have to go back to Everton immediately to expose Nadia. God knows what else she could be planning.
"Zara, I can't believe Nadia is so bad. What are you going to do when you go back to Everton? Are you going to tell Carl about this? what if he doesn't believe, and say, you're only accusing Nadia because you're jealous of her?" Lia muttered all at once.
"Then we'll support her majesty, backing up her claim against Nadia. If everyone sees that, not just Queen Zara, but the three of us are accusing Nadia, they are bound to believe us," Jamie chipped in.
I nodded, hoping that will be the case. "Jamie, Theon, Lia, we first have to escape," I told them, and they nodded in agreement...
By now Draco and his men were already wasted. They were even asleep, and we saw that as a sign to escape.
We immediately stood up from the table, sneaking toward the door.
"My queen, I don't know why but this doesn't seem right. I mean, how can we escape so easily?" Theon said, a suspicious look plastered on his face.
I also started to feel uneasy, when he said that. He's right! this is too easy. But what other options, do we have. "Theon, I know that, but right now, we don't have a choice," I said and he sighed, turning to give Draco and his men one last look... "okay, Queen Zara, let's go."
...
When we stepped outside the house, nothing looked suspicious, everywhere was quiet with no one in sight. "Zara, we did it. We escaped," Lia said happily.
I chuckled. "Lia, don't celebrate yet. we haven't escaped," I told her.
She nodded, but there was still this happy glint in her eyes, making me smile. And now more than ever, the zeal to escape became stronger.
"My queen, wait here, I'll go get us horses," Theon said, going to the back of the house...
We waited for some minutes, and when Theon didn't return, my heart started to beat in fear that something might have happened to him.
"Why isn't he back yet," Lia mumbled, stamping her feet impatiently.
"Queen Zara, I'll go check on him," Jamie announced, walking away hastily.
"Be careful Jamie," I yelled after him, as he disappeared to the back of the house.
"Zara, I'm starting to get scared," Lia whispered, inching closer to me, and I held her hand, glancing around...
Lia shrieked after we heard a twig, in the bushes. "What's that?" Lia yelled, twirling, and before I could say something, I heard...
"Queen Zara, why did you choose the hard way." Oh God is that... Why did the voice sound so familiar? I thought, looking around.
"Zara, stop looking around, I'm right here," the person said, coming from the back of the house.
Lia and I gasped in horror. "Draco...."