The Story of Ryden and Kara by Tashara Tavernier (free romance novels txt) 📕

of the tree and untied it. Her wrists were bound to the other end of it, securing that she wouldn't escape in the night. But, like Kara had said, where would she go? They were traveling in a deserted part of land. Barren of any sign of life. Occasionally they would see a lizard dart out from behind some brush, or a vulture fly high in the sky. He slung the packs over his shoulder and started toward the direction of the rising sun.
Ryden walked in front of Kara, leading her by the rope like you would a dog, and this was what irritated her most. "I am not a mutt. I don't need to be led around like one. I am the princess of Alahand. My father would punish you severely if not execute you if he found out you were treating me this way."
"Yes, yes. I know that. That's why we aren't anywhere near your father now, are we?" Ryden knew his actions were of low character, especially concerning her status, but her sharp, snippy remarks were driving him insane, no matter who she was.
After complaining about the temperature being too cold and her stomach hurting from hunger, Kara eventually silenced herself. She figured it was a waste of energy. Ryden didn't care about her trivial grievances, so why waste energy on proclaiming the unobtainable?
Finally, thought Ryden, she quieted down. Maybe now we can make some progress.
After a few hours of tugging on the reluctant rope behind him and urging Kara to keep walking, he stumbled and almost fell over from the abrupt stop the rope made. He looked back to see Kara folding her arms as best she could with the restraints she had on them and a fiery look in her eyes.
"I refuse to travel any further with you. I am worn out and famished. You have little supplies to feed us, and quite frankly, I don't have to do what you say. I should have thought of this earlier. I am not going to be your little puppy dog who follows every order you give me. I am tired of it. I am the princess. I should be treated with respect. If you expect me to move another foot with you constantly pulling me along, taking me further and further away from my family and kingdom, expect differently." She stuck her feet firmly into the ground and plopped down. She ignored the dirt that would cling to her dress when she got up, that is, if she ever planned on getting up.
"Darn you, girl! I have no time for your fun and games! What has gotten into you?" Ryden yanked on the rope in vain, for Kara was not budging from her spot on the dusty ground.
"You are hurting me. Stop it this instant. I told you, I refuse to travel any further with you. I wish to go home. And you will be so kind as to take me there this minute!"
Her defiance was really starting to get on Ryden's nerves. He took a deep breath to calm his temper and then, ever so swiftly, swooped down and lifted Kara right off the ground! He slung her little body over his shoulders along with the pack and continued walking, the rope dangling by his legs.
"Stop! Put me down! This is completely inappropriate! Where is your sense of propriety? I say, put me down!" Her ceaseless tantrums and beatings of her fists on his back caused Ryden to stop in his tracks and swing her down from his shoulder.
"I told you, Princess

. I am not going to tolerate your actions to get in the way of this journey, whether you want to continue on or not. And if that means having to carry you, so be it."
He started to bend down to pick her up again when Kara's hands shot out in front of her and placed them on his chest in an attempt to push him away. "No! No, I don't need to be picked up again. I'm perfectly capable of walking, thank you," her cheeks blushed crimson as she tried to cool them with her shaking hands.
Ryden chuckled to himself. He knew how to handle her now. All he had to do was threaten to pick her up again if she ever acted up, and that would put an end to her asinine disputations.
They continued on their journey, a sense of defeat emanated from Kara's presence, silencing her for the most part. Ryden felt smug about his control over the princess, but couldn't help feeling guilty about the lack of propriety he had shown her. He was a respectable man towards women, most of the time. This wasn't one of those times.
He heard Kara sigh in frustration behind him. He looked back to see her rubbing the chaffed skin on her wrists. It was evidently irritating her, for she continued massaging it for several more miles. He stopped pulling so hard on the rope, giving Kara some slack to relieve her wrists from the strain it had given them.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Scene: Dungeon

“What are you doing here?” Kara whispered in exasperation.
“What do you think I’m doing here? I’m rescuing you of course!” Ryden whispered back.
“Oh, of course you are. After you kidnapped me in the first place! What made you come back?”
Ryden looked at Kara for a moment and back down at the ground. His eyes looked ashamed, and Kara sensed that an answer was finally going to be revealed.
“I…I came back because I felt, something. I don’t know what. I feel like my life took a turn for the better and that if I let you go, it wouldn’t be there anymore. I don’t know. Maybe I’m just crazy…”
“No, I don’t think you’re crazy. I don’t think you’re crazy because I feel it too.”
Ryden looked up to see Kara’s bright green eyes sparkle with an indiscernible emotion. Something he had never before seen in her countenance.
“Kara, I want you to know something. I—” his words were cut off by the sound of approaching footsteps.
“Ryden, go! Leave or you’ll be trapped here too!” Kara’s eyes displayed a look of prominent fear, but Ryden stood his ground.
“I’m not leaving you here. Not a chance.”
“That’s very chivalrous of you, but the guards won’t think so. Please Ryden, if you really want to help me escape, you need to go. Now.”
He looked to her once more before gazing down the corridor of prison cells, and, scanning to see a way out, rushed to the nearest crevice in the wall and pressed his back against it, shielding himself from view.
The footsteps became louder and louder, coming closer and closer to Ryden’s hiding spot. He held his breath when the guards stopped directly to the side of him.
The massive bodies were silently listening for any disturbance, and, after what seemed to Ryden, an eternity, they shuffled down the corridor.
When Ryden thought they were out of safe hearing distance, he let out a long breath of relief and stepped away from the wall. A small pebble just beside his foot came loose and got kicked out from under him. It rolled down the hall in deafening echo sounds bounding from the stone walls and landed right in front of the two malicious guards. Ryden’s heart seemed to stop beating and his blood ran cold.
“What the? Where d’ya think this came from, Barrin?" Both guards looked down in wonder and slowly started to turn around.
“It’s seems mighty fishy to me, Lendel. I wonder—”
He was immediately interrupted by a small yelp coming from further down.
No, Ryden thought, no, it can’t be.
His thought was instantly answered when the guards stormed down the hall and unlocked a chamber in front of them. The guard called Barrin went inside and came back with a girl slung over his brawny shoulder.
No, she wouldn’t do this. Ryden frantically started racing towards the girl, forgetting the guards; only focusing on that girl. That one girl who changed his mind about coming back; that one girl who changed his life. Kara.
“Let her down! Stop! I swear, when I get my hands on you, I will kill you!” Ryden raced madly down the dungeon hall, not fearing the consequences that would most likely come from his brazen act.
His attempt to catch up with the guard and Kara were in vain; for the guard had long legs and swift movements—the weight of the girl had no effect on his speed of escape. Not to mention the second guard, Lendel, stayed behind to assure that Ryden didn’t catch them.
Ryden was shoved brutally down on the cobblestone floor and felt more pain in his heart than on his body, for Kara had been kept on this floor for some time. Her poor, fragile frame must have suffered to a great extent from being placed in such reprehensible conditions.
“You cruel, pathetic monster. You don’t deserve to live! How could you make someone suffer as you have her?” Ryden stood. His eyes shone with rage as he advanced toward his opponent.
“You don’t deserve her, peasant. You never have. You know that. She would never have you. How could she? You’re just a poor, lowly creature who does nothing but steal from her father’s kingdom,” Lendel laughed maniacally. He taunted Ryden with these words. He knew Ryden had considered it before; considered that Kara couldn’t love someone such as himself. But she was in danger and he vowed to save her.
“You mock me, sir. But not for long.” He squared his shoulders and pursued his target. Lendel smirked at the bold attempt to conquer him and careened out of Ryden’s way.
“You really think you can defeat me? The one who has the sword?” He raised his said weapon from the sheath at his side; it shone in the faint gleam of light that was let in the room.