Chapter 49  

Klara couldn't help but stare at the mesmerizing beauty in front of her. How could a man or a human possible look like this?

She took in every detail. The perfectly sculpted face, the defined eyebrows, the flaming eyes, the sharp nose, lips made to kiss and a flawless skin. And his hair, it was long, thick and black and shone in the sunlight. Klara realized that none of his hair was out of place or dirty even though they had spent the whole day on a battlefield.

The prince leaned down and reached behind her. His scent reached her nostrils, he smelled of spices. He should smell of sweat and blood after killing almost all her men.

After hearing a cutting sound Klara's hands were free. Before she could stand up he grabbed her jaw and made her look at him.

"Don't ever think of running." He warned his voice low.

Klara was never the obedient type but she found herself nodding.

He slowly let go of her face and her body tingled with carnal awareness as his fingertips brushed her skin. It terrified her. She needed to keep a safe distance from this man.

The rest of the day went by quickly. They offered her food and didn't treat her badly. Most of the time they didn't even look her way which was both odd and comforting.

She was used to men ogling or looking at her inappropriately. Most of the time she knew what was on their mind but they never dared to act on their thoughts out of fear for her brother.

When she reached the age of marriage many powerful men had come and asked for her hand but she had denied all of them.

"Sweet sister. You are at the age of marriage but you are denying every man. What do you want me to do?" Her brother would ask time after time.

"They only want me because of my looks, Rasmus."

"Is that a bad thing?" Rasmus would look at her confused. "You should be happy that you are a beautiful lady."

No one understood her. Of course she was thankful for her beauty but she wished someone would see her for who she was.

Klara looked up at the sky. The sun had gone down and the night covered the sky like a black curtain. The soldiers sat around a fire and chatted happily while drinking and eating. Klara sat away from them leaning against a tree. She was tired but she couldn't fall asleep afraid they would take advantage of her. They hadn't treated her badly so far and even offered her food and a blanket to warm herself but she was not the type to trust easily.

"Don't worry. My men will do nothing without my permission."

Klara knew this voice because it brought butterflied to her stomach. She always got the strange feeling of wanting to run and stay at the same time every time she saw the prince.

Sighing he sat down leaning against a tree in front of her. Klara couldn't help but stare at him, he was very pleasing to the eyes.

"And how would I know you wouldn't give them permission?"

Well, that was true.

"What's your name?" She asked unable to stop her curiosity.

"Lucian."

Klara thought she liked his name. Even though she didn't want to admit she liked everything about this man. She liked how he looked into her eyes when he spoke to her instead of scanning her body.

"My name is Klara." She told him.

He just nodded.

"When I have helped you, how can I trust you will set me free."

"You see...you have no choice." He retorted.

"Why do you want to top the sex trade?"

"I just don't like it." He shrugged. Klara had the feeling that there was more than him not liking the trade but she didn't ask any further questions.

Lucian leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

Klara watched him as he went into a deep slumber. He looked even more beautiful when relaxed. Somehow she felt she could trust him so she closed her eyes as well and fell asleep.

The next morning Klara woke from the sunlight poking her eyes. Blinking several times she looked around and found that everyone was awake and ready to leave somewhere.

Standing up she grabbed a soldier. "Where is the prince?" she asked.

He nodded behind her. Turning around she found Lucian standing there.

"Have you eaten something?"

Klara shook her head. Why? Had she lost her voice? She was really mad at herself for acting like this and feeling this way toward her enemy.

"Give the Lady something to eat." He ordered.

"Yes, Your Highness." The soldier nodded and left to bring her food.

"We need to leave quickly so that we can reach the border before sundown." He explained.

Klara found herself nodding again. Maybe she did lose her voice after all. The soldier came back with a sandwich which he gave to her then he took Lucian to the side and spoke to him about something. Lucian just nodded a few times then looked her way. Were they speaking about her?

Looking away she began to eat her sandwich. Klara was still not sure whether to trust Lucian or not. She contemplated escaping while they traveled but if they caught her this time they wouldn't leave her to live. Maybe she should just do as he says.

When she was done Lucian came riding on his horse "If you are done we should leave." He said.

"I am done."

He reached his hand out. Taking it she jumped on the horse and sat behind him, then they rode off. It felt strangely intimate to ride with someone Klara thought, especially when she had her arms wrapped around his waist.

After hours of travel they finally reached the border which was near the cost. Getting off their horses they entered an old large ship.

"Is it here?" Klara asked confused.

"Yes. Slaves get shipped through the ocean from different countries to this place and this is their main ship. This is where they register the slaves, buy and sell them."

"Oh..."

As they walked through the ship's hallways the old wooden floor made a creaking sound. They passed a few slaves tied and sitting on the floor, some of them were wounded while other seemed hungry. Klara saw girls her age and some even much younger, sitting there looking both scared and starved.

Klara's stomach began to hurt. What were these innocent peoples fault? She didn't like this at all and would scold her brother once she gets back home. But unfortunately, as Lucian spoke to one of the sellers they found out that her brother didn't own the trade anymore.

"Lord Rasmus didn't want it anymore and sold it to Lord Nicholas." The seller explained.

Nicholas was the king of the Eslarian Kingdom. He was known to be the only decent king, it surprised her that he took over the slave trade.

"Lord Nicholas has opened the trade for everyone. Are you here to buy or..." He looked at Klara his eyes gleaming with lust "..sell?"

Dear Lord. She was in trouble. Now when Lucian had no use of her what if he sold her. These men wouldn't believe that her brother was a king before they defiled her.

Looking around Klara thought of a way to run but Lucian grabbed her arm as if he knew what she was about to do.

"Neither." he said.

"Just name the price...any price." The man said licking his lips.

Lucian ignored the man and dragged Klara out of the ship.

"Let's go." He said getting on the horse.

Klara got on the horse and held onto him tightly.

"Thank you!" She whispered as they rode but where was he taking her exactly? "Where are we going?"

"I am taking you back home." He said.

"Really?! But I haven't done anything to help you." She said surprised by the disappointment she felt. She should be happy to be going home.

He laughed. It was a deep rich sound that made her insides melt.

"You sound disappointed."

"No I am not. I just...I just wonder what you will do now to stop the slave trade?" It was partly true. She was curious to know.

"I will take care of that." He said shortly then they continued riding in silence until they reached the border of Gatrish.

Lucian got off the horse and helped her down.

"Can you find your way from here?" He asked.

Klara nodded. "Yes, thank you."

She still couldn't understand why he saved her. He didn't seem impressed by her beauty and if he was he should have kept her. Maybe he was just a decent man. An utterly handsome decent man.

Sadly she had to say goodbye already, now that she finally met a man that intrigued her.

For the first time, his eyes traveled down her body but there was nothing lustful in his gaze. It must have been because of her dirty torn clothes she thought. Taking his cloak off he wrapped it around her and Klaras heart fluttered inside her chest.

"Thank you." She whispered.

Without saying a word he got on his horse.

"Be safe princess." He said and rode off.

I hope to see you again, she thought.

"Klara!!" Astrid ran to her and enveloped her in a tight hug. "Thank god you are safe. I thought something terrible happened to you. We have been looking for you everywhere. Where have you been?" Her sister asked without breathing once when Klara reached back home.

"I am fine Astrid. I'll explain everything if you just let me rest. I am very tired." Klara couldn't feel her legs and her eyelids had become heavy.

Astrid pulled back and scanned every inch of her sister's body. "You are not hurt are you?"

Klara could understand her sisters worry but she was too tired to cooperate.

"Klara!" Someone shouted.

Oh no. Now it was her brothers turn to search her body and ask a thousand questions. Rasmus came hurrying toward her. "Are you alright? Who did this to you?" He asked grabbing her shoulders and searching her body.

"I am fine, alright. I am not hurt or anything. I am just tired, hungry, thirsty and I need a bath."

Astrid and Rasmus looked at each other for a while then nodded.

"Prepare a bath for her, bring food...." Rasmus began ordering the servants around hysterically.

"Hurry!" He ordered.

Astrid grabbed Klaras arm and dragged her to their room.

"By the way sister, You look awful," Astrid said as she helped Klara change. "Next time you listen to me when I say you won't go to war. Do you understand?"

"Yes, yes."

"I am serious Klara. Do you know how scared I was?"

"I am sorry." Klara apologized. She really didn't want to fight with her sister when she had already made her worry so much. Astrid was the only person Klara loved above anyone else. She wasn't only her sister but her friend. They had shared everything even their mother's womb.

Klara didn't know what she would do without her sister.

After bathing, changing, eating and drinking Klara lay on her bed to rest. She couldn't stop thinking about Lucian. She kept hearing his voice and his laughter, she kept seeing his eyes, she kept remembering the feel of having her arms around him and how his touch made her body tingle. What had he done to her? Maybe she would forget about him after a while but she didn't.

As days went by she only thought more and more about him and slowly she realized he was someone she would never forget because he...he had stolen her heart.

"Are you thinking about him again?"

Klara woke up from her daydream and looked around. Astrid stood in the middle of the room a smirk on her face.

"Who?" Klara said pretending to not know but Astrid knew her too well.

"The prince who saved your life."

Klara had told Astrid and Rasmus about Lucian. She hadn't given them details but she had told them that he had saved her. Both her siblings were surprised that the dangerous prince had saved her instead of killing her.

"I wonder why he saved you." Astrid said thoughtfully as she sat beside her sister. "Maybe he was bewitched by your beauty."

"I don't think so, Astrid. He never looked at me the wrong way and he didn't even try to touch me. He was a total gentleman and ...and he is a good person."

Astrid arched a brow. Of course, she had a hard time believing that the prince who killed without mercy, who was rumored to be the devil's son, whom everyone feared could actually be a good person.

"If he was bewitched by my beauty he would have had his way with me but he didn't. Instead, he took me home, why? And sister he covered me with his cloak and told me to be safe." Klara explained.

Astrid looked at her sister with a worried expression.

"What is it?" Klara asked. She didn't like when Astrid looked at her that way.

"Nothing," Astrid said shaking her head. "Just don't think much about him and try to forget him. You know Rasmus would never give you to the enemy."