The Villainous Lord's Obsession

3.

I thought about escaping, but the heavy black chains around my hands and feet were surely not going to give me a chance. I was trapped, and the reality of my situation was just sinking in. 

I was led out of the cave forcefully, while their captain had to lean on one of his men as his wound was bleeding once again from where I'd accidentally hit him. 

In his green eyes, I saw a ferocious look which sent a shiver down my spine. He didn't say much, and as I was dragged towards a waiting phaeton, I noticed that he reached for his sword and slid it onto the sheath which was thrown over his back. 

Much like Karden used to do in Balwynward. 

I was sure I'd heard him say that word. And I was sure I'd heard him say the name 'Karden', I wasn't hallucinating, or perhaps, I was and something was terribly wrong somewhere. But how could he possibly know about it? Balwynward was a fantasy kingdom, and the title of my favorite book. I could clearly remember the details of it, and it was the last book I read the night before I collapsed in the bathroom. How could it possibly make sense that I was here?

Did I somehow fall into the story? 

That seemed highly unlikely. Downright impossible, even. 

I must be hallucinating. There was no way I could possibly be in Balwynward. 

And yet, the armor of the soldiers looked exactly how it had been described in the book. It was silver-plaited, with intricate details carved into the breastplate. The crest of the imperialist army was imprinted on their arms, and their shields were bronze with crossed swords on it. 

Exactly like it was in the book. 

Even the horse's manes were braided with black threads, which was exactly how the villain's army did. 

"Captain, are you sure you are alright?" the first lieutenant asked. "Your wound is bleeding profusely."

"I'm fine," he snapped back in reply, stubbornly reaching for the reins of his horse. When he pushed away from the man he had been leaning on, he hobbled towards the horse, a certain arrogance about the way he moved. It was almost as if he was gliding over the earth, and there was a certain swagger about him that drew my attention. 

"Move out," he barked, and the men fell into line as I was roughly thrown into the carriage. We rolled off across the sand, and up towards the trees which I'd wandered into earlier. 

"We thought we'd lost you, captain," the first lieutenant said. "The men were of the impression that we would find you all the way down across the rocks. But I knew you couldn't have gone far."

He said nothing, and continued to march on with his nose pointed high in the air. There was an arrogant air about him, like he felt that he was better than everyone else around him. The men seemed to fear him, and I could tell from the way they were all silently watching him out of the corners of their eyes. No one dared to speak, for fear that they would somehow offend him.

But I, for one, did not fear him at all. 

"Where are you taking me?" I demanded. 

He didn't even pretend to notice me talking. The phaeton rumbled on, and the men marched on either side of it, armed and ready to attack anything in their part. Still, I couldn't help but notice the similarities between them and the imperialist army in Balwynward. 

Was I missing something, perhaps?

There was the squat man with a fair bit of hair on his chin, who looked exactly how Castallan had been described in the book. He was Karden’s third commander, and the red cape which fell by his right side was not as long as the other man's own, whom I guessed was Theodore. 

In the book, Theodore was Karden’s second in command, and as his first lieutenant, he was the second most ruthless man in the kingdom. 

And the one who took the top spot was Karden himself, the master of deception and the most treacherous in the whole kingdom. His name alone could strike fear in the hearts of men, and they would cower before him as he passed. 

Looking at the man ahead of me, I could see how people might fear him. Right on his neck, I could see the top of what appeared to be a tattoo. Karden also had a tattoo on his back. It was a roaring lion, a symbol of his courage which he'd gotten after winning his first battle. 

All signs pointed towards him being Karden , and as messed up as it seemed, I'd somehow wound up in the story. It could be a dream, but as I sat there in the rickety carriage, everything felt real to me. 

"I asked you a f*****g question," I fired at him. "Where the f**k are you taking me?" So much for being a nurse and one that always avoids using the cuss words. But I couldn't help it here. I had always been the type of avoid using them, no matter how pissed I was. However, this people here aren't giving me much of an option, and I'll be damned if I let them use it against me.

"Be quiet," he snarled, looking over his shoulder at me. His eyes blazed with a strange fire, but I was not about to back down to him. 

"I saved your life, and this is how you repay me?" I snapped. "You're a terrible man." Just as terrible as I had predicted if he truly was Karden from the book.

He pulled on his reins, halting his horse in its tracks. The men froze, and the panic around them was evident as he turned around to face me. They backed away as he moved closer, his eyes fixed on me like a wild animal about to attack its prey. 

When he stopped beside me, I could see him trying to restrain his anger. His face was impassive as he glared at me, and his mouth was set in a thin line, like he was about to say something but was restraining himself. 

"Not another word," he grounded. "Do I make myself clear?"

There was an edge to his voice, and I could tell he was right on the edge of loosing it. But if he thought I was about to do what he wanted, then he was in for a shock. 

"You don't scare me," I replied. 

He c****d his head, and his eyebrows drew closer in disdain. 

"Try me," he snarled. "I dare you."

Something about the way he said it sent a shiver down my spine. If he was indeed who I thought he was, then there was nothing stopping him from killing me right on the spot. There was a reason why I hated Karden the way I did. The man had no regard for human life, and he would sooner have slain a man the same way he would an animal. 

And so, reluctantly, I held my tongue. When he was satisfied that I wouldn't say anything else, he turned around and galloped away. The men fell in behind him, and the phaeton rumbled on. 

The trees soon thinned, and we emerged on an open field with several rolling hills. The trail wound across the hills, and far off in the distance, I could just about make out a great castle which stood on the edge of a cliff. 

It was weird that they weren't asking him questions. No one said anything. If he doesn't talk or ask, no one does. It's just like Karden does, only to be talked to when he wanted it. Everything is pointing towards the possibility that I am in a book, even if it makes no sense to me whatsoever.

"Can I have some water?" I asked no one in particular, eyeing the water pouch in front of me. The squat man immediately snatched the pouch away, a satisfied grin on his face. 

"You will have nothing," the captain replied. 

"So you would have me die before we reach wherever it is you're taking me to?"

"Yes," he replied. 

I was horrified by his lack of empathy as he didn't even turn to look at me. He simply rode on, propping himself up on the saddle. I could tell that he was sitting a bit unsteadily, but he seemed to remain in the saddle sheerly by his arrogance and the will to endure. 

"What if I promise to be quiet for the rest of the day?" I asked, testing my luck. 

"No," he replied simply. 

"Then you're wasting your time by taking me along, because I will die before we reach your destination," I retorted. 

"Fine," he said with a shrug. 

I grounded my teeth, wishing there was a way I could at least, knock some senses into his head. I mean, I just saved him! And this is how he treats me?

Definitely how Karden is. And which no doubt, is the man before me also.

He paused suddenly, and the men all froze as he looked at the ground carefully. We'd stopped beside a tall, leafless tree with twisted branches all over it. 

"What is it, captain?" his lieutenant asked. 

"Boar," he said, pointing to the ground where, sure enough, the boar's tracks could be seen. They seemed to cut west, towards a small cluster of trees and bushes. The captain gave the signal, and five of the men peeled off with their weapons drawn. 

"We shall camp here for the night," he ordered when the others left. 

"You heard him," the lieutenant barked. "Get the tents ready. And have a fire going at once."

Suddenly, the men cried out in horror as their captain swayed on his saddle. His first lieutenant was by his side in an instant, and he held onto him before he could collapse from the horse. 

"Captain, are you alright?" he exclaimed, keeping him steady in his saddle. 

"Help me get him down," he barked at the other men, who scrambled to help him. As they gently pulled him out of the saddle, his cold eyes turned to look at me, and one long finger pointed in my direction. His lieutenant turned to look at me in horror, and he drew his sword as he marched towards me. 

"Help him," he ordered. "Now."

"Why should I?" My blood was boiling, and I was eyeing the blade carefully. "What would I get by helping a sick s**t faced man like him?"

"You did something to him, didn't you?" he asked, his jaw working around. "Whatever you did to help him the first time, do it again. Either that, or I will have your head."

"Why would I save a cruel man like him?" I asked. "He didn't seem to appreciate it the first time I helped him, so why go through the trouble of helping him again?" I held onto my ground. I'll be damned if I let them walk all over me. Karden or not, I am my own person and I refuse to allow them take that away just because I am at their mercy.

Besides, I did nothing wrong. All I did, was wish unknowingly to be in this book. And definitely not around the man before me, but with my legend; Prince Tristram.

He pressed the dagger to my neck suddenly, and there was nothing but murder in his eyes. 

"I'm not joking, wench," he seethed. "Help me right now, or your blood will be the next thing to fall on these hills."

I glared at him defiantly, refusing to back down. Who in the name of George freaking Washington did he think he was? How dare he speak to me like that, over someone as pathetic as their captain? To hell with him, and the rest of them. 

Blood was beginning to soak through the captain's tunic, I noticed out of the corner of my eye. He seemed to be in a great deal of pain, but he was trying not to show it. Maybe he didn't want the men to think he was weak. 

"Fine," I said, just as I noticed the other men returning with the boar slung on a long wood and balanced between them. "But you have to give me what I want."

"And that is?" he asked, his breath hot on my face. 

"I want some water, a portion of the meat you've just caught, and you have to get these f.ucking chains off me," I said. 

He c****d his head, and turned towards the captain slowly. 

"Just do it," he said. 

"Fine," I said with the sweetest smile I could muster. "I will need some clean clothes, some water, and if you can get me a needle and some thread, that would be perfect."

They didn't understand my request at first, but the captain barked at them and they ran off to fetch the things I'd asked for. I stretched my arms out to the lieutenant, who reluctantly took out the keys and unhooked the chains around my hands. 

They propped up the captain against the tree, and once the men brought back everything I'd asked for, I proceeded to clean his wounds before stitching it. Even as I punctured his skin with the needle, he didn't so much as flinch. 

"Will you tell me where you're taking me to?" I asked him. 

"Is your name really Karden ?" Another silence. This was really the Karden from Balwynward. I stared at his face. His dark hair fall to his face and he made no efforts in pushing it off his face. Just like the author from Balwynward described him to be.

His strong jaw stood firm and the side burns on each side of his face seem to add a certain aura around him. The beards on his jaw were something else. I have always had a soft spot for men with beards and side burns. But never Karden, perhaps because I hated his character in the boo The lines on his forehead deepened as I continued to stitch up the wound. This was definitely Karden,  and I was inside a book I had finished reading.

Just how crazy does it sound?

"Where are you taking me?" I asked again.

He didn't even look at me, and he sat still without flinching despite how hard I was pulling at the thread.

"You can at least tell me that," I pressed on, but still he didn't say anything. "Balwynward?"

"You know," I said with a sweet smile, "if you are indeed who you say you are, I know a thing or two about you. Which might possibly shock you." Slowly, his eyes turned to face me, bloodshot and full of spite. "A weakness about you that even your close lieutenant doesn't know of."

"And what is my weakness?" he asked in a clipped tone. 

I leaned in closer and, dropping my voice to a low whisper, I said, "Cockroaches."

By the stunned silence which came from him, and how his eyes widened in shock, I knew I'd struck gold.