The Prince that Saved Me

Bandages

{Piper’s POV}

I walked to the door, listening for any sound on the other side, when I heard nothing, I very carefully crept out. I carefully, and quietly closed the door behind me sneaking down the corridor.

I began hearing noise in the distance, the clattering of pots and pans, I must be near the kitchen. If I could make it out of the kitchen door, then I would be able to continue running. I wouldn’t be tied down to this beast of a man just because my mother told me so. I tip toed down the corridor, before peaking into the kitchen. I noticed a short, chubby woman bent over digging through a pantry. This was my chance, I quickly ran for the door, swinging it open and ran as fast as I could outside. My arm and leg burned as the bandages rubbed against them.

I heard the woman in the kitchen gasp, and chase after me, but I wouldn’t turn around, and there is no way that I’m going to stop now. I had to keep going, I had to get away. I was barefoot, and the ground was still damp with rain. My feet were freezing and stinging with every step, but I couldn’t stop, I just couldn’t.

I heard loud footsteps behind me, and my pace quickened. Soon, a large set of arms grabbed me from behind, they were muscular, and as I was lifted into the air, I knew the person holding me was tall, much taller than Lord Farrenhall. “Please! Let me go! Don’t take me back there! I can’t go back!” I cried, slamming my fists into the muscular forearm.

“Calm down! No one is taking you anywhere!” A deep, hazy voice spoke from behind me.

I stopped kicking, and turned slightly in his arms so I was face to face with him. “Y-You’re not sending me back.. but.. where am I?” I asked looking into his eyes. He was a very handsome man, his eyes were a pale, icy blue color, while his hair was dark brown. He had a well trimmed beard, and the top of his hair was slicked back, but still falling haphazardly, as though he’d been running his hands through it. He was tall, possible the tallest man I’d ever met, taller than any of the guards back home, and he was bulky, so muscular. I stared into his eyes, my breathing still erratic from the running. “Who are you? Where am I? If I’m not in the prison that I think I am.. then, would you tell me?” I asked, my hands bracing themselves on his biceps as I wiggle to face him.

“As soon as you stop wiggling, and calm down, I will explain everything.” He said, turning back towards the house, seeing it now, it was massive, and beautiful. It was made completely of stone, and there were vines that ran up and down the sides, with flowers slightly blooming across them. It looked like something out of a fairytale. He walked me back inside and set me down on the kitchen counter grabbing a towel and drying off my feet before placing some socks on them. “There.. you’ll catch your death running around outside barefoot in this weather.” He said, turning and walking across the kitchen.

The chubby woman from before walked over, looking at the bandages on my arm, and head. “We’ll need to change those again dearie..” she said, placing a rag in a boiling pot of water. Soaking it, before pulling it out with a hook and laying it out to cool a little.

“Where am I?” I asked again, looking at her. She was short, but still taller than me. Her hair was red, like Vitoria’s, she had emerald green eyes, and looked to be in her 40’s. Her face was soft, and gentle, an expression that she wasn’t quite used to.

“Oh, you’re on the Wells estate dearie..the master there is Lord Wells” she smiled, pointing to the man that had packed me in, but something on her face let me know that she was lying.

I played along for now, nodding. I knew that there was a Wells estate near my home, it was about eight or nine estates down. “I see..” was all I said. “I’m sorry to have troubled you.. but I really should be going. Do you know where my clothes are? I don’t wish to be a further bother to you.” I said, sliding off the counter carefully. The counters here were a little taller than back home.

“Not just yet, I have some questions too, like why you were trying to steal my horse!” The man said, a small smirk spreading across his face.

I shot him a glare. “I was doing no such thing, I had found the horse at the edge of the estate, and was only using him to get across your estate to the next one! I had been running a while, and I was tired, but I would never steal anything, especially a horse!” I loved horses, always had, when I was young, I had a Clydesdale, she was a beautiful mare that I raised from the time she was a filly. Her name was Winter, and she was solid white, with small grey specks on her back. They reminded me of freckles, something that I had an abundance of. When I told my mother that I would not continue my piano lessons, she released the horse into the forests near our home. I never saw her again, and I never forgot how it was my fault. That’s when I learned, my mother would do anything to get her way, no matter how horrible. Unknowingly, the memories of Winter had made tears begin to spill from my eyes. I looked up, noticing the two of them looking back at me. I quickly wiped my tears away and shook my head. “I don’t steal, but I did borrow him for a moment, for that I apologize.” I said, curtsying to him slightly. “Now, if you would allow me to, I must be going. Would you mind showing me where my things are?” I turned to the woman once again.

“I’m sorry dearie, but we have the doctor on the way, and we were instructed not to allow you to leave until he checks you over. When the master shot you, you fell and hit your head on a rock. I did my best to stitch you up, but he wants to make sure you’re healing properly. After he leaves, we will allow you to go wherever it is you’re going.” She smiled, taking my arm carefully in hers. “Now please, allow me to change your bandages.” She said, pulling me towards the room that I was in before.