Chapter 41

Rosalinda was huddled against Astrid as the carriage came to a stop. They really did end up in White Castle Forest. Astrid could see the ruins of the once great castle from the carriage as crude voices crowded around the vehicle.

"Ah!" Rose shrieked when the carriage was kicked several times jostling them.

"Come out, come out little mice," Someone cajoled from outside while others, clearly men, laughed.

"We can't," Astrid called out.

"Why are you replying?!" Rose hissed as her grip on Astrid's uninjured arm tightened.

"Well, I don't think they were expecting a reply," Astrid muttered. "The element of surprise is always a good idea."

More laughter came from the outside and the man that had spoken previously peered into the carriage through the broken window and gave the ladies a crooked grin. "And why not my pretties?" He then asked as Astrid could see a lecherous grin on his face.

"Because the door is locked from the outside," She deadpanned. This time the laughter was aimed more at the man but a glare from that guy shut them up. 'Definitely the boss or someone high up,' Astrid concluded.

When the door was finally wrenched open both Astrid and Rosalinda were dragged out by several leering men and tied up with ropes. Rose cringed and shied away as one of the men caressed her shoulder. "She'll fetch us a pretty penny boss," The guy uttered much to Astrid's disgust.

"Not the redhead you moron," The gruff man said as he smacked the other on the back of his head. "It's the blond we want,"

"But boss!"

"Just get them inside. The client is waiting," The gruff man stated. Astrid who was shoved towards the ruins along with a now sobbing Rose managed to conclude a few things. These guys were just hired thugs and the real mastermind was probably a fruitcake. Who goes around kidnapping an entire carriage?

She grimaced as she was so rudely shoved along. The looming walls of the castle ruins bearing their shadow ominously over her head. It was an oddly fitting setting for a hostage situation. The blood spilled here had still not been forgotten amongst the aristocracy.

Centuries ago the White Castle had been built as a gift to the new Queen. The Queen was young and enamored with her husband who was 20 years older than her. She was also the man's fifth wife. She received the castle when she bore the King a son. The other four wives had become envious as they had only given birth to daughters. But once the baby was born the King stopped visiting the beautiful Queen. This made the Queen sad and she realized that the castle was just compensation. She was expected to live her life out quietly in a gilded cage.

After a week her baby had been taken by the nannies to another palace. The Queen begged and pleaded to see her child but she had little power and the other wives loved to lord that over her. Slowly the woman went mad as the years passed.

Over two decades later she was able to see her child, the Prince looked so much like his father, and with her mentality as fragile as it was; she mistook the boy for her husband and kidnapped him at knifepoint. She dragged the Prince back to her castle to keep him locked up forever. When the King heard of this he rushed over with his knights, angered at his wife's actions he feared for his son's life. The Queen hadn't hurt the young man but she couldn't distinguish past from present and kept mumbling incoherent sweet-nothings until she saw the aging countenance of the King before her. It was only when her husband shouted and pleaded for her to release their son had she realized whom she had in her grasp. Her hand, still clutching the dagger trembled until all her fury of the years past focussed on one target. Here was the man that had courted her, loved her, and had taken the eternal vows to stay by her side only to toss her aside once she gave him what he wanted. The King took a step back as the Queen unleashed years of pent-up frustration at her husband all while the young Prince watched in horror.

When the Queen's rant was over she was oddly silent as she dangerously clutched the dagger while holding it to her neck. The King, still holding some affection for the woman thought she would kill herself and he rushed forward to stop her only to be stabbed in the stomach. The Queen smiled as the Prince and the knights accompanying their King looked on horrified. She knocked over a candelabra in her glee as her husband tried to stop himself from bleeding out.

The candelabra set the curtains and rug on fire and it spread quickly. The King's final order was for the Prince to flee with his knights as he knew deep down that this woman would not let him go again for she had taken the dagger gleefully and stabbed him again and again.

For three days and nights, the Prince watched the once opulent palace burn, having believed his stepmothers' words that his mother didn't want to see him and cursing his once beloved father for threatening her so poorly. With a heavy heart the Prince, now King, ordered for the ruins of the White Castle to remain, letting it be a reminder to always care for one's spouse. The history books state that the Prince only took one wife even though polygamy was encouraged of the Royal family and he treated that lady very well.

There was an audible gasp next to Astrid that directed her attention to the person in front of them now. "I should have known," Astrid muttered as she shot a glare at the smug woman while Rose at the same time exclaimed "MOTHER?!"

"Esmeralda, why am I not surprised?" Astrid questioned as she observed the harsh countenance of the woman's face as it was framed by torchlight.

"Mother... w-what... what... H-How is this your doing?!" Rosalinda questioned as she struggled against her bonds.

"Be quiet you foolish girl," Esmeralda uttered. "Did I not tell you to make an excuse not to go out today,"

"But... But... Mother why?!" Rose questioned.

"Because she hates me I am guessing," Astrid answered.

"You are right. I hate you to the depth of my bones," Astrid's stepmother proclaimed. "I seduced the right man, got pregnant with his child so he would have to take responsibility, and was set for a life of luxury. Only, you had to ruin my plans." Esmeralda hissed as she walked towards Astrid and gripped her chin with one hand, nails digging into her cheeks. "You should have stayed invisible, like the good little orphan that obeyed their elders. I was too lenient with you and your upbringing I see that now. I should have had Patricia poison you the same way she got rid of Rose's father."

"My... father?" Rose gasped. "He's dead?!"

"My darling daughter, did you really think I would leave that man alive once I moved up in the world?" Esmeralda asked with a raised brow. "He had the knowledge that would ruin me and my future plans so he had to die," The woman stated. "I, however, made the mistake of not taking care of all the loose ends." She looked at Astrid as if to emphasize. "I will admit that when your mother passed I did feel bad for you, just a tiny bit," Esmeralda stated. "If I had known that that wench had not willed the estate to Samuel I'd have not been so lenient,"

"But I'm going to correct my mistake," Esmeralda cheerfully announced. "Poor Marcioness Hofferson, kidnapped by a band of brigands. Violated and beaten by the scoundrels. She died from several stab wounds while helping her frail sister escape the clutches of these nasty men," Esmeralda proclaimed on how the story was to unfold. "Why I may even shed a tear for you at the funeral," she then said and smirked. "Finally you'll be out of my hair you despicable wench."

"What makes you think that everything is going to go according to your plans?" Astrid asked as she cautiously took in the number of men, probably mercenaries, watching from the sidelines and smirking.

"Still trying to act brave in the face of adversity I see," Esmeralda sighed. "I will say I admire that about you. Your foolish belief that you'll come out of this unscathed." Esmeralda then turned towards the thug that was holding Rose captive, the same one that had been feeling her up earlier. "Release her," Esmeralda ordered.

Rosalinda rubbed her arms where the crude ropes surely must have bitten into her skin. Astrid saw the girl tremble slightly as Esmeralda approached.

"Shall we go, Rose?" Esmeralda asked while holding out her hand.

Rose looked at it and back at Astrid. "Leave her, she'll be a pitiful creature soon enough," her mother declared.

Astrid just looked at the mother-daughter pair as Rose took the offered hand. "See my daughter knows what's best for her," Esmeralda boasted to Astrid who was still being held down. As the older woman was lording it over her stepdaughter she hadn't realized that Rose had walked towards a discarded shield in the rubble. Esmeralda was soon struck over the head with the rusted metal shield and her surprised face was there for all to see as she fell to the ground.

"Rose what...?!" Esmeralda exclaimed as blood ran across her scalp and forehead.

"Enough is enough mother," Rose proclaimed with shaken breath. "I don't want what you want. I never wanted what you wanted. ALL I WANTED WAS TO BE LOVED!" She screamed before bringing down the shield again.