Crimson's Captivation by LLC Melange Books Page A

her
away.”
    “Sir,” Karl pleaded, trembling at the thought
of delivering bad news to the scribe, “she’s rather insistent. Said
she traveled many days and the news is from Princess Sophia.”
    The king pushed a bundle of maps into Karl’s
chest. “My sister? Very well, confirm our plans for our
advancement.” The king waved her over. “Quickly scribe, what news
do you have from my sister?”
    Sierida didn’t speak, instead she handed him
the scroll.
    The king broke the wax seal and unrolled the
document. After reading it, he pulled Sierida close to him, which
caught her off guard and she fell into him. He whispered, “Is this
true?”
    Sierida blushed and stammered
unintentionally, “Sir, I, I haven’t read the document.”
    “You are in the inner court of the princess,
correct?”
    “Yes.”
    “And we both know there are no such things as
secrets in her court. I will ask you once more and I expect an
honest answer. Is Crimson my sister, and has she been kidnapped by
the horrors as this document suggests?”
    “Yes, my king. I believe that to be the
case.”
    The king mulled over the news, trying to
picture Crimson, the little girl that was always underfoot and
always showing up at parties in the palace. The little girl, who
shadowed Sophia everywhere. She was his sister. He wondered how
long Sophia knew this secret. “And of Princess Sophia? What is your
impression?”
    Sierida grasped the king’s arm and leaned in
to whisper. “Sir, she has sanctioned the young man of your court,
Viktor. She assigned two guards, funded and blessed his quest. He
is heading toward Pinsk after several days training near Nyberg.
We, the princess, fear there will be retaliation if the young man
succeeds in making it to Pinsk.”
    A deep scowl furrowed the king’s forehead.
“What? Three men in hostile Polish territory. He’ll never make it.
Where is Viktor now?”
    “I suspect he and his guards are crossing the
Baltic, that is, if a boat dare leave Stockholm in this
weather.”
    The king stared at the scroll, contemplating.
“Wait here scribe.”
    The king called his inner men to his side and
they huddled into a tight circle around him. “Men, I shall head
into Poland.”
    His generals immediately balked at the king’s
statement and one spoke up. “Sir, Russia is wide open. She lays
before us a land to be conquered and captured. The Poles should not
be our objective.”
    The eyes pierced into the souls of his men.
He knew his generals were correct. Russia was for the taking and
the capture of Narva was only the beginning. Snow flurries again
and everyone knew another blizzard would eventually come. This was
perfect weather to continue east into Russia while the Russians
were on their heels.
    The king tapped the scroll in his left hand
for several minutes while considering his choices. Finally, he made
his decision. “My generals, you fight for honor of country. I must
fight for honor of country and family. How many men do we have
here?”
    “Sir, ten thousand strong, but I must contend
the gods were on our side today. The blizzard was as much a force
as our men. On the other side of Narva lie forty thousand Russians
and they are waiting. They are preparing. To move south would leave
this front and Sweden wide open.”
    “I shall only take one hundred, then. You
shall continue east with the remaining force.”
    The generals were concerned, fearing the king
wasn’t thinking clearly. They knew their king was too offensive
minded and now he was splitting his army into two directions, two
battle fronts. “Sir, you mean to attack the Poles, to go on the
offensive with one hundred men?”
    The king placed his hands on the shoulder of
the man to his left and right. “No. I mean to rescue my sister,
Crimson.”
     

Chapter II
    ~ Punishment ~

    The patter of leather on the marble floor of
the palace announced the two guards’ arrival. They stopped in
unison at the doorway and awaited the countess’s orders.
    Darya