A TALE OF DARK LUST

7

ISABELLE'S POV

"Don't cry. Everything will be fine". I say to the other girl who was chained with me. I am feeling so bad for her. I don't know why but I just want to console her. She is so young to bear all this. She looks so young. I am sure she is not fifteen yet. Two girls are chained with me. One is continuously crying while the other one is unconscious.

I want to help them. If I get a chance to run, then I will surely take these two with me. My heart is beating wildly inside my chest. I am so terrified.

"What will happen with us now?" She asks while crying. This question has been roaming inside my chest since the time that soldier chained me. I am also trying to find an answer to this question. What will happen to me now? I don't know but what I surely know is that whatever is going to happen will not be good.

"I don't know what will happen with us now". I reply and look around me. I am still hoping that from somewhere my dad comes to rescue me. My heart is saying that this is a bad dream and it will end soon but my mind is saying the exact opposite.

There are too many soldiers around us. They have set fire to the houses. My heart is crying at this. They would have burned my house too. The rising smoke has turned the sky pitch black. I look towards the sky. It is going to rain soon. The clouds have gathered in the sky along with the smoke. These clouds have hidden the sun and now there is unusual darkness. Seems like even the sky is sad over the disaster which struck my village.

There is not a single person from my village here. Where has everyone gone? It seems like they all vanished like they never existed. Where is my mom, dad, and Lily? I think they must have escaped but how can they escape without me? Why did they not take their daughter with them?

I look towards my hands which are now in metal chains. The metal chains are clinging tightly to my wrists. These chains are too heavy and my wrists have started to hurt. When I move my hands, they clink, making a sound. We all three are bound by the chains. Our hands are connected by the chains.

"What happened to her?" I ask the girl who is sitting beside me referring to the unconscious one. I am worried for her. She doesn't seem to be in a good state.

"She fainted because a soldier had hit her head with the sword". She tells me. I just noticed a large bruise on the side of her head. It must be painful. I wish I could help these girls. Both girls seem to be of the same age.

I was looking at her when we heard the sounds of horses coming. My attention moves towards the group of soldiers coming here. All the soldiers become attentive.

"We have searched the whole village but there is no one here. They all must have escaped before we arrived". One of them says to the soldiers who are standing around us. One of the soldiers whose clothes are a little different from the others looks angry. He looks like someone with whom no one should mess.

His angry expression is scaring me more.

"What should we do now, Commander Hugh?". One soldier asks the angry man. So, he is the commander. I pray to God that they leave us and let us go. Please God! have mercy on me and these girls.

"We will head back. I will tell the king the situation of this village. The king has ordered to burn the whole village. One group of soldiers will stay here and the others will come with me". He orders. What! How can he say this? How can he order to set my whole village on fire? There are houses, shops of people then why is he ordering to set the village on fire?

Why is the king so cruel? Oh God! Please save my village from these cruel-hearted people.

"What should we do with these girls, commander?" One soldier who is near us asks Hugh. Please let us go! Please let us go.