The Prince Kidnap Bride

A Cruel Reality

The night with its velvet darkness settled low around her, and that damp air blowing chilled Naomi’s skin each evening. There had to be a window in the room. Somewhere in the darkroom that had become her prison cell, she felt cool air. Naomi found the strength to get out of bed despite not eating for several days in a row. Keeping her mind preoccupied with thoughts only of her freedom kept her focus.  She wanted out of this prison more than food. Naomi supposed that she should be afraid. After all, the prince had refused to pay the ransom to set her free. He had proven to be inhumane upon hearing that it made her feel small and insignificant, unwanted and alone, and above all not good enough.  But after her last shed tear, she was bolstered by rage that had infused her veins. 

It seemed as if her fear was paralyzing her, which was strange considering she’d spent a lot of her life not confident. Losing her mother and being raised without her left and emptiness, and even now, she’s feeling that same abandonment.  And one thing she learned from a young woman is that her father taught her that you must love yourself before anyone else can love her. And she loved herself enough not to sit here and die in darkness.

The longer she lay in bed, the chains threatened to immobilize and make her more vulnerable. Naomi begins the time of day by the timing of the meals. She spent that afternoon in the darkroom aligned herself with the wall, making her arms expand over the walls searching for that window that is open at night. 

After several long minutes, she begins to tire under the weight of the chains as tears start to form and her hand rubs against the hinges. Mustering up a strength, she slowly moved from the hinge until she could feel the handle. It was challenging to turn the handle with her sore wrist pressed against the cuffs.

 But determined, she turned until it pushed open. The air chilled her damp skin. She couldn’t see anything in the dense dark. She cast her eyes up at the moon and let her eyes follow the sound of rustling tree leaves. Then she focused, and she saw the large branch reach a hand out to her, it seemed. 

Naomi, not knowing how high or even caring, all she knew was that she could touch the leaves and feel the branch at her fingertips. With great effort, she climbed up on the ledge of the window pulling the chains as far as they would go. So focused on her escape to freedom, Naomi didn’t even hear the door creak open. When her keeper saw her and what she did, he sprinted to the window with a flashlight upon her. Grabbing her around the waist, pulling her back and she fought hard to go forward. 

She opened her mouth and screamed. The man’s other arm snaked around her waist, pulling her close, but she fought him hard, but her already weakened strength was no match for him. He finally got her back in the room. Naomi continues to scream and fight. Finally, he took and put one hand over her mouth. 

“Don’t scream,” he said. “Have I given you any reason to feel threatened?

He turned her to face the black mask he wore, seeing his eyes, nose, and lips only. She squirmed against him, her breath hissing behind his palm.

“Stop!” His voice held a note of warning as she struggled and strained. 

“Promise not to scream, and I’ll let you go.” 

She stared at him, her eyes wide and frightened. Her fingers curled into fists against his chest. As soon as he edged the first finger from her lips, she drew a great gust of breath into her lungs and let out a piercing shriek. In his rush to silence her, he got tangled in her chains, and they went down together in an awkward thump on the floor with her on top of him. 

Startled by their bodies landing on one another, everything was silent. They lay there staring into one another’s eyes. Naomi’s captor saw fire in those lovely eyes, and the longer she looked at him, they had grown a little smokier. Then she began to look disconcerted, seeing what she thought was a familiarity in him. She took a deep breath and then another one. He could see her thinking trying to reckon him. Then, distracting her, he makes a sound.

 “Shh, please,” he begged. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Let me go.” She said against his hand. She trembled on top of him, in anger, not fear. She twisted and nearly caught him with a swift knee between the legs. She managed to rise from on top of him, sitting up on the floor.

His gaze behind the mask swept across her face and body, the expression she held, dirty, sweaty damp hair fell against her face. Tears gathered in her eyes. 

“What have I done? Why won’t you let me go?” 

“I have my reasons.” Her keeper frowned, standing up. 

“I know it’s money. Maybe you can contact my father. You can get some money from my dad. And I promise if you set me free, I would every single day pay you the rest no matter how long it takes. So please let me go.” 

“I can’t, at least not right now. The king will pay what I want.” 

“You need to eat. I was about to let you take a shower, and I brought a change of clothes. But after today’s stunt, I don’t think you can be trusted. You could have killed yourself, and then you would have been worthless to me.” 

“Where am I?” 

“That doesn’t matter. You would have fallen to your death. Stay away from the window. Eat and get some rest, and I may come tomorrow to let you take a shower. You smell awful.” The keeper of her darkness walked over to the window, closing it shut and locking it tight. She’s sure of that. He stood over me for a few seconds, just staring. She refused to look up at him. 

 “Don’t try anything stupid like that again.” Then he walked away.  When she heard the door close behind him, she clutched her heart in anguish as the collar seemed to tighten as she reached for her throat, settling her breathing. 

After her pitiful attempt to escape and practically begging to set her free, Naomi’s pride decided for her never to beg him. 

“I will not beg him. Not here. Not like this. I do have my pride left, if nothing else. I have to get out of here, and I have no idea how but I can’t give up.” 

The rest of the evening, she nibbled on the food before her, really too weak and exhausted to eat. To lift the tangled chains to even get in the bed was too much for her to do. She slumped against the wall letting her head fall back, closing her eyes to rest.

When Naomi awakened, it was the next day. She had no idea what time it was because there was no breakfast bowl or lunch plate. The only bowl there was the one from last night. Realizing she must have made him angry and upset with her, he did not return. Tears gathered in her eyes once more. It’s no use. Wounds that were trying to heal are now reinjured after last night’s attempt to escape. 

To climb, run or jump was not beneficial with injuries. So Naomi escaping would have to be more subtle and reasonable. Naomi had no idea what method that might be at the moment, but cooperation would be a start.

Exactly when did he enter the darkroom? Naomi had no idea she must have fallen back to sleep. He stood there. She had no idea how long he had been standing there watching her. She turned her back to him, balling into a knot, remembering him stating how awful she smelled. 

He kneels beside her, speaking, “I’ve decided to take this collar from around your neck only if you promise to behave yourself.”

“Let me loose,” she says with a hint of excitement. Naomi wants to beg, but her lips do not move. As much as she hates being his prisoner, she knows he’s the best chance she has to be set free. So she keeps quiet.

“Maybe not.” 

Air released from her lips as the hopeful expression saddened. “I need to trust you won’t scream, fight or try to run.”

Naomi looked over her shoulder at him and nodded her head in agreement. His eyes find hers for the longest and shortest of moments.

“You promise?” 

She tried to clear her sore throat and gruffly uttered. “I promise.”

The collar released from around her neck felt like a small blessing of freedom, and it made her think a little freedom at a time. The man’s eyes sweep over her as he watches her eyes give a glimmer of hope and life.

“Which do you prefer, a shower or bath?” 

In a low murmur, she expresses. “If I can soak, that would help my bruising and injuries.” 

His grip is firm but not bruising as he lifts Naomi to her feet, using his hands to guide the chains. They headed out the door with the flashlight being their only guide when they reached what appeared to be a large bathroom with grey and black marble floors and walls and a marble tub in the center of the marble columns. 

When she gets closer, she sees the golden fixtures. There are enough of the pearly gray slabs to make her head pound and her throat constrict. 

She stood there looking down at the water then looking at the cuffs and chains on her wrist and ankles. 

“I will remove those now.” When she heard the chains drop to the floor, a sensation ran up her spine. Then, for the first time, he saw her smile, a unique but pleasant smile. 

“I’ll return in twenty minutes. I can’t give you more time than that.” 

“Thank you. I’ll be finished when you return.” 

Naomi sank into the tub as the warm water caressed her body.

 It feels so good.

After soaking for about ten minutes, letting the dirt loosen from her skin, she lathers up and scrubs every inch of her body.  Once she got cleaned up, she let out the murky water then dipped her head under the gold faucet to wash her tangled, clumpy hair. When she finished, she stepped out of the tub, wrapping the large towel around her body. She slowly walked around the bathroom with the candle giving enough light to see glimpses of the bathroom. 

There are no mirrors, not even in the bathroom.  Obviously, this place is not an ordinary prison. Her cell has a large bed and bathroom with marble floors and walls. It appears to be a house, but whose house is it, and where is it located? 

But she knew what this place was doing to her. Despite the hearty meals and the lack of exercise, her face feels thinner. Naomi can feel her bones beneath her skin. There isn’t much she desired to do or could do chained. Bruises blossom from every touch. And the collar felt hot even though she spent days and nights shivering, feeling cold. Finally, she realized good behavior released her from those chains, so now it was her goal to remain free from them with good behavior.