Warrior Princess

"Prince" Of Ashes

Since I'm in disguise, I could avoid death for a few hours. However, if they find out that I'm a woman or my dad's motives for drafting me, they would probably do something worse. The Prince of Tora would not leave me alive dressed as myself- we haven't met before and I grew to fear him. If that happened, my family's effort would've been in vain.

A soldier came to get me, "Alaric wishes to see you, Prince Mark."

I felt my heart throbbing until it settled. Was it possible they'd discovered my true identity? Other than that, I could come up with no other reason for Alaric to summon me. I steeled myself as the soldiers brought me out of the cage. Though I was bound, I was led by soldiers as they proceeded towards Prince Alaric's tent.

"I've brought Prince Mark."

Alaric was gazing at a map laid out on a table, but he raised his head when Zeke -head of command- greeted him.

I was thumped heavily to my knees. Zeke spared a glance to watch one soldier take my hands, which had been bound tightly behind me, and secure them to a pole. The tie made me lean back sharply, my body tautened and seething with barely controlled rage. I panted harshly through my gag.

A soldier took off my helmet and showed my long hair and angry expression. I had a plan to get myself out of here. I'll act like the royal my father expects me to be in war!

I flicked shining curtains of hair back from my face. Zeke's whole aspect transformed as he turned from Alaric to the rest of the world. His shoulders were straighter, his smile harder than stone. His black eyes glittered as he looked down on me and took in every lithe inch.

"Let him speak," Zeke ordered.

I spat out the gag almost before a guard had finished slitting the knot. "I am the youngest Prince of Rosma," I gasped, "Loyal to the gods my whole life— I'm sure you've met my sister Vera."

After a moment waiting for something more significant, Zeke shrugged. "We know her."

I look around the room. "I've been kept in b*****e for a while." I snarled. "Where are my men? My family? What happened to my kingdom?"

"You speak to Prince Alaric of Tora," Zeke told me. Each successive title was a mark of battle won and authority gained. Zeke gave him an amused glance, but Alaric would always insist on formality: they could now demand the respect they had earned.

I breathed out heavily. My eyes flicked over Alaric, then clearly dismissed me; they lingered on Zeke but did not find what he expected. To the Rosman people, I knew the boys did look like slaves; their hair was cropped short, but I could only imagine what their scars symbolized. If I only knew to respect their muscular strength, or if that to me was the mark of a laboring drudge.

"My people will consider this mistreatment in ransom," I said at last, cold and clipped. "You may not expect to receive anything after the battle."

"Anything?" Zeke repeated, amused.

"You know who I am," I repeated, as if to a child. Or a stupid, barbaric invader laying claim to a crown I couldn't understand. "You must take me back home."

"We must?" Zeke said again, slowly stepping toward me.

I flicked a sheet of my silken brown hair over my shoulder, shifting angrily against the rope that bound my wrists. "Yes, You must release me and take me home. Or your death will be bloodier than the torture of whichever misbegotten worm I discover laid his hands on me and—"

As quick as a snake, Zeke seized a hank of my hair and jerked my head back hard. Over the noise of my strangled shriek, Zeke flicked out with his knife and severed my hair.

In silence, Zeke examined the hank of lustrous brown silk, fine and glossy and perfectly straight. Even doubled over in his hand it was the length of a camel's rein: untrimmed even once in my life. He let it drift to the floor.

My eyes bulged, my face had gone as ashen as if I'd seen my own death. "No," I uttered, almost like croaking.

"I must do nothing you say," Zeke said, his eyes like flint. "You do not rule us any more. Your kingdom is mine and I can kill you if I want. I should hang you from the balcony here and let the whole capital see what we do to the tyrant Surish whelp, arrogant enough to think he rules the sky."

"You cannot—"

"I am Prince Alaric," Alaric said, "which I've been killing your people with my own two hands. And every time you forget that, I will take a little more of that long royal hair."

"No," I whispered, staring up at Alaric. "No, no—"

"Should we?" Zeke asked Alaric, reaching for my head again. I yelped and jerked back but could not avoid Zeke snatching another lock of my hair. Voice verging on terror, I uttered 'no no no no no' as Zeke continued. "Make him look like us?"

"If you cut his hair, he becomes Toran," Alaric corrected. "Rosman people say the body is the thing. Remove his crown and the prince is defiled."

"Maybe then we'll ransom you back to your home after all," Zeke smiled. He pulled my head higher to look in his horrified eyes. "Take what you have and send you back to your men. What will they do when they see they've paid a royal price for a slave?"

"No," I whispered. My mouth worked, stricken. "Please."

I could see Zeke's lips part in gratified lust. I don't think they'll play nice with me anytime soon. Alaric is two years older than me and he only met Vera. His actions were new to me, but it means harm.

"Maybe not," Zeke suggested agreeably. "You are both princes. You can have your negotiations between you and no one else will need to know. Hm?" He saw Zeke toss him a sardonic glance, but addressed me. "You can pay your own ransom for the price of your crown, can't you?"

"Yes," I said immediately, unsteady. I would have agreed to anything. Zeke could practically see me scared, desperate: from what he said to the cut hair on the ground.

Zeke said, "Then you'll give us your body and keep your pretty hair. You'll do as we say and do it well." He laughed.

"You're the prettiest gift he's ever brought me yet— it might take a long time before we're done with you. But once we've used you up in bed, nobody outside this room will have to hear of it."

Oh crap! Violating me would expose my feminine side too early, hell, I don't know what to expect. They will find out the truth if I don't act fast.

"I will not!" I burst out. "I don't know what you want from me, but I will not get violated by— NO!"

Even as I screamed, Zeke had already sliced away another lock of hair, his knife as merciless as his demand for obedience. This lock came from the frame of my face, where no rearrangement of hair would hide the fringe.

I stared down with broken eyes. "Please," I whimpered, reduced to nothing. "Do not."

"You're a slave," Zeke said, sliding his fingers through my luxurious hair. I flinched violently. "Our slave, for now. Until we say you're done."

I try to say something, but I don't. This was one of the craziest plans I came up with all day. My virginity was at stake here or I come clean to those boys. I'm not gonna get killed here and now, I need another option. What do I do? What do I-

“Ha! I’ll have you know I am a virgin. But I bet you can’t last the night with me!”

My head processes what I said, and that was something I regret. I found a solution to leave without being r***d. They looked at one another. I gaze into Alaric's eyes while he knelt down to my level.

“I guessed this from dad’s side of the family.” I smile. “He fought off many foes at my age. It’s too bad I’m the only son to succeed him.”

That part was accurate. Father took down a lot of foes during his time. His method was: “Bring the enemy death even it takes all day.”

“You fought for your country for a while.” I look at his eyes without regret. “Your father was so weak, he died for a dream that never came true.”

“You b***h!” Zeke grabbed my shirt. “I’ll show you what veritable hell is like!”

Within seconds, he rips my shirt apart, revealing the bandages. I scream, slapping Zeke in the face and then covering my chest. He steps back and looks at me in shock, unable to speak.

“Ow, that hurts!” He hits me and I forgot to dodge.

“Maria is my real name.” I scoot to the corner and try not to cry. “I faked my identity for my family’s sake and Rosma could rise to glory. This whole interrogation was an act so I wouldn’t get killed! I’ll do anything! Just don’t kill me."

A long pause distanced us, and Zeke got up. “Your majesty, a word outside. I’ll get Finn to deal with her.”

The boys leave the tent, and I reflect on my actions. I slapped Alaric’s second in command because he ripped my shirt and hit me; Could’ve been for a dirty purpose.

Finn came in with a blanket. “Sorry about Zeke. He was trying to see if you’d surrender by threatening to cut off your hair.”

“Well, it was mostly for ‘using me up in bed.” I groaned, wrapping myself in it. “Cutting it off isn’t a big deal to me.”

Alaric and Zeke come in as I hold a stick for defense. For a moment, I'm scared that s*x would happen immediately. Alaric looks at me but this time with a softer expression.

"Maria, we talked it over and you're not getting raped." I sighed with relief. "Zeke check on the men, I'll talk to her alone."

Zeke leaves the tent and I drop the stick in a calmer mood. Vera remembered Alaric and Zeke dearly. She read them her stories and sang a beautiful song. Almire only dropped by to hear her disturbing one and I just peeked from he door at one point.

"Your sister is nice and both of your siblings are alive somewhere. Vera wrote me a letter before the battle, so here it is:

Dear Alaric of Aukosta,

I'm sure you're aware about the ongoing war. Dad recently asked my younger sister to fight in battle. WHO does that?! Anyway, if she ends up with you, do not r**e her by any means neccisary. Maria never heard about it before, so she'll freak out and get upset.

You can cut her hair if you want. I don't care if it's short or not; She might look pretty either way. Mom believes she might survive, so take care of Maria for us.

Thank you,

Princess Vera of Surin.

P.S This could be a opportunity for her to learn about the world.

I smile, knowing my mother and sisters are alright. Dad might be somewhere else, but the chances of his survival are low. To me, they ask not do anything brutal to me. One option is open if I want to see them again without getting my soul destroyed.

"Give me the dagger." I hold out my hand, "At least it'll be easier if I so it myself."

That seemed to please both of us to get this over with. As I sliced it off with the dagger, I felt my own pride stripped away for a good cause. I've been told to suck up the pain and remind myself that all of this is for the best. Once I finished, I burned it in the fire outside.

"Do you like it?" Finn asked, trying to keep it burning.

I avoid eye contact, but nod and just stare at the fire. My hair was cut like a boy, maching the parts Zeke took care of earlier.

"Vera begged dad to cut it days ago," I explain. "But he insisted to keep it up."

Finn came a little closer to me to the point where he was hugging me. Alaric's words about the bed scene repeated in my mind.

"Now what do I do?" I ask.

"Alaric and Zeke might keep you behind bars for a while." He says. "They need to figure out if you're being brainwashed or not."

"My Dad deserves most of the credit for that. I'll be fine if Alaric won't try to have s*x with me."

Even though I'm pretty worried right now, I gotta stay with the Aukostians. This was going to be a struggle to deal with, but I can't hold a grudge against them forever. Taking a deep breath, I shake Finn's hand.

"Well, Finn, allow me to introduce myself as Lady Maria, third daughter to King Armin. I hope both of us get allong."