STAG: MC ROMANCE (Forsaken Riders MC Romance Book 7) (114 page)

Chapter 3     The Cruel Truth

She listened to what the old man had to say, with rising incredulity at what he was telling her. It was simply unbelievable.

“
You are from a bloodline of Royalty that has ruled this land for a millennia
,
” he started, what followed was nearly an hour of pure fantasy in Tamm
y’
s mind. These guys were playing some kind of trick on her.

“
Look
,
” she said to the younger guy, when the story had finished
,“
can you just show me how I can get back to the bar? I don't mean to be disrespectful to the old man, but that story is simple nonsense. Surely you do
n’
t expect me to believe all this crap about me belonging to a Royal family and my brothe
r’
s gonna murder me if he discovers
I’
m in this fairy land. All because I can neutralize his magical powers. Hah
!
” she spat out her last word
.“
Are you two nuts
?
”

“
I told you it was a waste of time, Father. Sh
e’
s not worth the effort
,
” Niyol said, contemptuously
.“
My Father holds a lot of faith in you. I warned him not to bring more bad blood into these lands, we have enough with Vaclav. How do we know this sister will not side with her brother
?
” He turned to the old man as he asked this question.

The old man ignored his son, turning to Tammy
,“
Please Princess Tamara, sit back down and watch
.
”

Tammy did so. He pulled a small leather pouch out of his pocket, opened it, and poured some fine powder into his hand. Throwing the powder onto the fire, it caused it to flare up, brightly.

“
Look
,
” she said, a little hesitantly as she did
n’
t want to upset the old man
.“I’
m sorry, but I don't need any parlor tricks, I need to get home
.
”

While she said this, she didn't take her eyes off the fire. It seemed, for a second or two, when the flames died back down, that nothing was going to happen. Tammy was just about to turn away, when something caught her eye. The flames were flaring up again, and this time, embedded in the flames was a moving image. It was hazy and distorted as the flames flickered, but it was clear to see. Tammy sat back down mesmerized by what she was viewing.

She saw a young boy in his teens, walking with two people, her parents. How she could know this she had no idea as she did
n’
t recognize them, but yet she did know. In her heart she felt a connection, a love and then a yearning. She watched on in horror as the boy murdered them in cold blood, but she was unsure how. He carried no weapon, yet kill them he did, and horribly. It was clear they died a painful death. The scene changed and she could see armed soldiers, terrorizing people. Killing some, and imprisoning others, but above all this, in a dark blood red sky, was the face of her brother. She knew him now, sensed who he was as he smiled evilly, amused by the bloodshed. The scene changed again and she could see the old man, but younger, carrying a baby into a swirling abyss. She recognized her home town. The face of a young boy changed, grew older with cruelty written into every line of its features. This was her brother, and he was the evil tyrant.

Everything was true. How she knew, was unclear, but it came to her as if it were her own memories. She was that baby, and this man had saved her from her murderous brother. Tammy was too shocked to say anything for a while, after the magic show. It was unbelievable, but deep down inside she knew it to be true. She had always felt an outsider in Baltimore, never feeling that she fitted in, always believing something was missing. Tammy had always thought it was because she had never known her parents, being brought up by her aunt, but now she realized, it was deeper than that.

Her head was full of questions, each vying to be the first to be asked.

“
So, where am I from
?
” Starting with the obvious one.

“
These are the lands of Ionia
,
” the young man said, proudly
.“
Your brother rules five of the seven provinces, if he takes the final two, our people will be lost, forever
.
”

Ionia? The name meant nothing to her.

“I’
m sorry, but I ca
n’
t see how I can be this person that you think I am.
I’
m just an ordinary girl. I do
n’
t have any destiny and I definitely do
n’
t have any magic
,
” she was still trying to convince herself that they had the wrong person.
Magic is
n’
t real, is it?
She asked herself

Yet, she remembered the visions she had just witnessed in the flames. That was magic.

“
In Ionia there is no technology
,
” the old man spoke to her, his head bowed forward, and he didn't lift it as he spoke, he looked in some sort of trance
.“
Technology is the art of science. Ionia rejects science, instead it relies on magic. Magic is much deeper and its source is from the mind. Science, for all its cleverness, does not understand the mind, and that is why you cannot use magic in a world of technology, science simply rejects it
.
” He paused, as if waiting for his words to sink in, before continuing
.“
In this land, magic comes from the spirit world and is channeled into certain individuals, you are one of those individuals. Your bloodline is borne of Royalty, which is a vessel of magic, in Ionia
.
”

The younger man looked upon the girl and could see confusion written on her face, confusion and fear, and for the first time he felt pity for her. Whilst her character was like an annoying thorn in his hand, this news was difficult for her to understand. In only moments she had been brought from her familiar surroundings, into an alien world. Shown her paren
t’
s murder, and the murder of her people. Finally, they were now trying to convince her that her bloodline had been the cause of all this destruction. She looked wounded and broken.

Niyol passed her a blanket

“
You should try and sleep, tomorrow we travel far and you will need your rest
.
”

Tammy wrapped herself in the blanket and curled up to keep warm. She was stunned by what she had learned today, but she knew it all to be true, this was her home. It was almost too much to take in, she had just seen her parents murdered by her brother, a tyrannical despot. She had been brought here to save this world. How could this happen to a barmaid, a simple small town girl who never did anything exciting? Many thoughts whizzed around in her head, and it seemed to take an eternity before she finally fell into a light sleep.

The old man was pleased that she slept because the next day, and many days to follow, would be difficult for her. He just hoped that he had made the right decision, all their hopes depended on this girl.

Chapter 4     Fresh Tangy Oranges

Tammy felt confused when she first awoke. When she saw the old man, in exactly the same place he had been as sh
e’
d fallen asleep, she realized that it wasn't a horrible nightmare, everything was real.

“
Are you well, Princess
?
” the familiar voice asked her.

She recognized the voice as the son of the old man, the handsome stranger who was the first cause of all her troubles. 

“
Do
n’
t call me that
!
” she snapped back at him
.“
It sounds ridiculous
.
”

“
It is not ridiculous to your people
,
” he told her
.“
They will rejoice at your return. You are their savior. You must become comfortable with this role, Princess
.
”

“
Are you doing that simply to annoy me
?
” she spat at him, knowing he was enjoying her discomfort.

Right now it all seemed his fault. It was him that had sent her into that stinking cellar, which ultimately landed her in this strange place. She did
n’
t belong here, even if it were true, how could she make herself into a Princess, and a magic one at that? It sounded too surreal, how was she ever going to get back home again?

They ate a quick breakfast of fresh forest fruits, and drank clear spring water. Tammy felt she had not eaten anything so delicious in her entire life. As she was finishing breakfast, the old man approached her.

“
It is time for us to move on, Princess. We need to start the journey that will one day result in the freedom of your people
,
” he smiled at her.
 “
Today, is a good day
.
”

His words sent dread through her heart, how could she be the savior of any people? She was so confused, what exactly did they expect her to do?

Niyo
l’
s voice snapped her out of her reverie
,“
You ride with me, Princess
,
” he placed extra emphasis on the word, Princess, enjoying that it caused her chagrin.

“
Up there? With you
?
” she frowned
.“
No way. Ca
n’
t we walk?

“
I gather our Princess hasn't ridden on horseback before, then
?
” he smirked at her, enjoying her discomfort.

“
No, the Princess has
n’
t, neither does she want to
.
”

“
Well, i
t’
s at least twelve miles before our first stop. Passing through woodlands that are home to many wild creatures, including wolves and bears. If tha
t’
s what the Princess ordains, then who am I to argue
?
”

“
Okay, okay, I get the picture
,
” she said, resignedly
.“
Help me up
,
” she demanded, holding her hand out. He grasped it firmly, pulling her up, seemingly effortlessly.  She swung her leg over the horse and tried to wriggle into a comfortable position
.“
Have you never heard of saddles in this world
?
” she asked, a note of sarcasm in her voice.

Niyol ignored her sarcastic remark, simply shaking his head in despair. How his father thought this flip of a girl, this prima donna, could save their world, escaped him. He pressed his heels into the horse and commanded it to move off. Finally, they set off on their journey. Niyol wrapped his arm around the young woma
n’
s waist, keeping a firm grip when the terrain became rougher. His father would never forgive him if he let her fall. The softness of her shape between his legs was encouraging his member to harden. He wondered at what sh
e’
ll do if she notices.

The horse wasn't as uncomfortable as Tammy thought it would be, it just took a little getting used to. It did
n’
t help that there was nothing for her to hold onto, other than the hors
e’
s mane, but she felt uncomfortable pulling on that too hard, though the horse didn't complain. She didn't even mind when the man behind her wrapped his arm around her waist, his strong arms holding her securely, his broad chest pressing into her back, it gave her a feeling of safety, something she hadn't felt since this adventure had started. She shuffled back to press closer to him, his strong arms giving her a sense of security. Then she felt something stiff pressing against her ass. She blushed with embarrassment when she realized what it was, and for a fleeting moment an image of a naked Niyol shot through her mind.

To take her mind from such visions, she tried to make conversation with him, but he was reluctant to talk. Whenever she had a question, his answer was always
,“
things will become clearer
,
” or
,“
ask my father
.
” It was all quite frustrating.

“
Will I ever be able to return home
?
” she asked him, not expecting a reply, and was surprised when he responded.

“
This is your home
,
” he said, as if that was all he would commit to.

He really infuriated her sometimes, with his superior attitude, wasn't she meant to be the Royal one? What was he anyway? Nothing but a jumped up bodyguard. Perhaps it was time to give out some Royal edicts, starting with forcing this infuriating man to treat her with some respect.

“
Yes, I will show you how to return to your other world, when the time is right
,
” his words startled her and she felt a little guilty for her angry thoughts.

The rest of the journey passed by in an uncomfortable silence, for each of them, and they were both pleased when they entered a large clearing, not too far from a small village.

As they drew closer, a rider on horseback came out to greet them. He was dressed similar to Niyol, with a dark green leather jerkin and black leather pants. On the breast of the jerkin was a badge with a red background, and embroidered in gold was an eagle fighting with a wolf. It was the same as the badge on Niyo
l’
s jerkin. She wondered if it was some kind of clan marking.

“
Welcome to Ionia, Princess Tamara
,
” the rider greeted her
.“
My life is yours to command
,
” he bowed at the waist, sweeping his arm in front of his body, in an elaborate salutation.

“
Thank you...umm..
.
” she stared at the rider questioningly, wondering at his name.

“
Peta
,
” he responded.

“
Thank you for your gracious welcome, Peta
.
”

They all rode together into the village, with Peta leading the way. News had travelled ahead of her and the streets were lined with happy people. When they entered the village, a huge cheer rose from the thronging crowd.

“
Are these people here for me
?
” she asked Niyol.

“
I told you that your people would be happy to see your return
,
” he said to her
.“
They think, like my father, that you will save them from the tyrant
.
”

“
And you
?
” she asked.

“
It matters not what I think, if you can motivate the people to stand and fight, then your being here may have merit and reason
,
” he couldn't hide the doubt in his voice.

“
Why do you dislike me, Niyol? I have done nothing to deserve your derision
,
” she scolded.

Niyol didn't respond to her question, he just stared ahead. Truth is, he was actually getting used to having her around. She did instill in him some confidence that her arrival may help, especially having seen the village folk welcome her, but he was
n’
t going to admit that to her. Unknown to her, he smiled down at her head as she sat in front of him on the horse. He thought she smelled of fresh tangy oranges, and in fact, he thought she was quite beautiful, for a thorn in his hand.