Chapter 7

Evidently, Riah and her husband gave Ashta a small little guestroom to sleep in, and they told her she could stay as long as she needed, and Ashta was very grateful for the hospitality, but she had to try to find Lashanna.

“Thank you, Riah, for letting me stay. I may stay one more night, but then I really must be on my way,” said Ashta.

“Of course,” said Riah, and she smiled at Ashta. 

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As the day went on, Riah and Ashta talked all day about everything that Riah knew about Ashta’s parents, and how the kingdoms ended up like they were. Also, Riah warned Ashta that it was going to be very dangerous for her to go to the kingdoms, being who she was. Ashta reassured her she would be just fine. 

While they talked, Ashta helped Riah with her daily chores and the two children. The little girl, Destiny, and she had a two-year-old son named Mathew. The little boy was more fixated on watching cartoons than anything. Ashta helped Riah cook dinner and everyone sat down at the table to eat. Riah looked at an empty chair at the end of the table and sighed a heavy sigh.

“Where is Brian?” She asked her sister in confusion, and the girl looked at Riah.

“I don’t know, I haven't seen him all day.” 

The girl looked like a younger version of Riah, except the girl didn’t have a tattoo on her face and her dark hair was cut very short. Ashta looked at Riah.

“Who is Brian?”

“My older brother,” she said as she rolled her eyes, and Ashta nodded. 

Riah sighed again, and as they all began to eat their dinner. Suddenly, there was a loud knock at the door. Immediately, Riah got up from the table and looked out of the window.

“What are Selvempt guards doing here?” she asked in shock, as she glanced at Ashta, and then she opened the door.

“Yes?” asked Riah, as she rested her hand on the door frame.

“Hello ma’am. Is your name Riah?” asked one of the guards.

“Yes,” she said as she looked at the guards oddly. The guard looked at his partner and nodded.

“Yep, this is it!” stated the guard, as he barged into the house, knocking Riah to the floor.

“Hey!” Riah exclaimed, as she scrambled to her feet. 

Suddenly, the two guards walked up to Ashta and looked at her.

“You are coming with us!” demanded one of the men, and Ashta looked up at the guards and smirked at them.

“Sure, let’s step outside and not do this in front of the little ones,” she said, as she gestured to Destiny and Mathew.

“Sure, come on,” said the other man, as he pointed his sword at her. 

Quickly, Ashta glanced at Riah as she stood from the table. Aggressively, the men pushed Ashta out of the house, and when they were a little further from the house, Ashta turned on them.

“Move!” snarled one of the guards, and Ashta smiled at him, as she began to dance her fluent dance. 

The guards looked at each other, and then they looked back at Ashta.

“Quit stalling and move!” the other man growled, and forcefully pushed her again . 

Cleverly, Ashta pushed her hands toward the guards, and they flew into the air. They yelled as they hit the ground a few feet away. Ashta laughed as she saw Riah walk out onto the porch.

“Get up!” she heard one of the men snarl. 

Nonetheless, Ashta glared at the men as she raised her hands up again.

“Not this time, sweetheart,” one of the guards growled, as Ashta made an invisible ball with her hands. 

She threw the ball at the guards and water soaked them. Riah laughed and Ashta looked at her. Suddenly, Riah’s smile faded, and she looked at Ashta with fear in her eyes. Ashta looked at her in question, and suddenly she felt something smack her in the back of the head. Riah yelled out as Ashta’s unconscious body hit the ground. The two guards picked up Ashta by her arms and dragged her away.

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“Roman, my son. You have grown into such a vigorous champion!” said the prince's father. 

Rocco was considered to be the king of Selvempts, but in their kingdom the king did not rule, the queen did. Roman was really tall with rippled muscles, and his long dark hair went past his shoulders, which he kept back in a bun. Also, Roman had brown eyes with golden flecks in them. He was the prince of Selvempts, by marriage. 

His father, Rocco, was also tall, muscular and kept his head shaved. When Roman was just a small child, when his father married the queen. Back then, Roman wanted peace and tranquility throughout the land, and he wanted the kingdoms to come together again. However, Rocco and the queen, Maya, abused and beat him when he brought his ideas to them. 

Rocco also created a fight club television show and made Roman train day in and day out to be the best. Roman turned arrogant and mean as the years of abuse continued. He started not to care about anything, but to be the best and number one in his family line. 

Not before long, he developed trust issues, and he didn’t like anyone. Not even the countless women that threw themselves at him. Roman became the undefeated champion across the land. The magical realm and others would send their best champions to fight him, but he always came out on top and won.

“I learned from the best!” said Roman cheerfully in his deep voice. 

Rocco smiled proudly at his son as Maya walked into the room and she scowled. The queen was Ashta’s aunt. Maya was tall and slender with long, flowing golden locks of hair that she kept hanging loose. Her eyes were an eerie green color that sometimes turned to a glowing bright green when she was angry and her skin was a pale white. 

Maya looked at Roman and sighed. The woman was quite dramatic at times, like she wanted attention even though she was very popular.

“What is it?” Rocco asked her.

“It looks like we may have a problem. The guards had gotten word that there was an outsider claiming to be the missing princess,” Maya explained.

“Wait, what?” Roman asked, as he looked at his stepmother and Rocco smiled an evil smile.

“Let’s put her in the ring with Roman tomorrow night!” he exclaimed, and Roman and Maya both gave him a disgusted look.

“You want your son to beat up a girl?” she asked, as she made a face.

“We will use the excuse that she is claiming to be the missing princess, which is a serious offense, and the fight is her punishment,” explained Rocco, and Roman looked at his father in disbelief.

“Dad, come on, a girl?” he said as he scowled, and Rocco looked at his son.

“If she really is the princess, then she will take your crown, son,” said Rocco, and he turned a hardening expression towards Maya.

“Alright, if that is what you wish,” she said, and Roman hung his head. 

He didn’t want to fight a girl. The match would be over too quickly because, well, she is a girl.

“I sent the guards after her. They should be back soon,” said Maya, as she looked at her nails, and Rocco and Roman nodded and followed her out to the queen’s chambers. 

Ever since he could remember, Roman had lived in the castle with his father and the queen. The castle was enormous with many rooms on the second floor that were used for the queen’s army and her servants. Down in the basement of the castle was a dark and dingy dungeon that smelled of wet earth and old death. 

Seemingly, Roman had spent many nights down there ever since he was a kid. He hated it down there, but when he did something that Maya disapproved of, she would lock him down there to teach him a lesson. However, this made Roman hate his step-mother even more, to the point where he despised her. 

“Ma’am, we have brought you this outsider,” called one of the guards, as they dragged Ashta’s unconscious body into the room.

Curiously, Maya, Rocco, and Roman looked at Ashta and Maya made a small disgusted sound. Cautiously, she walked over to Ashta, and she put her hand under the girl’s chin. Curiously, she lifted her face and she inhaled sharply. 

Immediately, Maya dropped Ashta’s head as she realized how much Ashta looked like her mother. Maybe she really is my niece, Maya thought to herself as she stared at the limp girl. Rocco and Roman looked at her in question.

“Take her to the dungeon!” Maya ordered, and for a moment, Roman stared at Ashta. 

She is gorgeous, he thought to himself, as he saw Maya look at him. 

Evidently, Roman straightened and hardened his expression. He didn’t want anyone to see that he was staring at the girl. Maya, Rocco and Roman watched the guards drag Ashta out of the chamber room.