After Robert disappeared from my sight, the two servants and I headed to the exit with Wonder.

The two servants walked closer to me. One of them started, “It’s amazing how the prince has tamed this champion.”

“I agree. Even the most experienced horse tamers couldn’t do it,” the other added.

“The prince is truly a man of many skills,” the other replied.

Our bright and simple conversation was suddenly interrupted by the sound of a pot breaking. The two servants hurried over to the flower bed that was right behind them, which was in front of one of the windows.

“What was that?” I asked as they crouched down before the flower bed.

One of them reached out to the flower bed. I walked slowly towards them. “It’s nothing, my lady,” he said as he held a piece from the pot. “One of the flower pots just broke.”

“How would it be broken? No one is here to throw anything at it.”

As the servant made that remark, my heart pounded harder. Fear began to build inside of me. My eyes scoured my surroundings in a panic. My breath shook as I began to step back.

Someone’s here. Someone was watching.

“Don’t be silly,” the servant told the other. “You’re thinking too much and you’re scaring the lady,” he scolded. “It might have been because of old age.”

Without warning, a dagger was raised to my neck and a strong grasp pinned my arms behind me.

“Try and scream for help. I will not hesitate to cut your throat open,” a deep, raspy voice spoke. The dagger got closer to my skin and the grip on my arms tightened.

One of the servants finally took notice and was quick to stand and run to my rescue. “My la--Oh!”

Seven men jumped out from the bushes and crowded over the two servants. Without a moment to waste, heavy punches and big kicks landed on the servants. They tried to stand and fight back but the masked men didn’t give them the chance.

“Stop!” a scream finally came out of my mouth. But my lips were immediately covered by another masked man. My shouts of plea were nothing but muffled noise. I tried to break free from the man’s hold but he only tightened his grip, causing more pain.

“Don’t make this any harder for us, lady,” the man growled into my ear. His voice sent a shiver down my spine. “The more you resist, the more your friends get hurt.”

I looked back to the servants and they were on the ground, almost lifeless. The only sign of life from them was their constant groaning and moaning.

I finally gave in to the fear, the danger of this situation. I tried to be strong but my heart couldn’t take it anymore, especially the sight of two innocent people beaten to death.

I closed my eyes to block the horrific sight. And with it, a tear fell from my eye.

“That’s enough,” the man holding me spoke, which made his men stop. “We still have a lot of things to do.”

“What about them?” a different voice asked.

“I’m sure that they learned something about not meddling with affairs that don't concern them,” the man behind me said.

I opened my eyes and as the men walked towards us, the two servants were left to die. One was on his stomach, the other laid on his back. There was no shortage of blood. It was scattered everywhere; from their faces to their white clothes - now covered in red - down to the pavement.

“Now, it’s time for the next part of the plan. Simon, the bag,” he turned to his right and a man, wearing a mask that only covered his eyes, appeared with a black bag in hand. Another man tied a white cloth in between my lips.

“Cooperate with us and nobody else gets hurt,” the man added.

As my world was plunged into darkness, I was carried away. In my mind, all I could do was pray that my life won’t end this way.

Robert, find me please.