Paladin Princess Ch. 01

As they continued walking to the sacrificial cave the monsignor began giving Princess Ruth the Last Rites. She glanced over at Geoffrey and his strong eyes left her believing in him and not the priest. But, as they kept walking, worry and doubt started creeping into her heart. She looked around but couldn't find Geoffrey, he was gone and then she really began to panic.

As they climbed into the mouth of the sacrificial cave her heart was in her throat and panic made her tremble with fear. The mouth of the cave was enclosed in spider webs covered with glistening dew and the artistic patterns softened the cave's menacing appearance. The cave could have been beautiful under different circumstances. Several of the guards raised their torches and cleared the spider webs before lighting the torches on the walls.

The monsignor led her to a post that sat alone near the front of the cave, and he lifted her hands attaching the leather cuffs to a hook high on the post. Princess Ruth was forced up on her toes and then the monsignor unhooked and removed her white feathered cape and placed it on a man-sized rock.

Princess Ruth glanced around in a panic, searching for the one man she knew who would save her, but he was nowhere to be found. Fear began leaking out of her eyes and splashed on her diaphanous robe, creating transparent spots and revealing her form underneath. The maidens and the monsignor all turned and left, leaving her alone in her fear and her anticipation of how she was going to die. Her panic manifested itself in cries, twists and attempts to escape, but all it did was undo the sash around her waist. Soon the robe was gaping open, her hard panicked breathing and tears riddled her naked body.

Then a huge dragon swooped down, landed on the edge of the cave and she forgot how to breathe.