The Runaway Queen

Chapter 9: A Puddle of Blood

Andy carefully began to read through a few pages of the book. Her plush face went from wondering excitement to horrific rage. She now understood why her father forbid her or anyone else in her Province from reading this book.

The stories and guidelines on how to be the 'ideal man, made her, ashamed to be a woman. 'A good woman is a reflection of the good man who rules over her...... Blessed is the man who has control over his house, his wife, his daughters and himself.......Spare the rod, spoil the wife.'

Andy clinched the book tighter, she wanted to rip out all of the pages and burn them in a fiery furnace. 

'Knowledge is power' her father always taught her. 'The more knowledge you obtain the more opportunities you have to make the correct decisions' is what he preached. 

But what was she supposed to do with this new information? The sexist pigs! Andy thought.

 'A man's created purpose is to become is to become the ideal man, to rule over his house, to rule over womankind and to rule over the land'. the book read. 

 There was no created purpose for the woman, there was no valve attached, no praise to be given. This holy book regarded women as something to be controlled to be placed in subjection. Then it dawned on her that it was for this reason her father taught her the art of the sword slinger. It was for this she spent painful hours in her father's library learning alchemy, war tactics and revising the skills of great generals of previous gender wars.

Arvish must have known that Andy would one day, one way or another, would be taken away to the King's palace as do all the daughters of all noblemen do. Andy 's passion was electrified and her blood bubbled to the surface. Then she remembered the whole reason she came to read this book. She turned to the table of contents and looked for the chapter on Virgin Harvesting.

'A Virgin Harvesting is the reaping up and gathering of virgins for the purpose of the King's pleasure. It is also the process by which the 'Queen of the King' will be managed and selected'

'A Virgin Harvesting may occur only under the following conditions:

1. A Queen of the King must be selected.

2. One or more of the four of the King's soul bearers have died or been executed.

These virgins must be harvested from the daughters of the nobleman across the six provinces of the land of Arthropos. They must be between the ages of eighteen to twenty-two. One daughter will be harvested from each nobleman's family, resulting in twenty total virgins.'

'Only five of the twenty virgins will be chosen at the end of the King's evaluation process, in which he will lay will all twenty virgins during a five day period. The King will choose his five favorites based on their soul-bearing skills. The other fifteen will be executed by handing forthrightly in order to maintain sexual balance.'

Andy could barely maintain her breath. "Executed?" she repeated. "They would just murder fifteen women in order to maintain some 'sexual balance?"

'The one chosen to become the Queen of the King will be allowed to bare the King's sons. The other four will have their wombs removed and will continue to serve as soul bearers to the King and also be maids to the Queen of the King.' the book continued.

Andy's heart stopped. The wall of the gigantic library seemed to be closing in on her. Was this really her fate? If she didn't win the King's stupid contest, she might become a barren soul bearer?'

Suddenly the door for the library opened. "We keep hearing strange noises coming from in this room," said one knight to what seemed to be his superior as they both walked towards the center of the library. 

'Stay still Andy, they can't see you, you're too far up' Andy told herself.

"Are you sure you aren't just hearing things?" said the senior knight.

"No, I'm sure. Riley and I both heard it" said the previous knight.

Andy surveyed the room. How was she going to get out of this mess? She could patiently wait for them to just go away, but there was a great possibility the senior knight would spot her. After all he seemed to be a bit more thorough than the other two bumbling fools that were placed to guard the door.

She could try to make a run for the window before they noticed that it was open and the rope was hanging out. Who would they think would want to break into a library? They certainly wouldn't believe a woman would be capable of doing something so skillful. According to the Holy Book of Man, women weren't capable of high mental though, which was why under no circumstances, could she allow them to see her. She could not let the enemy know what she was capable of, at least not yet.

Okay. She had made up her mind. She was going to slide down the ladder when the knights' backs were turned and sneak back out the window. Not the most full-proof plan but she couldn't just sit there. Andy closed the book as quickly as she could and slide in back in place. She peered down at the wondering men below searching in different directions.

Now was her chance, she turned around slowly and began her way down.

'Hey!' I don't think this ladder was here before shouted the junior knight while shakes the ladder.

"Look, up there!" should the other one, pointing directly at Andy. She was doomed. She slided all the way down without a second thought. For a moment all through of them stood still.

'It's a girl, boss'

"Who is she?" asked the senior knight.

"Must be one of them virgins. She must have escaped somehow".

Andy remembered all of the sexiest things she just read. Look at these evil males, speaking around her as if she wasn't standing right in front of her. Who did they think they were? She was the daughter of Arvish the great nobleman freedom fighter.

She couldn't think, the blood rushed to her head. She suddenly bolted ahead to the senior one and kicked right to the groin. Before the other one could react she spun around and launched the heel of her foot right in his face.

The senior knight wobbled and in the midst of his pain, drew his sword and charged forward. Andy attempted to dodge his but the sword slightly sliced her forearm. Blood flowed out. Andy's anger crescendoed. She charged forward. The knight jabbed, Andy dodged and grabbed hold of his wrist and twisted it and then kicked him in his chest, flying him to the floor. Urgghhh! she screamed jumped on top of him, grabbing the sword from his hand.

"Drop the sword bitch" the junior one commanded as he jabbed his sword to her back. Andy tightened the foothold on the senior knight's neck. He tapped the floor violently, panting for air. The junior one peered down.

"Just a second, boss"

No sooner were his words utter that Andy swirled his sword out of his hand using the senior's sword. 

"You idiot!" the choked one raged. Andy yanked her foot back until she heard a crack and swiped her sword under the junior knight's foot before he could escape. She flipped herself back on her feet and stabbed both swords in the back of the falling knight. Thud!

Andy's breath was shallow. She placed her hands on her knees and tried to maintain balance as the conscience slowly returned. A puddle of blood formed underneath the chopsticked corpse. She possibly had overdone it.

She stared at her hands as if she was seeing them for the first time; the hands of a murderer. Her exhaustion grew into excitement and a slow smile spread across her face. 

"They got what they deserved," she said as she limbed towards the window. 

***A/N: Thank you so much for reading! Please share your comments, I would really appreciate your feedback. Hopefully you enjoyed reading!