by: Lesley Renee Charles

Part Seven

Queen Elizabeth, Christian and Dawn arrived at the palace where the ball was to be held a couple of days before the big ball. It was proper procedure for them to spend a few days at their host’s place.

Dawn was escorted into her bedchamber, where her maid proceeded to unpack Dawn’s lovely new ball gown. Dawn was told to lie down for a few hours, so that she will be well rested for the evening’s festivities. There was to be an elegant dinner and reception for the royal couple’s anniversary.

Two hours later Dawn was led down into the big formal dining hall. The long table was richly carved wood. It seated about thirty people. Dawn was wearing a periwinkle blue gown which set off her light complexion and blue eyes very well. She enjoyed meeting the nobles of the neighboring kingdoms. She never realized that this was set up so that they could all meet Prince Christian’s intended.

The next day, the men were to go out on a royal hunt while the women remained behind. Dawn was dreading this, she knew that these women would dissect her. The staff was preparing the grand ballroom for the next day’s festivities. Dawn was looking forward to the next night’s dance. She was enjoyed dancing. She accepted that she was never going to return to being Eric again. Lately that fact did not bother her as much as it would have a few months ago. She loved being dressed in pretty fabrics. She loved the attention that Christian gave her. She admitted to herself that she was falling in love with him. She knew that if she could she would marry him, but that couldn’t happen could it?

During these same two days, a mysterious figure was also wending his way into the neighboring kingdom. He knew that he had to make good in capturing his prize or this would be the last chance he could get. He sensed that Prince Christian was very close to announcing his betrothal to Dawn. His disguise was practically perfect. He hoped that no one would recognize him as Alexander du Lac. He checked to make sure he had his 6’ long sack and enough rope to bind Dawn well so that she could not escape. He just had to figure a way to get into the castle and its’ ballroom.

Dawn descended the castle stairs, lifting up her beautiful ball dress gracefully. The soft candlelight gave a gentle gleam to her lovely long flaxen hair which was arranged in a French Braid with a gold cord braid through it. Prince Christian was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs, he held out his hand and guided her into the ballroom. She spent the next two hours gliding across the dance floor held in his loving embrace.

Dawn told Christian that she wanted to go out into the gardens and take a breath of fresh air and told him to meet her out there in fifteen minutes. She made her way out into the gardens alone. She strolled over to a deserted corner. She was taken by surprise by a pair of rough hand grabbing her arms and twisting them behind her. Her wrists were quickly bound. She was now unable to struggle with her masked captor. He quickly bound her feet and proceeded to put her into a sack. Because of the music from the ballroom no one heard her screams which were quickly silenced by a piece of dirty cloth which was shoved into her mouth.

She was lifted over the man’s shoulders as if she were light as a feather. She was terrified and hoped that Christian would be able to rescue her in time. Alexander left the grounds with his precious cargo.

Christian made his way out into the courtyard, but saw that it was empty. He was afraid that something happened to Dawn, but didn’t know what. He searched the gardens high and low for any sign of her. He finally came across the corner where she sat down. He saw two pairs of footsteps in the moonlight. One pair was made from dancing slippers; the other could only belong to a big knight.

He realized that someone had kidnapped Dawn, but he didn’t know whom. He could only hope that who ever did it would send a ransom note. He ran into the palace and told his mother what had happened. The host of the party called a group of his knights to start combing the area, since the kidnapper could not have gone too far.

Alexander had planned his escape route carefully. He placed the sack into a cart, which had several sacks of similar size and color. He looked like a farmer going to market. He drove the cart down the road. His story, if stopped, would be that he was going to the market to ready his wares for the next day.

His ride home was uneventful, as he was not stopped. Once he was home, he emptied the sack containing Dawn. He left her bound.

"Dawn, I am going to make you mine as soon as I can. By tomorrow night I will have taken your virgin ass. I will make you my whore, so that Prince Christian will be unable to marry you. I will then have my revenge against him for taking you from me at your Debutante Ball."

Dawn shivered in dread of what he just said. She prayed fervently that Prince Christian would rescue her in time. She did not want to be used in that way. She wanted her first time to be special. She was so sorry that she raped Victoria now. If she had not committed that horrible act she would not be in the situation she was in now. She had never felt so helpless and vulnerable before.

Christian was inconsolable. His mother took him into her embrace and comforted him as best as she could. She knew that they had to get Dawn back as soon as possible. She cursed herself for putting Dawn into this situation. She felt the tears trickle down her cheek. "I’ve got to think about who might have done this." An idea popped into her head.

"Christian, tell me what happened the night of the Debutante Ball. Please spare me no details."

"Well I walked into the garden. I saw Dawn struggling to break free from a man’s embrace. I think he was preparing to rape her so I punched him out and rescued Dawn."

"Please describe him to me."

Christian gave her the description of Alexander du Lac. Queen Elizabeth knew right away who the attacker was.

"Why didn’t you tell me about this Christian? I have a good idea of who the kidnapper is."

The queen told Christian all about Alexander and how he was to be Dawn’s first experience with dating men. She told him that Alexander also preferred men and that he must have been taken by Dawn.

Queen Elizabeth and Christian prepared for the short drive home. They knew they had to find Dawn as soon as possible. They were afraid of what that brute would do to her. They only hoped that they would not be too late.

As soon as they arrived back at the castle, Queen Elizabeth set about trying to find out where Alexander lived. It took a good part of the next day to find out where his home was.

As soon as Christian found out the address he set out, by himself, against his mother’s wishes. He rode like he was possessed. He just prayed that he would be in time.

Meanwhile, Alexander was preparing Dawn for her upcoming deflowering. He brusquely lifted up her skirts, exposing her white undergarments. She was lying on her stomach on his bed. He roughly pulled down her undergarments, exposing her virgin ass. He separated her cheeks and prepared himself for entry. He was not paying attention when he was grabbed from behind and knocked out. Christian proceeded to tie Alexander’s wrists with the rope that he had once he untied Dawn.

Dawn was so relieved to be rescued once again by Christian. Christian knelt down on one knee and proposed to Dawn. She accepted at once. She knew that she was deeply in love with him.

Dawn asked Christian, "What is going to happen to that scum bag?"

"That will be up to my mother."

Alexander was brought to the dungeon in the palace. He was beat up and abused by the prison guards all through the night. He dreaded whatever punishment set up by the Queen. He was kept in the dungeon while Queen Elizabeth, her advisors and Dawn thought up a punishment for him.

Dawn was thinking about what would be the most humiliating punishment for Alexander. He was a handsome man’s man. It suddenly occurred to her that he would not be able to pass as a female, like she did. It would be humiliating for him to go out in public and be noticed as a man in a dress. She thought that this would be the best punishment. She told Queen Elizabeth of her idea.

Queen Elizabeth loved it, but how long should they make the punishment last?

Queen Elizabeth wanted it to be a year; Dawn wanted it to be longer.

To be continued.