Someone loomed over him, wringing out a ragful of cool water onto his face. Spluttering, he opened his eyes, ready to defend Isabelle from the creature. Daniel blinked, but then he remembered that he had already fought the creature, a werecat under the control of Radigan, and lost Isabelle to him.
Radigan? He recalled Isabelle's shout of fear and recognition at who and what they were dealing with: Radigan and his unholy minions. Why, the old spell-caster had been hell-bent on taking over King Edward's and Queen Jasmine's dominion for as long as anyone could remember. But why Isabelle? Why the princess? Why did he need her? Then, slowly, it dawned on him.
Isabelle was the key to Radigan's control over King Edward and Queen Jasmine. If Radigan had Isabelle, he could hold her for ransom at any amount he wished. It was conceivable that the King and Queen would pay a handsome bounty for the return of their only daughter--a kingdom, perhaps, if the old villain asked for it.
And he, Daniel, had allowed one of Radigan's underlings to kidnap poor Isabelle without putting up even a decent fight.
Guiltily, he looked up at his savior to see not one, but five. "You must help me," he babbled, fighting back the tears that threatened to flow down his cheeks. Thankfully, Daniel recognized the five men as being King Edward's best champions. Somehow or other, the King and Queen must have realized the princess's absence and set Sirs Thomas, Donovan, Jonothan, Andrew, and Bernard to reclaim her. "Please," Daniel begged, trying to work up the energy to kneel in a pleading gesture. He could hardly talk, let alone sit up. His body seemed on fire again as he made a final attempt to move. "He has her!"
"Calm yourself," one of the knights murmured. Daniel couldn't make out any of his features. "Oi, lads!" he cried to his companions. "The stable boy! It's the stable boy the princess has run off with!" To the stable boy's surprise, the knight wrapped his hand around Daniel's throat. What've you done with her, you--"
"Taken," Daniel croaked, trying to free himself of the murderous grasp. "He took her, and did this to me. I tr-tried to save her, but...."
"Who is this 'he'?" another knight growled. "Who has taken the princess?"
Daniel shuddered, fighting off another bout of unconsciousness. "O-one of Ra-Radigan's unholy beasts," he stammered. A shock-wave of pain resounded through his body as he spoke, and he spasmed.
A third knight shook his head slowly as a fourth cried, "Radigan? You let Radigan the Sorcerer-King take her, you mangy dog?" He growled in disgust, and Daniel lowered his eyes submissively.
The fifth knight sighed. "Well, lads, there's only one thing we can do now to rescue the princess...."
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