Privateer ~ Nikolai Lantsov

Chapter 9

"You sounded like a nerd," Fedyor stifled a laugh.

"Maybe I was but that's why I'm so incredibly talented and you aren't," I grinned and he rolled his eyes.

"On with the story, I had classes with Prince Nikolai and another kid called Dominik. They were the sweetest children. We would make silly names and tell jokes. We were the best friends, but the King had realized I had enjoyed myself far too much and had taken me away from them.

"Of course I found some way to run around the palaces with Nikolai. We were the two trouble makers they couldn't control. Until Nikolai left... and I gave up. I listened to the King and Queen, did whatever they asked. Protected the Royals. I was fifteen when-" I stopped myself.

"When?" Fedyor asked.

"When... Prince Vasily had first..." Fedyor immediately understood and rubbed the side of my hand.

"I'm sorry Amelia, that's horrible,"

"No- I shouldn't be telling you this, no one is supposed to know. No one. And it's not worse than-" I stopped. not worse than my sister... I said in my mind. "Some people have it worse," I reworded.

"Maybe, but yours is still horrible, Amelia. You should tell-"

"Tell the Queen? The king?" I scoff, "The Darkling?! Like they would help. And what am I to do now? I'm his prisoner."

"Is it still happening?" He said calmly.

"It stopped when I came to the little palace, yes he still harasses me and recently he went too far," I sighed, "but I don't even want to talk about this with you Fedyor." The room was filled with silence.

"I wanted to say I'm sorry," He blurted out.

"For what exactly?"

"I'm the one that knocked you out and got you here. Honestly Amelia I want to trust you, but I've worked and believed the Darkling for as long as I can remember. And I'm just sorry."

"Oh. I- understand," I said but it sounding more like a question. "I'm going to bed," I said awkwardly looking away from him. He nods and I lay looking out the window.

I wake up feeling like I was in my bed. Cuddled against my blankets- nope I'm not cuddled against blankets. Fedyor is cuddling me like a teddy bear of his.

"Fedyor get off of me! Aren't you supposed to be guarding or something? Not sleeping." He groaned and I flipped his body away from me. As much as I enjoyed his warmth I did not need him by me.

"I'm cold," he whined.

"Then leave and go find Ivan to cuddle," I told him.

"He would never," he pouted.

"Then be cold."

"You didn't eat your bread," he said now more awake.

"No, I didn't, I'm glad you can see," I said sassily.

"Eat it."

"No."

"Eat it!"

"No!"

"Eat it! Eat it! Eat it!" He said shoving the bread in my face and we started to hit each other like two girls play fighting.

"No! No! No!" We kept on like that for a good while until he shoved the bread in my mouth.

"Ha! Victory!" Fedyor danced.

"It's stale," I said spitting it all out.

"Ew!"

"I'm sorry mister 'you have to eat this-' "

"Am I interrupting something?" The Darkling opened the door. I hadn't even realized the carriage thing stopped.

"No sir I was just trying to get her to eat something," Fedyor stood up straight.

"Alright, just reminding you no special treatment to prisoners," he told Fedyor, "you may leave." Fedyor nodded and smiled behind the Darkling at me. Making silly faces. How could he be so nice if he didn't believe me?

"So, I assume you've made your choice?" the Darkling grimaced.

"Maybe."

"Amelia, I don't have time for this, help me? Or don't and I kill your sister."

"Fine! I'll do it! I'll help you, you disgusting man!"
He smirked and sat down next to me.

"Great, now here's what you have to do," he started, "help me track her and the stag. Any person that I tell you to kill do it."

"That wasn't a part of the deal! I'm not killing anyone! If I kill anyone it will be you." I said and he laughed.

"Yeah ok Amelia, I'll be coming back soon to get you out of those cuffs," he put his hand on my cheek and moved my head so I was looking at him, "I will give you your kefta back and we will all act like nothing happened, alright?" I said nothing he squeezed my face harder and repeated, "alright?"

"Mhm," I said forcefully.

"Good. I'll see you in a little," he exited the prison carriage which is what I like to call it. The only thing I was excited about was getting my kefta back. I love that thing I can't believe he took it away from me.

The Darkling entered the carriage once again with keys and a red kefta in his hands. He got on his knees and started to unlock the cuffs starting with my wrists.

He gently grabbed my wrist and unlocked the cuff then the next. "Ankles," he said. I rolled my eyes and stuck out my foot so he could unlock it.

"There, feel better?" He smiled.

"No."

"Here," he held my kefta out and I slid my arms through the sleeves as he held it and he spins me around holding my collar. 

"Woah," I said steadying myself just now realizing how close he was to me. His eyes were focused on my lips. I know he was bad and everything but boy was he hot. I stood there motionless not knowing what he was going to do. Or what I should do. Should I slap him in the face? Because that's what I really wanted to do. He slowly leaned closer towards me. I dodged him, "Aren't we leaving?" I said awkwardly trying to gain his attention away from my lips.

"Hm?" he looked up and realized where he was, "oh, come on let's go. We are riding horseback, you're with me." I nodded and exited the prison carriage with him.

We were in the middle of nowhere. And I mean it. Hills full of nothing but grass as far as the eye could see.

"We are headed towards the mountains, we believe that's where Malyen Oretsev is with Alina," he gazed looking around outside, "we think they're trying to get to the stag before us. That can't happen, so we need to hurry this up." He got on his horse and held his hand out for me I refused it and attempted to get on the horse myself. It took me five tries to get on it as he tapped his fingers and rolled his eyes.

I grunt as I sat behind him. "That would have been done much quicker if you had just taken my hand," he sighed.

"I didn't want to take your hand, it's gross," I sneered, he laughed and told me to hold on. So I wrapped my arms around his waist and he kicked the horse's belly and we took off.

On our way to find Mal and Alina.

Yay. I hope you can hear my sarcasm over written words.

A/n: Thank you soooooo much for reading, commenting, and voting! I absolutely love it! I hope this chapter isn't too horrible lol still trying to skill this writing thing 😎

kiss marry kill: Nikolai, Kaz, Darkling...