Chapter 1

"Athena," her mother called. "Your father would like to see you." Why would he want to see her? He never wanted to see her, what happened all of a sudden? These were the thoughts running through Athena's mind.

"Why would father want to see me?" She asked.

"I think it would be better if you see him yourself." Lady Annabelle said softly. Of course, she knew why Athena was summoned but it was not her place to tell. She didn't ask anymore questions. She stood up and followed her mother. They looked similar in many ways. Front the fiery red hair to the petite slender build and blue eyes. The same grace and elegance as they walked into the large solar of their keep.

"Athena," her father said without any preamble. "You're to marry Lord Greville of Pembroke. It has been finalized."

Lord Simon Greville has been her betrothed for many years now. When she was fifteen summers, her father and lord Simon Greville's father had betrothed them to each other.

The news made her happy. Her heart swelled with joy and her vibrant face broke into a huge smile.

"I'm delighted to hear that father." She moved closer to him and hugged him, kissing his cheeks one after the other.

Lady Annabelle was going to say something when suddenly, war cries were heard. The deep rumble of cannons followed, making the ground beneath them tremble slightly. All their faces went as white as sheet.

"Father?" Athena's voice shook. "What is happening?" She was no child, of course she knew what was happening, their keep was being attacked.

The swishing of arrows followed. "Athena run," her mother whispered.

"But mother..." she started to argue when her

mother gasped in pain. Her eyes widened as an arrow pierced her mother's back.

"Annabelle," lord Dracmore yelled and caught his wife before she slumped. "Please keep your eyes open, I will get the arrows removed."

"Mother," she yelled again, rushing to her side. "Please keep your eyes open. Father, please do something." She wailed.

"Athena, my dear, please run." Her mother pleaded.

"No mother, I can not leave you here all alone." She cried.

"Jonathan, please tell your daughter I can not be saved." Annabelle gasped, the pain in her back becoming unbearable by the minute.

"Athena, please go." Just then, an arrow with fire landed somewhere in the large solar.

"Athena, run." Her mother softly said and closed her eyes.

"Mother," she shouted. "please wake her father, I promise I will do as she says, let her just open her eyes please." she begged.

Jonathan kissed his daughter's hand and waved her goodbye too. "Run, Athena."

So she did. She ran, coughing from all the smoke of the fire. Tears in her eyes, she made a hot run for it.

When she was few paces away from the solar, it blew up and she screamed with all her might. "Father." She fell to her knees in defeat. the embers rose and sparkled wickedly. She wept for hours in end in the same position waiting for the fire to reach her and consume her too. She waited and waited, she cried until she was dry, she was there on her knees until her knees started aching but she didn't attempt to save herself.

When she felt an arm wrapped around her waist, trying to pull her up. She snapped.

"You barbarian," she shouted, slapping the person who dared to touch her. "You animal," she slapped the warrior again, she was making a grave mistake but she wanted to die anyway. "you killed my mother and father," she slammed her fisted hand into the warrior's heavily mail-clad chest.

When she was tired, she finally looked up into very angry silver orbs.

"What was that for?" He asked furiously. "I saved your life and this is how you repay me?" Athena snorted.

"you ruined that life when my parents died." she took him in, he was a Scottish warrior and he was very tall and handsome and equally as big. His dark hair that was slightly long was flowing in his shoulders in reckless abandon.

"Go to your chambers," he ordered.

"And who do you think you are to order me around?" she questioned.

"It doesn't matter who I am, your village has been taken by me. Now go to your chambers, my lady."

She left without another word, lifting her skirts to avoid tripping on them. Why she was not arguing, she didn't know.

"I do not have the time for this," he scowled at the foot soldier from where he was comfortably seated on his own stallion. The great warhorse he named after his ancestors, Loki. Something caught his eye and he waved the young lady away. The figure was at the top of the castle, not moving. He dismounted Loki and made his way straight up to the solar. God help me if it's a trap, he thought as he shook his head furiously.

He didn't expect a young lady and certainly not the lady of Langley herself. He knew her because she was vastly known beyond the lands for her beauty. He heard that her marriage was finalized with Simon Greville, that arse. He was surprised with the way she had reacted when he saved her from the fire. But the surprise did not last that long as anger found its way out of him. Who does she think she is? He questioned himself. He really does not care what happens to her. But he still couldn't leave her there. So ordered her to her chambers.

"Tristan?" he heard Jamie call. He turned to face him with his usual uninterested look in his eyes.

"Let's get going." the man simply said and left.