'The slave has escaped'' That was the only word that was heard throughout the entire castle the next morning.
The king had sent the guards to go fetch her and that was the moment that realised she was gone. The king went into rage immediately, he had ordered them to bring her for execution.
"How did she escape?!" The king roared, glaring at the guards standing before him. "Where are the keepers of the dungeon?! Get them!"
Gwen moved away from the huge door when she heard the order, running into the hallway and down the stairs, she had been eavesdropping on them. Eleanor escaped. She didn't know what emotion to settle on. She was happy she escaped but where did she go? They had absolutely nowhere to go? Would she be fine? How did she escape in the first place? Those bars were definitely locked. How could she?
She stopped in the middle of the stairs when something clicked in her head.
Nikolai?
Could it be?
Did he help her?
She remembers well he was saying he'd do something about it. Gwen shook her head and turned around, running up the stairs. She pushed the door open without knocking. "Eleanor escaped!" She said, letting out gasps.
"Oh wow, that's so great!" Nikolai said, faking a surprised look.
"Huh?" Gwen stood up straight, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. "Eleanor escaped. How did she do it? And where did she run to?"
"Huh? How am I supposed to know?" He shrugged his shoulders, looking around the room.
Gwen turned around and walked to the door, looking into the hallway before shutting the door closed. "What do you know about this?" She folded her arms, staring at him with a serious look on her face.
"Well, I know she escaped. You just told me." He was lying, It wasn't so hard finding out. He was playing dumb, nice one.
"You helped her escape Nikolai, stop trying to play dumb." She said, waving her hands dismissively, rolling her eyes.
"Well..." He drawled and flashed her toothy smile. "You got me."
Gwen heaved out a small breath and walked to him, wrapping her hands around him in a hug. "Thank you." She whispered against his chest.
Nikolai wrapped his arms around her, planting a kiss on her head. "It's fine, It was the least I could do."
"No, it's the best." Gwen looked up at him, flashing him a warm smile. "She's safe now, that's all that matters." She placed her head on his chest again, letting out a sigh of relief. "Where did you take her?"
"I think I'll keep that to myself, I don't want anyone finding out." He replied, stroking her hair softly.
"Why?" She looked up at him, pouting her lips. "I won't tell anyone?"
"My father might call for you, since you're her best friend. They might all suspect you helped her escape, it's better you have no idea where she is." It was true, some things are better left unknown. Cold shivers ran down her spine at the thought that the king might summon her.
"He won't hurt me right?" She tried as much as possible to hide the fear and panic in her voice.
"I would make sure he doesn't Gwen, no one would touch you." He said reassuringly, planting a kiss on her head.
She nodded, closing her eyes. Though she was scared that the king might do the unexpected, she felt happy and relieved that her friend was safe, somewhere probably far away from here. Somewhere they'd never find her. But she was more worried about Luciano, his life is at so much risk right now. Rumours had it the arrow was rubbed with a very deadly poison which doesn't have a cure yet. She really hopes he survives it, else the rest of their people would suffer. The king would make their labour so hard and be mistreated.
Gwen muttered a silent prayer, hoping the gods would save him.
*
*
Queen Ariel paced around the room furiously, her hands clenched repeatedly. "How dare she?! How dare she escape!" She screamed, her eyes red in fury. Just when they decided on killing she escapes!
She was boiling in fury and looked like she would explode anytime soon from so much rage. "After what she caused, she flees! After successfully endangering my son's life she runs away!" Her hands flew out, brushing everything on the table to the floor. "She must be happy now! Seeing that he is finally right where she wanted!"
King Axel stood beside the bed, resting against the wall, lost in thoughts. He was trying so hard not to let the rage consume him. When he heard the news that she had escaped he went into fury, he got mad at the guards for not keeping enough watch over her. How could they have let her escape? But he wasn't so worried about that yet, he was worried about his son, Luciano, who hasn't shown any sign of waking up. It was getting hopeless, he feared that he might lose another son. Another loved son, he knows how many it took him to get over Eagan's death. His first son who had everything a king should. He never disappointed him, he was just the perfect son and heir to the throne. When he heard he was killed by his own best friend and someone he trusted so much, he nearly broke down. But vengeance made him stronger, he made sure to take revenge for his son. But the mistake he made was not killing the entire people of Narva, but he had no choice. The castle needed slave so he had to leave them alive. But the people he left alive are the one's after his son's life now. That slave, who used a love portion on his son and made him so delusional.
But he won't regret it so much, he'll make sure he ends her, even if it's the last thing he'd do. Hw would make sure she doesn't escape it. He would find her, no matter how far she must've hidden, he'd find her and once he did, he'd slit her throat immediately.