Rouge and the Rogue (Knuxouge)

Betrayal

Rouge was woken up by Manic shaking her gently. 

"Good morning, Princess. We've got to get you to the table before any of the soldiers."

Rouge rubbed her eyes and sat up. She saw that Manic had dark circles under his eyes. He must have slept very little, if at all. She thanked him sincerely for the guard and asked him to leave so she could change. That he did, and she was soon ready to leave the manor; everything was packed again and she wore a day dress. She waited at the huge dining room table until the soldiers and Sir Edgar came downstairs. The Duke and Duchess stood close to her, creating a sort of barrier, but the soldiers all pretended like she didn't exist. They glanced in her direction a few times but said nothing. Sir Edgar did not eat at the head of the table with her.

Sonia slipped Sir Edgar's dagger into Rouge's dress pocket and whispered good luck to her. She would need it.

After breakfast everyone filed into the carriages. The soldiers chatted among themselves. Rouge tried not to look at anyone and just boarded silently. She was glad that the soldiers weren't trying to threaten or hurt her, at least. She waved to the Duke and Duchess before the carriage took her out of their lands. It would be a long ride before they came to a new town. Thank goodness she had a private carriage.

She didn't know how long she had been riding— it felt like a few hours— when something ripped her carriage door right off its hinges.

Rouge pressed herself against the bench to minimize the splinters hitting her. She'd moved just in time, an arrow flew over her head, barely missing. Rouge shrieked.

Men were yelling outside; she stayed curled up on her bench. The carriage was still moving, she had to trust that it would take her to safety.

She heard footfalls too close to her. Rouge looked up to see a slender man in the doorway of her carriage with a knife in his hand. Rouge grabbed the dagger Sonia had given her and threw it at the man in panic. The dagger hit the man's forehead and made him fall off. Another man came into her carriage, but this time it was a soldier.

"Princess! Are you all right?" The soldier was Midnight. Rouge was so overwhelmed that all she could say was "yes," instead of the questions she had or the expletives she wanted to scream. Midnight turned around so he could see what was going on outside the carriage, but still spoke to Rouge.

"This town was always resistant, but not like this. Looks like somebody tipped them off that we had you with us this time. The citizens are actively attempting to assassinate you." The way he spoke offered no comfort. Once Rouge found her voice, she asked him "is there anywhere I can be safe?"

"We're going to check you into the inn early. It's operated by citizens loyal to the King and we'll lock you in." That didn't really answer her question of whether or not it would be safe, but anywhere would be safer than this. Rouge could hear everything going on outside. There was shouting from the soldiers as well as the townspeople. A chant was rising from the town.

"THE PRINCESS OR US! THE PRINCESS OR US!" Hundreds of voices yelled the phrase. Midnight had to push another citizen off as they tried to reach Rouge. Arrows, rocks, and rotten fruit made it through the doorway. The rotten fruit's putrid juices splashed onto Rouge. The carriage's drivers urged their horses to go as fast as they could to make it to the town's inn. Finally they arrived, and Midnight rushed out with a few other soldiers, covering the Princess in a mad dash for the doors while the citizens threw more and more dangerous objects at them. A knife hit Rouge's skirt, tearing it beyond repair. Finally, once inside, the noise was muffled. That didn't mean rest. The Princess was rushed to a high level room with a metal door and unceremoniously shoved inside.