Fiery Betrayal

Chapter 5

It has been several days since Riavan's punishment. After hours of torment, he was taken to his room and locked inside. He has not been let out since.

The only source of contact he had is when one of the servants bring him scraps from dinner and from the letters he has been sending to his aunt.

As Riavan lay curled up into a tight ball on his bed, The burns and bruses still throbbed in pain. His eyes grew heavy when a soft jingle forced him awake.

He quickly opened the window and watched a paper butterfly land on the ledge before scooping it up and quickly opening it. As he read the note a plan had begun to form. A plan to escape.

He had told his aunt the gruesome details of his torture and what his father intended to do if he didn't go ahead with the marriage. His aunt had finally had enough. She was going to come and save him regardless of what his father did or said. All he had to do was meet her at the edge of the town and she would take him far away from the pain and suffering.

Riavan was thrilled beyond belief but the fear of his father proved to be too strong forcing him to back out of the escape plan.

As he began to read the letter he was soon faced with a difficult choice.

"I understand your worry... I know what I ask of you is a lot but I can not sit by and watch you go through the same things your mother did before she passed. There is something you should know... And I am sure that you have suspected this since you were young.

I was supposed to save you and her on the night she died. Your father killed her... in order to prevent her from leaving with you.

I can not force you to leave but I don't want you to suffer like she did and possibly end up dead."

Riavan slowly sat down on the corner of his bed. He never believed the story that his father had told him, that his mother was killed by a thief for her jewelry and this proves it.

He slowly ran his fingers through his hair and let out a soft sigh. As much as he feared his father, Riavan knew that he can and will kill anyone who dares to oppose him. It was only a matter of time before Riavan would be added to that list.

He quickly took out another piece of paper and jotted down his response.

"I don't want to die here. What do I need to do to escape?"

Several days later...

The moon had just begun to rise as Riavan shoved some personal belongings inside a small bag. Tonight was the night, the night he planned to escape. He was anxious, terrified but also ecstatic. If all goes well, he will be miles away from this nightmare he had been forced to live in for so many years.

His aunt told him to pack light and only bring things that were necessary. He brought some clothes, a small box with the letters from his aunt, and a scarf his mother use to wear. He had managed to swipe it before his father burned all his mother's belongings after she had passed. Trying to erase all memory of her.

He held the soft fabric in his hands, the white parts were stained yellow from years of being kept hidden but the soft blue was still just as vibrant. He gently folded the scarf and placed it in the bag before pulling it onto his shoulder.

Riavan took one last look around his room before slowly opening the door. He poked his head out and looked down the hallway. The home was silent, everyone should be asleep by this time. It is the perfect time to escape.

All he had to do was get down to one of the lower floors and sneak out through the servant's entrance. After that he would be free.

Riavan slowly sneaks down the main set of stairs and then down another hallway. He could see the door that lead to the servant's stairs ahead of him. He was so close.

As he reached the door he slowly twisted the knob and pulled it open. Only to find himself face to face with one of his father's guards.

He quickly slammed the door shut and took off running. The guard's heavy footsteps echoed down the long hallways. With his lungs burning inside his chest he slid around the corner and pushed himself to go faster. He had to get out, he couldn't fail now, Not after being so close to freedom.

However, it didn't take long before the commotion caused another guard to join in the chase. Riavan soon found himself cornered and while he did his best to escape Riavan was overpowered by two men who were twice his size.

Despite being captured Riavam did not make it easy for the two guards to hold onto him. He fought and screamed as loud as he could, even kicking the guards a few times till one of them grabbed his hair and yanked on it as hard as he could.

"Stop squirming you brat!!" one of the guards shouted.

"He sure has some fight in him tonight doesn't he?" the other one stated. "Let's get him to the boss right away. He is going to want to see this. Think you can manage to hold him on your own?"

The guard with his hand laced tightly in Riavan's hair chuckled softly before responding. "Help me tie his hands and I can handle him."

Despite the struggle, the two guards were able to bind Riavan's hands behind him. His newfound courage began to slip away as he realized what was bound to happen once the guard woke his father.

The two parted ways, one went to wake his father, and the other, with his hands wrapped tightly in Riavan's hair, led him into the salon. A room where his father would entertain his guest.