THE KING'S POSSESSION

Chapter 74

Chapter 74: A Desperate Escape





But while Isabel was under the young prince's comfort, Lucian suddenly bellowed. His voice reached the ends of the palace halls as it echoed through the corridors.

"Isabel!" His tone was angry and desperate, thinking that Isabel had left him once again.

His voice startled Isabel, and she instantly rose to her feet in fear. But Julian did not want to let go of her hand.

"Where are you going?" he asked, as Isabel tried her best to take his little fingers off her own.

"I... I have to go, your highness. Let me go!" she nervously spoke in a frantic whisper.

And yet, the young prince's grip tightened, his eyes wide with confusion and concern. "But why? What happened?"

Her heart pounded as the sound of Lucian's approaching footsteps grew nearer. Her eyes darted towards the door, which stood ajar, letting in the distant echoes of the king's anger.

As Lucian's footsteps drew nearer, Isabel's fear intensified. She tugged at Julian's small fingers, her desperation mounting.

"Please, your highness," she whispered urgently, her voice trembling. "I must leave. Please let me go!"

The boy could see the resolve in her face. And so slowly and reluctantly, he released her hand, his confusion and sorrow evident.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

With a final, lingering glance at the frightened child, Isabel slipped through the door and into the shadowy corridor beyond. Her heart pounded against her ribcage, each beat echoing her fear. The dim light from the sconces cast flickering shadows on the walls, creating an eerie atmosphere as she moved quickly but quietly.

The sounds of Lucian's command grew louder, his voice filled with a commanding urgency. "Search the palace! Find her at once!"

Isabel's footsteps echoed through the winding halls, her pace quickening as she darted through the dimly lit corridors. The palace's grand arches and ornate tapestries blurred around her as she ran, the cold stone floors beneath her feet reverberating with each hurried step. Her breath came in short, sharp bursts, mingling with the distant clang of metal as the guards began their search.

Being someone who has worked in the palace, it was inevitable for her to know a few in and outs. And so, she turned a corner and found herself in a narrow, concealed passageway leading to the royal kitchen just as she wanted to be. The passage was dimly lit by a few flickering torches mounted on the walls, casting long shadows that seemed to writhe in the gloom. She darted into the area, hoping to find a way out of the palace.

The passage was a forgotten service route used long ago to pilfer goods and offerings which belonged to the king. Crates of long-abandoned provisions lined the walls, and the musty smell of old spices and rotting food filled the air. Isabel moved quickly as her hands brushed against the rough stone walls for balance as she made her way through the winding tunnel.

As she neared the end of the passage, she could hear the growing shouts of the guards and the heavy footsteps of Lucian as he roared commands. "Do not let her escape or I will have your heads!"

But Isabel has already reached the end of the passage and emerged into a small, cluttered courtyard behind the kitchen. The stables were visible in the distance and fortunately enough, she spotted a lone horse standing by the gate, unsaddled and tethered to a post. The sight of the horse filled her with a desperate hope.

With trembling hands, she approached the horse and began to untie it. Her fingers fumbled with the knot as she glanced nervously over her shoulder at the entrance to the passage, where the sounds of pursuit grew ever closer.

Suddenly, a guard appeared at the edge of the courtyard, his eyes widening as he saw her. "There she is!" he shouted, pointing at her as a signal to Lucian.

Isabel's heart leaped into her throat as she threw herself onto the horse and yanked the horse's reins free. "Come on!" she urged.

With a sharp kick to the horse's side, she felt the powerful surge of the animal beneath her. The horse reared up, its hooves pounding the cobblestone courtyard, echoing the rapid beats of her own heart.

"Faster! Go faster!" she cried out, her voice evident of desperation and determination. Her hands clenched the reins tightly, pulling the horse into a swift, relentless pace as she steered it towards the outer gate.

But Lucian's furious shouts reverberated through the night air. "Do not let her escape! Close the gate!"

The heavy wooden doors of the palace gate loomed ahead, slowly creaking closed as the guards rushed to obey Lucian's command. Isabel's eyes widened in fear, knowing that if the gate closed completely, her path to freedom would be cut off.

And so she summoned every ounce of her courage. She then leaned forward, pressing her heels into the horse's sides. The horse responded with a burst of speed, its powerful muscles straining as it galloped towards the closing gate. The rush of air against her face and the pounding of hooves on the stone felt like a tempestuous force driving her forward.

The gap between the gate's massive doors was narrowing with every heartbeat. She could see the guards scrambling to complete their task, their faces tense and focused as they worked to shut the gate.

With a last, desperate push, Isabel guided the horse through the gap just as the doors began to shut. She felt a surge of triumph and relief as she slipped through the narrow opening while the gate just barely missed her heels.

The horse burst out into the open night, and Isabel urged it onward, racing across the open ground beyond the palace. The once well-kept roads gave way to rougher terrain, and the shadows of the trees loomed in the distance like dark sentinels waiting to embrace her.

"Into the woods!" she whispered urgently to the horse. "We must lose them!"

Just as Isabel guided the horse towards the dark embrace of the woods, a sudden, sharp whistle cut through the night air. Before she could react, the sound was followed by a searing pain that erupted in her stomach.

Her breath hitched in a pained gasp, the sudden, intense agony radiating from the wound. The horse reared back, startled by the unexpected jerk, its hooves clattering on the forest floor. Isabel clutched at her midsection, her eyes widening in shock as she felt the cold bite of the arrow embedded in her flesh.

She then turned slowly, painfully, her gaze meeting Lucian's meters away from the palace gates. He stood there with a grim emotion in his eyes, the bow still raised in his hand, the string still vibrating from the force of the release. The moonlight cast long shadows across his stern face, highlighting the cold resolve in his eyes.

In that piercing gaze, she saw not just anger but something even deeper. Her breath caught in her throat as she recalled his words, spoken with a chilling finality, "You are mine, dead or alive."

His words crashed over her like a wave. The truth of them, so mercilessly evident now, was a reminder of the fate he had sworn upon her.

Her vision blurred as tears of pain mingled with the tears of despair that had already been shed. She slumped forward slightly, her body swaying unsteadily in the saddle as the world around her seemed to tilt and shift. The horse beneath her shifted nervously, sensing her distress but unable to flee.

"Lucian..." she whispered as blood trickled out of her mouth.

The pain from the arrow's impact finally knocked Isabel from the saddle, and she crumpled to the ground with a pained groan. She lay there for a heartbeat, the world spinning around her as she fought to regain her senses. Her vision was a blur of darkness and pain, the vivid memories of her son flashing before her eyes. She saw his innocent smile, felt the warmth of his tiny hand in hers, and heard the echoes of his laughter. The image of him, so full of life, contrasted sharply with the reality of her current plight.

Despite the searing pain that radiated from the wound in her stomach, Isabel struggled to her feet, swaying unsteadily as she forced herself upright. Her legs trembled beneath her, each step a battle against the agony that threatened to overwhelm her. She gritted her teeth, her resolve hardening against the relentless tide of suffering.

"You will not take anything from me," she murmured fiercely through gritted teeth, her voice trembling with both pain and defiance. "I will fight you even to the last of my breath."