Descendants of the Dragons

The Escaped Route

The tension in the air was palpable as hurried footsteps echoed through the grand halls. The frantic voice of a servant cut through the silence like a blade, "Lady Laila! Lady Laila!" The urgency in his tone sent a jolt of fear through her heart as she turned to face him. The news he brought was nothing short of catastrophic. "The second prince is on his way here to arrest Lady Mei Lin. He has charged her with the poisoning of the fourth prince and had our place surrounded. We need to send her out, quickly!"

Lady Laila felt the ground shift beneath her as the weight of the situation sank in. There was no time to think, no time to panic. Her mind raced as she considered the options, but there was only one choice: Mei Lin had to escape. Without hesitation, she rushed to Mei Lin's chambers, where the young woman was resting, unaware of the danger approaching.

Bursting into the room, Lady Laila found Mei Lin sitting by the window, her hand gently caressing her swollen belly. The serene moment was shattered as Lady Laila handed her the pre-packed bags, her voice trembling with urgency. "Mei Lin, you must leave now. The second prince is coming to arrest you, and we don't have much time. Take the secret tunnel; it will lead you to safety."

Mei Lin's eyes widened with shock, her breath catching in her throat. "But... what about Kael? What about the babies?"

Lady Laila's heart ached at the fear in Mei Lin's voice, but she forced herself to stay strong. "Go! You need to leave now and find somewhere safe. The babies are coming any time now. Hide well, and either Kael or we will come to find you. Trust no one!" She paused, her voice lowering to a whisper, "Run. SoKael and I will buy you some time."

J and Jannel appeared at the doorway, their faces set with determination. "We'll escort her out to safety," Jannel said firmly. Lady Laila nodded, turning to Min Jone. "She'll need your help, especially now. The babies might come at any moment."

With a last, desperate look at Lady Laila, Mei Lin gathered her courage and allowed herself to be led away. They moved swiftly, slipping into the hidden passage that wound through the walls of the estate. Behind them, the sounds of shouting and the clattering of armour grew louder as the second prince's guards began their search.

The tunnel was dark and narrow, the air thick with the smell of earth. Mei Lin clutched her belly as they moved, the first hints of pain flickering through her. She could hear the distant roars of dragons, and her heart sank when she realized that the red and green dragons belonged to the fourth and second princes. It was all a plot—a cruel scheme to either eliminate her or ensure the demise of Kael's unborn children.

The contractions started suddenly, sharp and relentless. Mei Lin gritted her teeth against the pain, her steps faltering. The stress and exertion had triggered her labour, and the realization sent a wave of panic through her. She was not ready for this, not here, not now.

As they emerged from the tunnel, they found themselves in a dense forest, the canopy above providing a fleeting sense of shelter. But their respite was short-lived. Without warning, they stumbled into an ambush, the second prince's consort standing before them with a wicked smile. "Well, well," she sneered, her voice dripping with malice, "Fancy seeing you here, Lady Mei Lin."

Before Mei Lin could react, the consort grabbed her by the chin, lifting her face to meet her gaze. The slap that followed was swift and brutal, sending Mei Lin crashing to the ground. Pain exploded in her abdomen as she landed hard, the impact causing her to cry out. The contractions intensified, each one like a knife twisting inside her.

J emerged from the shadows with a feral roar, engaging the guards in a desperate bid to buy time. Mei Lin's vision blurred with tears, the agony in her belly mingling with the terror she felt for her unborn children. She looked at Jannel, guilt and fear written across her face. "I can't... I can't lose them," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Jannel knelt beside her, his face pale but resolute. "We'll protect you. You and the babies. We'll get through this, I promise."

With J fending off their attackers, they managed to escape further into the forest. The terrain grew more rugged as they pressed on, and Mei Lin's strength began to wane. Every step was a battle against the pain that wracked her body, her breaths coming in shallow, desperate gasps.

Finally, they reached the cave Min Jone had spoken of, hidden behind a powerful waterfall that roared like a beast guarding its lair. The water crashed down with such force that it seemed impossible for anyone to pass through, making it the perfect hiding place. Min Jone guided them inside, his arm around Mei Lin as she struggled to keep going.

"This should be safe," Min Jone said as they settled in the dim interior of the cave. "No one would think to look here, not behind a waterfall like this. I found this place years ago when I was hiding from human traffickers. We're safe here."

Mei Lin collapsed onto the cool, damp ground, her body trembling with exhaustion and pain. The contractions were relentless now, waves of agony that left her breathless. She clutched Min Jone's hand, her nails digging into his skin as another contraction hit, more intense than the last.

"You have to hang on, Mei Lin," Min Jone urged, his voice filled with both desperation and hope. "Kael will come. He's on his way. The last we heard, he had secured the border and was making his way back. He'll be here soon."

But Mei Lin could feel her body betraying her, the babies demanding to be born despite the danger they were in. She could only hope that they would survive, that Kael would arrive in time to see them. With every contraction, she felt the world closing in, her strength fading as the pain became all-consuming.

"Min Jone," she gasped. Min Jone held her hand tighter, his heart breaking at the sight of her suffering. "You're not alone, Mei Lin. We're all here with you. Just hold on a little longer. Kael will find us. He has to. Your waterbag had not broken. We still have time you're only in the initial stage."

Time seemed to stretch endlessly in the darkness of the cave, the sounds of the waterfall mingling with Mei Lin's ragged breathing. Each contraction brought pain to its peak, Mei Lin could only think of Kael, hoping against hope that he would arrive soon.