The king's folly

VI

The sun began to rise on a new Monday,a full week has passed since the cancelled coronation. More guards are being added to the castle and the queen kept the details of why she did it to herself.
The prince and his guard spent the week training,
they kept contact to a minimum and left their separate ways.
James wondered why Rebecca was always late and Rebecca wondered what James did in the evenings.
One decided to follow the other.
******
James crept silently as he followed Rebecca. He saw her mount her horse and leave the castle.
He jumped on his and waited a little while before he went after her.
********
Rebecca rode her horse,her knuckles were white as she gripped the reins tightly thinking about the events that had happened to her. Two days after the coronation. A small bird kept following her every where.  She started to get annoyed so she reached for the bird and snatched it midday. It was a white pigeon cooing violently as she squeezed it a little in her hand. She noticed a note strapped to its legs and she decided to open it.
Who would send me a note?
But as her eyes glanced through the note. Her eyes started to water and her throat became parched like as if she had swallowed sand.
She kept reading it over and over and her heart began to beat like a hammer hitting nail.

Very soon she finished reading and she knew her mission. And now she had to find proof  if the letter is saying truth. Her journey these five days had given her proof  and she had to do her mission.
She stopped her horse.
Someone is following me.
She left her horse near the path and decided to go to her destination on foot.
*********
James, now learned in sword fighting wasn't scared of anything. He tapped on his trusty scabbard that held his silver sword. Perfectly crafted with obsidian and different symbols drawn by silversmith.
His mind left his skills and went towards the events that happened few days. He had kept the image of the mask in his head. He mowed all books pertaining to masks, and searched every book in the scriptorium.
Then he discovered a page. And that's when he saw it. He was more cautious. After that day, he had asked his mum to double the guards and he kept Rebecca under a close watch.
He came back to himself when his line of sight noticed another horse.
"Rebecca"
He scrambled down from the horse and raced to the horse.
Where did she go?
**************
Rebecca treaded down the path she used, she was on alert because she was in enemy territory and it was getting dark.
Some moments of walking and then she stopped.

What's that?
The rustle of leaves. The breathing.
She pulled her sword out.
Then she heard mumbling.
It was fast and sounded like jargons.
Move, Rebecca run!!!
She sprinted down the path , scaling roots,
The mumbles were getting closer.
Suddenly she slammed into something hard.
Slam!
A piercing pain began in her head. She started to slip out of consciousness.
********
James got back to the castle in haste. He jumped down from the horse and raced to the quarters.
Servants watched him as he sprinted into the special guard quarters.
One had the courage to speak.
"Milord, what are you looking for?"
James stopped. His heart was beating too fast to give an answer and he wanted to catch his breath.
"Is—-reb—ec—ba—c yet?"
"Milord, I am not understanding?"

James sighed in frustration.
"Is Rebecca back yet?"
The queen appeared from outside.
"No milord"
I should have been attentive. She could be in trouble.
"Mum? Have you seen Rebecca?"
"I have to tell you something son"
********
Rebecca woke up, her head was pounding and she had been tied like a goat.
She observed her surroundings.
I'm in a cave on the bare floor.
The cave walls were full of carved drawings referring to confusing out of the world symbols.
Then she heard footsteps.
"Hello girl" a deep male voice said.
She saw something glistening in the dark. A stone.
Then she felt a kick from the foot she just heard move.
She howled in agony,cursing loudly.
"You will not spoil my plan,"
The foot landed another kick in her lower abdomen.
She screamed in agony.

Then the footsteps left.
She started to feel nauseous, her eyes were heavy.
She passed out.

She started slipping in and out of consciousness,
Gosh,James.
Then she heard someone talking.
"No one is going to find out,we begin tomorrow"
What is beginning tomorrow?
She had no idea. She already knew who they are but she didn't care.
I can't let them hurt anyone. I must leave here.

Suddenly she felt nauseous. Then she felt herself get swallowed by a black void of nothingness.
***********************
What is happening tomorrow?😯
Is Rebecca going to die?😪
What's the queen hiding?🤔
Hey guys,
What's up, how's winter for you guys?
Well it's really cold 🥶 out here.
Sorry for posting so late. Promise never to do it again.
Have mercy on me,this is my first book guys.
Give me your opinions in the comments👈🏿👈🏿
And if I did a good job. You can give me a vote😃.
Thanks for reading🙌🏾🙌🏾