Alexandria: The Rebel Princess

Chapter 21

My overworked horse whines in distress and stumbles slightly. A full day of no rest caused both of us to be completely exhausted. Leaning forward, I pet him comfortingly across his side. "Just a little more, you got this."

My whole body convulses with each step. I need to not give up, I am so close to the castle, just a little longer and this horse can rest.

The road turns to a small bit of rough rocks. The horse slowly staggers its steps, whining in distress. Without another second, I'm send hurling over. The ground rattles beneath us under the horse's fallen weight and quickly, I roll myself as far away as possible, scrambling to my feet.

The horse whines, and bucks its body, trying to get himself upright. With a magnificent thrust, the horse pulls himself up and stumbles forward. Limping toward me, I realise the trickling blood on his leg. We were too exhausted and the horse barely had enough strength to keep going. Behind me, the castle is but a small speck in the distance. I'll never arrive fast enough.

Taking the horse's rein, I guide us to the nearby stream. Dropping to my knees, I lean over the river, dipping my dry chapped hands into the ice cold water. Splashing water up into my face. Instant relief fills me. My sweat mixes with freshwater, and the coldness calms my burning flesh.

My horse lays down beside me, exhaustion consuming him. There is no way my horse can carry on anytime soon. I'll have to leave him behind and go by foot. Kicking out on the grass, I lay near the horse. The sky consuming my vision with an array of colours, dusk has begun to set in.

My muscles calm, and my body molds to the grass below me. Closing my eyes, I allow darkness to take over. Just a quick nap and I'll be off towards the castle.

~

A bright light pierces through my vision, and I thrust myself upright. How long had I been asleep? Scanning the surroundings, I find the horse wandering about whining under the injury. Useless; could anything else go wrong? Bouncing to my feet, I take off towards the castle. Down the rocky road, with one foot in front of the other. It will take me all day.

The sun blisters down upon me, something I've always been used to, but this time it feels different. Urgency was never my priority when traveling, I could rest and march on when ready. My urgent travels were only ever in short bursts. Leaving and initiating plans took up most of my time. With this much time on my hands, I can do nothing more than think about what I left behind. I shouldn't have allowed her to come with us after Octavius was murdered. What other choice did I have? She needed to stay alive and not burn with those victims. How many times have we burned down buildings and left behind a body? Could there have been a body left behind? With the order to never return, none of us would ever know.

With Xavier's escape, and Jeremy betraying me, I had no choice but to leave her behind. The dried dirt caked to her face, with cracks of dried mud on her cheeks like she had laid under the window just to feel moisture. It broke my heart. Watching her rock there, thinking I'm a hallucination and a nightmare one at that, destroyed me. Things will be fixed, even if I have to die in the process. Once I get to King Thaddeus, I can have her retrieved. The Mountain Blades will be sent for her, they will save her from my father's hands. They have to, she's one of them.

It had been days, he held me away from her. The anger he felt towards her terrified me. If he had killed her mother for marrying the king, what would he do because of a signed contract with no announcements of her marriage? She had told me, and without a thought I forgave her, but there had to be a reason for her betrayal. Had she done it to protect herself? General Kalen of all men, why him? The man had no interest in her, and father had a great hatred for the man's family. Could it have been revenge against my father and she is just a victim of both sides?