Once Upon A Drunken Mistake

22. To Save A Life

       Flora and Hayden rushed out of the bed and walked over to the double-doors, but they burst open before they could reach them. Benjamin stepped inside holding a wet cloth over his mouth.

       "What is going on?" Hayden asked as he brought his shirt to cover his mouth from the smoke entering their room.

       "We need to get you to safety!" Benjamin coughed out. "Lorenzo is here!"

       Flora quickly grabbed her robe and slipped on her slippers before she and Hayden were escorted out of their room. At the far end of the corridor, the guards were fighting off the blazing fire. Benjamin ushered the couple to one of the hallways were they found Guilia, Queen Rebecca and Camilla.

       "This secret passageway will lead you outside, past the gates and most importantly past Lorenzo and his little army." Benjamin explained.

       "Where is my father?" Hayden was quick to ask as Micaela opened the secret passageway.

       "We tried to get him to come with us but his majesty was adamant in retrieving some important paperwork from his study." Benjamin explained.

       "We need for all of you to get in now before this safe way out is compromised!" Micaela warned as she ushered Guilia and Camilla inside. Queen Rebecca followed after them and Flora went next. Noticing that Hayden had not gotten in the passageway, Flora turned around.

       "I need to find my father," Hayden said. Flora and him exchanged a look and Flora nodded.

       "Please be safe and come back to me," Flora urged to which Hayden nodded. They heard some yelling and Hayden quickly shut the passageway door.

       Camilla shook her head at her brother's actions. "How could he be so stupid!" She cried out in disbelief as they walked down the dim concrete corridor.

       "They will both make it out safely," Guilia assured her granddaughter as she held her close.
Flora would look back occasionally, hoping that Hayden and his father were safe and would soon join them.

       "Bene, bene, bene what do we have here?" The four royal women turned to the disembodied voice. The figure stepped into the light of the torches and pulled the hood of his robe down causing all of them to gasp. "I guess I have hit the jackpot, two queens and two princesses."

"You rather aid Lorenzo than stand by your own King and Queen?" Guilia cried out in disbelief and Duke Fabian only rolled his eyes.

"If it hadn't been for this principessa —" Duke Fabian glared in Flora's direction. "I would not have lost half of my income and maybe I would have stood by my country."

"Maybe if you hadn't been overpricing your product," Flora scoffed.

Duke Fabian rolled his eyes at Flora's statement. "Nonetheless, Lorenzo paid me a good sum for finishing what he had started." Duke Fabian reached over to grab Flora, but the brunette dodged his grip. "I guess we will begin with you mia regina."

Fabian grabbed Queen Rebecca and pushed her onto the hard rock wall. Guilia tried to get him off of her as she cried out, "leave her alone!"

"Get off of me!" Fabian barked as he pushed Guilia away with all his forced. The Queen Mother fell to the ground and her granddaughter rushed to her side in tears. Flora clenched her jaw and pulled out the black pen she had remembered to grab. The brunette clicked the pen and the sharp dagger popped out. While Duke Fabian was distracted trying to strangle the Queen, Flora stabbed the knife onto his back and dragged it down his skin, enlarging the wound in the process. "Ughhh!"