Descendants ✔️ [TSS#4][BXB]

Prologue

"We must hurry princess. Dawn is almost upon us."

The Dry Lander soldier says impatiently into the cold air of night as he holds a lantern out before him into the black abyss. His step growing increasingly impatient, his hold of the princess' hand tightening ever so slightly as they trailed further into the dark of the underground tunnels of the High Peaks.

The princess stole glances from around her at the decaying tunnel they had transported themselves too from The Sky Lanes. Features pale from the cold, her lips and cheeks subtly tinting red.

It was when she almost tripped forward that the Dry Lander spun around with razor sharp reflexes, his left hand coming up to firmly hold her shoulder and the other to rest on the back of the young sleeping prince in her arms.

She clutches her son closer and looks up at the Dry Lander with thankful eyes to which he stares down at her with a warm and worried gaze but his eyes quickly harden when he hears the sound of hounds trailing not too far behind them.

"Take the lantern and go." The Dry Lander states seriously as his face begins to harden and he holds out the lantern to her. His other hand moving around his back to grab his axe from its holster as he looks back the way they came. Where he anticipates the enemy will be coming after following their magical footprint.

The princess shakes her head quickly and places a hand to the Dry Lander's chest. Eyes already becoming glassy at the thought of leaving the Dry Lander, the one who has been through so much with her and has made sacrifice beyond sacrifice for her and her son.

It was time for her to make one.

"You cannot throw away your life for me Ardyn, I forbid it." The princess states as she glances behind her anxiously before resting her eyes on her son.

She watches her sleeping son with a tearful gaze before handing Ardyn the lantern and clutching her son close as she looks down upon his angelic features. Basking in his beauty and how at peace he was deep in slumber, without knowing what was happening around him. Knowing that when he would wake up, it would be to a new life. A new identity. One which he would never know the difference as he was too young to understand.

She kisses her son's forehead, lingering as she clutches her eyes shut yet a tear trickles down her cheek and onto the prince's cheek. He doesn't stir.

The princess hiccups before wiping her tear striken face and turns to Ardyn who had been watching the encounter with worry and confusion. She hands her son to him.

"Wha-"

"You need to take him somewhere safe. Somewhere they will not be able to find him even in the smallest of villages. Until the time is right. I am counting on you, Ardyn."

Ardyn looked shocked but realised this was not the time to disagree as he took the sleeping prince in his arms before his stomach sank and his gaze analysed hers pointedly.

"I am not leaving you. Not now. Not ever." His voice breaks.

"You have no choice." She whispers sadly as she reaches down and hands him the lantern.

"They will not harm me." She states placing one last hand on her sons back.

"As long as they have me prisoner, my son will be free." She says in an almost daze. She quickly snaps out of it upon the noise of hounds barking. They have their scent now.

"Promise me...you will watch over him. If harm comes to him may you protect him and guide him home."

The Dry Lander leans his forehead against hers, closing his eyes in promise as he swallows the lump in his throat and the words of 'I love you' from escaping his lips. The princess does the same, her voice hitching ever so slightly.