Motheaten Memories [Yandere Prince x Enemy Princess Reader]

56. Asylum with an Old Friend.

"WHAT?!" King Ilidoro bellowed in anger as he stood up from his throne which sat within that cavernous and gilded throne room, Queen Y/N standing mutely at her husband's side. All the attendants within the room flinched, terrified by the rage of their ruler.

"Princess Y/N of Vascini escaped your majesty," The captain of the guard repeated as he knelt on the rich red rug that ran along the floor, not daring to look up at the king given the bad news he was delivering. "We tried to catch her, but she and her accomplice were too fast-"

"Accomplice?!" He interrupted, his anger mounting at the thought of others within the palace helping the daughter of such swine. "Who's aiding her?! That fellow traitor was caught trying to unlock herself with the keys in the dungeon wasn't she?" He spat, satisfied that at least one of the Vascinian's was still detained. "Well, who was this accomplice then?!" He demanded, his patience growing thin.

"His Highness, crown prince Abeloni," the captain of the guard said in a quick low tone. King Ilidoro wasn't known for having a temper, but he was fiercely protective of his family and merciless to anyone who came between them. 

"WHAT?!" He roared, rage contorting his face and filling his indigo eyes as he clenched his fists. "But he's the one who turned her in! What madness could have caused him to help that traitor escape?!" He couldn't believe it, he had seen the contempt his son felt when he had learned his first love was only using his feelings for revenge, what would ever compel him to free her?

"I-I am unsure your majesty, but there's more-" the captain faulted, already knowing that the king wasn't going to take it well.

"-out with it then, I can't imagine that it could get any worse," he commanded with a deep sigh as he slumped back into his throne. He ran his fingers through his chocolate brown curls that several streaks of silver interlaced now. The Queen remained silent, appearing indifferent on the matter.

"While pursuing them on horseback through the city arrows were shot by both sides," he tried to justify the injury the prince had suffered, even though he knew it wouldn't change the outcome.  "And-and while the horse and the girl were the only targets for the archers... The soldiers report that a stray arrow hit his Highness-"

"-How-how badly is he injured?" It was the queen who interrupted him this time. Her elegant face was twisted with worry at the knowledge that her son had been injured. She was desperate, the pain would be unbearable if she lost her only child.

"We do not know, Your Majesty," the captain said remorsefully, not daring to look up.

Her legs gave way beneath her as she struggled to keep from fainting, a sleepless night and the terrible stress brought on by the news of her son's injury was enough to upset her fragile health.

The king stood from his throne and rushed to his wife's side, holding her close as she lost consciousness. "Have the fool who dared injure my son executed and have an interrogation room prepared," he commanded the captain of the royal guard in a hollow voice that sent chills down his spine. Cradling her in his arms he placed a kiss on her forehead, which already felt feverish, and whispered tenderly "don't worry my queen, I'll bring our son home safe."

. . .

After narrowly escaping the walls of Bocio, Y/N And Abeloni rode until it began to grow dark, she tried to convince him that they should stop long enough to bandage his wound properly, but he insisted that clutching a handkerchief over it was enough and they should keep moving. After much back and forth Y/N had reluctantly agreed and continued to urge their horse onward along the road.

Upon first leaving the walls of the city they passed thriving villages and large farmhouses quite frequently, but the further west they traveled the smaller and less frequent the farms and houses became. Now the land they rode by was almost entirely wild countryside, with only the small farmhouses scattered throughout the rolling green plains that showed any signs of human life.