My RÕSË

Chapter 48

Hadrian'a POV

We halted in the bushes as we pulled up muffled footprints on the ground. I quivered. The wind whistled like a boiling kettle, it wasn't favourable to be outside. Louise jumped off his horse and jogged toward the footsteps. He bent to examine it.

"What's wrong?" I ask curiously.

"It seems some people were running from something" he said.

"How many?"

"I see three footprints Sire" 

I swallowed a lump in my throat and got off my horse, walking toward Louise leaving my state of unusual fear. I shook it off.

"Who do you think it may be? I inquired.

He pulled his eyebrows together and thrusted his sword to the ground "it's too early and these prints still look fresh, they musn't have gone far, if we follow the trail, we could find them"

"Follow what trail?" Eleanor's voice erupted from behind us. Her face swollen and pale, she was a woman who rarely cries. I only wondered what trauma she must have been going through knowing that her father was in danger.

"Eleanor, we found footprints and we are going to follow it" I tell her increasing my voice on my last words.

"What? We are going to Arran to rescue my father and you want to go on a blind goose chase!" Eleanor exclaimed.

I sigh, rubbing my temples "These footprints are confused, they are muffled, they seem to be running from something, you of all people should know that ignoring something like this could risk our entire plan"

"No, no, this is not about..."

"Sire!" Eleanor was cut off by Liam's call "Listen" he whispered.

The trees went silent, no chirping, no singing, nor rustling. My heart beat so fast like impending war drums. Just then, birds flew out of their nests from a tree. Signalling to my men to take positions, I swing my sword swiftly in the air and drew myself closer to the tree. God, help me. I held on to a cloth from behind the tree and pulled with my strength, only for the sight to amaze me.

She crumbled to the floor and little sobs escaped her mouth, I exchanged confused looks with Eleanor who drew back her bow and arrow.

"Please sire, don't hurt me" she begged, the voice sounding ever so familiar.

"Look at me"

She sniffled before raising her head to look at me.

"Hattie?" Eleanor gasped rushing towards us. It was the maid, the maid I recalled I messed around with.

"Hattie, what are you doing here?" Eleanor asked bending to meet her.

"My lady, I am sorry if I frightened you" she apologized.

Eleanor glanced at me "It's okay, are you okay? Why are you crying?" Eleanor shook her head.

Hattie coughed and gave a blunt smile, dusting her self from the ground "I apologize your majesties, I was gathering wood for fire when I saw a snake in the bushes, I couldn't think I became fearful and ran off" her once demeanor changed to a cheerful one "I saw the horses from afar and only ran towards it" she told us.

"It's okay, you're safe now" Eleanor reassured her with a smile. I racked it in my head before it clicked.

"Wait, where are you coming from?" I question.

"From Arran, your highness. Isolde and Natasha with Cedric are planning to come after you, we only managed to escape" she said.

"We?"asked Frederick who rested against a tree "are these your footprints?"

"Yes, your highness, they are and by we I mean the king and Irene" she said.

"Hold on, Irene is with you?" My pulse ran faster immediately. Hattie smiled before answering.

"Yes your highness"

*******************

"She should be back by now" I threw the sticks in my hands away and peered through the woods, the king sitting aback on a broken trunk. Hattie was gone for a while and worry engulfed me.

"You should rest, she would be back soon" the king said.

"What if she's in trouble your highness?"

"She'll be fine, Irene" He said again.

"God, please protect her" I whispered to myself.

"Do you really think the Prince will come back for us?" Asked the king.

"Yes, with no doubt your highness" I say almost immediately.

"You sound so sure, like you know him personally. The tyrant Hadrain I know, would never risk his life for a serving girl, no offense, he could only be moved by his hatred for Cedric" his words ringing in my head.

"That was the old Hadrain, he's a changed man now" I spoke drawing circles with my feet on the ground.

"Did you just call him by his name?"

I gasped "Uh...that's what I know him by Sire" I tried to choose my words carefully, he was the father of Hardrian's betrothed.

"No one dares call a noble by his first name...are..." the kings trailing were interrupted my sounds of neighs approaching us.

"Cedric" I gasped. I shivered. Fear  eluding my atmosphere "Sire, we need to run"  The king without hesitation got up and began to run the opposite way, I joined immediately. All of a sudden, a familiar voice shouted in the wind.

"Flower!"

No one apart from my father and mother knew that name, except Liam and...

"...Hadrian" I came to a halt in my heels and turned back. The king stopping in his too.

"What are you doing girl?" He shouted.

"It's not Cedric" I yelled back but softly.

And there it was, a clearing just up ahead. A ray of light. A tall figure with gold-black hair emerged from that light. My heart leaped for joy.

He was there, waiting for him felt like ages but I could see him and he was not afar this time, he was not bleeding in his torso, he was not fighting, he was there, smiling at me.

"Hadrian!" I screamed so loud my lungs felt like a hot, steaming bowl of stew.

***********
Hadrian's POV

My eyes lit up on seeing her leap like a gazelle toward me. Thrusting my sword in it's sheath, I ran toward her.

I scooped her off her feet, twirling in the air with her. I embraced her firmly, like I was ready to never let go. She giggled and tightened her grip around my neck.

"You're here, thank God!" She whispered in my ears. I couldn't help but enlargen my smile. Thank you, God! Oh, how I waited to hear her voice again. 

We took the last twirl and I brought her feet down to the ground. I finally had her in my arms again, safe.

"Oh, how I've missed you" 

"And I, you" she giggled. I was never that happy before. I glanced over at Eleanor who was now embracing her father. Smiling at the sight, I kissed Irene's cheek and tightened our embrace.

A/N

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