The Prince and the Slave: Book Three

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

"Someone's in trou-ble!" Georgiana said in a sing-song voice as William burst out of the doors. She was leaning against the wall outside the Queen's reception room, carefully studying a lock of hair she was twirling around her fingers; she had obviously been stood there a while, listening in to the entire conversation.

"Not now, Georgiana" William growled at her as he sped off along the corridor. He needed to get back to his Chambers as quickly as possible, and he had no time for Georgiana's taunts.

He heard her shout something after him, but didn't bother trying to make out the words. He pressed on, pushing open the door of his Chambers just a few minutes later. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw the room was empty, apart from the one person he was so desperate to see.

Abey stood on the balcony looking out of the Palace gardens, her arms wrapped around herself as the evening breeze picked up and whipped her hair around her face, the light already almost faded and the sky turning a navy blue.

William stepped out onto the balcony and put his arms around Abey's, kissing her on the shoulder and resting his head there. He frowned slightly as he felt Abey almost flinch at his touch, and turned her around to face him.

Small tears were slowly making there way down her face as she looked at the Prince's worried expression.

"Hey, hey. Stop that" He said softly, wiping away the tears with his thumb. "I won't let them take you away from me, I won't let them keep us apart, you know that" he tried to comfort her, his frown deepening as Abey looked away and started to shake her head.

"No. No, they're right" she breathed, taking a deep breath and staring back over the gardens. "We were, stupid thinking this, would work out. They're right" she swallowed before carrying on, "I'm not, worthy of you. I'm nothing but a filthy, common, slave" she choked, fresh tears spilling from her eyes.

William grabbed her and pulled her close, as she melted into heaving sobs against his chest.

"No. They're wrong." He said, his voice stronger, he had to make Abey believe every word. "And you're wrong. You are not just a slave. You are a wonderful, amazing person and anyone who tells you any different is a monster and a liar" He held her away from him so he could look into her eyes. "Honestly" He leant down and quickly kissed her, before pulling away again, time was definitely running out.

"Come on, we haven't got much time" he said, pulling her back into the room and wrenching open every cupboard and drawer he could find. Abey stood on the spot watching in confusion as William started throwing things onto the bed. "Get your things together" he told her when he noticed her standing there, handing her one of two large leather satchels he had pulled from under the bed.

Too confused to question, Abey did as she was told, quickly going behind her screen and emptying the contents of her chest into the bag.

"We have to travel light" William's voice sounded as he quickly changed into his plain clothes. "Only bring things that are essential. And layer up." He suddenly appeared behind her, wearing a thick coat and carrying his now bulging satchel. "It may be spring but it's still cold at night" Abey nodded and started to pull on extra clothes over her dress, and swapped her sandals for the heavy boots.

Everything was in a daze and she didn't quite understanding why she was doing these things. She also quickly rolled up a couple of blankets that were lying on her bed and stuffed them in the bag.

She straightened up and turned to face William when she was done, hitching the bag onto her shoulder. William grinned and kissed her again, one arm around her waist while the other still held on to his bag.

"Let's go" he whispered excitedly, pulling Abey back around the screen and towards the door of the Chamber, opening it a crack and checking the coast was clear, before running through the corridors, never letting go of Abey's hand as he lead her behind him.

"William, where are we go-" Abey didn't get a chance to finnish her question before the Prince yanked her into a deserted room and clamped his hand over her mouth, holding her close against the wall. He peered cautiously around the doorframe and quickly snapped back, as the sounds of multiple footsteps approached.

"Nah, just a bed and a chest I think. Shouldn't be too hard" A guards voice sounded as they passed the room.

"We'll have to prise the girl away too." Another sighed.

"Yeah, the Prince isn't going to let her go without a fight." A third said.

"Well, would you?" Came the first again, the footsteps and chortling laughter of the guards slowly fading away as they made there way up to the Prince's now completely deserted Chambers.

William quickly scanned the room they were in. They only had a couple of minutes before the guards discovered they were gone, then it wouldn't be long until his parents were informed and then the alarm raised, and then it would only be a matter of moments until they were found again, the Palace was already swarming with guards.

William mouthed thanks to the sky as he found what he was looking for, and with no time to explain dragged Abey over to a small and unassuming door in the far corner of the room. He grabbed the handle and wrenched it open, running down the small, dark stone stairwell until bursting out another door at the bottom, out into the darkened gardens, the Palace walls rising steeply next to them.

Abey couldn't think of the words to say as she allowed herself to dragged along behind the Prince, her mind swirling with incoherent thoughts as he suddenly stopped in his tracks and started to lead her in the opposite direction.

His plan had been to get to the stables and grab his horse, but now he thought about it, he realised trying to escape the Palace on horseback would only draw attention to themselves, and then make them easier to track down when, or even if, they managed to escape.

'No,' William thought, 'better to make this journey on foot. It will be longer, but safer'.

He didn't stop and give them time to catch their breath as he ran through the hedge corridors of the gardens, knowing the exact spot they were heading to, Abey leaving him to lead the way.

After a short sprint, William found what he was looking for. They were now at the outer walls that surrounded the Palace. He let go of

Abey's hand and pulled away the few straggling vines that were growing on top of a small, rusting iron gate. The gate was only about three foot high, and William had to crouch down as he tried to pull it open, it's ancient hinges seized up through lack of use.

He looked up as Abey tapped him on the shoulder, and stepped aside as he saw what she wanted to do. She had picked up a huge, heavy branch that fallen to the ground, and was now slamming it into the gate's hinges. Eventually, the gate gave way and creaked open halfway, leaving a wide enough gap for them both to squeeze through.

William held back as he let Abey through, cursing and looking up at the windows of the Palace as the striking sound of the alarm bell shot through the air.

'Guessed they've realised then' William thought, a small smile playing on his lips as he quickly slid through the gate and creaked it shut behind him.

'We've done it.' He thought happily. 'We've got out.'