Dictator [One Direction AU]

13

Date: 07.03.2063

Night had cast its spell over the palace and all were asleep except two very anxious people. Liam made sure his footsteps weren't too loud on the stone floor as he made his way to Jane's bedroom; in his hand he held a small bag of food and water which he hoped would suffice the girl till she found a place of refuge.

The knock at Jane's door was only heard by the cook and the young bride, who opened the door with such haste that it almost knocked Liam over.

"We must leave," she whispered harshly and let the cook led her down the dark corridors which had turned cold as the sun had set. She shivered slightly when the entered a courtyard that she had never seen before.

"This is the horses' stables, I will trade you my horse for your hair," Liam watched as the girl stared up at him with confusion, she did not understand the significance of her hair in their plot.

"My hair?" She stammered, stroking the long strands that fell down her back like a waterfall.

"For my wife. She has lost all her hair after battling a terrible, dreadful disease. Her one wish is to have hair again," Liam felt tears form in the corners of his eyes as he thought back to his poor wife who was sat bed bound at home, still too fragile to walk outside.

Jane could only nod, moved by the man's story and devotion to his wife. Pulling her hair back into a ponytail, Jane winced as the cook brought the knife to her hair which she had been growing since she was a little girl. In one swift movement, she felt the cold air hit the back of her neck and she turned around to see Liam holding the locks with fascination clear on his face.

"You are a brave woman, Miss Jane," he murmured, tucking his knife away and holding the hair carefully in his grubby hands. Jane felt like crying as she stared at him holding her hair but she knew that the sacrifice was worth the loss, she knew her life was more important than the strands of hair that graced her head.

"Where is this horse?" She demanded, noticing how much time they were wasting. She wanted to be out of the palace grounds before the sun even had a chance to rise, there was to be no risk of her ever being found.

***
"Her name is Grace, named after my daughter," Liam stroked the horse gently and Jane could hear the sorrow in his voice. It was obvious that Grace was no longer around.

"She is beautiful," Jane whispered, staring at the magnificent creature; she stared into its gleaming eyes and smiled softly, feeling comfort in the animal's presence.

"You must ride out into the woods, there may be a cabin there that has been long abandoned. Stay there till the hunt for you dies down, you may be able to escape the country under a disguise. I will not tell a soul," Liam hugged the young girl, glad that he had been able to help her.

"Thank you for everything," she said, a teary smile clear on her face. The cook walked away from the young girl who lifted the hood of her cloak over her face, hiding her identity.

Patting the horse, she began to move forward at a slow pace for which she was glad as she had never ridden a horse before. Looking back at the palace, she knew that she would never miss her short time there, the only thing she would remember would be the man who stole her heart. She would block out the pain she felt behind those walls and the loss she had experienced.

Passing through the gates, Jane felt a burden being taken off her shoulders and she urged the horse to move faster, to take her further away from the damned place. Along the roadside she saw the trees and she turned the horse towards the density of trees which could act as her shelter.

"If this is what freedom feels like, I wish I could have found it sooner," she shouted out to the night air, knowing nobody could hear her. The cold wind harshly hit her cheeks, turning them crimson quickly but she didn't care. There was nobody to impress, no man that she would have to satisfy.

The horse neighed and Jane found herself laughing manically, giddy on happiness. There was almost enough joy in the girl to forget the pain she had suffered the day before. Of course, there was still a piece of her missing, however, that missing part didn't stop her from enjoying her liberty.

"Oh if Louis could see me now!" She screamed much like a wild woman, thinking of her evil husband that lay asleep, oblivious of his wife's wild actions. The only thing she could do was despise the man who had taken so much from her. He had taken her life. Her purity. Her love. Her dignity. Her independence. But finally she could regain it all back.

The moon was her only witness as she galloped through the thick forest, where no man or woman ever ventured without good reason, and the stars her only friends. Peace was her only leader and happiness the only drug she needed.

The darkness was not as intimidating as she had previously thought, it was more of a blanket than something that smothered her. More of a friend than enemy. Her horse didn't seem to mind the rough terrain and Jane held on tight, worried that if she fell off her feeling of euphoria would escape her. It was a ride that she never wanted to end.