The Prince's Escape

Chapter 20 || This Is Not The End

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"Halt, who goes there!" A guard calls to me, and I stop. Pulling my hood off to show my face. "Prince Luca," the man sounds as though he has seen a ghost. He backs away quickly and runs the other direction. 

Conrad chuckles, "I thought I was the only one that had that reaction upon seeing your face." We continue our journey towards the castle and I begin to see the faces of my people. They are saddened and hollow. What in the hell happened?  I get off Frea to walk up to the nearest person. A woman, hunched over, tears streaming down her soot covered face. I took her hand into mine. At the sudden connection, her tear soaked eyes sought out mine. "It can't be," she whispered in astonishment. "You're dead."

"I assure you, I'm very much alive, and I will put an end to this suffering," I vowed. I released my hold on her and continued to walk the length of the street, my heart breaking at the sight of each of my people, whom I once looked at in envy. I hear screams, coming in the direction of the smoke and race towards it. Conrad and James trailing behind on horse. 

What I see, my mind is not willing to accept, for tied up to a stretching post is Davis. His screams become more bloodcurdling. The pain, pierce my very being. Not wasting any time, I pound past the crowd and storm on the stage. "What is the meaning of this!" I shout to the executioner. The man stumbles back as he takes in my appearance. "Release him at once!" I demand my voice sending echoes through the courtyard. 

"Luca," I hear the faint whisper of my friend.

"Now!" I shout, and the man rushes to appease me. Conrad and James have made it beside me, and rush to help Davis from the wooden trap of death. That is only reserved for murders. "Someone speak!" I order. "Who sentenced this? And where is the King?!" My anger is taking control of me. Everyone seems stunned into silence. 

A man with a wicked smile steps forward onto the stage and faces me. The man reminds me of a weasel. "I'm not sure you are familiar with the new monarchy in power. I would take your grievance up with the Queen of Irles. But other than then it is treason to interfere with an execution, especially when the person being put to death killed the King." New monarchy? Davis killed my father? My father's dead. The man seemed to take a great deal of pleasure in relaying this information to me. He's smile was one of pure hatred, and I gazed at my friend who required both Conrad and James to stand. Then, to my people. To the right of the stage, I saw another post in a swarm of fire. I closed my eyes in hatred as I wondered, Who had to burn at the hands of the new Queen? What was their supposed crime? "By order of the Queen, you are to be taken to the dungeon."

I turn back to the man and release the most venomous laughter I can muster. "You tell your Queen that this is my Kingdom and my people. I'm not going anywhere with, but I will give you this," I smiled, widely before pulling my fist back and punching him straight in the nose. Praying to God I broke every bone in there. "Get Davis out of here," I shout to my men, as the weasel begins screaming for the guards. I'm swarmed with soldiers I have not trained or seen before in my life. How did they get here so quickly? Taking my sword, I do my best to fight them off, serving as enough distraction for Conrad and James to get Davis out. When I am finally apprehended, Davis, Conrad, and James are far from the stage of death. I am restrained by my arms, and two men holding my shoulders, the weasel comes towards me and snarl at him, but he just looks amused.

"Get him out of here," the weasel orders, and I am heaved off the stage. I find the faces of as many people as I can and call words of hope to them all. "This is not the end. Irles is ours!" But something strikes me in the face and I am surrounded my darkness.

"Princey, come on, wake up," Ember whispers into my ear, and I smile wanting to see the sweet blush flow into her cheeks, I turn to her. 

"Good morn," she giggles, and it is music to my ears. She lays beside me, and I take a look at our surroundings. I am in my chambers and she is here too. Her sweet scent draws me closer to her, but she does not turn away. Ember's bites her lips seductively, welcoming me towards her. And I gladly oblige. 

"Good morn, little spark," I call back in awe, as my hand makes contact with her soft waist. Her hand gently caress my cheek, paying extra attention to the area just above my lip and I feel a sense of familiarity with her actions. We have done this before. A gleam catches my eye, and I see it the unmistakeable ring my mother gave to me for my future wife. It's on Ember's finger. 

A loud crash brings me out of my dream. My eyes must readjust to the dimly lit room, I have been placed in. When they finally do, I see her Francesa. Seating just on the other side of the table between us. I pull on my restraints wanting to wrap my hands around her neck and strangle the life out of her. 

She smiles, but it is more of a snarl. Her long blood red nails tap on the table as she lets out a breathy sigh. She seems troubled by the predicament. "Oh, Luca. All you had to do was stay away. You had already done so much for me. By faking your own sickness and leaving it was almost too easy to take over. The least I could do was allow you to live out the remainder of your days in peace," she shrugs, "But then you came back, and now, I have another mess on my hands. Hmm." She rests her chin on her fist, peering at me. "What to do with you? That was quite the ruckus you caused at the execution of your own father's murderer. What are the people to make of that? We mustn't confuse them. They are after all just common folks."

I say nothing as she continues to talk in circles, not wanting to give her any satisfaction of seeing me struggle. I knew she was a wicked bitch, but I never saw the sadist in her until now. It was her plan all along. Not her fathers. 

"Uh, I see those wheels in your head finally turning. Poor, Luca, thought it was my father, who wanted the power. Too blind to see the girl under his nose was more than a pawn, but the whole bloody force. That's okay," she whispered, her hand reaching out to trail along my jaw. She grabs it tightly adding pressure to the spot I had been hit just moments before. "I forgive you."

She laughs, and I cringe at the sound piercing through the small room.

"Aw, still not talking, well that's no fun," she huffs. "Maybe you'll talk after a little time with Beast," she wiggles her brow at me, but I keep my face stone cold. Void of any emotion, and focus on two things: Ember is safe, and Davis is safe.

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