Chapter 1; The Escape

 She took to her heels with her shoes in her hands, running as fast as she could with the moon serving as her source of light. She had been running for hours now with no clear destination. Her feet sore from running with her bare feet. She ran with no one in pursuit of her. She looked back over her shoulder a number of times, running and panting vigorously.

     Alexa had taken her bags and run away from home in the middle of the night. She was sure that her parents would find her room empty by morning and an order would be placed that she be founded immediately even if it would involve them tearing the kingdom into two. 

The moon shone brightly that night. The ever watchful owl was hooting. The gentle, cool night breeze blowing. Alexa was soaked from head to toe in sweat. She wiped the beads of sweat that had formed on her forehead. Alexa was sure that the news she had run away from home was now known by everyone back home.

    She believed the heavens had decided to help her. She was finally given a chance to decide her fate by herself and she was thankful for that. She believed the heavens   had allowed her to spend this night alone in her bedroom without her sisters or a maid. She also thanked the heavens she was not caught trying to escape by anybody. It had taken her a lot of guts to finally arrived at this decision and moreover it was very risky in two ways.; Alexa lives on the second floor of her father's mansion, 'The Merry Mansion'. It was a four story building. The exterior was well designed and the inside can be compared to that of the heavens. The interior was taken care of by the best interior designer in all the land. The compound very well secured. It also had beautifully dressed maids.

    Alexa had climbed down the side of the building with a rope made from her dresses. It was really risky because if she had slipped, she would have injured badly and would have been caught or if she was caught while climbing down, she would have been grounded in the penthouse. Alexa didn't care. All she wanted to do was to leave, no matter the risk.

    She had taken off her diamond necklace and tucked it away safely in her bag. She carefully removed and hid her pearl bracelets in her bag too. She knew they'd go for a lot in the black market in case she was stranded. She would sell it off and use it to fend for herself. The necklace had alot of sentimental value attached to it, it is a family heirloom from her mother's mother's side of the family. She also thought about how she would miss her siblings and her mother and decided that she may not embark on this journey anymore but that didn't matter right now. 

   Alexa had also taken some expensive valuables from her parents house. She had also packed her savings as it could also be handy later on. She took the huge 186ct diamond her parents got as a gift for her betrothed, the Prince of Cleave Kingdom; Prince Derick and his family. It was to be presented to them at their house tomorrow. This was supposed to be the marriage of the century. It was the marriage everybody in the kingdom was talking about.

"If he is the Prince and so? Who cares if all the ladies are dying to have him. I'm not interested. I really think most of them are after the position of queen. If he is the future king and so?" Alexa thought to herself.

She didn't care of his status or if he was the heir to the throne or how he had helped his father conquer other nations or how the women throw themselves at him. It was none of her concern. Alexa had been chosen as the bride for Prince Derick. The friendship between the families had led to this unwanted engagement.

"How will a healthy, normal, able bodied man allow someone to chose his wife for him? A woman he is supposed to spend the rest of his life with!" She thought to herself still running.

She could feel the injuries on her feet getting worse as she continued running. As her body weakened, she begun to get lost in her thoughts, thinking of how miserable she would be if she married the prince and this drove her even more to run as far as she could. 

Alexa thought of her siblings again contemplating to go back this time around

   She had continued her journey promising to come back when things had calmed down. In the meantime, she could be sending them gifts for her little siblings through travellers. She had stepped on something sharp which brought her back to reality. Here she was making plans when she had no particular destination in mind. She was running, her legs trembling from the fear of being caught. Alexa had escaped from the dream every spinster in the kingdom of Cleave had. She had planned to follow her childhood best friend, Dickson to study in the neighboring Kingdom but her father would not hear of it.

"Alexa I have heard enough  what do you hope to accomplish with books? Are you a man? Moreover, if you are thinking of avoiding your marriage with Prince Derick, it won't work. You will stay here, continue your grooming and marry the Prince and that is final." Stephen said and left the room in anger not letting her get a word in.

Alexa had finally decided on what to do. She would go to the next kingdom and further her studies. Since she had no funds, she will sell some of her jeweleries and pay for her school tution. She could also stay at the school dorms. She would also get a job so she would be able to provide some food for herself and the ones she would be sending to the children.

Alexa had decided to stop to catch her breath believing she had travelled far enough for anyone to catch her right now. Alexa had decided to sleep a little. Suddenly she felt a cold hand on her shoulder that gently caresses her hand. Alexa had just realized that she wasn't alone. She quickly tried getting up and suddenly, she felt a  grab on her waist. It was a man. She struggled to see if she could recognize the face of this man but all to no avail. He had worn a mask. It dawned on her that her journey to escape was brought to an abrupt end.

Tears fell from her cheeks as she was now captured and now on the shoulder of the man who seemed to be taking her away to only God knows where. It is true she wanted to escape but not to be kidnapped by a strange man.

"Let me down this instant... Let me down" she cried out.

The man seemed not to be paying attention to her.

"Let me down I beg of you" this time she said it with with a teary voice.

The man didn't even flinch but continued his journey.

"Who is he? Why me" she thought to herself

"I have a diamond you can take it just let me go, please"