Chapter 13

Leilani crouched down in her cold dungeon, her arms around her legs with her eyes staring up at the dark and old walls.

Memories after memories swept past her. She'd been a princess with little or no choice of her own. She was always ordered around, told whom to walk with and whom to hate.

At the early stage of her life, she'd come to know that she was betrothed to someone; a prince.

Someone she doesn't have the slightest feeling for and she'd left the palace because of him.

She couldn't bear it anymore, seeing him being so possessive over her and so commanding. And now, she'd become a slave.

A slave to someone she never thought she'd see again; someone she hurt badly unintentionally.

Leilani sighed and reached for back and groaned out in pain. She was in the biggest pain of her life.

Her back ached badly that it brought tears to her eyes. Suddenly, she noticed a movement from the corner of her eyes and when she turned to take a look, she saw a huge black snake crawling right towards her.

Leilani gasped and in her painful state, she sprang up from the floor and moved back in pure horror and fright.

"No...no... please don't come bear me. Please!!" She cried out and ran to the gates, banging on on it furiously.

"Someone please! Help me! Let me out of here! Please!" She cried but no one came running. No one came to her rescue.

The snake hissed noisily behind her, and Leilani slowly turned to stare at it. She knelt on the floor, tears flooding her eyes.

It was her turn to suffer. Yes, she deserved every bit of what is happening right now to her.

"Please... don't bite me. Please...I beg you. I can't die just yet." She wept. And closed her eyes.

The snake got to Leilani, climbed up her laps. It reared it's head in front of her face, it's to the slipping in and out of it's black mouth.

It hissed more, slowly began to crawl back to the floor.

Leilani thought she was already dead, she opened her eyes slowly and saw the snake crawling off her body and she gasped, perplexed.

The snake got back to the ground and slowly crawled away.

Leilani gasped again. She couldn't believe what just happened. She searched her body for any snake bites and didn't find any.

What was happening? She heard footsteps approaching her cage and soon, Hugo showed up.

"Leilani? Are you okay?" Hugo asked as he hastily unlocked the gate. He got in and looked around.

"Are you okay?" He asked again. Leilani stared at him and slowly sat back on the ground. She nodded and looked away.

"Why are you so concerned about me? Is it the guilt?" Hugo stared down at her and shook his head.

"No. I heard you scream when I was returning from the well side. What happened?"

"A snake. I saw a snake. It climbed over me but didn't hurt me. I don't know why that happened."

"A snake? That's strange. The snakes here in out kingdom are dangerous and poisonous." Hugo replied. Leilani was silent. She knew that something was off.

"Leilani...what did you do to him to make you stay down here? It's very dangerous here. The King is cruel and heartless but he has never sent any of his slaves to leave down here.

There's something going on, right?" Hugo asked. Leilani laid down on the floor, closed her eyes.

"I need to rest. tomorrow will be another stressful day."

"It's midnight already. Yes, you need to rest. Be prepared for today, Leilani. It's really going to be tough."

Leilani nodded, her eyes still closed.

Hugo stared at her for sometime and stepped out. He locked the gates and left the dungeon.

Leilani's lashes dragged open and she stared around, hoping the snake would not come back. Few minutes later, she slept off.

* *

(Somewhere in the woods, in a neighboring village)

Luca rode on his horse slowly in the woods with his two guards behind him.

He had a map in front of him on his horse. He raised his hand with his sword, indicating to his guards to stop. He sighed and looked around before glancing back at his guards.

"We are getting closer to the border. We need a strategy to make our way through. We can't afford to let them know who we are." One of the guards, Rick nodded.

"The Hearties nation is known for there great power and tight security. We really need a plan to get through my prince."

"Whatever we do, I have to get into that place. My wife to be is in there. I have to get her out." Luca replied. He stared down at the map, pointed at an angle.

"There's a secret route which we can take but it's very dangerous as wild animals are said to hang around there often." "We are going to follow your lead my prince." His guards replied.

"To the border! Let's go, I have a plan." Luca said and just when they were about to leave, they heard noises from behind.

Before Luca could turn back to check what was going on, one of his guards got shot with an arrow. He fell off his horse and laid down dead immediately.

"No!! Get down my prince!" Rick yelled out angrily and charged at their attackers.

The attackers charged at them too and screams rented the air. A fierce fight ensured. Luca, being a good fighter killed most of the attackers. He fought very hard, killing off the masked men.

However, he suddenly shouted in the middle of the fight as one of the enemies cut him on the shoulder from behind. Luca fell on the ground, with blood dripping down from his hand.

His attacker raised his sword to finish him off but dropped dead suddenly as Rick shot him an arrow in the back. Rick ran towards Luca as he panted, knelt beside him and grabbed him by the shoulder.

"You have to get out of here my prince! I will handle them! Get on your horse and leave immediately!"

"Rick...!" "Go now! Please, get out of here!!" Rick shouted and turned his back against the prince, facing the enemies.

"None of you should go near him! I challenge you to make the first move!" He yelled at them and when Luca got on his horse with his wounded arm and started riding away, the enemies charged again but Rick fought with all his might, killing them before they could run past him.

He got stabbed in the chest when Luca was out of sight. Rick yelled out in pain and fell on his knees.

"Bastards! Take off your mask and show yourselves!" He yelled with a struggling look on his face. They stabbed him again and this time, Rick fell to the ground and died instantly.

"Go after prince Luca! Now! He must not get away!" The leader of the attackers thundered and the surviving ones ran towards the road Luca took.

*

Luca got into a deserted tomb and crawled under to the back of a stone, groaning so loud with pain. He held onto his bleeding arm with his other hand, heaving heavily.

He was dying, he was losing so much blood. He was passing out but no, he didn't want to give up. With the last strength remaining in him, he tore his jacket, tied his wounded arm with it. Still, more blood sputtered out and he continued yelling in pain.

Even with all the pain, he couldn't stop thinking about one thing. Who sent the masked men after him? Who? Just who?