THE HANDSOME YOUNG LAD

"Lucien is back" Prince George disclosed while Simon's smile faded away quickly.

"He came back yesterday, but not as a normal noble. I heard that the king of Norva owes his life to him and he cherish Lucien a lot...." He said and looked at Simon. "And if my reign is going to be peaceful, I need to be at peace with the neighbouring kingdoms especially with the Norva Kingdom, that is why Lucien is off-limits" He explained but that only infuriated Simon more.

The bastard that killed his parents is back and he can't harm him because he is protected by a king, it annoys him so much that he feels like he might just explode out of rage.

He clenched his fist and sighed "Did he come back with her... I mean with Annabelle" 

"Yes, he did. And he came with their baby" George answered while lord Simon puffed out heavily, filled with rage, hatred and pain.

The life he had planned since he set his eyes on her, living happily with her in a quiet place, with their children. That plan became a dream, then it became a nightmare. She betrayed him and cheated on him with his friend, and caused his parent's death, the woman that turned him into a monster.

"I see, I understand your words perfectly. I won't harm him for now, but am not sure how long I will be able to hold it in... If that is all then I will take my leave now" Simon bowed and made to leave, but George words stopped him.

"Do you still have feelings for Anna, is that why you are delaying your marriage with Gila" 

Simon turned to the prince with a look of horror "I made a promise to you, and that is marrying lady Gila. I won't turn back on my word, and I would like it if you never mentioned Annabelle again. All that is left in my heart for her is nothing but hatred" He answered and walked away.

Prince George sighed and put his two hands behind his back, looking up to the sky and smiling.

"I hope it remains like that forever, Simon. That you won't have anyone in your heart apart from Gila"

The Sebastian Castle

Imogen stands in front of her window, staring outside. Longing for freedom and fresh air, hoping to even get out for once, but it was all just a wish.

She should be grateful her master didn't kill her that night and just accept her life as it is. She is a slave and slaves don't have freedom.

"What are you doing, standing there?" Aria asked behind her back frightening her.

"You scared me, you should try making some sound next time. So I won't die of a heart attack" Imogen joked while Aria rolled her eyes.

"Well, I wanted to but you got carried away in your thoughts so I didn't want to disturb you but I couldn't wait any longer. So what were you thinking about"

"Freedom which is far away from me, from all of us," Imogen said as sadness and loneliness could be heard in her voice.

Aria looked at her with pity and asked "Do you want to go outside"

Imogen looked dazed by her question "Of course, I wish to go outside but I can't, we can never leave this hell"

"Well, you never know until you try, and am telling you that we can go outside. We still have a few more hours before the dread lord comes back. So what do you say?" Aria shrugged while Imogen looked at her shocked and withdrawing.

"Ok..." She stressed the last words. "Let's say I agree, which am quite not sure if this is a good idea. But how are we going to go out, there are guards everywhere, especially at the castle entrance so how will we sneak out without them noticing" Imogen questioned raising her eyebrows in the process.

"Well, the guard will probably be guarding the master quarter due to the fear that someone might steal something from his room again and I never said we were going to use the castle entrance, there is usually a secret passage out of this castle"

"How did you know that?" Imogen asked surprised. Aria blushed at her question, she was supposed to keep it a secret till her death but if it is going to make Imogen happy then she will do tell.

"Someone told me about it, the head guard" She bit her lips shyly.

"The head guard, mister carter" Imogen shouted astonished, Aria quickly cover her mouth with her hand.

"Shush" She instructed pointing her finger at Imogen's lips. "So, are you interested or not"

"Of course, I am. But still what if they noticed we went missing" Imogen said not optimistic about leaving the castle. The fear of getting caught makes her so scared, she knows the punishment for it is death, yet she feels tempted to accept Aria offer.

"Seriously, think Imogen. We aren't even the master's favourite slave, who will notice if the two of us went missing and besides we will be back before the sun goes down and the master return. Please, Imogen, don't you want to go again" Aria pleaded to make a puppy face that Imogen couldn't resist.

"Ok, but we will be back before the sun goes down," Imogen asked and Aria nod.

"Let's go" The girls giggled as they made their way out of the castle unnoticed.

*

*

*

Imogen twirled around her new environment restless, amazed by the people passing around, all looking beautiful and happy, with a bright smile, and many lovely houses.

There were so many people outside, and she couldn't help but be jealous of them. Why was she not born as a noble or why did she have such a cruel fate?

Aria looked at Imogen with a smile, she was making it obvious that she isn't someone who goes outside frequently, Aria wondered the kind of life she lived before she got sold to their master.

"What is that?" Imogen asked pointing at a place with few people in it.

"That is a bookstore, have you ever been to a bookstore"

"A bookstore...I have never been to one, it must be a lot of fun" Imogen smiled.

"I doubt, what will be fun at reading books. It's just something for the nobles" Aria said nonchalantly.

"But I love reading books, can I take a look" Imogen looked at aria with her hand clasped together begging for her to say yes.

Aria sighed in defeat, she couldn't ignore her. She has grown fond of her. "Yes, but don't belong. I will take a look around and meet you in the bookstore"

"Thank you, thank you," Imogen said excited and headed to the bookstore before Aria could say another thing.

She entered the bookstore, looking around to quench her curiosity. "Is there a book you will like to find?" A girl asked behind Imogen.

"I was just looking around" She answered.

"Alright, take your time, miss" The girl smiled and left. Imogen wandered around the bookstore, looking at every shelf for a book to read until her eyes found one.

"Longing For A Woman" She called out and reached for it, but a voice stopped her and took it before she could.

"Longing For A Woman, written by Emma stones, is a story that tells the tale of two women falling in love and parting," A man said while Imogen moves back, a bit uncomfortable.

"I see, thank you for enlightening me," She said about to leave but the guy held her hand, due to discomfort. Imogen jerked her hand off his, almost panicking.

His touch made her remember that night, how her master used her body with no mercy.

"I am sorry to startle you" The young man apologizes after detecting her discomfort. "I just wanted to give you this, you seem to be interested in it" He stretched the book to Imogen but she didn't collect it from him.

"It is ok, you can read it and also I don't have the money to pay for it either way" She declined him, she was about to leave but the guy stopped her again, by blocking her.

"I insist, you reached out for it first and also I will like it if you can have it. I want to apologize for holding your hand against your will, I will pay for the book too" He said while Imogen looked at his face.

"Wow..." She muttered surprised, all the thought of that night fades away immediately staring at his beautiful face. The man flashed her a smile making her heart skip a beat, in front of her was the most handsome man.

He has this cute smile that makes her heart flutter and his face. It was so handsome and spotless, a smooth skin almost like that of a fairy. How can a man be this beautiful?

"Do you accept my request?" He asked in a seductive voice that Imogen couldn't resist.

"You are handsome....." She blurts out unknowingly.

"What?" The lad chuckled before he burst into laughter. "Well, thank you, M'lady," He said smiling brightly.

M'lady, he just called her that. From the way he dressed, she could tell that he is probably from a noble family. But why does she feel so happy to hear a handsome nobleman referring to her as his lady? For once, she wishes the world will just stop at this moment.

"You are welcome" Imogen smiled playing with her fingers. 

"Here, you can have it" The young man extended the book to her and she took it instantly.

"So, are you a lover of books? or are you just reading for showoff?"

"Do people read for showoff?" Imogen asked innocently.

The man glanced at her, bewitched by her beauty he couldn't help but stare at her, knowing he was staring too much, he cleared his throat and looked away.

"I suppose so, are you new in town?" The man asked looking at the books on the shelf.

"No," Imogen lied, of course, there is no way she will tell him that it has been just a week and some days since she was brought here by her dread master.

"Is that so, it just amazed me why I have never seen a beauty like yours before. Your parents did a good job hiding you, M'lady" He complimented but that only makes Imogen sad, she never knew her father and her mother sold her. Parents love, she never experienced such before.

He could see the look on her face that he crossed the line. He picked a book and gave it to Imogen, "why don't you try this? It is way more interesting than Longing For A Woman"

"Thank you" Imogen replied with a smile. 

"My pleasure," He said hardening his voice making Imogen laugh out while he also joined in.

'That seems to work' He thought looking at Imogen as she laughs.

Minutes Later

"So I guess that will be all, I suggest you read A Dead Man's Tale first, it will be much more fun than the rest" Imogen smiled at his words, they have been talking for some minutes and she will be lying if she says she didn't love their conversation or her time with him. She wants to get to know him, but that is just a fantasy for he is a noble and she is a slave.

"You must love books, you know everything about them?" Imogen asked.

"Well, that is the only thing being good at. Reading and winning a lady's heart" He uttered in a flirty way while Imogen blushed.

"I suppose so, I should get going. My friend will probably be waiting for me soon, Goodbye" Imogen waved at him and head to the entrance of the bookstore.

"I really can't let you go like that," He said and ran after Imogen, he met her talking to someone he presume to be the friend she was talking about.

"M'lady, wait" He called and hold her hand, this time Imogen didn't jerk off his hand instead she smiled at him while Aria gave her a strange look.

"Your name, can I at least get your name?" He requested while Imogen nod.

"My name is Imogen" She answered. She was about to ask for his, but aria break them away and took Imogen's hands.

"If that is all, we will leave," Aria said rudely and took Imogen away.

"I didn't get to ask of your family name," The man said sadly.

"Imogen, that is a nice name," He said and bit his lower lips.

"Young master Edward" A boy called breathing heavily, distracting Edward from his thought.

"Marcellus, you are back. Have you found out if my cousin is in the castle or not?" He asked his servant eager for an answer.

"He is not in, this is our chance to sneak in. If he comes back, he won't allow us to enter the castle. But am still scared, what if he catches us and cut off our head" The servant said with absolute fear for the mentioned cousin.

"There is no way, he will behead me. I might be useless, but am still part of the Sebastian family. And also I will like to give you a new assignment, find me a lady named Imogen. It is such a rare name, so it won't hard to find out" He smiled and pat his servant's shoulder then started walking ahead.

"But I just finished an assignment, can't I rest" The servant complained and followed him with their stuff.

*****

"What was that?" Aria asked Imogen who still had a shy smile on her face.

"What?" She lied trying to ignore her words. 

"Don't do that, I tell you everything. Are you trying to hide things from me now?" Aria said feeling betrayed.

"It is nothing really, and we won't be meeting again anyway. He is a noble and am just a slave who sneaked out of the castle" Imogen said, showing her sadness.

"I am sorry" Aria apologize.

"It is ok, it is no one's fault that we are like this" Imogen faked a smile while Aria did the same.

Suddenly they started hearing footsteps behind them, multiple footsteps. It was getting dark, and they were at a desolation place where it was only them.

"Did you hear that?" Imogen questioned. 

"Yes, run" Aria squealed and the girls started running as the footsteps became closer but their race came to an end when they saw two men in front of them, they turned to their back and another two more men were blocking them.

"What do you guys want?" Imogen asked in a shaken voice.

"You two are beautiful, you shouldn't be moving this late, miss. Don't worry, we won't be long, it will be nice and sweet" A man said and approached Imogen, she flinched when he touched her hand.

"Don't touch me" Imogen countered and slap his hand away. But ended receiving a hard slap on her face, making her lips bleeds.

"Seems like you like it rough," The man said trying to undress Imogen when they suddenly heard some footsteps behind them with murderous intent.

"Touching what is mine means death, Carter!!"