Dreamwalker's Bride - Chapter 144

Chapter 144: Flee for your lives!
Trace led the way out of the chambers, past the guards and down the hall. Anaisa let the doctor hold the pack for a moment while she covered her hair back up with the scarf and then they moved quickly towards the stables.

The queen had given instructions on how to get to her special horses, including a shortcut through the main entrance of the palace. As the little group passed through, Trace paused. There were voices echoing down the hall ahead. Three arguing people came into view.

“I’m just not sure we should leave until we know for sure–”

“The king was determined. We cannot make waves. It is not our place.”

“But the princess looked so distressed, I can’t stand the thought that–”

“Ben. Stop. It’s time for us to go.”

Trace paused, his mind racing. He caught Anaisa’s arm, and cut his eyes over to the voices, leaning down to whisper to her.

“That’s Ben.” He opened his mouth to say more, but the words wouldn’t come. Barnabas’s direction not to try to thwart his plan was more directly contradicted by trying to warn a rival suitor than by taking a baby and running far away.

Thankfully, Anaisa understood immediately. She handed the bundle to the doctor and rushed up to the trio.

“Ben?” She curtsied to the young man, and he nodded, confusion on his face. “I’m Annie, the princess’s maid. She needs you to know that she chose you, not Denholm.”

“But His Majesty said—” Ben’s mother interrupted.

“His Majesty is under the magical compulsion of Barnabas, Count of Oakdown,” Anaisa lowered her voice. “The Count is staging a coup where he uses his magical power to command the king to make the princess marry Denholm so that he has a step up to power, probably by assassinating the king or commanding him to abdicate in favor of his daughter and son-in-law.”

“WHAT?” Ben cried, and Anaisa cringed.

“Keep your voice low, but please, watch for signs of the compulsion. The king is not willingly marrying his daughter to that man. You must do what you can to save her, and rally the rest of the nobility to save the kingdom.”

“They will not believe such fanciful rumors,” Ben’s father scorned. “What proof do you have? Who did you say you are? We will appear as sore losers, sour because our son was not chosen. This is ridiculous.”

“Watch carefully, and you will see the truth,” Anaisa insisted. Trace marveled at her perseverance and refusal to back down. “If you look at the birth records for the previous Count Oakdown, you will find that the confession he made of being a fraud was a lie. That was also compelled by Barnabas, part of his plot to rise to power.”

“This all sounds extremely far-fetched,” Ben’s mother fretted. “We may get in trouble just for listening to it.”

“I believe her,” Ben said, staring into Anaisa’s eyes. “I’ll do what I can… but I have little status, so it may not be much.”

Anaisa nodded, and rushed back to Trace. Ben looked up, recognizing the bodyguard, and nodded once.

A small smile played about Trace’s mouth as the determined young man turned to go with his parents. If everything turned out as it should, Ben certainly deserved Sapphira’s hand in marriage.

His wife took the bundle back from the doctor as they hurried on their way. The Queen’s personal stable was in a different part of the palace than where the rest of the horses were kept, but it also meant it was less traveled. That helped.

Three horses were selected, and Trace saddled them at a speed even he could hardly believe. How much time had passed? How long could the king keep the meeting going?

Trace hated leaving behind his two horses at the Violet Lion Inn where they were stabled, but Oakdown probably had someone watching them in case he ever tried to run away. Perhaps even an assassin, now, as Sanders had implied.

He grimaced. Leaving with his wife was what he’d wanted for so long, and yet it felt in part like he was abandoning the kingdom in its time of need.

No. He was protecting the tiny prince. That was the most important task he could have been given.

“Will a swift pace be safe?” Anaisa whispered to the doctor, holding her pack gently against her.

“Safer than staying,” He replied grimly.

No more words were exchanged. Riding the queen’s horses, no one even questioned their ability to leave the palace grounds. Outside the wall, it felt like a huge relief of the first hurdle had been overcome. And yet, there were so many more.

They moved through the city as quickly as they dared, passing first through the wealthy district.

“Katia,” Anaisa whispered suddenly. “We need to make sure Katia gets out, too.”

Trace swallowed. “You two ride ahead, I’ll—”

“No. You can’t explain anything,” Anaisa cut him off. “It’s on the way, just two streets over. I promise I will make it brief. I promise. We’ll be on our way–”

“What if he has the house watched?” Trace countered. “We could be followed, easily, and tracked.”

Anaisa breathed deeply for a moment, and pulled her horse up next to the doctor’s. She handed her pack gently to him.

“What are you doing?” The older man asked, adjusting his hefty medical bag to make room for the precious bundle.

“Don’t worry about me,” She said, dismounting and pulling her scarf tighter around her head to hide most of her face. She took off her palace apron, a decided marker of a servant, and wound it up like a belt around her waist. Trace blinked, and took off his palace guard’s coat, rumpling his shirt to be less conspicuous as well.

“I always worry about you,” Trace felt panic rising in him.

She handed him the reins of her horse and reached into her pocket. His eyes widened when she pulled out her wedding ring and slid it back onto her finger.

“Start ahead. I’ll run and catch up to you before you reach the city gate.”

With those final words, Trace’s wife ran off through the streets and out of sight.