As Emile closes the door behind him to meet with the knight outside, the girl gazes out the window with a look of worry and discomfort on her face as she holds her blanket up to her mouth, seeking comfort from the soft fabric.

Emile finally started making his way back to the house. As he approached, Louis' head turned gradually toward the girl, who had been anxiously watching through the window. The girl recoiled before quickly falling onto her bed, covering herself with her blanket. She let out a grunt of discomfort as a sharp pain pulsed through her chest from the wound that Emile had tended to.

Memories of the traumatic event flooded back to her as she recognized the knight as the man who had chased and stabbed her as she attempted to flee. The door then knocked quietly, interrupting the silence in the room.

“M’lady, I’m back,” Emile whispered as softly as he knocked. “May I enter?”

“Yes…” The girl exhales a sigh of relief, but her anxiety still lingers.

As Emile enters, the girl feels a sense of relief, a smile forms on her face as she pulls down her blanket, happy to see her companion again.

“M’lady, your brother’s here,” he bows, informing her on the matter, “Says he’s looking for you.”

“Prithee, do not let him take me!” the girl then pleads as she sits upright from her bed.

“I certainly won’t, m’lady.” Emile responds, his voice filled with concern, “But… is there something wrong?”

“T-Tis him… he be the one who hath stabbed me,” the girl stammers, her words barely comprehensible.

“Your own brother?” Emile stares at the girl in disbelief, anger and worry slowly seeping in as he clenches his teeth. “I should have known.”

Emile's gaze flickered towards the window, his eyes narrowing as he saw Louis still staring in their direction. He quickly turned away and walked towards his mistress's bedside, his mind racing with thoughts of a possible escape plan. He stood there for a few moments, scanning the room and weighing his options, his brow furrowed in deep concentration.

"We should flee," he then suggested firmly, his voice filled with urgency. "It's not safe for you to stay here any longer." He could sense the danger looming closer with every passing moment and knew that they had to act quickly if they wanted to survive.

"But… whither to?" the girl asked, her expression conveying her growing worry for both herself and Emile.

Emile's eyes met his mistress's as he spoke, his voice low and urgent. "Do you remember my father's castle?" he asked. "The one by the lake, not too far from here?"

"I… I cannot seem to recall," the girl replied hesitantly, her voice laced with confusion and worry.

Emile nodded in understanding, his features softening with reassurance.

"It's understandable that you may have forgotten," he said, his tone gentle. "We haven't visited the castle in years, and much has happened since then."

"I believe it might be our best chance for safety. It's isolated, heavily fortified, and most importantly, it's far away from here. We can make a run for it under the cover of darkness."

The girl looked at Emile with uncertainty, but the glint of hope in his eyes was hard to ignore.

“Dost thou really think it is our best option?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She looked down at her injured body, wincing in pain. “W-What if we get caught before even getting close?”

“Let’s worry about that later,” Emile assured her as he firmly put his hand on the girl’s shoulder. “I know a secret path to the castle. We must go. Now.”

"W-wait…" she stuttered as she spoke, her words coming out in a rushed and flustered manner. "Give me leave to change, I pray thee. I-I shall be swift."

“Right,” he replied with a nod, rising from his kneel, the wooden floor creaking from his weight. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

Emile’s eyes turned towards the window before exiting the room. His eyes scanning the outside of the estate, searching for any sign of Louis. But, he saw no trace of him.

“Louis is gone,” He thought as he stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him. “Something’s wrong…”

Emile stood outside his mistress’ room, lost in thought. Soon the girl emerged from her room. She was now dressed in a short yet elegant dress tinted in blue that highlighted her natural beauty while she carried a small leather bag over her shoulder. Emile couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration for her as she stood there.

“Ready to go m’lady?” he asked, extending his hand to her, offering her the support she needs to leave her room. Without a word, she laid her hand gently on the knight’s gauntlet. As her fingers touched the cold metal, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of comfort wash over her. Letting the touch of his armor convey her gratitude for his loyalty and dedication to her.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Let us leave,” Emile stood up, his mistress’ hand in his. “I have a feeling your brother’s gotten impatient.”

Emile guided her towards the stairs, taking each step slowly and steadily. Without a word, he knelt down and slid his armored arms under her back and legs. He then lifted her up gently, feeling the weight of her body against his metal plating as he carefully descended the wide set of stairs. The only sounds that could be heard were the creak of the wooden steps and the soft breathing of the knight and his mistress.

“I-I can go down by mine own self, Emile,” she protested as she laid still, making no attempt to leave his embrace.

A smile formed on the knight’s face before chuckling softly. Placing her on her feet as they reached the end of the stairs, he helped his mistress steady herself, his grip on her hand never faltering. The noise of their footsteps echoed through the hallway as they passed ornate decorations and fancy tapestries.

The knight then guided his mistress through the winding corridors of the large house until they reached a wooden door tucked away in a secluded corner. He paused and gazed around, searching for threats. The knight then released his grip from the girl’s hand and reached for the doorknob, turning it slowly.

“We’ll be safe in here,” He spoke, stepping into the tunnel before turning back to face his mistress.

“I-I’m not certain of this…” his mistress hesitated, her voice shaky.

Emile’s face showed concern as he looked into his mistress’ eyes, urging her to trust him. “M’lady, we must hurry. We haven’t much time.”

Suddenly, the sound of a deafening explosion shook the ground beneath their feet, sending tremors throughout the entire house and breaking the eerie silence. Emile felt a pair of arms wrap tightly around his torso, he glanced down to see his mistress, her face contorted in fear.

“I’ve waited for too long, Emile. Give me the girl!” The sound of Louis’ voice pierced the tense silence that filled the air after the explosion, echoing throughout the house.

From there, it was clear to the two that they had little time before the intruder had found them. He moved towards the door as the girl watched him anxiously, her arms hugging the knight tighter. As Louis’ footsteps drew nearer, Emile held out for the doorknob, his movements quick. He then slowly shut the door, the creaking barely heard from the intruder’s armor clanking against the marble floors.

Emile turned to his mistress, his eyes locking with hers.

“We need to go now,” he said urgently, grabbing her hand once again. They moved through the dark and narrow tunnel, the only sounds heard were their footsteps. Emile’s mind raced with thoughts of how they would make it to the castle safely. He knew that Louis wouldn't give up easily and that they would need to be quick and strategic to outsmart him.

Nearing the end of the tunnel, Emile slowed his pace, listening for any signs of danger. The sound of Louis’ voice can still be heard from a distance, but they seemed to be getting further away. Emile let out a sigh of relief, knowing they’ll soon reach the surface once again.

Finally, they reached the end of the tunnel, where a small hatch led to the outside. Emile pushed it open, revealing the darkness of the night sky. He lifted up his mistress and helped her climb out before following after her.

As Emile clambered out of the hatch, his eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for any sign of danger. He then caught sight of his mistress, her eyes fixed on something in the distance. A faint orange glow illuminated her face, and Emile followed her gaze, his heart sinking as he saw the house they had just fled was now engulfed in flames.

He knew that they had to move quickly, before the fire spread any further or anyone found them. "M'lady," he said urgently, turning to his mistress, "we have to go, now." She tore her gaze away from the burning house, her expression one of shock and disbelief.

“Our home...” she whispered, her voice trembling.

Emile’s heart ached at the pain in her voice, but he knew that they had to go on. With a sense of urgency, he swiftly scooped her up into his arms and began sprinting forward, passing through the large trees that shielded them from the moonlight left and right.

Emile’s lung burned as he gasped for air. His legs felt like liquid and his arms ached from carrying his mistress for so long. He looked around, searching for a place to rest. Finally, he spotted a large rock nearby and made his way over to it, gently lowering his mistress to the ground before collapsing beside her.

"Are you good, my lady?" Emile turned his head towards the girl, gasping for air as he laid just beside her.

“I’m… fine,” she replied with a nod, looking towards the knight with worry on his face. “It’s thee whom I’m worried about.”

"I'll be alright, don’t worry about me." he replied, sitting up straight and leaning against the rock, inhaling deeply.

Emile wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand, feeling his heart rate gradually slowing down. He gazed at his surroundings, taking in the serene beauty of the forest as he caught his breath. The trees towered above him, their leaves rustling in the gentle breeze. The moonlight peeked through the branches, casting an ethereal glow on everything around them.

He couldn't help but feel a sense of peace and calm wash over him, a rare feeling given the circumstances they were in. Despite everything they had been through, it was moments like this that reminded him of the beauty that still existed in the world.

Emile cleared his throat before speaking up, breaking the heavy silence between them. "Why was your brother, Louis… after you m’lady?" he inquired, trying to maintain a calm and gentle tone.

The girl's face contorted with pain and her eyes seemed to fill with tears. Emile immediately regretted asking the question, fearing he had made things worse for her. But then, she took a deep breath, and spoke in a low voice.

“After my parents passed, mine elder sister ascended to the throne” she recounted, her voice filled with sadness. “Then, we later discover’d… that someone was plotting to murder her.”

Emile could do nothing but stare, disturbed by the revelation.

"I was on the verge of discovering who it was," she continued, her voice choking with emotion, her eyes welling up with tears. "But mine sister... Oh, dear sister. It was Louis all along, and I knew I was next, so I fled.”

"I'm sorry to hear that, m'lady," Emile responded with a sympathetic tone, his expression showing his concern.

"I doth remember a blade piercing me..." the girl’s voice shook as she continued telling her story. "The agony that followed, and the darkness… But when I awoke, I was alone, lying in a pool of my own blood."

"Feeling weak, mine vision blurred as I stumbled through the dark forest. Mine body was ablaze, every step causing excruciating pain. But the thought of reaching safety, of escaping death... it did give me hope. I knoweth not how long I walked for, but it felt like an eternity. And when I finally saw the manor in the distance, I knew I was going to make it.”

She then looked up at Emile, her eyes filled with gratitude as she wiped the tears off of her face, the sadness on her face now gone. "I’m… grateful. F-For thee, Emile.”

"We'll get through this together m’lady," He looked at her with a reassuring smile, hoping to provide some comfort in this difficult time, “I’ll be here every step of the way.”

The two exchange smiles, both finding comfort in each other as they eventually succumb to their exhaustion and drift off into a deep slumber.