The Princess And Her Alpha Bodyguard

4~ THE RUN AWAY BRIDE

"Why do you stop?" Iory's voice echoed behind my back.

But I was too overwhelmed to say anything. I was too shocked even to read the following sentence when my eyes landed on that one word.

Aunt.

In Ralph's letter, the first sentence in the third paragraph was this: Lae, you're going to be an aunt.

"What did I say about disobeying my order?" said Iory, as he strangled me from behind. "I told you to read it, didn't I?"

"I... I…" I tried to pry his finger off my neck with my free hand, but he was too strong for me. And now, there was nothing I could do but struggle for breath. "S-sorry. C-can't b-breath." My vision became blurry as the last air in my lungs ran out.

"Remember not to disobey me again." He let go of my neck forcefully, making my body stumble forward. I almost kissed the floor as if it wasn't for the mirror to break my fall. "Now, what did the letter say?" He asked.

I coughed, breathing in all the air I had lost. "My sister-in-law, is-she...is...pregnant." I hurried to say even though it was challenging to let each word out. Still, I had no choice. I didn't want to anger him by answering late.

"That's it?" His voice was full of disbelief. "I thought it was something serious. Why did you act like a cat got your tongue? It wasn't the end of the world."

I stood up straight after inhaling enough air to feed my hungry lungs. "You don't understand. I am going to be an aunt."

"So what?"

"The feeling is indescribable. I don't know how to say it. You're an uncle to three nephews and a niece. Can't you understand what I am saying?"

"Not even a little. They've been annoying since the day they were born. I wish they died at birth."

I widened my eyes in shock. I couldn't believe he could say such things to innocent souls. "How could you?"

"How could I what?"

"They are you kins. They had your blood."

"So? I'm my father's biological son, but I had never gotten the love from him."

"Oh…" I trailed off and averted my eyes to the floor, not knowing what to say in this situation. This was the first time I heard about this. It had been two years since we were engaged, but he never mentioned his family matter to me. At least not anything unfortunate. All I knew was that he and his father weren't close. Right now, I couldn't find the right word to console him because I couldn't relate to this. Ever since I was born, everyone in my family doted on me. My parents always spoiled me, and my siblings pampered me.

"But you just gave me a wonderful idea," said Iory.

I looked up to see a sinister smile on his face. "What are you planning to do?"

He shrugged, "Nothing. At the moment. But it depends on you, though."

"What are you implying?" His words gave me a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"Say, if I'm to send a group of my elite soldiers to Ralph's house, do you think they can escape in time? I know your brother's swordfight is amazing, but what about his wife? She's only a mere daughter of a fallen aristocrat. She knows nothing about fighting. Now that she is also pregnant, can she run?" He chuckled as if he was talking about something funny. "I don't even have to use many soldiers. Just twenty are enough. You miss them, don't you? Maybe I can bring their heads to you."

"No. Just leave them be." I ran to him and grabbed his hand. "Please don't hurt them. I'll do anything you say."

"Anything?" He smirked.

"Yes." I nodded. "I'll behave and listen to everything you order me to."

He raised his eyebrows as if he didn't believe me. "I can't believe the almighty crown princess says this from her lips. Do I hear things?"

"No. It's true."

"Then, prove it to me." He stepped closer and tilted his head to the side, letting his lips brush against my ear shell. "Kneel and beg me," he whispered.

Parts of me wanted to kill him right now. I wished I could break his neck with this proximity. No, I wanted to cut that head of his off entirely from his wretched shoulders. But I must hold myself back. I couldn't risk doing anything reckless. The lives of my eldest brother, sister-in-law, and their unborn child were in my hand.

I needed a proper plan.

And I knew very well how to play it. He said it himself. Women were born to be submissive. So, it meant he loved to play a dominant. If that was the case, then let the roleplay begin.

"Prince Iory." I retracted my hands and rested them on the front of my thighs as I knelt before him. "I beg you. Please don't hurt my brother's family. I, Laelia Adelaide, will obey everything you order."

This was the first time I ever knelt before anyone, excluding my parents and ancestors' tombs. I wasn't fond of this gesture one bit, but for the sake of future victory, some sacrifices needed to be made.

"Good girl." He tapped my head lightly and let out a pearl of laughter that echoed throughout the room. "Be sure to be this obedient in bed tonight as well."

"I will." I suppressed the anger by clenching my dress in my palms. "My body is all yours tonight. You may do as you please."

"Lae, if you were like this a week ago, I wouldn't have let you suffer in the dungeon. Why do you only come to your sense now?"

I lowered my head. "I was ignorant. I know my fault now. Allow me to redeem myself."

"Redeem yourself?" He sounded surprised. "How?"

I put aside my pride as I grabbed his hand and directed it to my cleavage. Then, keeping it in place, I got up to my feet and guided it to circle both my breasts several times as I looked into his eyes. "With my body, of course."

His lips curved up into a smile at my words. "Now, this is the role of woman. Rule a country? You've gotta be kidding me. Women are born to pleasure men with their bodies." With his free hand, he reached out behind my neck and pulled me close. But before our lips could touch, I turned my face away, making his lips come into contact with my cheek instead.

"What are you doing?" He asked in an angry tone.

"Don't be mad, my prince." I turned back and ran my hand up and down on his chest. "You already left a new strangled mark on my neck. I can't let you smudge the lipstick, too. The ceremony is about to start. We don't have much time left." I tiptoed and kissed him on the cheek. "Let's save it for tonight."

He narrowed his eyes at me as if he found my act suspicious. I tried my best to keep my seducing composure, careful not to let the real intention slip. The truth was that I couldn't accept this psycho's lips on mine.

"Fine. I'll call that woman and the maids back to prepare you for the ceremony." He let go of my neck and stepped back, to which I let out an inner sigh of relief.

"Wait," I called out to him before he turned around.

"What is it?"

"Prince Iory, may I be so bold to ask for a favor?" I bat my eyelashes and put on a broad smile.

"Do you think you are in a position to do so?" He raised his right eyebrow as if he was challenging me.

"I know I'm not." I put on a sad face. "But I thought Price Iory said he wasn't a heartless man. So, I was thinking of asking for a favor for old time's sake. We've been betrothed for two years. Even though you had never loved me, I loved you genuinely. You aren't cruel enough to deny a woman who is about to warm your bed a simple request, are you?"

"I'll have to hear it first to know if it is what I can do," he said and folded his hands across his chest.

"With your power, nothing is impossible."

"Fine. Say it."

"Thank you for your kindness, Prince Iory." I curtsied and lowered my head, making it look like a bow. I couldn't help but smile, knowing he couldn't see it. It seemed everything finally went according to my plan.

*******

The pale orange and pink tint covered the once blue sky, ending the day with the sun setting on the horizon. I had always enjoyed this view, for I often rode a horse out to the meadow to see it in the evening.

But this time, it was different.

I didn't have the privilege, nor did I have the mood to relish this romantic atmosphere. Why? Because I had a group of soldiers—no less than ten—coming after me.

"Chase her! Don't let her escape. If you cannot catch her, then get ready to find a basket to catch your head," shouted the man who I assumed was their captain.

The horse's galloping sounds echoed throughout the field like a rumbling of thunder. I couldn't hear my heartbeat, although I felt like it was about to leap out of my chest.

"Aine, please run faster. I already made it this far. I can't let them catch me. We had to make it to my brother's house and warned them. Please bear with me," I said to my snowy white horse in a gentle voice, contradicting the movement of my heels that was kicking her.

"Hurry!" The voice coming from behind me was louder and clearer, telling me they were getting closer.

"Surrender yourself, Princess. Or we'll shoot."

There is no way I'll go back to being that psycho's puppet. I thought to myself and kept riding forward at full speed.

"Shoot her!"

A whooshing sound ran past my ear, making me lower my head and scream reflexively. When I opened my eyes, I saw an arrow standing up from the ground, not far away from where I was.

Damn it. They really shot even though they knew who I was? I gulped.

"Another!"

Another whooshing sound passed by, and luckily, I escaped again. But I wasn't sure if the third time could also be like this. I needed to think of something. Because I left in haste, I didn't have time to bring a bow and arrows with me. The only weapon I had on my body was a short knife, which didn't sound helpful at the moment.

"Think, Lae. Think." I said to myself as I tried to solve the problem at hand.

Just then, I saw something that was the perfect solution.

I leaned down and whispered into Aine's ear. "Ran straight to that forest." Aine neighed as if she wanted to refuse, but I patted her neck to assure her. "Please trust me. I know you don't like it. Still, we don't have a choice. It is a fifty-fifty chance of survival in there. But if we got caught here, not only you and I but also my brother's family would die. So help me, Aine."

Aine sped up, and we finally made it inside the forbidden forest—the one that no one dared to trespass for years. I admitted it gave me a spooky feeling once I stepped inside the border. Still, this spookiness saved my life because it made those soldiers line up outside, daring not to enter.

"Did she just go inside?" asked the man next to the one in the middle.

"Don't you have eyes? Yes. She. Did," said the captain.

"Captain, s-should we follow her?" asked the one on the left.

"Are you crazy? This is the forbidden forest. Do you want to die?" said the man next to him.

"B-but if we let her escape, we'll die for sure when we go back. Prince Iory w-will k-kill us," said the stuttering guy.

Good. I thought to myself. Take your time debating. I'm going to go first. Then, out loud, I whispered to Aine. "Come on. Let's use this route long enough to escape them. Then, we'll get out."

I directed Aine away from the soldiers and further into the forest. The sun was getting lower, so I intended to leave this place before dark. However, after a few gallops, Aine suddenly stood still and refused to move. "What's wrong?" I asked, looking around to see if something was scaring her.

And that was when I caught a shadow of a man.

Or so I thought, at first.

Until he went down on all four and started bolting toward me.

©️StellaKMary | The Princess And Her Alpha Bodyguard