Allyria's deep slumber was disturbed by several footsteps from the outside. It was still an hour past midnight. The clock on the wall told her.
Allyria went out of her bed and looked at her siblings lying in separate beds except for her mother and father who were nowhere to be found, probably still busy discussing about the tumult earlier.
She passed by her siblings and went straight to the door leading outside. Waking them up would just cause a commotion in the underground keep so it's best she checked it out on her own, whatever that was.
She turned the knob silently and placed one step over the other like a thief in the night, making sure she didn't pester anyone. Everyone was already asleep, tired from the trauma of last night's ball.
She tried to look on every corner, checking what she just heard earlier, but there were no signs of motion by the guests and castle staff.
The guards only stood stiffly, guarding the passageways. The royal guards gave her a curtsy when she passed by and nevertheless didn't mind her strange affairs at this hour. After all, the guards were only meant to protect, not to interrogate.
"I heard something in here earlier, what was it?" she asked to the guard closest to her who was stationed near the exit of the tunnel.
"I beg your pardon, your grace?" the bearded man in an armor answered.
"The footsteps. What happened? And where are the King and Queen?"
"Oh," he pointed the tunnel on the way outside, "The Royal Guards are taking turns patrolling."
"And the King?"
"His Royal Highness and the Queen are with King Maximillian in the Cabinet," the guard replied.
She waited for a follow up response but when she realized there wasn't any; Allyria gave a slight gesture and dismissed the guard to return to his post.
Maybe she was just overthinking. Maybe it was just due to the stress. Maybe all she needed was a long night's rest and everything would finally go back to normal the next day.
She drove the distracting thoughts out of her head and went to enter the chambers when one of the Royal Guards who had just arrived called out to her.
"Your grace," he addressed respectfully and gave a slight bow, "The King requests your presence in the Cabinet."
"At this hour?" she asked, "Why would father need me there?"
The guard just raised his head back and forth in response to the previous question, "It was King Maximilian who sent for you, your grace."
King Maximillian? That's weird. Why would he look for her at this time of dawn? Is there anything wrong? Has she done something wrong?
Despite having no answers, she just followed the Royal Guards courteously, who were already leading the way out of the underground keep. Besides, she would never know the reason unless she went along. She had to know for herself, whatever that was.
When they were out, the Cesparian guards who stood along the side welcomed and all curtsied before her, "Princess."
Her brows drew together, confusion plastered all over her face.
As if one of the Verválian Royal Guards understood, he answered, "We were ordered to patrol the west. They will take it from here, your grace."
"Okay," she responded plainly. Sleep was already trying to lure her in, but she forced herself to stay awake. So much for being a princess.
When they went their separate paths, she walked behind the horde of guards in silver-plated armor carrying a shield with the Cesparian country's sigil — the black lion.
On their way, she wanted to ask countless times if they had any idea about what was happening but she didn't want to seem too nosy so she just kept the questions to herself and remained silent.
There were so many thoughts going on her head. It was only then that she was pulled back into reality when she realized they already missed the Cabin.
"Aren't I being summoned in the Cabin? Where are we heading?" she asked to no one in particular, but it seemed as if they never heard anything.
"I am talking to you. Where are you taking me?"
There was still no answer.
"Hey!" she finally lost her composure and immediately stopped in her tracks, "I demand you to answer me!"
She almost heaved a sigh of relief when the Royal Guards paused on their heels and turned to her. But instead of answering, they just grabbed her by the arm.
"What are you doing?" she tried to pull away but two muscular hands were already dragging her towards the endless hallway.
"Release me!" she wiggled her way out, but it was of no use. Even if she could get past their gripping hands, she could never get away as she was being surrounded by the Cesparian guards. They would eventually catch up.
"Do you not realize who I am?" she yelped, but they were as stiff as stone. No one, not even one, batted an eye to check out on her.
She yelled and kicked their armored boots, not minding if it will only tire her. But no matter what she did, they were as stiff as stone. Her actions only made them shift a little, and not much.
It was already a hopeless cause. She didn't even have anything with her she can use for protection. Her sword and dagger are in the underground keep. Her arrows were also being kept in the private closet of her bedchambers.
But as if a guardian angel has heard her plea, a moonlight reflected on the sword of one guard just hanging on the side of his waist that almost caught her eyes by surprise.
If she could only reach it, she wouldn't be so hopeless anymore.
She lingered for several seconds, waiting until one guard would loosen their grip on her.
When she was sure, she pulled her left arm from his grasp and grabbed the sword of the other, making a cut just below the chin when she unsheathed the weapon.
She made her step back, slowly, not letting them out of her sight.
"You can still make this right. Surrender now," she roared in a voice that could cut glass, heavy sweat dripping on the side of her face.
She examined them one by one - all unfamiliar faces.
Why were they doing this? Who were these people?
As if a voice has whispered the idea into her mind, the sudden realization hit her.
Rebels. They must be them. They must have come back for her family.
Just as when she thinks a second chance at life was given to her, here are the people who wanted to kill her again. Twice.
"Let me go or–"
Without warning, one of the guards tackled her to the floor and grabbed the sword before she could make a slash once more.
Her face fell on the glossy marble floors while her hands were being tied at the back, "We could have been easy but you were making it too difficult for us, princess," his voice was almost a spat.
They pulled her up forcefully.
"Help!" she yelped. But no one seemed to hear her. It was too quiet. Too silent. It was still, after all, the dead of night.
They were almost at the exit. She wasn't even aware after several minutes of fighting back.
She was about to scream again when suddenly, footsteps from behind emerged that made the guards stop.
"You heard my bride, let her go."
That voice.
Kaius.