As Susan sprinted into the darkness, the guards hot on her heels, she desperately sought a place to hide. Her eyes scanned the forest floor, and she spotted a large tree looming ahead. With a burst of adrenaline, she darted behind its trunk, holding her breath and hoping against hope that she wouldn't be found.
But as she stood there, frozen in fear, her foot accidentally knocked against a loose stick. The snapping sound seemed to echo through the forest, and Susan's heart sank. She knew she had to remain silent, but it was too late. The guards had heard the noise.
"Search the area!" one of them shouted, dismounting their horses. "She's nearby!"
Susan held her breath, watching in terror as the guards fanned out, their fire sticks casting eerie shadows on the trees. She knew she couldn't outrun them, not now. Her only hope was to remain still, to blend into the darkness.
But it was no use. A guard spotted her, his eyes narrowing as he approached. "There she is!" he exclaimed, grabbing Susan's arm.
She struggled, pleading with him to let her go. "Please, don't take me back! I'll do anything!"
But the guard was unyielding. "You're coming with us," he growled, his grip tightening.
Susan kicked and squirmed, but there were too many of them. They overpowered her, holding her down as one of the guards drew his sword.
"We can't delay any longer," he said, his voice cold. "The king must be informed."
With a swift motion, he struck Susan on the head with the hilt of his sword. She felt a blinding pain, and everything went dark.
When she came to, she was being carried on the guard's shoulders, her head throbbing in agony. She was placed on a horse, and the guards mounted up, surrounding her.
As they rode away, Susan knew she was doomed. She would be taken back to the castle, to face the king's wrath. Her fate was sealed.
Queen Lili paced back and forth in her chambers, her mind racing with thoughts of Susan's escape. She had hoped against hope that her loyal servant had made it out safely, but the rumors of palace guards searching for her had left Lili's stomach in knots.
"Emma, you may go," Lili said, dismissing her lady-in-waiting. "But Emma, please, linger until midnight. I fear for Susan's safety."
Emma curtsied, her brow furrowed with worry. "Of course, Your Majesty. I'll wait until midnight, just in case... well, just in case."
As the minutes ticked by, the palace grew quiet. The ministers had gone home, and the king sat alone in his court room, his throne seeming to swallow him whole. He stared into space, his mind consumed by the events of the day. Why had he searched Lili's chambers? Was it truly suspicion of her worshipping a strange God, or was it something more? Childlessness had been driving a wedge between them, he knew. The pressure to produce an heir weighed heavily on both of them.
Just as the king's thoughts were becoming too much to bear, Theophilus, the chief eunuch, entered the room. "Your Majesty," he said, his voice low and gravelly. "There's something you must see."
The king raised an eyebrow, but Theophilus just nodded. "Please, come quickly."
Before the king could respond, the doors to the court room burst open, and the guards dragged in a struggling figure. Susan. She was conscious, but her eyes were wearied from tears, her face smudged with dirt.
"Kneel before the king," one of the guards growled, forcing Susan to her knees.
The king's heart sank. He had hoped, foolishly, that nothing would be found against his Queen, but here she is, a maid who attends to the queen fleeing the palace, does it have something to do with his Queen?
"So," he said, his voice filled with worry and concern. "You're the one of the maids who attends to the queen."
"Yes, Your Majesty," answered Susan who was still holding tightly the bundle well wrapped.
"Why are you on the run? Does it mean that you worship the abominable gods?" The King questioned
Susan looked up, her eyes flashing with defiance. "I've done nothing but serve the queen," she answered.
"Susan, Susan," King Erian said, his voice firm but controlled. "Tell me, why were you running away?"
Susan lifted her head, her eyes pleading. "I'm innocent, Your Majesty. I swear it. I was just... trying to serve my gods."
The king raised an eyebrow. "Your gods? What do you mean?"
Susan hesitated, glancing around the room nervously. "I mean... the goddess of the moon. I was just trying to honor her."
The king's expression darkened. "The goddess of the moon? You know that's an abomination in Eridoria. Why would you risk your life for such a thing?"
Susan shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "I wasn't trying to cause trouble, Your Majesty. I just... I wanted to protect the queen."
The king's eyes narrowed. "Protect the queen? What do you mean?"
But before Susan could answer, Theophilus, the chief eunuch, stepped forward. "Your Majesty, I think I can shed some light on this."
He held out a small bundle of cloth, which Susan had been holding tightly when she was caught. Theophilus forced open her fingers, revealing a collection of strange objects: candles, images of the moon, and other trinkets.
The king's eyes widened in shock. "What is this?"
Theophilus's expression was grim. "It seems Susan was practicing dark magic, Your Majesty."
Susan shook her head frantically. "No, no, that's not true! Those things... they are for worship."
The king's face twisted in anger. "How dare you try to cover for yourself?"
But Susan stood firm, despite her trembling. "I'm telling the truth, Your Majesty. I would never practice dark magic. I'm just a loyal servant, trying to protect my queen."
The king's eyes narrowed as he gazed at the bundle beside Susan, his curiosity piqued. "I won't ask you again, what are these things?" he demanded, his voice firm but controlled.
Susan, still kneeling, wiped away her tears and began to explain. "They're... they're things for worship, Your Majesty. The image of the moon goddess, candles of different colors... it's a private ritual, I assure you."
The king's eyes widened in disgust. "A private ritual? You were supposed to be serving the queen, not indulging in dark magic! Why did you escape from the palace?"
Susan's voice trembled, but she spoke with conviction. "I feared for the queen's safety, Your Majesty. I knew that if my actions were discovered, she might suffer for my foolishness. I didn't want to bring shame upon her."
The king snorted in derision. "You call this foolishness? You'll pay for your deceit, Susan. Guards, take her away and lock her in prison. We'll deal with this matter further tomorrow."
The guards bowed and dragged Susan to her feet, gathering up the bundle and its contents. As they led her away, Susan cast a desperate glance at the king, but he turned his back on her.
"Come, Theophilus," he said to his chief eunuch. "Let us retire to my chambers. This matter will be dealt with in the morning."
As the king and Theophilus departed, the queen remained oblivious to the events unfolding below. She paced in her chambers, her mind consumed by worry for Susan's safety. Little did she know, her loyal servant was now locked away, awaiting a uncertain fate.
Meanwhile, in the dark confines of the prison cell, Susan huddled in the corner, the bundle and its contents scattered around her. She wept silently, her heart heavy with fear and regret. What would become of her now? And what would happen to the queen, her beloved mistress? Only time would tell.