The woman continued to visit the chained prince from time to time.
Just when he thought he was left for dead, an unexpected event brought him a glimmer of hope.
Frantic footsteps echoed from a distance.
Hearing the commotion, Ian knew that something must have happened outside. Perhaps he could use this chance to escape! Although he was fed each day, he was so malnourished and emaciated that he could actually slip free of the shackles, simply by twisting his wrists and legs with enough effort. However in the past he couldn"t find a suitable time to escape since guards and servants would occasionally check on him. At that time, he had to put his hands and feet back into the shackles out of caution.
Seeing that the mad woman"s footsteps are so urgent, would today be his chance?
As a prince, his disappearance would most like attract attention, especially from his mother the Queen; she would be very concerned about his return. Most likely, the Queen would be first to notice his disappearance and become suspicious. The last trace of the prince"s presence was at the Duke"s mansion before he disappeared, so whoever was dispatched was hopefully clever enough to find him imprisoned here.
For the first time, Ian was actually looking forward to the mad woman"s visit. He hopes she would come so that he"ll be able to determine if this was a good time to escape.
"Your Highness Prince Ian!" The woman hurriedly fell into his arms while still holding on to the torch; the flame nearly burnt his hair. Moreover, at this time she eagerly held his face while shamelessly kissing him many times, making him even more nauseated.
The woman"s face was full of joy. "Your Highness, we will be able to escape soon and enjoy freedom together! Let"s wait and see. My dear Prince Ian, I will be back soon!"
The woman eagerly left….she was so excited that she forgot to lock the door!
An opportunity has come at last! Just from her few words, Ian was able to deduce a few things: he wasn"t too far away from the Duke"s Mansion, since the woman said they could "escape soon." The Duke may disapprove of the relationship between his daughter and him, otherwise why would the daughter want to take the Prince and escape? Perhaps the Duke is trying to help the Prince safely leave the woman, after all, the Duke and his father were very good friends. However at this time, there must have been a serious matter causing the Duke"s Mansion to fall apart in pandemonium, otherwise how could the crazy woman be so excited? She was eager to use this chance to take the Prince and leave…
Thinking of the situation, now doesn"t seem like a good idea to go and find the Duke. For now he should escape to the suburbs for treatment, and then return to the Royal Knights or to the Temple. In short, now is the time to escape!
Ian quickly twisted his hands and feet and slipped free of the shackles. But he didn"t expect that the old servant would notice the clanking of the chains and would enter the cell at this time. The old servant stood shocked at the unexpected sight. Taking advantage of the man"s surprise, Ian quickly grabbed a rod and made his move.
Although the prince was weak due to a long period of inactivity, he still had a way to deal with the old man. Having grabbed the rod, he decisively threw a couple of blows against the enemy until the servant fell to the ground. After making sure that the man was unconscious, Ian quickly locked the door and fled.
All the events happened quickly, but it was actually difficult for him to press forward. After all he already little strength, and yet he forcefully used his hands and feet earlier for the attack. He was at his limits.
The stairs circled upwards, meaning that Ian was trapped at the bottom of a tower all this time. Ian guessed that this could be one of the two towers of the Duke"s Mansion. Once he neared the top of the bas.e.m.e.nt, he could faintly see an open door in the distance; a subtle light shone through the door"s crack while loud noises permeated from outside….whether it was the sound of clanking boots and armor, or the shouting commands for battle, or the clashing of swords, every sound seemed to fill him with anxiety and hesitation.
After gently pushing the door, making sure that it wasn"t locked, Ian opened a gap that was just enough to let him pa.s.s through. Just pushing the door seemed to exhaust his strength. Afterwards he shakily picked up a couple of branches and leaves and used them to cover his trail.
Once his trail was hidden, the prince gave a sigh of relief. His hands were still trembling, while his twisted fingers and fractured bones were twitching….but he still dared not to leave the spot. His fear made him hesitant in venturing out, in case he encounters a foe instead of a friend. If that happens, then wouldn"t his escape be futile?
However, the turmoil in the distance did not subside for a long time and the prince soon grew impatient. Perhaps when things quiet down, the guards would have secured the premises and by then he would have no chance to slip through. He needs get moving! After taking several deep breaths, Ian mustered his strength and slowly approached the doorway. The pile of branches that were stacked against the wall prevented light from shining through the doorway. Ian carefully moved past the pile of branches that disguised the entrance, then slowly emerged through the crevice, before quietly shutting the wooden door.
After taking a good look around, he decisively plowed into the forest nearby.
The Duke"s mansion contained a large thicket of bushes, which were so dense that they could conceal traces. Unfortunately, the shrubs rustled loudly as he brushed pa.s.sed them.
Soon enough, the prince was discovered.
(for other translated works)