Chapter LII: Stables

Isabella's heart raced as she slipped out of her room, her senses alert to every sound in the palace corridors. She met Alicent in the dimly lit hallway, their plan already set in motion.

Alicent nodded to Isabella. "I'll keep the guards occupied. You be careful out there."

Isabella nodded back, grateful for her friend's assistance. With her scarf tightly wrapped around her head and wearing a simple, unassuming dress, she moved stealthily through the palace corridors, blending in with the servants bustling about their duties.

As she wandered, her eyes scanned every passing figure, searching for any hint of brown attire. Each woman she passed seemed innocent enough, but Isabella's instincts told her she was onto something.

Her exploration led her down a narrow passage, the dim light casting eerie shadows on the walls. Isabella hesitated, but the urge to uncover the truth propelled her forward. The passage seemed to stretch endlessly, but she pressed on, determined to see where it led.

Finally, the passage opened up into the stables. Isabella's heart sank as she realized she had ventured too far from the safety of the palace walls. She stood among the horses, the scent of hay and manure filling her nostrils, feeling a mixture of fear and determination coursing through her veins.

Isabella's heart pounded in her chest as she realized the door had closed behind her, trapping her in the stables. Panic threatened to overwhelm her as she frantically searched for a way out. The sound of horses shifting in their stalls echoed around her, adding to her unease.

She pressed her palms against the door, hoping it would miraculously open, but it remained stubbornly shut. With a shaky breath, Isabella tried to calm herself, knowing that panicking would only worsen her situation.

Isabella's heart skipped a beat as the unexpected presence of the unkempt man caught her off guard. She instinctively stepped back, her eyes scanning him cautiously. The man's appearance was rugged, his clothes worn and dusty from long hours of labor. His eyes, however, held a glint of curiosity as they scanned Isabella from head to toe, making her feel uncomfortably exposed. “What the hell are you doing here, girl?”

"I... I got lost," Isabella stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. "I need to find my way back to the palace."

The man's expression softened slightly at her words, and he nodded in understanding. "What are you? A maid, eh? Well, you're lucky you ran into me. I know these grounds like the back of my hand."

Isabella followed him hesitantly, her senses on high alert as they wound their way through the labyrinthine passages of the stables. The air was thick with the smell of hay and horse dung, and Isabella couldn't help but wrinkle her nose in distaste. "Come with me," he said gruffly, gesturing for her to follow. "I know a way back."

Reluctantly, Isabella fell into step behind him, her senses alert to every sound and movement in the shadows of the stable. As they navigated the maze of corridors and passages, Isabella couldn't shake the feeling of unease that gnawed at her insides.

Isabella's heart raced with alarm as she realized they were veering away from the familiar paths leading back to the palace. She hesitated, her instincts screaming at her to retreat, but before she could act, the man reassured her with a false sense of security.

"Just a quick stop," he muttered gruffly, his grip tightening on her arm.

Panic surged through Isabella as she attempted to break free, but the man's rough hand clamped over her mouth, stifling her cries. With a swift, forceful movement, he dragged her towards a secluded cabin nestled amidst the trees.

Isabella's mind raced with fear and desperation as she struggled against her captor's hold. She knew she was in grave danger, trapped in the clutches of a stranger with unknown intentions. All she could do was pray for a chance to escape and find her way back to safety.

Isabella's eyes widened in horror as she found herself surrounded by other four ominous figures in the cramped cabin. The flickering lamplight cast eerie shadows across their faces, adding to the menacing atmosphere. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she was roughly thrown to the floor, the cold, hard ground biting into her skin.

"Who's the girl?" one of the men grunted, his voice coarse and menacing.

"She was wandering around the stables," Isabella's captor replied, his grip tightening on her arm. "Probably one of those street rats trying to sneak into the palace."

Isabella's breath caught in her throat as she realized the danger she was in. She struggled against her captor's iron grip, her voice echoing through the cabin in desperate cries for help.

"Let me go!" she pleaded, her voice trembling with fear.

The men only laughed, their laughter echoing off the wooden walls of the cabin. One of them approached her menacingly, his eyes glinting with malice.

"We'll have some fun with her before we take her back," he sneered, his words sending a chill down Isabella's spine.

Fear coursed through her veins as she realized the true extent of her predicament. Trapped and outnumbered, she knew she had to find a way to escape before it was too late.

As Isabella struggled against her assailants, desperation fueled her every move. With a swift kick to the nose of her captor, she watched as blood spurted from his nostrils, momentarily disorienting him. But before she could capitalize on the moment, the other men seized her, their rough hands restraining her limbs with a cruel grip.

Her dress was pulled down under their forceful grasp, leaving her swollen breasts exposed and making her feel even more vulnerable. A wave of terror washed over her as their leering eyes raked over her body, their crude comments cutting through the air like a knife.

"Look at the size of those tits," one of them jeered, his voice dripping with malice. “They’re leaking! Someone breeded that bitch already!”

Isabella's screams pierced the air, her cries for help echoing off the walls of the cramped cabin. But her pleas fell on deaf ears as the men continued their assault, their intentions clear.

In the midst of the chaos, Isabella's scarf slipped from her hair, revealing her distinct auburn locks. For a brief moment, the men hesitated, the realization of who she was sparking a flicker of uncertainty. “Shit… Look at her hair. I think this girl is one of the king’s concubine’s!”

But any semblance of mercy was swiftly extinguished as the man with the bleeding nose spat defiance. "I don't give a damn who she is," he growled, his voice laced with venom. "She's going to pay for breaking my nose."

Isabella's cries of terror filled the air as she braced herself for the impending assault. But just as the situation seemed utterly hopeless, a sudden commotion erupted, and the sound of steel slicing through the air cut through her fear.

With wide eyes, Isabella watched in disbelief as a sword plunged into the chest of her would-be attacker, felling him instantly. Behind the fallen man stood a knight of the king's Fire Army, his imposing figure radiating strength and resolve.

As the other assailants recoiled in fear, the knight moved with swift precision, dispatching them one by one with lethal efficiency. Isabella could scarcely comprehend the scene unfolding before her, the once menacing men now lying lifeless at her feet.

With trembling hands, she reached out to the knight, gratitude flooding her voice. "Thank you," she whispered while she pulled her dress back up, her voice trembling with emotion. The knight offered her a reassuring nod, his gaze unwavering.

As Isabella struggled to process the whirlwind of emotions coursing through her, she couldn't help but wonder how the knight had found her amidst the chaos. With a furrowed brow, she posed the question that lingered in her mind. "How did you know where to find me?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

The knight's expression remained hard, matching his steely gaze. "The king dispatched a dozen knights to search for you, my lady" he explained simply, his tone betraying no hint of doubt.