Chapter 3 A priceless mistake

Lysandra's POV

The King laid dead in his bed, I knew his men were already flanking the roads in search of me, the mountain path was the safest for me.

I needed to take the news back to my father and his wife so my sister will not be harmed, which meant I had to remain alive

I endured an entire day of bumpy ride, thirst and hunger clutching to the necklace I stole from the king, I felt connected to it in a way I just could not understand.

"My Lady I suggest we take a rest here, the horses are too exhausted to continue" The carriage came to a halt

I looked outside to find we were in what seemed to be a dissolute village. The houses were sparsely arranged but despite how small it was, the streets were still alive

"I have a distant aunt nearby, we can stay at her inn for the night then leave by the first crow"

I nodded in agreement, letting him help me down the carriage. We were still a day away from Hergasus and my body was already too tired.

As we strolled the town, the locals smiled at the hackman but glared my way.

"You must not mention that you are royalty my lady, especially from the house of Hergo" He whispered pulling the hood of my cloak over my head as we approached an Inn

"I feel like they can already tell for their eyes already hold so much hostility towards me"

"They are naturally weary of strangers but the goddess forbid they find out you are an Hergo woman..."

An old woman rushed to hug him the moment we stepped into the Inn, swooning about how big and tough he had grown.

For a moment I felt invisible till her scrutinising gaze fell on me. He immediately spoke before she could ask

"She is a stranded traveller"

She pinched his cheek "You are a kind boy, bless your heart"

She led us to the only available room at the end of the Inn then left us with two fur blankets and a single lamp. The bathtub was at an open area in the room, my skin itched for water

The hackman followed my line of sight and without a word, he poured the water into the tub.

"Have a bath my lady, I will sit outside. You can call on me if you need anything" He left and shut the door behind him

I stripped and lowered into the tub immediately. A satisfied sigh escaped my lips as the cold water eased all my tensed muscles.

Closing my eyes, I threw my head back and let myself relax. Something pointy and cold rested on my neck, unmistakably a sword

I opened my eyes slowly to meet a pair of orange eyes staring back down at me

"You thought you could kill me?" His blade pierced into my skin drawing beads of blood

My fingers tightened around the necklace in my hand as I forced myself to keep calm. I lifted the necklace slowly and his eyes moved

I tried to use that moment of distraction to put a distance between us but he moved swiftly. My back pressed flat against him with his blade to my neck

"One small move and your head will be on the floor before you blink"

"I.... I killed you " I said breathless as he pressed his hardness into me

His free hand grabbed my breast and pressed hard "I want to kill you but you bear my seed" His hand moved from my breast to my belly "I can feel it...."

The door rattled gaining both our attentions. Small at first then loud knocks followed

"My Lady?..."

The banging on the door grew louder "My Lady, Are you alright"

The blade pressed deeper as I tried to speak then I felt blood slowly pooling around me. I was bleeding, profusely.

I jolted awake, I was still in the bathtub. He was not real but the banging on the door was

"My Lady it is dawn already, we should leave at once"

I rushed out of the bathtub and threw my clothes on before opening the door.

"Get me scorpion milk and clean linens" I said breathless

He stared at me like I had requested for something ridiculous and maybe I did. Bleeding while on a rough journey was simply asking for death

But that was a small price to pay to ensure my womb was free from a dead man's seed.

I could feel my insides tearing as we navigated through the rough road for hours. It felt like getting pricked by a hundred needles at once.

Sweat beaded my forehead, my mouth felt dry and my body felt weak. By the time we arrived at the palace entrance, I could barely stand

Servants rushed with lit torches, some to help me down the carriage others to carry the gift from the king.

"Let her go, she is a warrior. She can walk by herself" Rachel stood at the entrance with my barely sober father by her side

I frowned an argument forming on my tongue but I saved my words. The servants scrambled away from me and I immediately fell to my knees, too weak to stand.

Rachel groaned in frustration "Stand up and report to your King now about the task which was given to you!"

A king that was not even sober enough to acknowledge my presence. I made no effort to stand, I simply sat there with blurring vision

slapped me so hard that the tangy taste of copper filled my mouth

"You are useless. You can't even stand after failing" She yelled "One task and you could not even complete it"

I laughed, a hollow sound.

"I already did what you asked me to, I went to the Eastern borders dressed as a whore and I laid with the king till dawn then i poisoned him as you requested" I whispered through tears, too sore to shout

Her eyes widened in surprise "King Caspian did not camp at the Eastern borders, who did lay with Lysandra"

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