Princess Lily

Chapter 44

"-are you serious?" Lily asked incredulously.

"Positive." Said Anya. It was late night as she,Anya,Georg,Edisson and Lady Molly talked.

"Well we must save her." Said Lily matter of factly. "But first we must talk to lord Wodsworth."

A figure had been listening to them from outside Lily's room. The figure quickly hurried away as Lily opened the door.

Lily reached his trailer and saw him motion for her to be quiet. Beckoning them all inside Lily saw a man standing there. The man then stepped into the light-Georg and Edisson gasped and Anya let a cry of joy out.

"Alexei!" Lily gasped. She practically flung herself at him in a bone crushing hug. "Oh my dear friend I wondered what happened to you and how you were." She pulled away to stare at him. "But what are you doing here?" and it suddenly dawned on her. "You came to save Bella."

Alexei nodded. 

"Oh Alexei I was just going to go save her. You should've stayed there. They'll kill James for sure now." Lily said despairingly.

"Lily if I hurry, we can get Bella and hurry back I'll be able to make it in time to save James. Although the person who I left in command is very trustworthy and cool headed. He will not make rash decisions."

"We must hurry!" said Lily. "first I have to get some supplies and change." She added. "I won't be able to do anything in this dress." She said gesturing towards her gown.

Lily reached her room to find that it was a mess. Sir Henry standing in the middle of the room.

"Deathgate Prison." he squawked. "Give up now! Give up now or you'll be arrested!"

Lily closed her eyes in despair. Deathgate prison was an hour's ride, on the coast of Fortius. All the dangerous criminals and murderer's were sent there. Had this been the plan the entire time? To bring the carnival to Fortius, kidnap Bella and capture Alexei when he came to save her? Because everyone knew how hot-blooded and spontaneous Alexei was. He was bound to jump head first into a plan to save his friend. Even if Lily hadn't given the letter to the Empress, she had a queasy feeling the Empress would have received a letter soon enough after Bella's arrest. And then, in her cruel bid to delay their engagement ball, the Empress had unknowingly just sent her son to his death. James was starting to question things and change stance regarding Pacem. This would have been an effective way to get him out of the way whilst waging a full out war against Pacem. 

Shaking, Lily stepped out of her room to tell everyone. "They've taken Bella to Deathgate Prison! Oh Alexei it's a trap! They know that you'll come and get her. Vesky's been planning this all along!"

"Lily even if it is a trap I have to try!" said Alexei. "Now the question remains. Are you going to help me or not?"

"I will, I will," assured Lily.

 She went into her room and got dressed in her green riding suit. She pulled a green cloak over herself and got out a small bag. Returning to the party in her sitting room, she began giving orders. "Georg and Edisson, please make sure no one notices my absence if I'm gone for too long! Lady Molly stay in my room and if anyone wishes to see me-tell them I've been feeling ill lately and am sleeping." 

Lily then left with Alexei and Anya and Lord Wodsworth.

Stealthily, using the cover of night, they sneaked out of the palace on their horses thanks to Georg creating a quick diversion for the guards at the palace gates. 

After two hours journey, they finally reached. Lord Wodsworth was far behind them keeping a lookout. 

"Just one problem," said Anya. "How do we get in?"

"Not we, Anya," corrected Alexei sharply. "You're not going in. Only Lily and I are going in."

"What?" Anya asked outraged. "No way, you can't stop me." 

Lily couldn't help but notice that the two seemed to be talking rather familiarly. Almost as if they knew each other and maybe they did... 

"You're the Pacem spy?" Lily asked on a gasp. 

Alexei chuckled. 

"My best one and one of my best kept secrets." 

Anya grinned. 

"It took me two years to become part of Vesky's inner circle of trusted servants. I know all his games now. And I was recently able to let Colonel Novikov know that he's been pulling one over on the Empress ever since the Emperor's death. I was instructed to follow all of Sasha's orders but I just couldn't keep up the charade of helping her to keep you miserable."

Lily gave a start at this news. 

"She's in league with Vesky and purposefully trying to make things miserable for you," Anya confirmed. "So that you'll leave. The first night you were here, I tried to sneak through the passageways and warn you but your cat threw a fit." 

"They'll have to do better than that to get rid of me," Lily said with a toss of her head and fire in her eyes. "I'm here to stay Anya. There is too much to lose now that I know everything. I could never leave James at the mercy of Vesky. I will not rest until that man is relieved of his duties." 

"Now that we agree on that, how about you let me come along?" Anya queried.  

"She can't be seen!" Alexei said urgently. "If she is, she'll blow her cover."

"I can't just stand by and let you march in there to your possible execution! You're our leader!" Anya argued.

"Anya he's right," said Lily. "It's too dangerous. You and Lord Wodsworth are to keep a lookout for us."

Anya looked like she wanted to argue but held her tongue. Alexei and Lily snuck into the prison from behind.  Oddly, there were very few people standing guard around the prison. 

 "How do we find Bella?" asked Lily.

"I-I know they have a separate place for the females," said Alexei ruefully, ascending multiple flights of stairs. "I've spent a few months in here before," he confessed as they crept along a hallway and made a sudden right. Alexei lead the way over to the farthest cell.

"Bella!" he called.

"Alexei!" came a small voice. "I-I'm over here." Came a voice from the farthest right. 

Lily and Alexei ran over to the cell. A loud clatter made them stop and turn around in unison only to to meet a cage of bars enveloping them from above.

Baron Rothberg suddenly emerged from the shadows. "Knew you'd come to save her Alexei," he said staring at him. His eyes then turned to Lily. "I seem to have gotten a bonus prize. Imagine the Queen's reaction when she finds out that the Imperial princess helped in the rebellion," he sniggered.

"Let us go Baron Rothberg!" Lily said fiercely. "or else-

"Or else what? You'll tell your sweet prince whose probably going to be hanged at sunrise?" he sneered. Lily shut her eyes and clenched her fists.

"Let us go." She said through gritted teeth.

Rothberg opened his mouth to say something but what came out was an -"UUFF!"

He bent over grabbing his stomach and from behind Lily saw Anya.

"Anya!" Lily exclaimed. Anya got the keys to the cage from Barons Rothberg's belt and unlocked them as he wheezed in pain. She then quickly unlocked the lock to Bella's cell. 

Anya smirked at them as if to say 'I knew you'd need my help'.

"Now lets get out," said Alexei quickly as Baron Rothberg finally caught his breath. 

The Baron's hand snaked out and pulled a tiny lever which blended into the dingy wall just as the group of escapees reached a nearby window. 

The whole place was suddenly echoing with the sound of furious bells tolling as an alarm to alert the guards. . Rothberg cackled. "The guards will be here soon to capture you!"

Lily jumped out of the window and onto it's ledge. Everyone else followed suit. Lily climbed down the ledge and when she thought she was close enough, she jumped onto the ground. Alexei fell next to her with Anya close behind. Bella got ready to climb a little further on the ledge so she could jump but a hand poked out from the window next to Bella. It grabbed her and pulled her into the cells again.

"Bella!" Alexei screamed. Lily held him back.

"Alexei we'll save he next time!" She yelled. "I swear we will! We must go now! It's almost dawn."

 *    *    *

"Odd," James said scratching his face. "There's no one here to meet us." He looked around at the stone cobbled street of Pacem where peasants were going about their daily business. He looked at a letter in his hand. "The letter told us to meet them here in this small village of Pacem, but no one is here."

Carl shrugged. "Maybe we're early?"

"Or maybe they're late." James said angrily. "This is no way to treat the Prince of Fortius!" He jumped onto the roof of his carriage. "People of Pacem!" he boomed. "I am Prince James of Fortius and I come in peace!" he looked around. Everyone just ignored him. A few people looked up at him as if he was crazy. "I have come to meet the reb-er-your leader Colonel Alexei!"

"So you're Prince James," came a voice. 

James looked down to see a blonde haired young man looking up at him with jade green eyes. James jumped nimbly down from the carriage and nodded.

"Why yes, I'm Prince James. I've come to meet Alexei Novikov," said James.

The man let out a small laugh. "You're quite a character," he snarled and turned. "Follow me."

James looked bewilderingly at the man but followed, thinking that this was no way to start out their peace talks. His guards and Carl began to follow.

"Wait," said the young man. "You must come alone. No guards."

"Nonsense," said Carl angrily. "I'm his brother and these are our body guards."

James held up a hand to silence Carl. "I trust Lily and Lily trusts Alexei, Carl," said James quietly. He then said loudly. "I'll agree on the condition that you allow my brother to come along with me."

"Agreed," acquiesced the man and Carl and James followed him.

They entered a dingy cabin. James saw another man, more mature and older with wise gray eyes.

"You are?" James asked suspiciously.

"Dennis Bons," said the man. "I'm Alexei's second in command and you-" he snarled. "-are under arrest."

Guards that had been hiding in the shadows of the cabin jumped out and grabbed James and Carl. Both began to struggle but it was no use as each had three guards holding them.

Dennis laughed. "I can't believe you had the audacity to come here when you know very well that Alexei and Bella are still trapped in Fortius!"

The shock on James and Carl's faces was sincere as they both said in unison while struggling against the guards. "Bella and Alexei are still in Fortius?!"