As they make theme ready to escape right at that hour of night, when alara maked sure no one was in halls of castle, but deep down this was annoying her a little that why no sentinels were there! because usually at night time they have different duty shifts, she just then ignored it and decided to follow the path ahead.
Abrum glanced at her, his voice calm but edged with concern. "Alara, are you not going to take anything with you?" He asked, not out of doubt, but because he feared she might later regret leaving in such haste.
"I don't have anything here that truly belongs to me… not when I've never had a choice in it," Alara replied with a faint, broken smile.
"I see… but don't you worry. I won't ask you to trust me, because trust is earned, not demanded. But I swear this, Alara: as long as I breathe, no harm will ever touch you. I will always be by your side." Abrum's words wrapped around her like a quiet shield, making sure Alara found comfort and calm within the storm of her heart.
With a calm and quiet grace, Alara nodded her silent gesture more beautiful than a tousand words.
While Abrum gazed out the window, lost in thought, Alara quietly slipped the Lycan's pendant from her mother's old chamber into her gown's pocket. She hid it away with careful hands, shielding the secret from him! a mystery she had yet to unravel herself.
"Abrum! There's a secret exit in the castle's library. We must be cautious. I've tried many times to escape through it, but the sentinels always caught me. This time, we'll go together. If there are guards near, I'll distract them, while you slip into the library first and wait for me in silence."
Alara told him with a solemn expression.
"Okay, I'll do as you say! but be careful," Abrum said, making sure she knew his only concern was her safety.
"Don't worry, I've done this many times before," Alara said with a slight air of confidence.
Both of them readied themselves to escape, fighting their way out of the prison-like castle. The air carried no different sound than before, yet it felt colder, chilling, as if the very walls of the fortress knew that the princess was about to carve her way through danger.
Alara stepped out of her chamber door and motioned for Abrum to follow. Together they moved quietly through the castle's halls until they reached the great library. To their surprise, no sentinels were in sight. The emptiness made Alara uneasy, her gut twisted with suspicion but she pushed the feeling aside and instructed Abrum to slip inside first while she stood guard outside. After a tense moment, Alara finally stepped into the library as well.
Abrum stood in awe, stunned by the sheer size of the library. His eyes swept across the endless rows of shelves before he whispered to Alara, "This is enormous, I've never seen anything like it before."
"I know, right? The whole castle is like this and I hate every part of it. To me, it's nothing more than a giant cage," Alara said, her eyes wandering toward the shadowed corners.
"Now let's go! there's no time to waste!" Alara urged, her voice sharp with urgency.
Alara pulled open the hidden passage concealed behind the towering bookshelves. Just as she was about to step inside, a sudden blaze of torchlight flared in their faces, someone was waiting for them within the secret exit.
Two sentinels stood inside the passage, torches in hand, as though they had been waiting for this very moment. Alara's mind raced, perhaps they could distract them and push forward but before the thought could take shape, a familiar voice echoed from behind.
"My Dear Daughter? what are you doing here? At this hour of night and Who is this person?" To their luck, it was the king's voice, He asked pointing at Abrum.
Alara froze in terror when she turned and saw her father standing there and worse, his eyes had already fallen upon Abrum.
"Father… please, it's not what you think!" Alara stammered, her voice trembling. "He's just my friend! I was only showing him around the castle." Her face was drenched in sweat, her body shaking with fear, not for herself, but for Abrum.
"But daughter, how could you have made a friend out of nowhere? You were trying to escape again and this time, with a boy?" the king thundered, his voice fierce. His eyes burned with rage, fixed like blades upon Abrum.
"Yes! Yes, you're right! I tried to escape again! Because I can't stay here any longer in this prison like castle. Do you really think it's a home? You've caged me here since childhood! And you never realized that, little by little, your daughter has come to hate this place you insist on calling my home!" Alara cried, finally breaking her silence.
Abrum gazed at Alara with overwhelming pride; in that moment, she was the only one his eyes could see.
"Sentinels! Step forward and throw this boy into the dungeons!" the king commanded fiercely, his furious gaze locked on Abrum.
Alara's heart sank in shock and despair. "Father, please don't do this, I'm begging you!" she cried. "He's not the one at fault, it's me… it's all me!"
"Cage me if you wish, but you cannot cage her spirit." Abrum said, he goes to alara and encourage her.
"My princess, don't worry. I'll be alright, you know who I am. Be brave, and I promise I'll come back for you soon," Abrum said softly, as he gently wiped away her tears.
Alara wasn't ready to be separated from Abrum, but she had no choice, she couldn't bear to see him hurt because of her. As the sentinels stepped forward and dragged him away, her trembling hands reached out, but her voice broke before it could call his name.
Abrum did not resist. He let them pull him like a powerless man, though inside him burned a strength the king could never imagine. Every step he took in chains, he took for Alara, for her safety, for her heart, for her freedom. She was already broken, and he would not let her be shattered again.
Yet as his eyes lingered on her one last time, a silent vow formed in his heart: No walls, no chains, no king alive will keep me from her. I will return.
And with that unspoken promise, Abrum was taken away, while the storm of what he would do next gathered silently within him.