When Zen finally fluttered her eyes open, the heavy haze of unconsciousness was still thick in her mind. She found herself lying on a plush bed. As her vision cleared, her heart sank. She was in a prison cell.
Yet, this was no ordinary dungeon. The cell was impossibly luxurious, furnished with fine fabrics and polished wood. But it was still a cage.
The heavy iron-reinforced door was shut tight, and standing right outside it was Kaien.
Zen slowly pushed herself off the bed and walked up to the bars, staring directly at him. "When I smelled my mother's scent on you, I knew you had just come from her," Zen said, her voice dripping with betrayal but devoid of surprise. "I knew you were planning something like this. I was just a second too late in reacting. Now tell me, what did my mother say to make you lock me up in a cage?"
Kaien looked at her, his expression a mix of guilt and resolve. "When you stormed out of the Grand Court in anger, His Majesty ordered me to convince you. But as I stepped outside, the Queen was waiting. She stopped me and said that no matter how hard I tried, I would never be able to convince you to leave the kingdom. She was the one who gave me the sleeping powder."
Kaien sighed, leaning against the cold stone wall. "We all know you are not an easy person to capture, Zen. But your staying here is a threat to the kingdom. You are recklessly blunt; you do not know when to hold your tongue."
"So, what am I now?" Zen gestured to the room. "A common criminal under arrest? And since when do prison cells look like royal guest chambers?"
"You are no criminal, Zen. You are the Little Princess of Royal Ford," Kaien countered softly. "We cannot throw you into a dark, damp hole with common thieves. You are not under arrest. You are merely... contained."
Zen turned around, studying the layout of the prison, the masonry of the walls, and the unique locking mechanism of the door. Realization suddenly washed over her.
"This is Caster Ford Prison," she whispered, her eyes widening. She turned back to Kaien, furious. "How could you do this to me? Why would you lock me here?!"
"It was the Queen's order," Kaien admitted. "She said there is not a lock in this world that you cannot pick, but the lock system of Caster Ford is so complex that you wouldn't even be able to find the lock itself, let alone break it."
Zen let out a bitter, cold laugh. "You know my mother hates you, Kaien. She is only making you do this dirty work because she wants me to hate you, too."
"I am well aware of that," Kaien replied quietly. "But I am doing this anyway because I care about your safety."
"Do you remember twelve years ago?" Zen's voice dropped, becoming soft and dangerously emotional. "In the royal courtyard, you took a sacred vow in front of everyone. You swore to protect me and to obey my every command. Well, this is my command, Kaien: Let me out."
Kaien stood his ground, though his eyes betrayed his pain. "I remember every word of that vow, Zen. But you were the one who added a condition back then. You told me, 'Obey my every command, but only as long as you believe that command to be right.' And right now, I do not believe letting you out is the right thing to do."
Zen gripped the bars. "But why, Kaien? I swear to you, I will be as silent as a mute. I won't say a single word. Even if the princes of the Supreme Kingdom insult me or say things that make my blood boil, I will remain quiet. I promise!"
"I am sorry, Zen," Kaien shook his head. "As your protector, I cannot take that risk. I cannot grant this request."
Zen stared at him for a long moment before changing her tactics. A dry smile appeared on her face. "You cannot forget that before you were my protector, you were my best friend. We grew up together. You taught me everything—how to wield a sword, how to survive. You know me too well."
"Precisely," Kaien smiled faintly. "Which is why I know exactly what you are doing. When people refuse to do what you want, you know how to emotionally blackmail them better than anyone. But that trick will not work on me today, Princess."
Zen huffed in annoyance, realizing she couldn't break him. "Fine. Go and fetch my father. I need to speak with him. What time is it anyway?"
"It is evening," Kaien replied. "Very well. I will go and inform the King."
While Kaien made his way back to the palace
miles away on the dusty roads leading south, a grand carriage was rolling forward. Surrounding it was an escort of hundreds of elite, armored soldiers on horseback.
Inside the carriage, Prince Ezekiel Alistair looked out the window. He turned to his head driver, Jaff. "Jaff, where are we now?"
"We have crossed into the South, Prince Ezekiel," Jaff called back. "But at this pace, it will take us until dawn to reach the capital of Royal Ford."
Ezekiel nodded. "You have been driving the horses for a long time, Jaff. Both you and the beasts must be exhausted. If we come across a good place to rest, pull over and let the men set up camp."
Back at Caster Ford Prison, King Arthur and Kaien walked down the dimly lit corridor toward Zen's luxurious cell. But as they rounded the corner, both men froze.
The heavy iron-reinforced door was wide open. The cell was empty.
Kaien rushed forward, checking the intricate mechanism. "She broke the lock! I can't even fathom how she managed to find it in the dark, let alone crack it!"
King Arthur sighed heavily, a mixture of frustration and begrudging awe on his face. "Why is she so stubborn? She never listens to a word anyone says."
Kaien's eyes fell to the floor. A folded piece of parchment was lying right by the threshold of the door. He picked it up and handed it to the King.
The letter read:
Father,
You wanted me to go to grandfather's house. Fine, I am going. I understand now that you do not love me. You only care about Amelia, June, and Charles. But please, never lock me up anywhere ever again. I despise places where I cannot see the outside world. And Kaien... once the princes of the Supreme Kingdom leave, you can come and get me.
Your loving daughter,
Zen Edward.
Kaien looked at the King urgently. "My Lord, don't worry. She must have taken her horse, Roar. She cannot have gone far. Let me go after her."
King Arthur stared at the letter, his eyes clouding with emotion. He slowly shook his head. "No. Do not go after her yet. Did you not read what she wrote? She wants us to come for her only when this is all over. Let her be for now."
Meanwhile, Zen was riding her horse through the dark, dense forest path. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts.
I escaped Caster Ford Prison six or seven hours ago, she thought, her stomach let out a loud growl. I still have two hours of riding before I reach grandfather's estate, and I am starving. I haven't eaten a single thing since morning. If I had just listened to Father in the first place, none of this would have happened.
Suddenly, the ground began to vibrate slightly. The distant, unmistakable sound of marching boots and galloping hooves echoed through the trees.
Zen slowed her horse down and peered through the thick foliage. Up ahead, on the main road, was a massive military procession. Hundreds of soldiers in foreign armor and a grand, royal carriage were moving slowly.
The Supreme Kingdom, Zen realized instantly.
She decided to stay in the shadows and ignore them, but as she attempted to steer Roar past the slow-moving caravan, the carriage came to a halt.
The head driver, Jaff, called out to her through the dark. "Excuse me, young miss! Could you tell us if there is a good place to rest and set up camp nearby?"
Zen sighed, realizing she couldn't just ignore them now. She dismounted her horse and walked closer to the driver.
"If you keep heading straight for another half an hour," Zen said, her voice clear in the quiet night, "you will find the Royal Pavilion Camps. It is an excellent place to rest."
At the sound of her voice, the curtain of the royal carriage was suddenly pulled back. Prince Ezekiel Alistair leaned out, his sharp eyes locking onto Zen.
At that exact moment, Zen turned her gaze, looking directly into the eyes of the enemy prince.