25 Perfect illusions.

Whoa.

Where did that come from.

Having a romantic interest in her at this crucial was out of line. He shook the thoughts out of his mind vehemently.

Natalie, he said in a low moan.

Yes.

Thank you.

For what, I just said what I know probably isn't true you have the right to...

No, Natalie you are right, I did judge without knowing what really happened. And I just realized I never asked my father exactly what happened. And he never said anything about it.

We rarely speak about her.

I wish things were more different or maybe we could feel what she felt even if its only half of it, he said.

Natalie held his hands, this was the first time she felt so much emotions in few words. In an instant he wasn't that prince Williams who she had earlier hated, he wasn't the son of her family killer.

He was the vulnerable and helpless young man who didn't understand what life had brought to him.

He is just like me, a slave to circumstance.

A victim.

A victim of life's painful lessons.

Together, they would both drive their destinies to the right direction.

The life they both want.

The life they only saw in their dreams.

The real life.

.... ..... ..... ..... ..... ... .... ... ...

That was harder than he thought but he was glad his efforts paid off. The results soon made him forget how hard it was for him to force tears out of his eyes.

His next task was to leave there soon.

He needed to find them before the others.

And he was out if ideas.

Hopefully no one had noticed anything suspicious. As a matter of fact, they didn't even notice he was out for almost thirty minutes. He was less of their worries and he intended to keep it that way for some time.

His next agenda was to find a way to get of Gilda without suspicion.

Where they were was not very far from here, it was the opposite direction from here which he earlier suspected.

He was right , someone was helping them.

The kind, young, fiancee of lily.

He must confess, it was pretty good.

The last place the king would have suspected. Williams must have been planning this for long.

But he was out of luck, he, Sebastian will not allow him succeed as far as he was with Natalie.

He should have left her out if this.

If he wanted to rebel against his father he should do it alone.

Bringing Natalie into this was his worst mistake. A mistake he would pay dearly for.

He would have to wait till morning to do anything yet.

He needed a perfect plan and as he laid on the bed to sleep, several thoughts were runing through his mind. He was still deep in thought when he dozed off. His mind could be busy but his body was too tired to sustain it.

He needed rest. For tomorrow was another day.

.... ... ... .... ..... ... ... ...

The king stared at the picture before him. The only he had picture of his dear late wife, Diana.

Well, he had destroyed most of her pictures after she died. He decided to keep this one for Williams. And he sure kept it far away from his eyes. He kept it in the library where he seldom goes.

He couldn't remember when last he had seen the picture. Yet he had been seeing her almost everyday.

In his dreams, with bloodshot eyes and sober face like she had been crying for ages. Funny how he had always been running away from her image with little results.

He had been seeing her frequently now in recent times, like when she had just died.

He was surprised he had survived those years of constant torture. She was everywhere. In his room, in his dreams and her son's solemn face.

No, he wasn't going to allow it come back again.

First he needs to find his son and fix this. Fix all this mess he had ignored years ago.

Williams unwillingness to take responsibility of the throne.

His descendants' hard work.

No, he had taken the oath. For better, for worse. The kingdom of Milerus would be ruled by his family.

He wasn't going to shame his ancestors.

He could remember his father face, strict and unbending, telling him to keep the kingdom in safe hands.

He had promised his father in his dying bed, to sustain the family's name, to practice all he had learnt from when he was a lad.

"The kingdom came first," he had made sure he abides to that rule even at the risk of his family.

He had made sure to eliminate every obstacle no matter who or what the person or thing was.

The voice came again, taunting him, thus time loud and clear like she was right there in his ears.

"I will leave, I will not stay here, I can't stay here. "

What happened after that was the reason why he sanity was lost even after many efforts to find it.

The sacrifice of the one he truly loved.

He wasn't sane after that, till now he had pretended to be over it. But it was raising its head again this time around wanting to consume him for good.

.... ..... ... .... .... .... ..... Morning came, as usual with the bright white clouds and the moon fading out of the eyesight.

Natalie had slept well, that was the first time in days she had successfully slept soundly.

Last night when Gerald came, he had announced to them that. The king's troops had gone to Gilda instead.

And there was no cause for alarm.

He was sure lily wasn't going to say anything to anyone.

Williams was a bit worried tho, everything seemed fine but he keeps getting this terrifying feeling that something was going to go wrong soon.

He couldn't describe it but it kept tugging him.

George had called him, today they were going to meet some of men that will soon join his army.

They were establishing an army from the other rebels of the kingdom that his father had destroyed.

He hadn't told Natalie yet, he wondered what her reaction would be like.

His father's warriors watch over the conquered kingdoms. So it was a dangerous task.

But with the help of Gerald he was sure to succeed.

Natalie was all alone, it was now midday.

She would use this opportunity to clean and tidy up the cottage. He did not have the time for it all this while. Since they had all been so busy making and remaking plans.

When she was done she went to the back of the cottage, there we're some vegetation there and she wanted to pick out some flowers.

Few minutes later, she heard footsteps on her back but she refused to turn back. It must be a passerby from the village.

But the person kept coming closer and before she could turn to see. The figure held her shoulders and in a deep low voice she recognize him.

Natalie, i knew I would find you here, he said caressing her shoulders.

She froze.

In her wildest dreams, she couldn't think thus could happen. How did he find her?

She slowly turned her back like she was enchanted.

Her eyes met his grinning face, he looked more than excited in seeing her.

"What..., what, are you..."

Shhh, he held his fingers to her lips, she still had that dazed expression on her face. Which made him chuckle.

I see that you are not excited like I am in seeing me but no worries. I expected the shocking look on your face.

How dare you?, What do you want from me?, how did you find me?.

One question at a time Natalie.

"And to how I found you, that was very easy, let's say your lady helper was pretty generous with the information and yeah I must confess the people here are very friendly they directed me to the house of that young man, what is his name, em, is that Gerald. "

Am I wrong?

Sebastian, quit this chattering and tell me why you are here?

Isn't it obvious, I missed you, life in the palace without you was very miserable.

I couldn't live without you.

"Well, that is confusing, since you had betrayed me earlier on, so don't understand any of this. "

The truth is, I came to take you where you actually belong.

'What!'

'Yes, with me. Natalie you belong with me'.

How, but you wanted me killed,

'That is not true, Natalie, I wanted you with me but you we're so stubborn and careless and... '

"Look let just get out of here. "

I will never follow you, I will never do it.

You monster.

That is not a nice thing to say to someone who have the ability to hurt you but I won't, I told you I love you.

And your man friends are not here to hear your protests.

Are they?

Get out of here, Natalie said moving backwards but he kept coming towards her.

She didn't know what to do? Her mind was in distress and she kept thinking how she could flee from him.

He dragged her and she screamed with all her might but no one came for her.

He tied both her hands and legs and he tied a linen across her mouth.

He saddles her in his horse he had rode with here.

And soon, he rode off, passing an unfamiliar road.

Natalie was feeling dizzy, she kept muttering.

Help me, help me, but no one could hear her.

No one was on the road either, maybe this was the end.

The only question she had was, why the universe had allowed her to go this far, as far as leaving the palace only for her to be killed, This way?

Maybe she was going to die a "prisoner" after all.