The Choice to Live

This was the perfect opportunity for her to slip away, no one could ever turn away the Emperor, and the security would all be focused on the important person!

A smile formed on her lips as counted the stone against the wall. She counted 24 and stopped in her tracks and lifted a slab of cement revealing the tools she had hidden. Around this time the guards are probably drunk somewhere. They have always been lazy when it comes to her, she has been the prisoner of the Vander Household for almost 15 years. Everyone came to know how weak-willed she was. what is a girl who doesn't have memories gonna do if she ever escaped?

She scoffed, "-Heh- not trust bastards of course. I learned that well." Anna looked around the room, she could hear her heart beating against her chest, and the feeling of excitement made her smile wearily. She lived--possibly her whole life trapped in a house, she had no further knowledge of what was outside her prison, what she does know is beyond her tiny window is a forest. And that's where she's headed. She just needs a big distraction.

Why choose the unsure path when you can just break another into one right?

KA-BOOM!!

KA-BOOM!!

KA-BOOM!!

Three large explosions were heard and woke up the entire mansion during the dead of night while Klein was enjoying his night with the lady-in-waiting of his wife when the explosion happened followed by a loud knock banging on his door, he quickly ordered the woman to hide before opening the door, "What the fuck is going on?!" he screamed in rage.

"S-Sir… Uh..A.Sh--" a nervous-looking boy stood stuttering

"Uh-Ah--WHAT?! Speak you incompetent fool!"

"She's gone!!"

"What? How did that happen?!!" Klein was starting to lose patience when the news broke out.

"She- blew up the cell. The entire basement! The magicians are doing their best to evacuate the servants by keeping the south wing from collapse--"

"YOU INSOLENT FOOLS!!!" He grabbed the knight's collar, "That woman's life is worth more than 100--no, A 1000 knight, magician or servant. Her talent--"

"Sir!" Before he could speak further the head butler came, "His Majesty's convoy is already in the territory."

The new information finally snapped Klein's composure, "They were supposed to arrive at dawn."

"They just sent word that the Emperor was in a rush." The butler said, lowering his head.

The hall was silent, even Klein repeatedly assessed the situation before turning to the butler, "Tell father and wake my sister." Then he turned to the knight, "Find her and disable her to a point where she can't escape but continue to work."

—

Run.

That was the word Anna repeated in her mind as she ran even if her skinny legs screamed stop, her chest tightened up or hurt, she needed to continue, she'd rather die than be captured once again. Failing to escape would only worsen her situation, she'd be chained.

Anna could hear the echoes of the hooves, from behind her she had a 20-minute run ahead from everyone trying to catch her. Then she heard howling from Klein's prized hunting dogs. Fear seemed to swallow her, as she slowly stopped in her tracks, she could still ask for forgiveness and make an excuse that the explosion was because she was doing a test on the new project, should she bet her life for an escape to a place she is not even sure that exists, she--

"Nue! Nue!"

Sister?

She didn't realize the tears had escaped her eyes, that was the first voice, the first familiar voice she heard and it came from her very own memory, " I…have to find them. I need to…For Urania…" a name so distant but also so familiar.

"Miss Anna~!"

She snapped from her trance, the voices crept closer.

Picking up her paces Anna continued her escape, the sound she made seemed to have alerted the search party since they continued to trail her. The forest was dark, the moon who greeted her yesterday had hidden away.

However, she noticed that even with the commotion going on, she felt as if the forest welcomed her. Instead of getting lost, the forest appears to guide her in the right direction, there were no roots or stones to stumble upon but a rather clear path.

The idea may sound strange but further asking of the grace that the forest had granted her escape would be foolish now. Soon she emerges from the forest and to a clearing. She could hear her heart beat rapidly once again, she could escape! She can find the people in her memories, she can find her past. Finally, Final--

The hounds howled, sending a Shiver down Anna's spine

"She's up ahead!" a voice announced right behind her right after the hunting dog's howl.

Her vision started to blur as she pushed her body to go faster, but she was nothing but a malnourished girl and pushing her body further was out of the question, but she needed to do that. The only way she had survived so far was by surpassing her limits, she ignored the shouts and threats behind her as proceeded head-on. She was about halfway through the clearing when the noises vanished. Complete silence.

She shook her head, thinking it was her head playing with her mind once again, but her question was answered when she slowly regained her vision and saw up ahead a group of knights. Fear struck her, thinking they were from the Marquise, but as moonlight finally crept out from hiding and slowly illuminated the whole place, she noticed how the knights were carrying a black banner with the pattern of a dragon--The Helios imperial family's crest!

'Hold on, I thought they weren't going to arrive till later dawn! Hah!'

She couldn't believe the choices, one was 'Lese-majeste' the other was to be cruelly dragged back to that hell hole! Still, both choices had her life on the line, but the first choice allows her to finally bring the Marquise house to ruin--so she ran, ran for her life depended on it.

She was nearing the Emperor's convoy, when she saw the figure raise his hand, a simple action that stopped the knight's advances. Her eyes filled with confusion as their gaze locked. The dark clouds that hung over their heads suddenly cleared up, and moonlight completely lit up the place which was shrouded with darkness.

Everyone can see her under this beautiful moonlight, she feels shy under it for it shows her pale and bony figure, an unimaginable amount of scars and bruises on her arms and legs and finally the disfigured half of her face showing the many battles she nearly succumbed to but lived through.

But most especially everyone saw how determined and strong she was. Everyone was stupefied for a moment but Anna could only look at the Emperor's crimson gaze which was feared by his enemies for it was said that the moment his gaze landed on you, it would mean the end. Yet to Anna, the Emperor's gaze silenced the chaos and there was only longing in his eye. Her body screamed to halt her movement as she felt his sharp gaze piercing her soul, but she continued to run the man's gaze softened at the sight of her but quickly switched to rage the moment he saw her.

"Lyanna!" the Emperor rode his horse in her direction as he screamed a name that shook her in realization, a realization of something she couldn't quite point a finger. Yet her heart seemed to yearn to hear the name as she drew closer to the man who raced to her. A warm feeling had started to take root on her chest, it was warm and cozy…enticing too, it was addicting. Her name was Lyanna.

The man leaned to his side, stretching his arms to grab her as they drew closer to each other. The feeling of yearning continued to grow, it was as if the two of them were never meant to be apart. She had always known that a part of her had always been missing, or perhaps clouded. She had believed it to be of her past, yet as the distance between the two of them would soon cease to exist she became more sure that it was him who was missing.

Maybe. Just maybe…

In an instant, the warmth was replaced with coldness followed by her coughing out a warm liquid, which she held on her chest which was pierced with an arrow. Her gaze traced back to them the emperor whose face was filled with only horror. Soon the strength in her legs finally gave out, she waited for the impact that would land the final blow but she was greeted by a warm embrace.

She found herself in the arms of the most noble man she had ever heard of, and he was holding her carefully in his arms, "Lyanna…Stay with me, Lyn. [ηεαλ. ] NO. [χομπλετε ποισον ηεαλ]" His eyes glowed, he was scanning her "No-no no no. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE!?"

"Lyanna?" she whispered confused.

"Yes, that's you. Shh… save your strength." His voice was gentle to her like she was his most precious treasure. A feeling like a memory to her.

She reached to his cheek "I have a name"

"Yes." He held her carefully, scared of hurting her further, "I'm late. I know. I'm sorry Lyanna."

"It's okay, I'm okay. It wasn't that hard." Lyanna whispered, as she tried to smile but could only show him half her smile since she could no longer feel the other side of her face since her injury. Despite that, the man held and cupped her cheek as he tried his best to hold back the roaring anger he felt. "What have they done to you."

Lyanna coughed up more blood yet she ignored the taste and pain, "I was too pretty," she joked.

"You still and always have been." he whispers to her as he leans his forehead to hers, "Don't ever Forgive me for being this late, keep your strength. You can scold me after this."

"No one has ever held me in this carefully." she was slowly turning cold and he felt it too.

"AERONE WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!"

Tears rolled down her small face while her amethyst eyes slowly lost their light, she was slowly losing her sight as her body was completely taken by the cold, she couldn't go. Not when she hasn't found out more about her past.

"Lyanna! SISTER!"

"C'mon Lyanna you're stronger than this… Will you shut up Kaspian?!"

"I will kill whoever harmed our sister!"

"Your rambling is not helping me nor Lyanna! GODDAMNIT! WHY IS THE WOUND NOT CLOSING UP?!"

"They used black steel."

"Impossible…th- ..ah..N-.."

The voices slowly drew farther from her and only darkness cradled her sleep

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