Most Wanted

Chapter 13

Taking in a deep breath, Varian gave the drinks in his hand a final glance.  The one in his left had sleeping drugs in it and the right was normal wine.  The person who got the drugs for him promised that it didn't cause a different taste.

He opened the door and forced a smile as always.  Casually, he set the drugged wine in front of Mazouwi on the desk.  He then sat himself in chair in the corner of the room by the fire place.

The man smirked and took a sip.  Varian glanced away, glad he never second guessed the drink.  The lord did ask for wine and for Varian, so of course he didn't think something was amiss.  The man merely wanted Varian's presence and the wine gave something for Varian to do.

Fifteen minutes passed and the man had drank the whole glass of wine.  Varian was beginning to fear that he had been duped about the drugs, or he did it wrong, but he suddenly noticed that Mazouwi was starting to nod off.  He waited another fifteen minutes to make sure that he was fast asleep.

Once he was certain, Varian dug in the drawers and found the marriage documents.  He grabbed them, but double checked.   Instantly, he realized that they weren't his marriage papers and he put them back.  He found his and put everything else back where it belonged.

Taking a deep breath, Varian held the papers over the fire.  With a flick of his hand, the proof of their marriage was burned.  Closest thing he could get to a divorce.  It was satisfying watching the paper turn black until it disappeared into ashes.

Seeing that they could not be savaged back from the fire, Varian left the office and made his way to his escape route.  He went out a window in the lounge.  Once outside, he picked up his satchel he had hidden in the bushes with his supplies.  He snuck into the stables and took the horse that had been gifted to him when he first became a concubine.

After saddling the horse, he rode out into the night.  Hopefully, there wouldn't be a search party for him until dawn.  It was a three day journey by horse to Corona.  He had to beat Mazouwi there or it would be game over.

The sun was coming up by the time he reached the twisted tree.  He looked around, but saw no sign of Hugo.  "Hugo?  Hugo?"

There was no reply.  Varian looked around, but he wasn't there.  Annoyed, but mainly worried, he called out.  "HUGO!"

He waited a few minutes before the blonde came stumbling and tripping out of the woods.  The two froze when he came to the opening.  Hugo panted, staring at Varian.  It felt like a dream.  Both had been dreaming for the moment they were physically together again.

A bright smile grew across Varian's face.  "Hugo!"

"V!"  The blonde quickly walked to him and picked him up as he spun him around.  "You're alright!" He laughed with joy and relief.

Varian laughed too and threw his arms around Hugo's neck into a hug.  "Oh, I've waited so long to hear your stupid voice! Thank you for coming.  We probably should be going though.  Make as much progress as we can."

"Right," Hugo agreed.  "I don't have a horse."

"Figured you didn't.  That's fine.  It's harder to track one horse anyways.  We'll both ride Bertha.  And before you say anything, I didn't name her."

The blonde grinned.  "I wasn't going to."

"Riiiight," Varian retorted with disbelief.  "Sure you weren't."