The Crown cannot Help You

Chapter 14: The Fork

Flynn was initially in complete shock as Audelia placed her lips upon his, but eventually understanding what was happening, he leaned into it.

He reached his hand up and ran his fingers from the base of her skull, up her head and entangled them in her hair.

This caught Audelia by surprise, leading to her unwillingly letting a soft moan slip through her lips.

Flynn upon hearing Audelia, broke the kiss momentarily to smile ever so slightly. He didn't want to identify what he was feeling, he just wanted to enjoy the moment.

As Flynn pulled back, Audelia opened her eyes briefly, long enough to see if Max had spotted them. But to her surprise, he had taken his gaggle of men and left the inn.

However, she realised with Flynn having his back to the door, he did not know this.

"Is he gone?" Flynn asked in a deep whisper as he leaned closer to Audelia's face.

"No." Audelia quickly answered before leaning in closer too. She ensures their lips touched as she spoke, to ensure she had his full attention. "And you know what, I've decided if you don't tell me who ordered the hit on me, I'm going to make a scene."

Flynn didn't move his head, but a look of anger flashed across his face. "You wouldn't dare."

Audelia raised a singular eyebrow in a daring manner. "Wouldn't I?"

She watched as Flynn's nostrils flared, he was seething with anger but there was nothing he could do.

Flynn stared deeply into Audelia's eyes, hoping if he looked hard enough, he could inflict some sort of pain. He allowed this to happen, he gave her the confidence to pull acts such as this.

"Have it your way." Audelia finally said as she began to stand up. She hoped she had sold this well enough, as if he realised it was a trick, she was in for a terrible time.

Flynn immediately grabbed Audelia's arm and yanked her back down onto her seat. "Your mum, she ordered the hit." He finally relented, watching as her face changed instantly.

Audelia blinked slowly as she processed what Flynn had just said. "My mum?" Audelia asked in a puzzled manner. She wanted him to tell her she'd heard him wrong.

"Yes, your mum. I warned you—you should have dropped it like I said." Flynn said callously. "Now, has Max gone?"

Audelia nodded her head absently which was enough for Flynn to sit back on his seat properly.

Audelia felt as though she'd been shoved into the smallest corner of her body. Everything felt so far away and as though she wasn't truly seeing it. All she could manage was the occasional blink, as even breathing was becoming a struggle.

She knew her mum disliked her, that was no secret, but not to the point where she would murder her father and attempt to murder Audelia.

Audelia felt heartbroken which fuelled a raging fire that was beginning to burn within her. It was spreading rapidly, poisoning every blood vessel in her body until she felt it climb towards her heart.

"Princess?" She heard Flynn mumbled as he poked her shoulder.

Audelia nodded, she couldn't remember how to speak. She couldn't remember how to move her mouth in the right way to form words. So, she just nodded.

Flynn continued to speak at her, but Audelia wasn't listening, she just stared down at the fork which rested on the table in front of her.

She knew this changed everything, as she no longer had a home to run back to. She no longer knew who she could trust nor did she people to protect. It was just her now.

She felt as though nothing was stopping her now as she impulsively grabbed the fork from the table.

There wasn't time for Flynn to react as Audelia suddenly rammed a fork into the middle of his hand. Pain exploded across his palm as the fork went all the way through his hand and embedded itself in the wood of the table.

Flynn bit his tongue as to not scream and quickly yanked the fork back out again. He dropped it noisily against the table and snapped his head to look at Audelia, but she wasn't there.

In the seconds it had taken for him to sort out his hand, she had disappeared.

Audelia burst through the door she had been Tabitha enter a few moments ago. Her breathing was rapid and shallow as her eyes darted around the room looking for a place to hide.

She wasn't stupid, she knew Flynn was seconds behind her and there was no way she could outrun him as she'd learnt before.

Her heart pounded in her ears as she started to realise there was no place that wasn't obvious to hide in.

Flynn's footsteps thundered towards the door and Audelia started to instead look for a knife to arm herself.

When suddenly, a small hand had wrapped itself around Audelia's wrist. She turned to see its owner, only to find Tabitha, who was dragging Audelia over to the stretch of cupboards across the back wall.

"Get in." She said bluntly, before shoving Audelia into the nearest cupboard.

Audelia didn't protest however, she was happy to take all the help she could get.

The cupboard door was quickly shut as soon as Audelia was inside and a mere seconds after, she heard Flynn storm in.

Audelia peeked through the small gap where the cupboard door met its hinges and was able to see the entire kitchen.

"Where is she?" Flynn yelled at Tabitha who was now causally cutting up a carrot.

Tabitha didn't even look up from what she was doing as she went to answer Flynn. "Who?"

Flynn's face turned a shade of red and he took out a small blade from a holster. He pointed the blade directly at Tabitha, and still she looked unbothered.

"You know who! The woman I was with!" He yelled at her, his hands shaking with anger.

"Oh." Tabitha said with ease. "She ran out the back door."

"If you are lying to be Tabitha, I swear I will come back and slit your throat in your sleep!" Flynn yelled again as he shoved past her and sprinted out the door Tabitha had directed him towards.

Both girls waited a few minutes before moving, in fear that he may return, but eventually Tabitha made the first move.

She clutched the knife she had been using to cut carrot and ran over to the cupboard Audelia was in.

She then quietly opened the cupboard door and motioned for Audelia to come out.

Audelia did as she was asked, whilst letting out the breath she didn't know she was holding. "Thank you." She uttered.

"Don't thank me." Tabitha bluntly responded. "Just leave and never come back."

Audelia nodded nervously as she quickly crossed the room towards the door that led her back into the inn. She placed her hand against the door to open it when she briefly paused. "Do you have a recommendation of where to go?"

Tabitha let out a low chuckle which caused Audelia to turn back around to face her. Tabitha had gone back to cutting her carrot and had a small smile upon her face.

"What's so funny?" Audelia huffed.

Tabitha looked up from what she was doing to give Audelia an odd look. "Should you not be heading back towards the palace?"

"You know I'm the princess?"

"Of course I do, do I look blind to you?"

Audelia shook her head rapidly. The woman seemed so nice yet so intimidating. "I can't return back to the palace." Audelia admitted, not truly grasping the extent of what she was saying.

Tabitha raised an eyebrow suspiciously but chose not to question it. "Head north then, there's another village that way, they'll give you more directions from there."

Audelia gave Tabitha a grateful smile but didn't thank her as she had asked. Instead, she shoved open the door and left the kitchen.