Motheaten Memories [Yandere Prince x Enemy Princess Reader]

55. Mad Escape.

"Are you alright Y/N?!" Abeloni asked, his brown curls appearing graey from the powder that had exploded upon their landing, checking her over for injuries at once.  Her body hurt from the landing but she felt fine all things considered, still too winded to speak she simply nodded to affirm that she was alright. "Good," he said as he pulled her to her feet. Looking at the ground she saw that their fall had been broken by a pile of flour bags that appeared to have toppled from a millers cart.

"T-the horse and the provisions you requested your-your Highness," she nearly jumped as the stammering man approached, leading a large white horse with bulging saddlebags and a proud arch to his neck. He handed the reigns to Abeloni, shaking with nerves.

"Very good," he told the man as he took the offered straps and tossed the man a pouch that jingled metallically. "Here's you're compensation - you better get out of here if you want your head to stay on your neck." He warned sternly as the guards that had been pursuing them finally drew close enough for the soldiers manning the front gates to hear their shouting.

"Alright Y/N, I hope you can ride-" He asked her earnestly as the guards at the front gate began to catch on that something wasn't right, Y/N had barely nodded her head in response to his question and he was already hoisting her up into the saddle.  "-good!" He exclaimed, tossing her the reigns before climbing into the saddle himself.

"Stop them!" The soldiers shouted from atop the wall, alerting the men who stood at the gate that the couple on horseback needed to be caught. "Stop that horse, but don't hurt the crown prince!"

"Get us out of here Y/N!" Abeloni shouted as he hooked his legs under the back two pommels on the saddle* facing backward and notching an arrow as Y/N urged the horse forward. He sprung forward eagerly, despite carrying the weight of two people, and in a few strides had reached a gallop.

"Go that way!" The harsh barking shouts of the soldiers rang out over the clatter of their steed's hooves against the pavement as they quickly mounted their own horses and took off in pursuit. "Down that street!" The guard who seemed to be leading them commanded, trying to protect his men from the arrows that the prince was firing at them, pointing towards two adjacent roads that connected to the one that Y/N and Abeloni were on. "Cut them off!"

Upon hearing their words she pulled the reigns on their steed, and they turned sharply down a much narrower street. They wove swiftly around carts and pedestrians, while the soldiers in their heaver armor were unable to follow them. Abeloni laughed at that and yelled mockingly, "Ha! Try and follow us now you spineless-" his mockery was cut short when he was hit on the head by a wooden sign hanging out over the street. "Ouchie!" He exclaimed, clutching a hand to the back of his head.

"Why didn't you tell me to duck Y/N?! You know I can't see where we're going-" he scolded her as they continued to race down the alley, nearly running down several unsuspecting pedestrians, but he was interrupted when he was hit by another sign. "Ouchie! Again?!" He exclaimed in pain and disbelief.

"Sorry Abeloni," Y/N apologized carelessly, the majority of her attention on the path ahead of them as they exited the alley and crashed into an open-air market, toppling several carts of produce. "I'm a little bit preoccupied at the moment!" She exclaimed as the shouting and clattering hooves of the horsemen pursuing them caught up with them much sooner than she would have liked.

Turning his attention back to the soldiers he began to fire arrows behind to keep the soldiers from drawing too near. A couple even struck their targets, knocking them from their saddles, but not as many as he would have liked. Even as skilled of an archer as he was having trouble being as accurate. "You know," he remarked to Y/N, trying to shield her as the soldiers began to return fire at them. "If what we were doing wasn't complete madness this would be an exciting-AAHHH!" He let out a scream as his right shoulder was pierced by a stray arrow and he nearly dropped his bow as he gritted his teeth at the unexpected pain. 

"Abeloni! Are you alright?!" Y/N turned her head back at the sound of his cry and gasped when she saw the shaft of the arrow protruding from his shoulder, his face contorted in pain. "Just hang on, we're almost to the outer wall. I can see it - Oh no..." Her heart sank as she saw that the guards who manned the gate of the outer wall of the city were watching them closely. 

"CLOSE THE GATES TO THE CITY!!" The captain of the soldiers shouted, drawing closer to the white horse now that Abeloni was unable to fire arrows back at them. "DON'T LET THOSE FUGITIVES ESCAPE!!!" Upon hearing these words the guards began to turn the crank and the giant drawbridge began to rise.

Y/N pulled on on the reins, their steed slowing down. "We're not going to make it in time!" She cried, all was lost.

"We're dead if we don't try!" Abeloni said firmly as he struggled to turn around in the saddle and wrapped his good arm around Y/N's waist. "Come on - COME ON!"

Seeing the determination in his eyes she felt the same determination flair in her heart and she urged the horse forward again. Their white steed took off, springing forward from a meandering pace to a flying gallop. They raced towards the draw bridge that continued to rise. The horsemen perusing them slowed, but they didn't.

The horse's hooves thundered as it struck against the wood of the draw bridge, running up the increasingly slanted surface. Reaching the top the mighty beast jumped, sailing over the gully that lay beneath the bridge, landed safely on the dirt road, continuing to run at a galloping stride.

"We did it! We're free!" Y/N exclaimed, daring to even laugh as she looked behind them to see that the gate of the city was closed, keeping those pursuing them at bay for a while.

"And you're safe Y/N!"Abeloni added, smiling through the pain in his shoulder. Kissing her cheek he said in a more serious tone. "I swear that for as long as I live I won't let anyone hurt you."

A/N

*the kind of saddle described in this chapter has four pommels, or horns, instead of the more contemporary stirrups. These horns had a slight curve and were positioned on the four corners of the saddle, enabling the rider to counterbalance about as well as with stirrups. 

I hope you enjoyed today's chapter, I have known I wanted a scene like this since the book's inception and I hope I did it justice. ^~^

Until next time I'll see you on the other side

~J. C. Coltt.~