Two Thousand Years | The Empire Saga #1

Chapter Fourteen

What would have taken months of healing in Alex's world only took a couple of weeks within the Empire. When she asked Treyan how it was possible, he explained that in addition to the magic their realm possessed, their lives were so entwined by the power of the Prophecy that sometimes it seemed even time bent to its will. She remained skeptical, but grateful as his health and mobility seemed to improve.

Still, Alex grew restless.

Thoughts of home hadn't dissipated, and she often found herself contemplating the possibility of leaving Treyan when he did, eventually, take her out into the Empire. Though she knew she wasn't a prisoner, guards were posted along the palace's walls separating it from the rest of the Empire, and though she was allowed fresh air and the freedom to explore the gardens, that was the extent of it.

While she waited on Treyan, she distracted herself with her daily lessons with the Councillor, which eventually included lessons with the royal stablemaster. Alex reasoned that these could be beneficial to her on the off-chance she managed to escape with a horse. She wasn't half bad at it either, so long as she was allowed to ride the gray gelding the stablemaster aptly named Chance.

On one such morning, when Alex made her way to the stables to meet the stablemaster for her riding lesson, she noticed Chance missing from his stable. As well as Treyan's warhorse, Scarlet, and it wasn't until she made her way to the training ring, already seeing Treyan astride his mare, that she realized the time had finally come.

An unexpected smile formed as she approached the Crown Prince. "The Councillor finally gave you a clean bill of health?" she asked as she took the reins of her horse from the waiting stable boy standing next to Treyan.

"The Councillor had nothing to do with it," Treyan scoffed as he watched her mount. "I gave myself the approval to escort you throughout the Empire, so that's what we're going to do."

She then noticed the sword strapped to his side, and the travel packs draped over the backs of both animals. "How far are we going to go?"

"Nowhere near the Borderlands," he assured her. "We'll just make a short trip to the nearest village before I take you out beyond the battlefield."

She cast another glance at his sword and perked a brow.

"I don't expect any of Reylor's mages to attempt to come this close to the palace," he informed her as he finished checking the straps on his saddlebags. "But I'm also not ready to take any chances, either."

The precaution didn't bother Alex too much, at least not enough to mention it out loud, but thinking that the threat from the Borderlands could ever come so close made her stomach churn with anxiety. More so, considering who resided in those lands, and who had already made it painfully clear his intentions were anything but peaceful.

She wasn't going to let her nerves get the best of her she decided as they finally set off through the gates of the training circle, and past the palace's elaborate rose garden.

"My mother planted those when she first arrived," he told her as they sat atop their horses, looking out at the colorful expanse of greenery. "She said she used to grow roses at home, where she grew up, and being allowed to do so here made her feel more comfortable during her transition."

"Did she ever talk to you about it? Her home, I mean."

Treyan shook his head slightly. "Very little. She said it was a large city named New York, and she hoped that I would be able to enjoy it one day when I traveled to find my own Empress."

"Your father found her in New York, just like you came to me in Boston."

A small smile curled his lips. "And he dreamt of her every day until he found her."