Becoming a Princess

"A Final Fight for Freedom"

Chapter IV - "A Final Fight for Freedom"

Tatiana was trapped inside a small, dark cell of the private vessel, which had sailed off from Sylvandior port of River Sylvandior in Edila two sunrises ago. The fallen Princess paced back and forth in the dingy little place, the weight of her iron chains not bothering her any longer. It was for another three sunrises that she would have to spend her time inside the cell before they reached a port of Isqola. As of yet, the vessel was in the middle of the Sesian ocean. She knew of it because it wasn't the first time she was visiting the infamous capital of radiance and love. Noting that there was in fact, a time when her Kingdom and the Kingdom of Artea had friendly ties with one another and that its Princess used to be her childhood friend. There was also the fact that at one point, Prince Alexandru and Tatiana were betrothed a little more than two winters ago, which made her travel from Edila to Isqola quite frequently. She knew every inch of the city quite well and even the nature of the people living in there, so if she was to make a dash for escape and become successful, she would know exactly where she had to go.

It was a good thing, she supposed.

All that she now had to do was wait for, at most, three more long sunrises to feel the soil of Isqola beneath her feet. At that moment, it shouldn't be too difficult to escape. That was only if the Prince didn't decide to personally escort her to prison.

Much to her good fortune, he didn't.

Once the vessel had reached the Holintom Port of River Crytx in Isqola, Tatiana was dragged out of her cell by two hunky guards. They walked her down the vessel and forced her inside a carriage made out of pure gold and studded with rubies and emeralds. Atop it rested the carving of the Royal Artean peacock, which too was carved out of the purest gold and studded with sapphires and jades. She was locked inside that exquisite carriage with a guard seated across her. Tatiana eyed him as the carriage lurched forth. He was hunky and twice her height.

She cursed her luck under her breath. Why must all Artean men be so tall?

It was just then that her eyes fell on her iron cuffs around her wrists that had purpled.

"I believe there is something moving underneath my seat," Tatiana spoke in her finest Artean. She coolly gazed at the guard's small face while he leaned forth to inspect under her seat. She instantly jammed her wrist on his face and as the iron contacted with his facial bones, a crack sounded inside the carriage followed by a loud and agonizing groan. Tatiana had broken his nose. She slammed another hit on his face, aiming his eyes this time. Blood splattered on her face and hood. Tatiana then pushed him aside as he cursed loudly in Artean, the other guard who was driving the carriage shouted to check if everything was alright inside.

Tatiana smirked, he had no idea what was happening inside.

The fallen Princess slammed her wrists on the lock of the carriage. Pure gold was soft and she was hitting it with iron. It was bound to break. As Tatiana continued slamming her wrists on the lock, she felt the carriage slow down, probably the other guard had finally gotten a hint of what was going inside the carriage. For one last time, with all the energy that she had, she slammed her wrists on the lock. Much due to her exceedingly good luck, both her cuffs and the lock broke.

Without a second thought, she jumped out of the carriage and fell on the ground, scraping her knees and elbows but her hood stayed at its place. The carriage ahead of her stopped and she watched the other guard catching up with her. She slammed her broken cuffs on his face and he fell down. She fisted his face a couple of more times and once she was sure that he fell unconscious, she searched his pockets. She was hoping to find a key that would free her ankles but she didn't find any key which matched the lock of her cuffs. It made her grow desperate and the fact that she could hear the sound of many hooves behind her back didn't help her situation much either. Wiping the blood and sweat off her lips, she searched more profusely the pockets of the two unconscious guards.