If there was any particular reason for me to divorce Callum, this would be it. There's a bruise on my arm from where I was manhandled just two hours ago. Goosebumps cover my skin as I was soaked from the rain while big, burly men grabbed me, carried me to the front gates, and pushed me into the carriage that waited there.
No time was given to me to pack my things, nor grab even a coat. Two hours ago, the door of my room was violently pushed open and multiple guards entered. When I refused to go with them as they had demanded, they became forceful in their actions. I was grabbed and tousled violently.
How they're okay with treating the express like this, I have no idea. One thing I do know is that something is all very wrong with this whole situation. I've come to the decision that once his child is born and I return to Torbum, I will be divorcing this man and fleeing from this kingdom.
Looking outside the window of the carriage, I clench my hands into a fist. We're on a particularly winding road. I must have PTSD as I can only think about my death in my past life. Maybe in this situation, my fear is a bit more welcomed as this mountain road doesn't have any guardrails to protect us from falling over.
Since this is a carriage, I'm unable to ask the coachman how much longer until we reach the port of Saint Fram - the small city that borders the ocean where I'll soon be traveling. As far as I know, it takes a week to reach there, so I'm sure we'll soon be stopping at a town in between for rest.
The trail becomes bumpier and I clutch the uncomfortable wooden seat as my body bounces. Each shake breath I take is occupied with a bodily tremble. The carriage swishes from side to side and the horse neighs. It begins to rain again, heavily at that.
I muster up the courage to look outside once again. But that's a mistake as the wheel of the carriage hits a bump - maybe a rock or a pothole. The horse-drawn vehicle loses balance and we topple to the side. Over the rain and over the cries of the horse, I can hear the coachman shouting, but the fear is too much to tell what he's saying. I get images of my past from when my car vaulted over the side of a mountain. That's all I can think about.
The impact doesn't come like I expected.
It makes me wonder if God has called upon me again. When I pry one eye open, I'm still inside the carriage and still holding onto the seat for dear life. I think I'm hyperventilating. Unfortunately each breath I take leaves me feeling more lightheaded, like my lungs have decided to stop working since I'm once again on the brink of death.
And worse, there's a pain in my stomach and something wet under me that's no longer my soaked body from the rain.
The door of the carriage flies off, the hinges breaking and the door falling many kilometers down. Braving a look down, I see that she hadn't fallen off the side. In fact, we had made it out off that treacherous path and to more leveled ground. What I see now is that the ground has cracked open, creating a huge void where I see nothing but darkness.
Somehow, gravity kicks in at this very moment and I start to fall as the carriage is hanging on its side. There's nothing I can hold onto as my legs slip out of the confines first. My throat is sore from screaming and my stomach hurts as I'm in labor. If I don't catch something, I'll plummet to my death down whatever the hell this fissure is.
But I don't catch anything as there's nothing to hold onto. Taking in a deep breath as if I'm about to fall into water, the carriage becomes smaller as I leave it. My arms are still outstretched in front of me though there's no hope of saving myself. I feel the tears leaving my eyes.
What a short life this was.
I've already resigned to my fate when a deep voice whispers, "Hold on tight."
Then someone grips me and I'm pulled into a hard chest. With my head buried in a pair of warm pecks, I can't see anything, but I can feel the air whipping around me and still feel the pouring rain. Whoever has a hold on me is moving quick, too fast to be a normal person.
In my hands, I grip the shirt of this person, holding tight as they've commanded. I feel any mistake can lead to my possible death once again. This time I know that if I forfeit this life, that'll be the end of me.
We land somewhere safely after falling through a barrage of trees. My face and head is protected by this man as he keeps a firm hold on not just my body, but my head as well. Once my feet are planted firmly on the forest floor, I allow myself to experience everything at once.
My legs weaken and lose strength. Falling down, I'm caught by the fellow.
I come face to face with the thick chest of a tall man. His loose tunic reveals much more than should be shown. As my eyes trail down, I notice his sleeves are rolled up to reveal thick forearms. Feeling like a pervert, I move my eyes away from his body and finally to his face. His close-lipped smile is softer than expected, without a hint of malice. His olive brown skin tone surprises me as the only shades I've seen since transmigrating is white, white, and more white. I almost didn't think other ethnicities existed in this world.
Beautiful amber eyes take me in as he places his hands on his hips. I'm unable to muster even a hint of a smile as I still feel traumatized from what just happened. Despite being safe now, I want everything to be nothing but a dream.
But as a painful contraction hits me, causing me to fall to my knees, I know this is reality.
The man falls to his knees in front of me and I feel him gripping my shoulders.
"Where are you hurt?" he asks, and I feel his breath against my forehead so I know his face is close. "Tell me so I can fix it."
Shaking my head, I grip the mud under my hands until I'm digging into hard dirt. "I'm in labor."
My body lifts into the air at the speed of light as this man picks me up. With wide eyes, I look at him, my heart beating fast as the pain in my lower stomach subsides. He begins to walk from where we were, his strides long and fast. On his face is a determined look, like a resolve has been stilled in his eyes.
"I'll get you to safety," he says. Then we lift into the air.
***
Throughout the flight, I was in and out of sleep. Unfortunately the contractions didn't allow for much sleep, and the fact that I'm cradled in this man's arms. It's also freezing from the rain and the brisk wind that we're traveling through, so my teeth keep chattering without a break. I'm so exhausted that even a five minute rest makes me feel better and I feel like a fiend for wanting more.
We've maybe been in the air for an hour or so before he starts to descend. We land outside of a large gate that's guarded by two men. They stand holding lances and wearing metal armor. As we walk up to them, they regard us with looks of disdain. Perhaps it's because we're both covered in mud and are wet from the rain that has luckily stopped by now.
"Halt," the guard on the left commands. "Show us your passes."
"My name is Lussios Rekha. I have no citizenship care for this place, but she's in labor. We need a doctor immediately," the man, Lussios, says. His voice is strong and stern, almost intimidating.
The two guards look at each other before they cross their lances, blocking the gate. "We can't allow anyone to enter without proof of identity whether it is a citizenship card for here or another country."
Lussios sighs before turning on his heel and walking away. I guess I'll be having this baby in the woods where any creature can come out of nowhere. I was completely unaware of these citizenship cards, though I'm sure I have one. Ye because I was so unceremoniously kicked out, I know it's not with me. Since the carriage is gone, it wouldn't be there anyways.
"We'll find a way in," Lussios tells me, as if sensing my worries. "I know many people in this kingdom. We'll find a way in. For now, I think it would be best to find shelter for now. It's gotten quite dark and I don't think those men will be willing to allow entry, even if I list off names of people who reside here."
"IIt can't get worse than this already is," I whisper, wincing at how hoarse my voice sounds. And I'm sure I'll be catching a cold after the trouble I've gone through. "I just appreciate your efforts."
"It's the least I can do for the empress of this nation."
Blinking, I happen to remember that I am in fact the empress of Torbum. With that being the case, we shouldn't have been turned away. At least, those in the knighthood should know how the empress looks.
"Should we try..." I stop talking as Lussios shakes his head.
"They've already instilled discrimination into their hearts. Those who see others different from them will always have a hard time allowing passes. Even a beautiful woman like you has to be treated this way because you're covered in dirt." Lussios stops walking as he comes across a cave. He sets me down before venturing inside a couple of steps and whispering. "I apologize for not having any form of identification on me."
Shrugging, I shake my head and follow him as he motions me to. "I also don't have mine. I'm also very surprised you know who I am."
"To not even know the monarchs of the nation I am visiting would bring dishonor among my father and my people." Lussios smiles. As I thought, this man isn't from Torbum. "We'll sleep in here tonight. I think it'll continue to rain soon. Tomorrow, we'll request for a higher personnel to talk to."
Despite everything, I feel safe with this man. Though he's a stranger, I have a feeling that he won't harm me and if he hasn't ditched me yet, why would he now. Because of that, I feel safe enough to scoot next to him and steal some of his warmth. Even as I breathe heavily from another contraction, he says nothing and only soothes me by either rubbing my back or my stomach.