3 September 2012
'Run away with me.' he asked, staring down at me with his deep brown eyes, as the light faded with the setting sun. 'Of course.' I replied instantly.
I woke up and stretched as the light streamed through the thin fabric of our tent. The air around me was crisp and cool from the night before. I turned over in my half of the two sleeping bags which we had zipped together. Lucas was pretending to still be sound asleep, but there was a small smile tugging up the corners of his lips. I kissed him lightly causing his eyes to flutter open, he smiled fully and lent up, pressing his lips back to mine. I shivered at his touch. 'your cold, come here.' he fussed, wrapping his strong arms around me, warmth spread through me. I sighed and curled up closer to him. 'For how much longer must we hide?' I asked turning to face him. 'until they stop searching for you.' he sighed kissing my head. I stood up, crossing the small space that was our home, I unzipped the flimsy fabric that separated us from the wilderness that stretched out before me. I walked over to the cold embers that, the night before had been crackling with amber flames. Lucas followed me wrapping his arms around me, placing his palms flat against the growing expanse of my stomach. 'I can feel her moving inside me.' I whispered as he drew patterns on my stomach. He kissed me on my neck, sending a shiver down my spine. Suddenly he dropped his arms and stepped away from me. I turned, confusion and hurt clouding my eyes. 'was I worth it?' he asked, 'was I really worth this life, you having to constantly move never settling. You deserve so much better than all this.' he said emotionally, his shoulders sagged. 'yes.' I whispered quietly, his head snapped up, 'yes I do deserve better than this!' I cried, 'but I chose you, what will it take for you to believe me. I left everything for you. I should be in a palace married to a foreign prince. I should be wearing the finest silks. I should have pearls and precious stones strung around my neck. But I'm not. I'm here. With you! I'm having your baby for goodness sake! I didn't have to do any of this, but I did because I love you! You hear me. I love you Lucas!' I finished passionately, dangerously close to tears, shaking with emotion. He rushed at me, enveloping me in his arms around me. 'I love you Alyssa. I love you.' he nuzzled into my neck. Holding me as close to him as my stomach would allow, I rested my head against his shoulder, tired from my speech. 'I'm sorry.' he pleaded. I kissed him gently. 'we better pack up our belongings.' I stated. 'you sit, I'll do it.' he said. Hurrying to take down our tent. I rested my hand lightly on my stomach, our baby's birth was fast approaching and I feared that we would be unable to care for her properly while hiding from my fathers men.
Our baby was due in just two short weeks and Lucas was out hunting for our supper. I sat shivering at the sudden chill that twilight brought. Pulling the blankets closer around me I felt a twang inside my stomach. I curled up gasping in pain. A wave of heat crashed over me, I frantically pushed my cocoon of blankets away from me. I screamed when i saw the bright crimson of fresh blood pooling around me. I scrambled frantically away from it as if that would make it go away. Lucas ripped at the fabric of the tent. 'Alyssa, what's wro....' he gasped at the pool of blood that was rapidly increasing in volume around me. 'Lucas, our baby!' I cried as he swept me up in his arms. He ran through the trees, trying to keep me steady. 'where are you taking me?' I asked wearily. 'home...I'm taking you home.' I tried to speak but the world fell away around me.
I blinked awake at the harsh white lights that blinded my eyes. 'where am I?' I asked to no one in particular. 'sweetie, your in your room.' a soft voice answered. My mother smiled down at me and swept the hair from my face. I smiled dozily and then remembered. My hands flew to my stomach, 'where's my baby?' I screeched, feeling my sunken stomach. 'she's with her daddy.' she beamed, 'shall I tell them to come in.' I nodded frantically, confused at her change of opinion of Lucas, who she had constantly reminded me was below my class. A dark haired stranger walked in cradling a mewing baby to his chest. 'who's that? Where's Lucas.' I screamed leaping from my bed. 'it's your fiancé sweetie, prince Andrew.' her smile was sickly sweet. 'I asked you where Lucas was' I growled. 'watch your tone.' she said, darkness clouding her face, 'you should be happy that Andrew agreed to marry you considering your...baggage.' she sneered, nodding towards my baby. I tore my child from Andrews arms and flew down the many corridors until I reached the palace doors. I ran out in just my night dress, screaming for lucas as I ran down the winding streets. I found myself standing in a dark shady street, passers by sneered at me covered in filth. Men leered at my lack of clothes, I started to back pedal my way back down the street, when a cold hand wrapped around my mouth and nose and dragged me into the shadows. I tried to scratch at my abductor but with my baby in my arms I was at his mercy. 'shhh, Alyssa shhh.' he said quietly 'do you want to attract your fathers guards.' I spun and tears of happiness filled my eyes, as they brushed over lucas' familiar dirty blonde hair and deep brown eyes. 'why?' I gasped. 'we've been running from them for so long, why would you take me back to them?' I asked. 'you were losing too much blood, I would have lost both of you.' he said a tear slipping down his face, 'Alyssa have you ever heard the expression 'if you love someone let them go, and if they love you back they'll come back to you' I nodded unable to control the tears that streamed from my face. 'i knew you would come back.' he smiled, taking his daughter from me and kissing her on the head. 'will you run away with me?' he asked with a smile. I placed my hand in his, smiling, 'take me away.'
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Take Me Away • Opuss № I