THE Knight's Hidden Princess
Chapter 198: Fear

Chapter 198: Fear

REAGAN POV

Broken!

That was what she was! I finally found my girl but she was broken. Her green eyes were dull, almost lifeless. Though she was awake and staring at me, but the light in her had dim. Her dark hair with the luscious curls that always shined now looked matted with sweat and dry blood. It was also streaked with a lot of death that I know would take days to wash away. Her lips were cracked and on her face, I couldn’t even bear to look at it, I couldn’t bear to look at her face.

It hurts, it hurts to look at her!

Evie had gotten us in like we had planned. In the fortress they needed food supplies and a shipment of them always goes out to them every month. So that was what we did. We hid inside the cart where the food supplies were supposed to be. It was a brilliant plan and staying inside the carts on a ship for four days was worth it because we were able to get by undetected and it landed us inside the fortress without any trouble.

We waited until it was in night time before we made our presence known. There were a lots of prisons here and I knew where it was and also the horrors they concealed. It breaks me to know my wife was here especially a place where they called the pits. Evie had taken care of the guards keeping watch so I was able to sneak inside the pit without drawing any attention to myself.

For months, I have prepared myself for what I would do if I laid eyes on Dahlia one more time. I have stared into the mirror practicing what it was I would say when I see her again. But nothing, I repeat that nothing could have prepared me for the sight in front of me.

There she was, strapped down to a chair a rag tied to her mouth while her body was covered in blood and she was wearing a piece of rag, a cloth that wasn’t fit for the weather we were in. She had been slumped in the chair when I found her and for a minute, only for a brief moment I had thought that she was dead. I feared the worst had finally happened but she had let out something that sounded like a whimper.

I had wasted no time in rushing to her side, gripping her cheek as I called her name but it would seem she was having a nightmare. I heard her call my name and say something along the line that Ivar was gone. I decided to wake her up from the nightmare, shaking her until eventually those eyes snapped open. I was so excited to see those green eyes I didn’t consider what to expect. I didn’t consider that this place would have sucked the life out of them.

Though they had stared at me with recognition, asking if I was really here. I had assured her it was me but it didn’t seem to be enough for her. I watched her the last bit of light slowly fade away into nothing as she stared at me. I called her name but she just stared at me breathing weakly and as I took in her condition as she sat in that chair, I sobbed.

I cried out releasing all the pains I’ve felt into my voice. I should have gotten here sooner, I should have found a way but instead I believed that she was strong. I believed that she could handle herself so I focused on more pressing matters. I wailed loudly when I saw the hand prints on her arms and her breast area.

If they were to stab a knife in my chest right now, I was sure the pain would be nothing compared to what I was feeling now. This pain was ten times worse and every part of me hurts, just seeing her made me feel like my heart was being pulled out of my chest and getting stabbed with a thousand shard of glass.

"Dahlia." I called again but she just stared straight ahead. Sniffing, I grab at the chains that were holding her wrists.

Where the hell was Evie with the keys? I asked as I glared at the chains as if I could melt them with a single look. Footsteps hurrying towards the prison made me become at alert and instinctively, I stood in front of Dahlia, hands resting on the hilt of my sword but it turns out it was only Nikolai and he was with the key.

Nikolai stepped forward, handing me the keys without as much as a second thought. He stood behind keeping watch as I worked to free Dahlia loose. A hiss escaped her mouth when I freed her of the shackled on her wrists. A tear slipped down my face when I noticed the red angry marks the chains had left behind. Her wrists were battered and they hung limply at her sides as if she forgot how to use them.

My fingers gently massaged them before I took them and placed a kiss on both of her wrists. I stared up at her but her eyes still held that same vacant look in her eyes. Her lips were parted slightly but no words came out of her mouth. She just continued to stare at me like she had disappeared somewhere else, a place that was away from all of this.

Steeling myself, I shoved down the emotions I was feeling and proceeded to release the ones on her legs. The same angry marks were on her legs and I couldn’t control the sob that broke out of me as I stared at her legs.

"Reagan." Nikolai called although his voice was choked up with emotion but I knew what he meant.

"Oh gods." I sniffed before I blinked to collect myself before I wrapped my arms around her, "Alright, let’s get you out of here." I said as I lift my Dahlia up.

Gods above, she was small, so small she doesn’t have much weight in my arms. I turned to look at Nikolai, "What’s the status?"

"Evie returned back to her post to avoid anything suspicious so we have to go now." Nikolai reported, "Our men are already at the gates, so we should be able to get out of here."

That was good, I muse as I turned around to look at Dahlia. "You hear that Dahlia, we are going home."

Dahlia’s eyes were vacant but her mouth moved, "Home?"

That was progress, "Yes Dahlia, home. You get to go home with me finally."

I followed Nikolai out of the pit keeping my feet light as I walked with Dahlia in my arm. Everything was quiet until she spoke again.

"We can’t leave."

"Yes we can." Nikolai answered this time although his gaze darted around looking for any sign of danger.

"No we cannot." Dahlia replied her voice firmer this time around, "We cannot leave, we can’t leave." She mumbled against my chest.

I leaned forward to press a quick kiss to her. "Yes baby, we can. Everyone is waiting for me.

"And everyone is counting on me here, I can’t leave them." Dahlia insisted as she patted me on my shoulder.

I slowly let her down to her feet gently. Dahlia stared at me and I realized that she seemed to be more aware of her surroundings right now. But there was still a look in her eyes as she stared at me.

"We have to get everyone out." She repeated now, "I’m not leaving until we do so."

"Dahlia." I called her and she raised her gaze up to peek at me still trying to gauge if I was real or now. I raised a hand up to touch her cheek.

Dahlia looked startled at the movement as she moved backwards. Heaving out a sigh, I slowly raised my hand up. "Dahlia," I called her again, "Do you know who I am?"

"Reagan." She answered with a small smile, "But you are not real."

"What the fuck is going on?" Nikolai hissed as he turned back to look at us.

I shot him a look before I turned around to look at Dahlia. "What are you talking about Dahlia? I am real."

"You are?" Dahlia asked me with raised brows.

"Touch me." I whispered.

"Really?" Nikolai asked me, "You can’t wait till you get away from here but you are really going to be doing this here? Really Reagan, can’t wait for a few more days?" Nikolai whispered furiously.

I was about to respond to him when all of a sudden I heard the loud swish of an arrow. Nikolai dived towards the snow while I grabbed Dahlia using my body to protect her as I went to go and make sure that we hide behind a building.

"It’s them, they found us!" Dahlia whispered as she stared up at me with eyes filled with fear.