The Princess' Harem
Chapter 151: The Rescue

Chapter 151: The Rescue

Viana suddenly heard a rustling sound at her window. The thin but many vines gently unlocked it without trouble.

She quickly jumped from the bed and approached the now slightly open window. "Thank you," she whispered.

She took a deep breath, then quietly slipped through the window, which luckily was on the ground floor. It was dark outside, and she walked carefully, following the old tree’s guidance.

"To the left... go slightly downhill... avoid the guards," the tree whispered. Small birds flew between the guards’ heads, pulling their attention away.

Meanwhile, the mice were biting through the rope holding a small gate at the side of the castle. Viana ran low to the ground toward it, moving through the shadows of the plants and the buildings.

The vines had already created an opening just wide enough for her to crawl through, and she managed to escape.

With her brown cloak now torn after going through bushes and branches, Viana ran without direction, cold and frightened.

Her clothes were ripped in places, her golden hair tangled and messy, her body shaking from the northern night air. Luckily, the trees in the valley guided her steps and blocked her from being seen by anyone inside the castle.

***

Meanwhile, Prince Rayne, along with Bertina and several Valendale Royal Guards, rode fast through the darkness heading north, following Bertina’s lead.

Suddenly, the woman stopped her horse, and the others followed. She held the crystal on her necklace again, eyes half closed.

"She’s escaped the castle... but she’s weak," Bertina muttered with a rough voice.

She turned to Prince Rayne and spoke urgently. "Quickly, Prince, before they notice she’s gone."

Without waiting, Rayne kicked his horse into speed, the others close behind. "Hang on, Viana..." he whispered, his eyes trying to cut through the thick fog.

One of his knights suddenly pointed. "There she is!" he shouted.

Rayne jumped off his horse and ran toward the small, stumbling figure on the rocky path. Viana, dirty and shivering from the cold, nearly collapsed when she saw him.

"Prince... Rayne?" she whispered weakly, sounding relieved. She stumbled again, but Rayne caught her and pulled her into a tight hug to stop her from shaking.

"You’re safe now," Rayne said softly. He opened his coat and wrapped it around her.

Then he lifted her into his arms and helped her onto his horse. They all rode off, Rayne holding her close.

Viana, now less shaky, whispered. Her voice was almost too soft to hear.

"Lazarus... he took me... He came into the room... he looked at me like... like..." she whispered in fear.

"Shhh... you’re safe now..." Rayne whispered, holding her tighter. But his hands clenched, and anger burned in his eyes. "You’re safe now. We’ll bring you home."

But the fog in the valley grew thicker, and the night was too dark to travel any farther. Luckily, one of the knights found an old hunting cabin nearby.

"We should take shelter for now, Prince," he said. "It’s too dangerous to keep going tonight."

Rayne nodded, dismounted, and carried the weak Viana inside. A knight lit a fire in the small fireplace and began boiling rations for soup.

Viana sat by the fire, still wrapped in Rayne’s coat, her body still shaking from cold and trauma.

Rayne sat next to her, hugging her tight to stop the shaking. When the soup was ready, he gently fed her.

The warm soup spread through her body, warming her again. Her shivering stopped, though fear still lingered in her eyes.

Bertina sat nearby and watched her closely. "You have a gift that connects you to nature, Princess. And that’s what saved you," she said with a slow nod.

Rayne had already told Viana that Bertina was a seer. And when she heard her words, Viana gave a weak smile, too tired to speak much.

"Thank you, Bertina," she whispered so softly it was barely heard. She looked weakly at Rayne. "And you... thank you for coming on time."

Rayne nodded, his hand gently rubbing her arm to keep her warm. "I’ll always try to protect you," he said with a quiet promise.

The Royal Guards, keeping watch at the door and scanning the area, glanced at them briefly but didn’t comment.

They knew how much Viana had been through, and Rayne’s presence clearly brought her comfort.

Exhaustion finally took over Viana. Her eyes began to close, and her head rested on Rayne’s shoulder. He gently lifted her and placed her on the hay-covered bed the knights had prepared in the corner.

But she clutched his arm tightly as he tried to step away. "Don’t go..." she whispered, scared, almost pleading.

She didn’t let go, so he looked at her gently, heart moved. "I’m not going anywhere," he answered softly.

Rayne sat with his back against the wooden wall, letting Viana curl up in his arms, her head resting on his chest.

The guards and Bertina near the fire only glanced once without saying anything. Bertina gave a small nod and a slight smile, as if she understood the bond between them.

The guards, used to Rayne’s responsible nature behind his bad boy style, focused only on keeping the cabin secure, making sure no threats came near.

Viana, in Rayne’s arms, finally gave in to sleep. Her breathing grew calm, though her hand still held tight to Rayne’s arm like she was scared to let go.

Rayne looked at her pale face, her messy golden hair, and the small cuts on her hands from the escape. Gently, he leaned down and kissed her forehead, his eyes closed in a quiet promise of protection.

"I swear, Lazarus will pay for this," he whispered, voice low and full of rage. His eyes burned with resolve, the fury toward the man who had hurt Viana lighting his soul.

Above his head, a Love Percentage appeared, showing 89%.

Viana, still sleeping, murmured softly, "Rayne..."

Rayne just smiled and held her tighter, keeping her warm through the cold night.

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