THE Knight's Hidden Princess-Chapter 211: Not By A Long Shot

Loraine’s betrayal was something that hurt me deeply. It’s something that I haven’t even addressed and even if I wanted to there wasn’t enough time. Loraine has been avoiding me ever since. I guess she didn’t want to face the fact that I saved her after she had betrayed me. She didn’t want to look me in the eye and see the consequences of her choice.

In a way, I can say that was the same for me too. I honestly didn’t know what to say to her if ever faced her. I didn’t know if I could control my anger because to be very honest I was hurt and angry.

It was her fault that I had been in that hell hole. It was her fault that I went through unspeakable hell. It was her fault all those people died. The way all those people had stared at me with hope in their faces when I told them that we would be escaping, for the first time in our lives we actually believed we would be free and it was something that we were so close to until she happened.

Her betrayal!

I could still hear the screams, their lifeless eyes and mangy bodies stared back at me when I close my eyes. That day was one that no one would ever forget.

Perhaps that was one of the reasons that made her keep her distance. Guilt was a burden to live with, it eats at your heart slowly and sometimes it steals your breath away and maybe that’s why she avoided me. Because she knows that if she does that burden will be revisited all over again.

I also didn’t want to face her because I was scared of what I would do in a fit of rage. I attacked her once when she came to visit and if she showed up in me again, I was scared of what else I might do. The last thing I wanted was to take away the only parent that Ilyana had even though she has a mother for a coward.

I had avoided Loraine for all of these reasons but now as I stared at Loraine, I felt nothing but pity for her. She has no where to go to and probably should have thought about it now that we had finally arrived at our destination.

Loraine held my gaze, her bottom lip trembling as she held on to Ilyana who was busy comforting her while casting nervous glances around them. Poor girl was scared that someone might try to attack her mother for good reason too.

Reagan advanced forward, stopping directly in front of me. "Is this true?" He asked me softly, "Was it because of her they did..." Reagan couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence.

I stared at Loraine who stared at me with wide eyes filled with fear and something else. I realized it was plea, a silent desperate plea for mercy.

Not forgiveness, nor my understanding.

She didn’t want any of that except my mercy.

I could see it in the way she clutched Ilyana tightly as if she needed her as an anchor to this moment and also to protect her from the consequences of her action. She knows what will happen if the truth comes out.

Looking away from her, I turned to look at Reagan and I nodded my head. "Yes."

Loraine let out a soft gasp as he knees trembled slightly and Ilyana whimpered softly as she reached for her mother to steady her.

I kept my gaze on Reagan who nodded his head at my admission. A shadow fell on his face and I saw the way he clenched his fists tightly and I knew he was holding himself back because she was a woman and because a child was also with her.

"Do not resent her." I told Reagan, "She did what any mother would."

"You wouldn’t." Reagan snapped at me.

My gaze rose up to meet his. "You do not know that."

"I do know that." Reagan whispered his voice harsh as he whispered, "It’s the reason why I lost you in the first place."

I clamped my mouth shut at that because I didn’t know what to say. Loraine had been given an impossible choice so even though I resent her for it, I do understand her actions and I wasn’t going to let her get punished for it.

"She stays with us." I said looking up at Reagan, "We are not letting them go, we are not letting any of them go.

Reagan closed his eyes as if it physically hurts him to hear me say it. He heaved out a sigh before opening his eyes to stare back down at me. "I knew you were going to say something like that and I will listen to you but when we get home, we are going to have to talk about this."

"I know what you are going to say but..."

"Home Dahlia." Reagan interrupted me giving me a look that says that I shouldn’t argue with him at this point.

I calmed down and nodded my head at him with a small smile on my face. Reagan breathed out as if relieved before he turned to look at the crowd who had gathered.

"Alright, here’s what is going to happen." He said in a loud voice, "We are all going to get off this ship in an orderly manner. You will see some guards at the docks and they will take you some place safe. You are to listen to whatever instructions the guards give you and if anyone has any issue with that, you might as well stay on this ship and give the captain your next address." Reagan said in a way that leaves no room for any argument.

His hand casually rested on his sword and Bjorn along with the rest of the guards stepped forward letting it be known that whosoever has any issues with it won’t just be dealing with Reagan but with all of them and no one in their right mind would be stupid enough to do something like that. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

The message was clear, crystal.

Even though a few murmurs arose from the crowd, no one dared to speak out loud. Everyone looked down at their feet and nodded their head stiffly. Now that they understood what was at stake, no one wanted to take a chance to piss of Reagan.

I stared at Reagan who scanned the crowd one more time before he gestured to the gangplank. "Alright, disembark in rows, no pushing and definitely no shouting." He said and everyone rushed to follow his instructions. "Remember I’m watching and if anyone causes a scene the person will be the last to be allowed through and that’s if he survives a fight with me." Reagan finished in a cold tone and we all got everyone to follow his instructions.

Things went on smoothly as we had planned but I know it wasn’t over, not by a long shot!