Lux Ex Tenebris Ch. 05

The carriage abruptly stopped and I could hear noises outside. I heard two men conversing right by the door and so I knocked on it.

"Excuse me."

They fell silent, and after a moment they continued talking. I tried to listen but I couldn't hear what they were saying as their voices were muffled. I started banging on the door.

"Hey! Open the door! Please!"

I continued pounding the door with my fists but the men outside clearly didn't want to help. Soon after I heard their footsteps heading to the front of the carriage. I fell to the seat when the carriage sped back on the road.

***

I didn't know how long I had been inside the carriage, nor how many days had it passed since I left Tenebris. For the sake of my unborn child, I forced myself to eat the breads and cheeses that they put through a tiny window by the lower part of the door every few hours. I tried to make sense of time, but what good would it do if the confined space had robbed off the sense? The carriage made various stops, but none would hear my plea at every one of them. But I determined not give up for I still had my baby and Vidor to live for. God, please let Vidor be alive and safe.

The carriage stopped again and I sensed this would be the final stop. I was right. The door opened and I saw two men I had never seen before by the door. But before I could say anything, one of them grabbed me and covered my entire head with a bag, and the other one bound my hands with ropes. I forced myself not to scream and to remain calm so they wouldn't do anything rash that might hurt my baby.

We started walking. The one who bound me guided me by roughly turning me to the direction. The bag they used to cover my head was black and I couldn't see through it, so I focused on the direction and counted the steps. I inhaled deeply and realized that the smell was familiar. Could I be in Lumien? We started to ascend and one of them told me to watch my steps. I bitterly responded with,

"Thank you for caring but I can't really watch my steps with a bag over my head."

They both clearly didn't find it amusing but they didn't say anything either. I heard the sound of a heavy door open when the bag was removed from my head and my hands were freed from the bind. One of them harshly shoved me forward and locked the door.

I was in a nicely decorated room and, even though I knew I was now in Lumien, I couldn't identify where I was exactly. I walked to the tall window and saw that it had been barred from outside. I couldn't make out of the shapes outside either because it was night time and the moon was not visible. I sat down on the bed and pondered upon my situation here, thinking of a way to escape this place. I looked at the pillow next to me and noticed a small insignia at the bottom left corner of the cover. Martinien's insignia. I was in his place. I began to get my hopes high as I personally knew the people who served at his mansion and maybe they would help me -assuming that they would still have sympathy for me. The door opened and I saw a familiar face.

"Timor!"

I exclaimed in relief as I had always known Martinien's head butler since I was a child.

"Princ- Queen Clara, it's really good to see you again,"

He said nervously but wouldn't look me in the eye.

"Timor, you have to help me to get out of here. I'm pregnant and I must not be here."

He only weakly smiled and motioned for me to take the cup from the tray he was holding.

"I am aware of your condition and congratulations on your pregnancy, my Queen. Please refresh yourself with this. You must be tired from the long journey."

I took the cup and looked at the clear water.

"What's in it?"

"It's....water"

I heard hesitation in his voice but I trusted Timor and I was thirsty. As soon as I finished the cup, I started getting dizzy and my legs grew weak.

"Forgive me, my Queen.."

"Wha-"

I fell to the floor and through my blurry vision I saw two servants walked in with a stretcher and put me on it.

"What did you do, Timor?"

I asked weakly as they carried me to another room.

"I only did my job, my Queen."

I felt them put the stretcher down on a flat surface. I saw an older looking man standing next to me and proceeded to take my arm. I tried to pull my arm away but I grew weaker.

"N-no..."

"We have to remove the parasite from inside of you, Queen Clara,"

Said the old man.

"W-what parasite?"

"The baby, my Queen. It's a parasite."

I began to get terrified and tried to struggle.

"N-not a p-parasite... M-my baby..."

***

I woke up with a gasp and realized I was in bed. It was only a nightmare. Sighing with relief, I put my hands on my stomach.

"Oh, no."

I removed the blanket and lifted my sleeping gown only to see the neatly sewn fresh scar on my now flat stomach.

"No, no, no, no, no. My baby..."

I couldn't hold the tears from rolling down my cheeks. I mourned over the loss of my child. The child who I would never be able to see, to know, to hold, and to watch them grow. The child who I would never hear calling me 'mama' and I would never see laughing with Vidor. The child who would never witness how much their parents loved them. My heart was torn into pieces.

I didn't move from my spot for days as I didn't believe myself to not crumble if I got up. I didn't have the willpower nor strength to go on with my life because losing an innocent child, an unborn one at that, was too much to bear. I had no more hopes of escaping for my life, and I prayed that Vidor would understand.

Vidor.

How I missed him. How I longed to be in his safe and warm embrace and looked into his dark eyes that spoke of love and assurance. I kept dozing off into restless sleep and strange dreams of me looking for my child only to see Vidor in odd forms.

***

I heard the door opened and closed and I could sense whoever entered the room was standing by the bed, but I didn't bother to look at them. My mind was adrift and I felt dead inside.

"My Queen..."

It was Timor.

"Forgive me for what I've done. I... I only did what I had to do, my Queen."

He paused for a moment before speaking in a lower tone,

"Martinien killed my wife and I couldn't bear to lose my children. I had to do it.."

Silence.

"My Queen, the King is here. I'm not supposed to inform you but this is the least I could do to make things right."

I sat upright.

"My husband is here?"

Timor nodded gingerly.

"We don't have much time, my Queen. He is taken hostage in the dungeon and in a great pain. I spiked the guards' drinks with sleeping potion but the effect won't last too long."

I asked Timor to give me a minute to change. He bowed and waited outside. With trembling fingers and as quick as I could I put on a random gray dress, tied my hair, and put my boots on, all the while thinking about Vidor. And then I scurried to the door.

"I'm ready."

Timor motioned me to follow him through series of deserted corridors and flights of stair. I mentally took note of possible escape routes.

"Is my uncle here?"

"He was but I saw him left in his carriage before noon,"

"Before noon... So it was only about an hour ago?"

"Yes, my Queen, less than an hour ago. And I went to you as fast as I could."

I didn't think I could ever thank him after what he had done but I heard myself speaking out loud,

"Thank you, Timor. I really appreciate this."

"This is the least I could do, my Queen. I can only wish for you to forgive me one day."

We never slowed down our pace and soon we began to descent into the dungeon. My heart started beating faster. I saw two guards laying unconscious on the floor by the entrance and more of them as we walked further. We stopped in front of a cell with glass walls, and in there I saw Vidor on his knees, chained to the walls with shackles and chains that glowed oddly, like the sword that Belial used to kill my guards.

I banged on the glass wall and called Vidor's name, but his head remained down. I banged on the wall louder and he remained motionless. Could Vidor be... No, he couldn't be dead.

***

To my readers who have commented and sent me private messages, thank you for your attention and my sincerest, deepest apologies for taking years to get back to the series. I know this chapter might not be satisfactory, but I hope it's enough teaser for the next and final chapter -yes, I will finish this instalment no matter what or how long it takes.

Once again, thank you!