Chapter 15: The Escape
Janice galloped as fast as she could on the mare she had seized from the stable.
She was glad the black stallion, Dillion, which she had seen Jules ride often, hadn't knocked her down since it was in the same stable.
But, it had wanted to create an alarm which made Janice jet off as soon as she got there.
Also, she had glimpsed the castle guards pointing torches to where she was.
That damned horse! It was just like the master, Janice mulled.
Her stomach cramped, and the hands she was using to grip the rein of the mare seemed like it would fall off anytime soon.
Janice felt like stopping, at least to fill her lungs with air, but she knew the guards would catch up with her in no time if she decided to stall.
"I should have taken the car." She groaned.
Still, she knew it was a bad idea and would have been caught if she had decided to go in Margie's car.
Before her flight, she had been enthusiastic about getting married to Jules. Heck, she had even imagined what would happen in the bedroom that had been cleaned up for their honeymoon until she developed sudden cold feet.
The air in the forest turned chilly, and Janice shivered. She wrapped the red robe around herself with one hand whilst the other one was still on the rein tied to the horse.
Her head lifted to glimpse at the crescent moon in the sky, and she wondered what time it was.
She didn't get the chance to check since she left the bed soon after Jules slept after their lovemaking.
Extended branches scratched her skin leaving droplets of water in its wake. Her hair flapped around her face wildly, and she groaned, shaking it off.
Not far from where she was, she could hear hoofs beating on the soft soil. Janice thought of what would happen to her when they caught up to her.
She doubted if the Queen would be pleased with her for jetting off at the last minute. Also, she didn't know what Jules would do to her, but she knew he would not dote on her for trying to humiliate him.
Slowly, Janice climbed down from the horse and tied it to a tree.
It neighed softly, and she patted the head. "I'm sorry I can't take you along with me." She murmured and let the horse nuzzle her hand before she stepped away from it.
Janice's heart raced, and she panted as she scurried in the dark forest. She didn't know where she was going, but she knew she would arrive at a location soon.
Her ears perked up at the sound of whistles around her. The hoofs of the horses beat on the ground of the forest as they drew near where she was.
Her breath hitched and she hid behind a huge tree. She knew she would be caught if she chose to run.
"Where could she have been?"
"Janice!"
Margie, Janice thought as the other woman yelled her name.
"If I get hold of her, I swear by god she wouldn't be able to sit for a week," Jules swore.
Janice trembled at the threat that poured out of his words. She didn't know if he meant it or not because she didn't see Jules to be that kind of man that made women feel like an inferior.
"Why would she want to run away in the first place? Did you do anything to her?" Margie inquired.
Janice could hear the accusation in her voice and she pictured the frown that often appeared on her face when she was furious.
"I haven't seen her doing these nasty things before since I met her. She has always been on her best behaviour." Margie said, eyeing Jules. "I believe you did something to her!"
Jules glared at the woman before him. "Why would you think I did something to her?"
"This isn't the first time she would try to escape. But I'm glad she is successful this time." He asserted with a sarcasm laced in his voice.
Jules doubted if he had done anything as Margie had accused. She had been so happy yesterday when he arrived. Even the gift he had given her, she had accepted without showing any plan of running.
He wondered what he was going to tell the guest that was to be present at the wedding in the morning.
Perhaps, they would come up with some sickness until he found her.
Jules groaned, and he tugged at his hair in frustration. "She isn't dead, you know?"
He eyed Margie who had begun to sob. "Come on, we'll continue the search in the morning," Jules said, gripping her hand.
Margie shrugged it off and walked to the horse she had ridden, climbed on it, and galloped away.
"Women!" Jules grunted whilst glaring at nothing in particular. He untied the mare and took it to the castle along with him.
The next morning, the royal family announced to their guest that the ceremony had been adjourned due to the bride coming down with a sudden illness.
The guests had sent sympathy messages to her.
"That woman," The Queen said as she entered her chamber. "She isn't fit to be a queen."
"She is just having a cold feet mother." Jules asserted, shaking his head.
"No Queen or Queen consort before and during my time had cold feet before. This is the first time I heard that."
"It's common Mother," Jules said, walking to the window.
He veered the curtains and opened the windows to let air and light stream in.
"It's her first time and I believe she is trying to process everything that is going on," Jules said.
"I can see that she has bewitched you, that's why you are defending her." The Queen snorted.
Jules chuckled, "No mother. Janice comes from a different world where the women wear their hearts on their sleeves and it's normal to have a rethink for them."
The queen rolled her eyes, "I don't care where she is from. Find that wench or else you are having a bastard as a son."
"I will," Jules grunted, stepping out of the room.
He was aware he was going to find her, then whipped her and still made her his wife.
But, he wondered where he would begin the search from.