DEFIANCE

ᚒLockedᚒ

ᚒADESLIEᚒ

I waited patiently, my mind hazy with possibilities of what he could have gone through or seen in there.

With every passing second, my worries only grew, and panic slowly crawled into my chest.

What if something happened to him?

What if there were wild animals that attacked him?

Why can’t I hear or see anything from where he entered?

“HAH! HIR HA INDO!”

A loud gasp escaped my throat when a raspy, frightening voice echoed from behind me. My head snapped toward the sound, and my breath hitched as I saw five… no… seven armed, towering men emerging from the forest.

Their clothes, their armor… they were the same people who attacked us and destroyed our tribe’s home. My legs trembled as memories of how they ruthlessly tore through every house in my tribe flashed before my eyes.

“Indo e hir… Hm… I could not be mistaken, little Firani. You must be the lost Firani Princess… Hir ha indo—no—here you are! We’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

My eyes widened, and I froze. The realization that they were not only responsible for the chaos, but they were also hunting for me, struck me cold. All I thought was that they were theives, trying to steal frum us, but I was wrong.

Why?

Why would they be looking for me?

Delon, please come back now.

My chest rose and fell rapidly as they began striding closer. The fear heightened in every second that passed, with hopes that Delon would appear to save me.

“Don’t come near me…” My voice quivered as I tried to move back. My legs shook uncontrollably, I couldn’t even find the strength to stand.

“Hind—You think you can escape this time, Firani Princess? No, you can’t.”

His voice dragged slowly, making me inch farther away, the sound sinking deep into my chest and weakening my entire body.

My eyes watered as the heavy tension in the air prickled my skin. In that moment, I wished I could stop feeling the heaviness of their presence. I just wished I could block my senses from absorbing the heaviness or their bad intents.

“Delon!” I shouted, panic lacing every word, hoping he could hear me. He had only left seconds ago, I know he was close.

He promised he’d come back—so I hoped desperately for him to return now.

Please, Delon.

Save me.

“What a poor girl!”

My eyebrows knitted together as they burst into loud laughter, their mocking glares stabbing straight through me.

“You… you really think he can save you?” the bigger man boomed, laughing hard as he held his head like he was overly amused.

“He can’t, little Firani!” he said as he stepped closer and yanked me up by my arms. I gasped as pain shot through my shoulders.

“No! Let me go! Delon! Save me!”

“Quiet, Firani! He can’t save you!” he barked, gripping my shoulders tightly and lifting me as if I weighed nothing.

“He will save me! He will come!”

I shouted back, clinging to the hope still burning in my chest.

But their twisted laughter, filled with disgust, told me otherwise.

My heart tightened painfully at the thought that something terrible had happened to Delon, or worse.

I struggled against his grip, hoping to break free. Images of Delon hurt, bleeding, or being dragged away flashed through my mind, feeding my panic.

Tears stung my eyes as I realized I couldn’t escape his tightening hold.

“He won’t save you, Firani. Why would he, when he was the one who led us to you?”

My breath stopped. His words echoed through my mind, tearing through every layer of hope I had left.

My body stiffed. My confidence in being saved shattered.

“No! That’s not true! He will save me!”

I didn’t want to believe him. I would never.

He promised to protect me, to help me find my tribe again. He would never betray me.

“See for yourself,” the man growled. He made me face his other members and I just wish I didn't look up.

Then I saw him.

Delon stood before them, his expression unreadable. He was slightly smaller than the towering men, yet the way he carried himself made him appear powerful, dominant.

The aura radiating from him made the others seem smaller despite their size. I had only realized now that he carried that sort of superiority.

I stared at him, tears finally spilling down my cheeks.

He…

He promised.

My heart cracked apart, the pain sharp and unbearable.

“And it is not Delon, you fool. It is Prince Delon. Prince Delon of Dagani.”

If my heart could break more than it already had, I wouldn’t still be breathing.

The pain carved deeper, squeezing all the air from my lungs.

Delon….....

ᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒᚒ

My back throbbed in pain, making it difficult for me to move or even sit. I could feel how deeply the ache had seeped into my skin and bones.

I wiped my tears and looked around the dim room, the suffocating heaviness pressing into my chest.

My nose itched from the stale air, and I wished desperately to leave.

My arms, shoulders, and back pulsed with discomfort. They had shoved and dragged me inside their cave, slamming me against rough corners and walls—without the slightest concern.

Why would they care?

And Delon… he just watched. Not a glance, not a word. He simply walked with them, as if nothing about my suffering mattered. So different from the gentle way he used to look at me in the forest......... when I knew nothing of his real identity.

Tears slid down again, and I clutched my chest, trying to dull the invisible pain pounding through me.

The chains on the door rattled, and it opened. A tall man stepped inside, dressed in black and armed. But what wondered me was his presence that lacked the cruelty the others carried.

He held a tray and glanced at my state with a stern expression.

“Here’s your food.”

His small, almost squeaky voice startled me—it didn’t match his intimidating appearance.

He noticed my stare, and I immediately looked down.

There was something different about him. No malice. No hatred. Instead, something like restraint—something the others didn’t have.

He cleared his throat and placed the tray on a small wooden table beside the hard bed.

“Listen… they’re sending you to the land of Lilak tomorrow. Behave, or… things will go badly for you when you get there.” His voice held a slight of gentle, a sound I haven't heard ever since I was here.

His hushed tone made it seem like he didn’t want anyone hearing him. It confused me even more.

“Why are they doing this?” I whispered, desperate for answers.

“Prince Delon wants to prove he’s capable of becoming king,” he murmured. “So his father ordered him to capture the Princess of Firani—you.”

So… that was it?

Was destroying our home also part of proving himself worthy? My blood boiled with anger and grief. My whole tribe was affected, many were hurt.

“But why me? Why us?” I asked through clenched teeth.

“The king had a long-standing conflict, well, a ‘war’ with the Firanis. Your father challenged our king—”

“My father would never,” I snapped. He was virtuous, disciplined, and kind. He was never the type to provoke others.

Before he could respond, the door burst open. A larger man entered and shoved him aside harshly.

I haven't seen him before, but he also carried the same malice as the others.

He grabbed my arms harshly, gripping tight enough to bruise, and dragged me out.

Sunlight blinded me the moment we stepped outside. Another man grabbed me, not giving me a second to adjust.

I didn’t resist as they lifted and tossed me into another confined space. The door slammed shut and darkness fell, allowing me to clearly see my surroundings.

I realized I was inside a dirty carriage, surrounded by the unpleasant smell of decaying insects.