**Runaway**

Introduction & Chapter 1: Longing for Freedom

Summary: Upon discovering her betrothal to a lord nearly twice her age, a unconventional and independent princess flees from the bounds of palace, and voyages on an adventure of a lifetime. Along the way, she falls for a lone and reserved rogue who is very much like her, conflicting inside and not wanting to follow the rules...

*Author's Note: Hey y'all Fanficitoners! With the completion of one story, I have begun on a new story, one that is completely different from all my other stories and one-shots. This story, entitled, Runaway, features an original character of my own (I only own her, by the way) and none other than The Viper, Randy Orton. However, despite this story featuring WWE's Apex Predator, the chronological time does NOT take place in the present day, nor does the setting take place in the WWE Universe.

The setting of this story takes place in a kingdom located in an alternate universe, one that I have created purely out of my imagination, so not everything in the society of that kingdom will make entirely sense. The reason for the change in setting is because I have read so many Randy Orton/OC love stories, and all of them take place in a present day or WWE Universe setting, so I'd thought I'd try something a little different of my own. This entire story will be told entirely in third-person omniscient point of view, so there's nothing like 'Randy's POV' or anything. I hope you guys will enjoy reading this story as it progresses along.*

In an alternate universe, one that cannot be pointed out on a map that you would commonly find in your astronomy textbook, there was a country by the name of Secretum governed by the royal family of Akermann. For centuries, the Akermann name ruled Secretum, and under the Akermann rule, it was guaranteed that no violence, crime or controversy would burst out suddenly.

The Akermanns of the past and the present ousted criminals, bandits, and Magi (singular term is Magus), those who possessed a single bit of magic in their blood. They enforced strict laws upon the Magi, believing the Magi would place a curse to break the perennial governing power that had lasted for hundreds of years. Magic was something that could not be passed down from one generation to the next; it was not a hereditary trait. It was something that suddenly appeared out of nowhere; anyone, regardless of blood or social status, could be born a Magi and not realize it until later on in their life.

Unfortunately for the Magi, living in Secretum was not exactly tranquil. many of them either hid their powers, fled the country, or some unlucky ones were even condemned and silently executed in the prisons. The Akermann's fear of anything unusual or foreign has caused the drama in Secretum to drastically decline, and for the past hundred years or two, life was basically a bore. Exciting news was rare for the people; in fact, what was considered exciting was anything to do with the Akermann royal family. Whether it was the birth or death of a family member, or the coronation of a new leader, those were chiefly considered news. Other than that, nothing else occurred in the still, silent kingdom of Akermann.

And in that silent kingdom of Akermann, at the southernmost point of Secretum, amongst the stout and austere houses and shops of the surrounding civilian society, was a palace. This palace had been the home of the Akermanns since the beginning of their rule. This palace was so vast – it occupied about half of the area of the entire country of Secretum. This palace had the whole enchilada – a moat where one could fish for food surrounding the front half, a surrounding palace wall entirely made of force fields, a large garden filled with a variety of flora and fauna – it could be an entire town on its own. The palace has undergone changes in order to accommodate the present time period, but the blood of the occupants still remained the same.

And one of those occupants, sitting by the divan by the window of the bedroom on the fifth floor of the palace, was Mylene Akermann.

Standing at an average 5'5'', with wavy blonde hair up to her waist and deep blue eyes, Mylene Akermann resembled the perfect Disney princess. Her pale complexion with just a bit of blush in her cheeks and rosy lips made her resemble a porcelain doll. In fact, she indeed was a princess, the crown princess of the Akermann family, that is.

Despite her delicate and dainty appearance, Mylene was far from the typical 'proper and prim' princess – she hated the traditions and customs of being a lady. She loathed curtsying and ballroom dancing she had been forced to take up. She detested the table manners and protocols she was forced to practice almost every single day of her life. She thought the pretty and girly skirts and dresses she was forced to wear every single day of her life were absolutely ridiculous. To sum it all up, she hated palace life.

Mylene's eyes glowed with the moon as she stared into the deep night sky, unable to get any sleep due to the stresses and thoughts circling her mind. She longed to break out of the confining walls of the palace; not once had she left the vicinity, and for years she ached to explore the world outside the palace. She longed for adventure outside the palace life she abhorred so deeply. She wished for just one day to leave the palace and do whatever she liked, not sit in her chair and drink tea all day.

I wonder what it's like to live in the world outside this damned palace, thought Mylene, focusing her view on the distant Forest of Mysteries on the outskirts of Secretum, the forest that had been forbidden to all residents of the Akermann kingdom, why can't Mother and Father let me just step outside the gates and take a bit of a stroll? There's nothing terrible out there that could kill me because of the stupid laws Parliament makes on anything foreign; why are they so afraid of allowing me to get some fresh air out of this stupid castle?

To a normal citizen, the Akermann palace was like going to Disneyland. To the blonde-haired beauty, however, her home for 23 years felt more like a prison to her. Throughout her entire life, Mylene had not taken one step out of the palace, not even once to venture the shops, restaurants, and nightlife of Secretum. Everything she did was in the palace, whether it was for education, leisure, sports, or entertainment. She went to the study hall to receive private homeschool tuition for her education and 'princess lessons', which she absolutely dreaded. She went to the sports hall to do her exercise. She spent her leisure time occupying herself with the things she had in the palace– sketching from her bedroom window, listening to music, or even visiting the gardeners tending to the shrubs and bushes in the special rose garden.

Mylene was far from the type of girl who would stay home and read; she loved venturing outside her bedroom and occupying herself with whatever the palace supplied for her. But she wanted more – more than just running around in the courtyard and playing in the garden. She always wondered why Mother and Father, the King and Queen of Secretum, were so reluctant in allowing her to explore outside the palace walls and experienced the world outside.

Because she was always locked up in the palace, and because she was an only child, Mylene hardly had any friends at all. Her relatives never visited so she didn't have any cousins to play with. Her mother and father were always busy with governing the country and meeting with Parliament, so she never saw them unless she was called to see them. It was even rare for them to join her for dinner nowadays. Mylene even tried befriending some of the palace workers and servants. Most of them either refused to talk to her or show any sign of greeting towards her, but a few of them were very friendly and kept her company during the day. Even with a few amicable palace workers to chat with as she explored the palace, Mylene was still very lonely.

Oh, how I long to find someone to always be there for me. Someone to play with me and keep me company. Someone who will listen to my problems and understand how bored to tears I am in this prison I call my home, thought Mylene, I just want to find a friend who'll always be there for me and care about me as much as I care about them. I dream of finding happiness and true love in the world out there, not in this same, boring old palace that I've been imprisoned in for my entire life. I just want to go outside and explore the world I'd never explored before.

Mylene recalled the several occasions she'd tried to persuade her mother to allow her to go shopping in the city. Each time she asked, her mother was reluctant to answer and her father snapped at her.

"Mylene, how many times do I have to remind you about this?" he barked furiously at his only daughter, "when your mother and I tell you not to go outside the palace, we mean DON'T GO OUTSIDE THE PALACE."

"But Father!" begged a seventeen-year-old Mylene, "I've never been outside the palace before! I've always wanted to go shopping in the city and at least explore what it's like out there because I've never been there before!"

"Mylene—"

"Father, please! Why are you so reluctant in at least letting me go for a walk outside the palace walls?" pleaded Mylene, "is there something wrong with exploring the town? If I can't, then why can the rest of the population of Secretum?"

"That's enough, you stupid girl!" screamed King Akermann, slamming his fist on his office desk, "stop asking me that damned question, will you?"

"Lucian…" Queen Leonora, Akermann's wife and Mylene's mother, tried to hush her husband., placing a hand on his shoulder gently.

"Not now, Nora," snapped King Akermann angrily, "I'm trying to remind our daughter of the several times she's brought this issue up. I have told her several times that she's not allowed to go outside the palace."

"As for you, young lady," sneered the King, turning back to a trembling Mylene, "never ask me that question again. Never bring this up ever again. You will not ask me about going outside the palace and going to the city. Do I make myself clear, Mylene?" He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Father—"

"SHUT UP, STUPID GIRL!" roared the King, raising his hand and slapping Mylene across the face. The impact of the slap was so rough it left a visibly red hand mark across Mylene's cheek. Mylene couldn't help but let a tear escape from her eye and the Queen gasped in shock. "DON'T YOU DARE TALK BACK AT ME LIKE THAT!"

"Lucian, stop!" cried the Queen, grabbing his wrist before he could whack Mylene again.

"Don't get involved, Nora," spat the King angrily.

"You dare talk back to your father, Mylene? The King of Secretum? The King of this country?" growled the King, "I don't believe your lessons have taught you properly. I will have a word with your tutors tomorrow. Mylene, go to your room. Don't come down till tomorrow morning. Your mother will send Marion to deliver your dinner. Do you understand me, young lady?"

"Yes, Father," trembled Mylene, trying her best not to cry. She turned away and headed up to her room as her father commanded her to.

Mylene resented her father with a loathing hate. She thought he was a pompous, self-centered, arrogant twit. She never thought of him as a parental figure, despite calling him 'Father'. She only called him that because he ordered her to do so. She wanted to turn to her mother, the more caring and understanding of the two, but the King always wanted his wife by his side and she honestly couldn't do much. The Queen seemed to be afraid of her husband since she was so quiet, but Mylene was far from cowardly like her mother. She often stood up to her father, and whenever she did, she earned herself nothing but shouting and sometimes the occasional physical abuse. The only reason why Mylene dared to talk back at her father was because she deeply despised him.

He thinks he can do whatever he wants because he's the King, thought Mylene stubbornly, rolling her eyes, he thinks he can hit me and abuse my mother and I because he's the King. He thinks just because he's in charge, he can do whatever he wants. I can't let him control my life forever. I've got to get away from this hellhole. Who knows what Father has in store for me in the near time future.