Chapter 25: Runaway

Ariel watched with concern as Sofie rushed off. She wanted to chase after her, but by the way Sofie sounded, it seemed as though she needed space. Ariel would ask her about it later.

She was still musing over this when she heard Eric's voice. She looked behind to find him rushing over to her with many guards trailing behind him.

"There you are! When I heard you were out on the beach I was worried," he said as he embraced her.

"I'm fine," she reassured. "But what's happening?"

"It's your lady's maid, Sofie. It's been discovered she's been plotting to kill me," Eric informed, still holding her. He knew she would be disappointed, and probably deny the fact.

Ariel was taken back by the accusations of her friend. "Sofie? No, that can't be true."

Eric nodded. "She used your friendship to get away with poisoning me. And the miscarriage, Ariel, she pushed you down the stairs. You didn't trip."

"Now she tried to enlist the help of one of my men to do her dirty work, Your Majesty," added one of the guards. "He was the one who turned her in."

Ariel placed a hand on her stomach after hearing about her miscarriage. "He mustn't be telling the truth. Sofie... she… she would never," Ariel said in disbelief. How could someone who claimed to be her friend hurt her family?

"Ma'am, Officer Frandsen is one of my best men. He would never lie about that," said the guard.

"I guess that's why she was so upset when she rushed past me."

"When did she come past?" the guard ask.

"Just a few moments ago. She was heading that way," Ariel pointed. "She seemed upset. I tried asking what was wrong, but she wouldn't respond. Now I know why," she reluctantly acknowledged.

Using their new information, the guards left in that direction. "This way, men."

Ariel grabbed Eric's hand. "You're not going with them, right? If this is all true, she's trying to kill you. You have to be safe, too."

He shook his head. "I'm not."

"I just don't understand why she would do this to us," Ariel said.

"Officer Frandsen said she hated my bloodline because of my father. Her father was killed during the massacre and she blames my father for that, with reason, I suppose. But Frandsen said she became so obsessed with trying to end the 'evil that lived within me' it caused her to go insane," Eric explained. "She belongs in an asylum, not here as your lady's maid, but she manipulated everyone."

"Is that what will happen to her? She'll be put into an asylum to seek help?" Ariel asked.

"No. she'll be sentenced to death for treason."

"Oh," Ariel did not know if she wanted Sofie to be put to death. Yes, she took her baby, and Ariel wanted justice for that along with being sure Sofie would not be able to hurt her husband ever again, but Ariel knew what grief could do to someone. Maybe, deep inside her, Sofie was just a sad, little girl who had lost her father unjustly, and that had taken her over. Perhaps there was another way to solve the problem.

"Since it seems like she's not too far ahead, I doubt it will be long until they catch her. They would have had her sooner had she been in the laundry room like Frandsen thought," Eric pondered. "I guess she left it for some reason and we just missed her."

They started walking back down the hall. Ariel wasn't sure where they were going, but she figured Eric would want her close by, so she followed. "I still can't believe I left her get this close into our life. It's my fault. Even you doubted her a little."

"Don't blame yourself," Eric replied. Guilt was the last thing he wanted his wife to feel. "If anyone's to blame, it's my father. It seems like I inherited his crown and his messes. I never thought his massacre would come back and haunt me."

"At least you're alive," she told him, before wondering, "Did she want me dead, too?"

Eric thought for a moment. "I don't think so. Since you weren't a descendant of my father, you didn't have the 'evil' in you. I wouldn't imagine she wanted to dead, but with her insanity, I wouldn't be surprised if she went on a killing spree. I feel so much better knowing you're safe now."

"Do you feel better enough to let me go check on Carlotta? She trusted Sofie, too. She must be upset about all this. I'll meet you…"

"With the guards," he finished. "I want to be the first to hear their findings, but I can come with you."

"No, no, it's fine," Ariel insisted. "Besides, Carlotta will rush down to make sure you're okay the second I tell her where you are. We'll be down in a bit."

Eric nodded in agreement. With Lauritsen out of the castle, it would be safe inside, the guards were making sure of that, and Ariel was right. Carlotta would double and triple check to see if he was alright. "Don't be long."

"I won't," she promised him before parting ways. She began walking up the staircase while watching Eric head his way. Then, as soon as he was out of sight, Ariel began back down the stairs and towards the stables. She'd need her horse if she hoped to reach Sofie before the guards.

Jacob was in the stables pondering over the note he delivered from Officer Frandsen to Miss Lauritsen. It was strange that the "dire" letter had to be delivered to her as the officer turned her in. He wondered what it contained and what made it so dire, but it was not his place to wonder. Jacob figured it was probably part of the officer's act to keep her thinking things were fine.

It was when Jacob was feeding his horse he saw the queen rush in and begin readying her horse. He could only guess she was heading out, but she appeared alone. With what he heard about Miss Lauritsen, Jacob knew it would be unwise for her to head out unprotected. Despite only being a messenger boy to run messages around the castle and into town, he advised the queen to stay inside the castle. She did not listen, though, and instead took off on her own.

The boy took it upon himself to search out the king or a high ranking officer. The guards' headquarters was the most logical place to find either of them, and lucky for Jacob, everyone he needed was right there.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" he called out as he entered the room.

The king stopped the conversation he was having with a guard and looked up at from the map they were looking at. "What is it, Jacob?"

"The queen! She came into the stables, took her horse, and left. I tried to tell her she should stay in the castle, but she ignored me. She's leaving the grounds unprotected!" he explained.

The king pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. He never should have left her alone. Now, she was probably going after Lauritsen, and he had no idea if Ariel understood she couldn't trust her.