Once again Caleb, Blake and Sheldon found themselves walking swiftly and silently though the halls of the Sanctuary in the dead of night.
"This is madness! You said yourself we need to plan this, why have you all of a sudden changed your mind?" Whispered Blake angrily.
"Circumstances have changed." Replied Caleb, quickening his pace.
"What circumstances?" Asked Blake, his anger rising.
"You'll see soon enough."
Sheldon stayed quiet, while the anger within Blake only grew more and more. Caleb moved quickly, but his mind was even quicker as it worked out drastically what he was going to do. He led the boys back to the room where The Master of Discipline lay dead. Upon realizing where they were heading Sheldon spoke up.
"Why are you taking us towards The Master of Discipline's room? If he catches us, he'll break our necks!" He whispered urgently.
"He won't be a problem." Caleb said coldly.
Blake and Sheldon simply exchanged looks of complete confusion, until Caleb quickly opened the door of the Masters room. There they saw the Master of Discipline face down in a still growing pool of his own blood.
"What the fuck?"
"You killed him?" Sheldon asked.
Caleb nodded.
"Why the hell did you do it?" Blake demanded.
Caleb pondered this for a moment.
"He was beating me, and I snapped."
"You snapped. That's your excuse? Don't you think we'd all like to stick a knife in this guys neck while he beats us?"
"It was different this time."
Blake simply laughed.
"So what I don't get is why you've dragged us along to see this? Wanted to show off your handiwork did you?" Blake mocked.
"No. Once the Master's find him they'll know it was me, Master Bastien sent me to see him, so he'll now I was here at the time. We only have until morning before they find him. We have to leave. Now." Caleb said urgently.
"We? You're the one who killed the bastard, not us. You're the one who's condemned yourself to death because you couldn't control your anger. You're the one who's life is in danger, not ours." Blake retorted.
"Don't be stupid, the Masters have seen you talk to me too many times, I already took a beating from Bastien the other day because he thought we were friends. Once they realize I killed him and can't find me, they'll turn to you for information, then they'll slit your throats for good measure as an example to the other boys. By all means stay here if you want, but coming with me is the only chance you've got."
Blake fumed but said nothing, for he knew Caleb was right. It was Sheldon who broke the silence.
He looked down at the fallen Master and spat at him. Then uttered the word:
"Bastard."
Blake and Caleb did the same, Blake even added the a kick to the ribs.
"We don't have time to hang around, let's gather as much supplies as we can, and get out. I'll run to the weapons cupboard and get the rope." Said Sheldon, making his way out the door. In complete silence Blake and Caleb, stole as much equipment that they thought would come in useful. Knives, flint to create fire, food that had been left by the Master, and leather pouches that could be filled with water.
Once Sheldon had returned with the rope, and also a bow with a few arrows, they were set to leave.
They boys made there way to the balcony that led out from the Master's room and securely tied the rope to one if the pillars and threw the rest down. Taking one last look at the pale and frozen body of the Master he had killed, Caleb began the painful task of lowering himself down in complete darkness.
He had no idea now high up he was, and how far he would drop if he was to fall. Once he felt the bottom of the rope he stopped for a second to ponder, he had to let go, he would fall anyway. And with that he released his hands and started to fall. He fell all of six feet. It was certainly a shock but a very pleasant one indeed. Once Blake and Sheldon also reached the bottom, the boys didn't even have time to celebrate the fact that they had not been on the outside of The Sanctuary walls for Eleven years. All they could think about was putting as much distance between them and The Sanctuary as possible, for it would not be long before the search parties were deployed. So with that the boys began to run as fast as they could, in total darkness, with not a clue in mind as to where they were headed, and armed with the pleasure of knowing they had finally escaped from hell itself.
Cornelia sat with her head in her hands, she was close to tears, but because of the presence of her maid, Petra, in her room, she managed to hold them back.
"But Cornelia, are you not excited to be engaged?" Petra sang out.
"To a man I have never met before?" Cornelia moaned.
"Ahh but it has been Mersham tradition for centuries that the parents of their daughter must choose her soul mate for her." Petra explained.
"It sounds like an awful tradition to me, I don't think I can marry a man who I don't love, or even know!" She cried.
"Oh come now Cornelia, you know Connor Calford, everyone in Mersham knows who he is!" Petra cried. "He is the best soldier that Mersham has seen in centuries, he has never once lost a fight, you should be thankful to your parents that they have chosen you such a fine fiance." Petra said.
"I know how skilled he is, but I don't love him." Cornelia explained.
"Ahh you can learn to love him once you are married and have produced and heir to the throne. Marriage is not only about love, there are certain…acts you must fulfill." Petra said.
Cornelia saw that clearly Petra felt the same way her parents did. To them Cornelia was some kind of machine or item that was used to create a baby to become the next ruler of Mersham. Cornelia herself would never be ruler of Mersham as it was not permitted for a woman to be a ruler of such a great city. This was also another pressure on Cornelia's shoulders, she must produce a male heir to the thrown and not a daughter like her parents had produced. It was seen as a great shame when the only heir to the throne was a girl, so Cornelia's father had been planning ever since Cornelia was a child to have her wed and produce a male heir as soon as possible so that once the King was dead the male heir would be old enough to take his place, of course for this to be possible, Cornelia needed to have the baby as soon as possible.
"I hear that the King and Queen are holding a ball in your honour to celebrate your engagement, it's very exciting don't you think? Petra continued.
Cornelia sighed.
"Yes, it is very exciting." She lied.
This would be the first time she would meet her future husband, other than the feast they both attended where it was agreed that the pair of then would wed, however neither of them had actually spoken to each other. Connor was of course overjoyed with the idea of becoming the future prince. After all, who wouldn't be? This was all Cornelia could think about though, how Connor didn't love her either, he was only marrying her for the fame and fortune that came with it. To her everyone else won, Connor got his fame, The King would have a respectful son in law, and maybe one day the people of Mersham would be blessed with a male heir. All this stood on the shoulders of an almost 18 year old girl.
"Thank you Petra, you may leave me now." Cornelia whispered.
Once Petra had left the room, Cornelia curled up into a small ball on her bed and wept quietly throughout the lonely night. Was being a princess really to be brought up in a life of luxury, no, Cornelia thought, it was like being brought up in a hell she would never be able to escape from.
Sorry about the short chapter, but i really enjoy writing this story and just wanted to post another one really quick to see what you think of it. The next couple of chapters will have plenty of action in them, so keep a look out for when i update, which should be soon, seeing as this one was so short. Anyway i hope you enjoyed this, yaay the boys finally escaped, and poor Cornelia, i feel like i am so mean to her sometimes, maybe one day i'll give her a break:L okay i'll stop talking now! one last thing... keep the reviews coming, i know how many of you are reading this and skipping out on the reviewing bit, don't be lazy it takes like 3 seconds! Plus it puts a big smile on my face, so anyone who reviews from now on will get a special thank you from me! (okay i think i've resorted to bribery!) anyway REVIEEEEW! Thanks :)