The Debt Of Fate

Chapter 352: Escape

The journey to Lowe Pass was long and difficult.

Prince Lucan’s convoy moved together with General Robert and the reinforcement army that was being sent to guard Lowe Pass.

Hundreds of soldiers marched along the mountain road. Horses, supply wagons, and banners filled the long line that stretched across the hills.

Princess Karen looked outside. For three days she had been thinking about the perfect opportunity to escape. She had carefully observed the guards and the maids around her without revealing anything.

She sat inside the carriage quietly, her hands resting on her lap. Her son had already been taken away to ride with Prince Lucan, leaving her alone with two maids.

Outside, soldiers rode beside the carriage at all times.

Karen watched everything carefully through a small gap in the curtain.

The convoy stopped that night near a small river to rest.

The soldiers set up camp quickly. Fires were lit, tents were raised, and guards took their positions around the camp.

Princess Karen remained inside the carriage.

She waited patiently.

After some time, the two maids beside her slowly fell asleep. After three nights of cooperation from her, the maids had lowered their guard.

Karen gently pushed the carriage door open.

Cold night air rushed in.

She stepped down quietly and moved behind the nearby wagons, trying to stay out of sight.

The camp was large, and many soldiers were distracted by food and conversation.

If she could reach the trees near the river, she might disappear before anyone noticed.

Karen began moving faster.

But just as she stepped past a supply wagon—

A strong hand suddenly grabbed her arm.

Karen gasped and turned around.

A soldier stood behind her, holding her firmly.

Several other soldiers quickly surrounded her.

"You should not wander at night, Princess," the soldier said calmly.

Karen struggled angrily, but soon forced a smile.

"I just wanted to relieve myself. Those maids are sleeping. They looked so tired, so I did not wake them," she lied with a straight face.

But the soldiers did not believe her and dragged her back toward the center of the camp.

By the time they arrived, Prince Lucan and General Robert were already standing there.

Someone had informed them.

General Robert looked at her for a moment before giving a short laugh.

"Give up, Princess. You can’t escape," he advised.

Karen glared at him.

"I was just going to relieve myself," she stubbornly refused to admit it.

Prince Lucan’s expression remained cold.

"Take her back to her carriage. Next time, have a maid accompany you. Don’t play tricks."

The warning in his voice was clear for all to hear.

Karen said nothing.

Lucan turned to the guards.

"Double the watch around her carriage."

The soldiers nodded.

That night, Karen was locked inside the carriage.

Two days later, the army reached the steep mountain roads leading toward Lowe Pass.

The path became narrow and dangerous. On one side stood tall cliffs, and on the other side was a deep valley.

The convoy slowed as the soldiers carefully guided the wagons along the road. Because they wanted to reach Lowe Pass as soon as possible, they had chosen this difficult route.

Princess Karen watched the road silently.

Then suddenly—

She pushed open the carriage door and jumped. Her movement was so fast that before the maids could understand what she was doing, she had already leapt out.

Her body rolled down the dusty slope beside the road.

The maids screamed.

"Princess!"

Karen ignored the pain as she scrambled to her feet and began running down the hill toward the forest below.

But the ground was full of loose stones.

Behind her, soldiers were already shouting.

"Stop her!"

Karen ran faster, but her foot suddenly slipped.

She fell hard onto the rocky ground.

Pain shot through her ankle.

Before she could stand again, two soldiers from General Robert’s unit reached her.

They grabbed her arms and dragged her back up the slope.

Karen struggled furiously.

"Let go of me!" She refused to believe she had been captured so easily.

But the soldiers held her tightly.

When they brought her back to the road, Prince Lucan and General Robert were both waiting.

General Robert shook his head with a small smile.

"I have fought many battles," he said, "but this is the first time I have seen someone try to escape from the middle of ten thousand soldiers."

Karen glared at them.

"Even if I fail, my father will send a rescue eventually."

Prince Lucan looked down at her coldly.

"We will see."

He turned to the guards.

"From now on, chain her hands during the journey—even when she sleeps."

Since she did not want to keep her dignity, he would give her none.

The soldiers obeyed immediately.

Karen was placed back inside the carriage.

The army continued moving forward.

And Lowe Pass slowly appeared in the distance.

The group arrived at Lowe Pass three days later.

General Robert quickly took command of the defenses. He arranged the soldiers, checked the supplies, and sent scouts to watch the enemy movements.

Prince Lucan, however, had no real authority there.

Although he was of royal blood, he held only an empty title. The soldiers and officers all answered to General Robert.

So Lucan simply settled into the residence prepared for him inside the fortress. Most days, he stayed away from military matters and left the war to the general.

Princess Karen was also brought to the residence.

Her guards were still watching her closely, but compared to the journey, life in the fortress was quieter. At least she did not have to stay in chains all day long.

Karen did not panic.

In her heart, she still believed her father, the king of Gube, would send men to rescue her.

So she decided to wait.

Every day she looked toward the distant mountains, hoping to hear news that the army of Gube was approaching.

Days passed.

One afternoon, Prince Lucan decided to take a walk outside the fortress walls. The nearby village had been built to support the soldiers stationed at Lowe Pass.

Farmers, blacksmiths, and traders lived there.

As Lucan walked along the village road, his eyes suddenly stopped on someone.

A young woman was standing beside a well, drawing water with a wooden bucket.

She wore simple clothes, and her long dark hair was tied loosely behind her back. Her face was clean and gentle, and there was a quiet beauty about her.

Lucan stopped walking.

For a moment, he simply watched her.

The young woman noticed him looking and quickly lowered her head in respect.

Lucan felt something strange in his heart.

For a long time, he had cared for Princess Karen, protected her, and believed she felt the same.

But Karen had never valued his feelings.

Now, looking at the calm and humble girl before him, Lucan suddenly felt the desire to live the rest of his life for himself.

Without thinking too much, he gave a short order to the soldier beside him.

"Bring her to the residence."

Then he returned first.

Not long after, the young woman was brought into Prince Lucan’s residence.

He allowed her to stay there for a few days while he observed her.

After entering the residence, the maids helped the girl clean up and changed her clothes.

When she appeared before Lucan again, she looked very beautiful.

"I already have a wife," Lucan said, "but the position of my official mistress is open. Are you willing?"

The girl lowered her head shyly.

She was an orphan struggling to survive. Seeing such a noble man interested in her, she was willing. Moreover, she had heard that his wife was locked away. That meant she would not be very different from the real wife.

"Yes, my lord," she said softly.

Lucan heard her and was very pleased.

The news quickly spread through the residence.

Servants whispered about it quietly.

And before long, the news reached Princess Karen.

The moment she heard it, her face turned red with anger.

"What did you say?" she demanded.

A maid lowered her head nervously.

"His Highness... has brought a village girl to the residence."

Karen stood up immediately.

Her chest rose and fell with anger.

She could not understand it.

First, she had lost to Anastasia when Ernest rejected her offer.

Now even her own husband, who once treated her with care and patience, had chosen a simple village woman instead.

"A village woman?" Karen said bitterly.

Her hands trembled slightly.

"How could I lose to people like them?"

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.

Karen had always believed she was superior to other women.

She was the princess of Gube, born into royalty.

Yet now everything around her seemed to be falling apart.

Her husband no longer cared for her.

Her freedom was gone.

And the only thing she could do was wait for her father to rescue her.

She vowed to take revenge on these two people once she was rescued and Gube defeated Nexile.