The Unlikely Heir

Chapter 3. cast out

returned to his room, exhausted and still trying to process the events of the day. He had just been cleared by the nurse, and he was looking forward to finally getting some rest. He collapsed onto the bed, feeling a wave of relief wash over him.

But before he could even relax, two guards stormed into his room, their faces stern and unforgiving. They grabbed Ryker's arms and held him down, their grip like a vice.

"What's going on?" Ryker demanded, trying to struggle free. But the guards were too strong, and they easily overpowered him.

They handcuffed Ryker's wrists and dragged him out of the room, down the hallway and into the courtyard. Ryker tried to resist, but the guards were too powerful, and he was forced to submit.

As they reached the courtyard, the King appeared, his face cold and calculating. "Ah, Ryker," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "I see you're still causing trouble."

Ryker struggled against the guards, but they held him firm. "What are you doing?" he demanded, his voice shaking with anger.

The King smiled, a cruel smile spreading across his face. "A noble has taken an interest in the Princess," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "And that means you're no longer needed."

Ryker's eyes widened in shock as he realized what the King was saying. "You can't do this!" he shouted, struggling against the guards. "I'm the Princess's husband!"

The King laughed, a cold, mirthless sound. "You're nothing but a liability, Ryker," he said. "And liabilities need to be eliminated."

The guards dragged Ryker away, leaving him to wonder what was happening. What noble had taken an interest in the Princess? And what did it have to do with him?

As he was dragged deeper into the castle, Ryker's mind racing with questions and fears, he knew that he had to find a way to escape. He couldn't let the King and the guards get away with this. He had to fight back, no matter what it took.

But for now, he was at their mercy. And as he was dragged away, he knew that his fate was sealed. He was a nobody. He had been forced to marry into the Royal family just to save their own face, and now he was of no use, they wanted to discard him. What would they tell Lirien? That he ran away? Leaving her with the unborn child? He knew that Lirien will hate him for life.

The guards dragged Ryker deeper into the castle, down a narrow corridor that seemed to lead to nowhere. Ryker's mind was racing with questions and fears, but he knew he had to stay alert if he wanted to survive.

As they walked, the corridor began to slope downward, and Ryker felt a sense of unease growing inside him. He was being led deeper into the castle, further away from the light and the safety of the main halls.

The guards stopped in front of a canal, and one of them gestured for Ryker to get into a small boat that was tied to the dock. Ryker hesitated, but the guards pushed him forward, forcing him into the boat.

As soon as Ryker was seated, the guards untied the boat and pushed it out into the canal. Ryker felt a sense of panic rising up inside him as he realized he was being sent away from the castle, away from the Princess and the only life he had ever known.

The guards stood on the dock, watching as Ryker drifted away from them. One of them spoke up, his voice carrying across the water. "Be grateful we're sparing your life, despite the King ordering us to eliminate you."

Ryker's eyes widened as he realized the truth of the guard's words. He was being sent away to die, or at the very least, to be left to fend for himself in the dark and treacherous waters of the canal.

As the guards turned to leave, Ryker felt a sense of despair wash over him. He was alone, adrift in a boat, with no idea where he was going or what lay ahead.

The darkness of the canal seemed to close in around him, and Ryker felt himself drifting off into unconsciousness. He was trapped, helpless, and at the mercy of the currents.

As the last of his strength faded, Ryker's mind slipped away, leaving him to the mercy of the water.

Ryker's world went dark, his consciousness slipping beneath the surface of the canal's murky waters. Time lost all meaning as he floated, his body battered by the gentle lapping of the waves against the boat.

When Ryker came to, he was disoriented, his head pounding with a dull ache. The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the canal. He struggled to sit up, his wrists still bound by the handcuffs.

As he looked around, Ryker realized he was alone, the boat drifting aimlessly. Panic set in, his mind racing with thoughts of escape, survival, and Lirien.

"Lirien," he whispered, his voice cracking with desperation.

With newfound determination, Ryker examined his surroundings. The canal stretched out in both directions, with no signs of life or land in sight. He spotted a rusty lock on the handcuffs and began working on picking it, using his skills honed on the streets.

As night began to fall, Ryker freed himself from the cuffs. He rummaged through the boat, finding a small pouch containing a water skin, dried rations, and a crude map of the canal system.

The map hinted at a hidden exit, leading to the outer realms beyond Azura's kingdom. Ryker's heart skipped a beat as he contemplated the possibility of escape.

But at what cost?

He thought of Lirien, trapped in the castle, potentially betrothed to another. Anger and determination coursed through his veins.

Ryker knew what he had to do: survive the canal, find allies, and return to Azura to claim his rightful place and rescue Lirien.

The darkness closed in, but Ryker's resolve burned brighter than ever.

"I'll come back," he whispered to the night, "and I'll fight for what's mine."