[TheDyingDay]

His heart pounded within his ears and his chest heaved while his feet struck the ground as he sprinted through the forest. If they found out. Once they found out. He would be killed. He needed to get away and fast and unseen. He never asked to be a man servant or for things to go the way they did, but this was the fates had chosen for him for some cruel reason. He looked over his shoulder the palace was just a feint light in the distance, but he had a ways to go until he left the grounds. It was going to be a while until he could stop running. If he would be able to at all.

He came to the village around sun rise. The bakers and merchants were already milling about and preparing for the day ahead. He reached the fountain in the center of the market place and sat down on the cool bricks. He needed to rest. Just for a moment then he would have to find a way to get farther away. The farther away, the better. He put his hand on his stomach. It wasn't unusual for magic users to have this ability, but to be carrying the prince's child that was another matter.

There was the book keeper of the town who was strolling about town, when she passed the man, her eyes left the book she was reading and noticed him, she paused in her stroll before approaching him.
"Sir, are you alright?" she asked him, hesitating to ask if he was a lost tourist.