Unlike the first event of the original story that he witnessed, and which culminated in his marriage, Lucian was apprehensive. He wanted to take advantage of the most ridiculous mess that villain would make.
The confusion between Magnus and Stephen.
The mercenaries are different from the rebels, they do not care to know who is who, let alone keep the names of the nobles. Their lack of interest is annoying to the rebels, who know everything and want to be remembered by the nobles. This causes a raid between the two groups that follow orders from the real villain. Finally, the mercenaries just go after the person they believe to be the Grand Duke, kidnapping Stephen by mistake.
Lucian could take advantage of this.
If he tried to save Stephen by pretending that he is Magnus, the mercenaries would focus on them because they thought they were right. Magnus would be free of the kidnapping, Maverick would come to save Stephen and everything would end well. Lucian thought it would be better to drag Stephen into the riders' field of vision to stop the kidnapping and keep the mercenaries busy. The more people were around, the greater the chances of avoiding the kidnapping.
Biting his lower lip he checked to see if the Grimwood guards were in position, even though he knew they would not leave their posts unless ordered by Jesse or Eugene.
Still so...
Still, his heart accelerated and the feeling of butterflies in the stomach was far from pleasant as described in novels. His leg even started to sway, attracting Jesse's attention.
"Is there a problem, Your Highness?"
"Hm?", Lucian looked at the brother-in-law and shook his head forcing his leg to stand still "I'm sorry, I'm just worried."
"Worried? About Magnus hunting?"
"I don't feel I should worry about Magnus hunting, but rather the poor animals that will be hunted."
Jesse opened a half smile and adjusted his glasses.
"You are right, Your Highness. With our brother, it is expected that the poor animals will be at a disadvantage."
In fact, Magnus was someone who kept a goal in mind and focused on it until the end. Regardless of whether it was good or bad. That was obvious from the last gossip, wasn't it? At least the conversation relieved Lucian's tension, making him imagine different scenarios where wild animals fled from a devil waving his sword blindly to all sides.
Unfortunately his peace was completely destroyed when he noticed a servant taking something from his belt. Frowning, Lucian watched the subject point something high and burst a loud and scary noise.
Unconsciously, Lucian covered his ears and shrunk on his legs, and a group of mercenaries came out of bushes and hiding places surrounding the nobles in the tents. Chaos was established in just a few seconds. The knights of the noble families took their positions to protect their lords, which was no different with the Grimwood who seemed surrounded by walls of polished iron.
"Protect the royal family!" Shouted someone.
If Lucian was confused by the Grimwood wall, then he understood nothing when those knights were replaced by the temple guards and the imperial guard. The noise of iron colliding and screams totally confused their senses. Raising his head, Lucian saw several people running and shouting and riders going from one side to the other wielding their weapons.
"Your Highness, this way!" A guard pulled Lucian to Jesse and Eugene.
Caught in that rough sea, Lucian followed the Grimwood brothers away from that mess. Looking over his shoulder, Lucian was amazed to see mercenary bandits fighting with the knights of the personal guard. You would recognize those old rags from anywhere, since the bandits who attacked Magnus' carriage the other time also wore such clothes.
The mercenaries were numerous, that was a fact. Lucian could not count on accuracy, but they were there ambushing the nobles everywhere he looked. However, the plan of Magnus also proved successful, since with three strong armies — those of the Grimwood, imperial and temple — they hindered the plans of the mercenaries.
And if mercenaries were attacking, that meant...
What he feared was happening.
"Run into the Count's mansion!" shouted the knight who escorted them.
"Not so easy!"
A mercenary jumped in front of the knight brandishing his swords. Quickly Jesse grabbed Eugene and Lucian's wrists, pulling them across the garden towards the mansion. Other nobles also ran there, some stumbling and being caught by mercenaries, while the knights hurried to rescue them.
"They are coming from the forest!!"
A knight shouted at the rest of his troop, probably just to warn the other knights to widen their search area and prevent more mercenaries from appearing. Only that Lucian felt his legs tremble when he heard those words, for a quick thought came to his mind.
"Stephen..."
Stephen would be kidnapped in the forest! If what happened in the original was to happen, then Lucian needed to bring Stephen closer to the knights. The problem was that the said who was inside the forest hunting along with the others!
Damn it!
Freeing himself from Jesse Grimwood's grip, Lucian turned to run back into the confusion.
"Lucian! Come back here!!!" screamed Jesse to his lungs.
At that moment, several people saw the Eighth Prince running through the garden and avoiding the mercenaries who tried to approach him. The closest knights managed to prevent the prince from being attacked, but before they could even ask him to return to the Count's mansion, Lucian was already far away.
He just didn't stop running.
Despair was greater than his reason.
Entering the forest, Lucian followed the trail and searched tirelessly for Stephen. Any sign of him would be of great help. The problem was that Lucian had no idea where such a capture would take place. He only remembered that the story said it was inside the forest.
But what part of it?!!
"Shit!" Snarled the alpha, pulling his arm when his coat got caught in a twig.
Clenching his teeth already in irritation and impatience, Lucian pulled hard to the point of the branch make a cut on his arm. He continued digging into the forest until he came across young Baragnon facing some mercenaries. Their eyes crossed, and the surprise to see him there distracted the omega.
"Your Highness?!"
The mercenaries turned back, also seeing Lucian. Immediately a mercenary woman pointed towards him.
"Get him!"
"What do you think you're doing?! Don't know who he is?!" Shouted Stephen trying to stop them.
"Ha! Don't worry that neither of you will escape."
Lucian tried to get rid of the brutes, but just like that day when he was almost kidnapped, a mercenary used his brute force to prevent him from escaping. Considering his pathetic and pitiful state of little physical strength, the alpha looked like a complete idiot pushing, kicking and giving weak punches to get rid of them.
"Your Highness!"
Stephen ran to the prince and used a sword to fight the mercenaries. Despite the clumsy movements, the omega managed to prevent the mercenaries from approaching him and the prince. One of the mercenaries, a woman of flexible movements when wielding her dagger, managed to cut off Stephen's wrist and disarm him. The sword fell to the ground, being caught by Lucian before it was kicked away.
"Step away!" Ordered the prince pointing the dagger at the woman.
"Hahahaha, barely knows how to hold a sword", mocked the woman upon noticing Lucian's trembling hand.
Damn, it was too heavy! He really couldn't wield a sword like Stephen, but at least he had something to defend himself with.
Lucian pulled Stephen behind him and they both took a few steps back toward the trail that would take them back to the Earl's garden. They only needed to be visible and Maverick would spot them ready to come to their aid. He could feel the omega clenching his fingers in his coat, following it cautiously.
All this to prevent the kidnapping. His plan was to stop the damn kidnapping and keep Stephen away from the mercenaries. After all, Magnus could easily get rid of the attack on his own and reach the knights soon.
But then, the woman began to invest scams in Lucian. The prince just raised his sword, the feeling of his body moving alone took over again. Just as it was scary every time his body moved on its own when he danced in the balls, the same occurred at that very moment when blocking the blows with difficulty.
What the hell happened to his body?! Why couldn't he run away?!! Even if he forced his legs, he couldn't!
Why couldn't you move properly?
"Argh!!"
"Stephen!" shouted Lucian when Stephen was caught from behind and knocked out.
Gnashing his teeth, Lucian's body continued to move on its own, blocking the woman's blows. His muscles were shaking bringing that burning sensation by fatigue and excessive effort. It became increasingly difficult for Lucian to wield the sword, creating several breaches to be attacked. As expected, the woman managed to disarm him by throwing his sword in the middle of the bushes a few meters away. Pointing her dagger at his neck, she smiled triumphantly as she gave his orders.
"Tie this one up too. We managed to get the couple."
His body hurt and trembled, was tired and panting with no chance of escape. His plan to escape with Stephen went wrong and now he was also in the clutches of the mercenaries. While his wrists and ankles were tied with ropes, Lucian recognized a firearm attached to the belt of one of them.
Lucian shrugged again, becoming aware of the sounds of gunfire coming from the Earl's garden. He growled when his body began to tremble with fear again, as if self-control did not exist, and his eyes could only stare at that gun.
"Interested in this, little prince?", mocked a mercenary, touching roughly the tied belt "I guess you shouldn't know what this wonder is, huh?"
"A firearm, of course I know..."
"That's right." The mercenary laughed, holding Lucian's cheeks tight and forcing him to stare "I see you know how dangerous this is, since you're pissing yourself. Keep shaking, my dear, be afraid. If you do anything funny, just one shot and you're dead."
It was like returning to its modern era, to its world where a thief could draw a gun during a robbery. Perhaps that was why his body reacted so instinctively. The mercenary let go of his face and looked at the companions.
"Let's take them!"
Both Lucian and Stephen were carried by the mercenaries made two bags of potatoes. The poor omega was unconscious because of the blow he received, while Lucian continued to be carried away. He wouldn't fight them when he knew he would lose. In fact, he doesn't even know how to fight! That from now on can only have some kind of demonic possession!
On the bright side, Lucian would remain with Stephen during the kidnapping. Certainly prayed for that situation to be resolved, after all Maverick was obsessed with Stephen and would come to his rescue anyway. Now it depended on the original story to occur as predicted.