Towards safety, but there's more bad news

Marcus lay there, limp and quiet in the arms of the beautiful warrior. He didn't know where she was taking him, he still hardly understood what was going on, but the way she held him tight against her chest he found it very difficult to worry about any of that. Her strong arm easily supported his little body and made him feel so warm and safe. Even though something very bad was happening, it was like he just knew she'd protect him from anything.

The muffled noise of shouts and screams echoed through the halls of his family home, but she was taking him away from them, walking quickly and purposefully down the passageway towards a small staircase that Marcus knew led to the servant's quarters. His Mother had warned him not to come this way. She'd always been very strict about him talking to the lower classes. The thought of her made his lip tremble with worry.

"Please." He whispered, wriggling a little in the warrior's strong grip. "Where are my parents?" She just kept walking, looking for a moment like she hadn't heard him. Her dark lips curled slightly, then she spoke, a note of pity intruding into her strong, soothing voice.

"Gaius has them." She explained. "I heard his plans for them. He means to marry your Mother and have her bear his heirs. Your Father will be publicly shamed and then executed, by his own brother." She muttered something under her breath, sounding very angry. Marcus froze in her arms. No, there was no way. Not his uncle Gaius! The laughing bull of a man who used to make all those funny jokes at his birthdays and had taught him how to ride a pony when he turned sixteen. Now he was going to...kill the prince's father? And marry his Mother? Why? How could he do that?

Marcus felt his throat go tight, and suddenly his big blue eyes were full of tears again. His Father, executed? No...that couldn't happen! Only he couldn't see any way to stop it. If the warrior was right, then his uncle was going to do it anyway!

"Can you help them?" The young prince sniffled, wanting to bury his sobbing face in this beautiful woman's chest.

"I can't." The warrior sighed. She lowered her head, and her gorgeous dark eyes found his. "The only one I can save is you, little one. Gaius means to kill you too. Just by living you threaten his reign. You must leave, far away, with me. I will keep you safe, no matter who he sends to hunt you." Marcus believed her. The way she spoke, so strong and sure, made it impossible to do anything else. There was only one question he had. What had made this amazing, beautiful woman risk so much just for his sake?

"Why though?" The young prince asked softly, his little voice trembling. "Why save me?"