Search Continues for James - Chapter Twenty-Five

"Now that we have Kathrine in our prison, we must find James fast. We will have to search every house until we find him." William instructed everyone.

While everyone was searching for James, he was all alone and growing very weak. He tried to get the door open but could not reach the handle.

He could not open the windows and was running out of time.  

A local lady from town was walking by and heard a child crying. It was not a typical cry.

She stood outside the door for a moment to listen to the child's cries. It appeared that the child was in distress, and no one was helping.

James fell to the floor. He was hungry and exhausted.

The woman decided to open the door and have a quick look inside to make sure everything was alright. To her horror, she found a child lying on the floor. He was no longer responding and seemed lifeless.

She bent down to see if she could wake the child. She fears she may be too late. He looks very pale and is not moving at all. She reached down to touch him.

To her surprise, he wakes up! He is frail, and she quickly recognizes him when he opens his eyes, and they are red. "Oh my! You are little, James. Everyone has been looking for you, little one! You are safe now." the lady tells James as she scoops him up from the floor.

The lady took him from the house and headed toward the castle as fast as she could.

Everyone was still searching all the houses one by one. The executioner came upon the house, and no one answered the door. So they entered to search.

"Your son was here at one time. I don't see any sign of him now. She must have moved him to another location." the executioner tells William. "I can't believe he was here. Where could she have taken him!? William asks the executioner. "I feel like we're running out of time," Robert says with a sad, bothered look. "We must continue. We will not give up!" William orders.

The executioner heads down into the dungeon to try to, once again, get information out of Kathrine. In a deep and scruff voice, he says, "One last time, where is Prince James? If you do not tell me, I will make sure your death is long and painful." His voice is calm and creepy, and she knows he speaks the truth. "I will never tell you! I hope he dies and it destroys Kristen and her whole family! I want the Kingdom of Winchester to fall!" Kathrine screams back at the executioner. "So be it. It's your fate," he told her as he left the dungeon.

William finds Kristen in the throne room. "Have you found my baby?" she asks. "My love, we are still searching every house in the kingdom and now heading to the houses around the woods," William tells her.

Kristen puts her face into her hands and sobs. "Kristen, please do not cry. All hope is not lost. I didn't want to tell you yet, but we think we found where James was once held captive when searching the houses. He's not there now, but I think we are close." William tries to console Kristen.

Kristen had to be alone. She was falling apart, and everyone's eyes were on her. She heads to her chambers to get herself under control when one of her maids stops her to tell her the news that a lady from the village found James and was with him waiting in the throne room. Kristen took off down the corridor in the direction of the throne room. 

As she turned the corner, she saw a lady holding James. Everyone fills the throne room to see little James's return. "I can't believe my eyes! You have brought my baby back! Where did you find him?" Kristen asks, even though she is out of breath. "I was walking by this house and heard him crying. I couldn't resist and decided to check it out. That's when I found him." the lady replies and hands James over to Kristen.

Kristen takes James into her arms and hugs him tight. "Oh, how I have missed you, my sweet prince! Mommy was so worried about you. I had everyone looking for you! Are you Ok?" Kristen asks James. "I'm very tired and hungry. The woman was very mean to me. She left and never came back!" James tells her. "We have her in the dungeon, and she will never hurt you again," Kristen promises.

Kristen handed James to Lara and gave the lady a big hug.

"I am forever in your debt! You have returned what was most dear to me. This I will never forget! Come live here at the castle, and you will never want for anything." Kristen offers the lady. "I'm most glad that I was able to save little James. I would love to come live at the castle, but I have a family of my own, and we enjoy living in the village." the lady replies. "If you are ever in need of anything, do not hesitate to ask," Kristen tells her before returning her attention to her son.

Lara feeds James and makes sure he is full before preparing a bath to clean him up. James plays in the water and, once again, feels safe and happy.