CHAPTER THREE: WILD CHASE

Titus first went to the university's farm, hoping to find Darius there. Upon his violent abrupt arrival with armed men on horses, he encountered Mr. Wesley, the farm manager, and proceeded to ask about the notorious Darius King.

Mr. Wesley: "Welcome, how may I assist you, Mr. Harrison? I do have to say, I'm not a very big fan of guns."

Titus: "Look around, my friend. You come to live in a forest, you should come prepared. I heard a boy called Darius stays here?"

Mr. Wesley had been a lazy man growing up, wanting nothing but to sit, eat, enjoy wine and women while doing nothing. It was only when he grew older that he learned only kings could afford such a life. By then, it was too late for him to change his ways. So he applied to work as a farm manager in a new world at the university's farm, while his peers were managing their own farms. From that moment on, his self-esteem plummeted, and he could only quench his regrets by abusing the farm girls and indulging in alcohol.

Mr. Wesley: "Darius, yes, but he certainly is no boy. He's 36 years old."

Titus: "They say age is just a number. That 36-year-old boy is trying to take advantage of my little sister! He'll soon learn the consequences of messing with my family. Where is he hiding?"

Mr. Wesley: "I'm sure he's around the farm, digging around somewhere. Why don't you come down and have a glass of wine with me while your men search for him?"

"Find him!" Titus ordered his men.

As his three men searched the farm for Darius, they couldn't find him anywhere. Titus was rampaging in a fit of rage when Mr. Wesley asked why they were looking for Darius in the first place. Titus ignored him, with Peter standing by silently.

Peter: "He has kidnapped our Miss Katherine."

Mr. Wesley: "Kidnapped? You're saying he kidnapped Ms. Harrison! Why would he do that?"

Peter: "We were hoping you would tell us that."

Mr. Wesley: "Well, he has always been quite an odd fellow, that one. He used to go by the name Darius King for some reason. About 10 years ago, he tried to start a rebellion against his master. Unfortunately, it was an extremely unsuccessful and poorly planned endeavor on his part. His master caught him and tortured the manhood out of him—by castrating him, or so the rumor goes. After that, people started hearing stories about how a certain black man was emasculated, which led to him becoming famous. Everyone in Silvermoor whispered about the outcry of Darius King."

Peter: "He's that Darius King? I've heard of him!"

Mr. Wesley: "I am sure you have. Anyway, after becoming famous, Negroes from across the country started plotting various similar rebellions in fear that the same thing could happen to them. They were furious that a man of their nature was brutally attacked in such a nefarious manner. So, the Queen decided to forbid the castration of these denizens and freed Darius as a show of her strong disapproval for such behavior. They even sponsored and sent him to college. But I'm surprised he would do this after all this time."

Titus: "So, you are telling me he has a criminal record?"

Mr. Wesley: "Well, in a way."

Titus: "He needs to be put down. Do you know where he might be hiding?"

Mr. Wesley: "I'm not sure. By any chance, are you trying to kill him?"

Titus: "What gave it away?"

Mr. Wesley: "I figured, from all the guns you are holding."

Titus: "He's a criminal and has to be put down before he kills my sister."

Mr. Wesley: "I don't think he would go that far. Why don't you just report him to the authorities?"

While they were discussing Darius, Shalley and Yanka were secretly listening in on their conversation. They were stricken to hear about what Titus was planning to do to Darius. They both couldn't believe he would do something like that. So they decided to look for Darius together and warn him about Titus.

Titus: "Peter, this is a waste of time. Assemble the boys. We'll search for him in the woods. Katherine was planning to meet with him. There must be a place where they secretly meet, probably a cave or something. Typical for cowards."

Mr. Wesley: "Wait she secretly meets with her kidnapper, I don't understand."

Titus rounded up his men and so they went to look for Darius in the woods on their horses with their guns.

Titus gathered his men, and they set out to find Darius in the woods on horseback, armed with guns. Coby and Vin, who had seen Titus point a gun at Darius earlier when they followed him, fled back to the farm in fear for their lives. As they waited for Titus to return, they realized the situation was escalating and decided to locate Darius to warn him about Titus's intentions.

Meanwhile, Katherine managed to escape from the men guarding her room on the estate. She had become adept at evading such situations since she had been secretly meeting Darius at the large palm tree in the woods. Arriving at the tree before Titus, Katherine found Darius waiting for her.

Katherine: "Darius, are you okay!"

Darius: "Am fine, I was waiting for you. I knew you would come!"

Katherine: "We don't have much time! My brother is planning to kill you. we need to run away now!"

Darius: "Calm down! There is nothing I would like more than to run far away from here and spend the rest of my life together with you. But I can't be that selfish, to make you abandon your own family and live a life always on the run. I'd never forgive myself for that."

Katherine: "I am okay with that. My brother Titus, wants to control everything in my life saying that's his obligation. But I can't let him decide who I can spend the rest of my life with."

Darius: "I get how you feel, but I am a poor man, how is a slave in his own country. No matter how much I try, in this life time I can't give you the life you deserve."

Katherine: "What do you mean? Do you no longer wish to be with me?"

Darius: "No, on the contrary!"

Katherine: "Then let's just run away and get married. Later, we'll return with a kid or two and demand my inheritance. He'll have no choice but to accept us! Besides, as long as you are with me, I don't need any luxury!"

Darius: "Are you sure about this?"

Katherine strongly demanded they run away together. Darius contemplated the hundred different legally approved reasons Titus would come up with to have him killed or, worse, sent to the deep underground mines. Then he added another hundred reasons other men, white and black included, would kill him for marrying and living with a beautiful white woman, heir to the Harrison's fortune. He was afraid of how they would kill him and take Katherine for their own. He thought she was a trophy all men were fighting for.

He turned around and looked in her eyes more closely, then his mind went blank. All his fears vanished at the sight of her beauty.

"It's a miracle to even breath in the same space as her" He thought

Maybe destiny was in his favor after all, he kept thinking. After putting aside all his fears, he decided to run away with Katherine and spend however much time he possibly could together with her. After all, each second was magical whenever he was with her.

Darius: "Alright, let's do it! But there is something I need to tell you before we go. You see I am…"

He was about to reveal something, when she interrupted him…

Katherine: "You'll tell me later. We should go before my brother finds us! Come on!"

And so the two began their escape away from Titus and out of the woods. As they run through the spooky forest, they came across Vin and Coby. Coby then warned Darius about the evil plans Titus had for him.

That's when the fantasy he was imaging, quickly dissipated from his mind. Hunters were coming with guns for his life and one man was going to die that dreadful night.