Disclaimer: Mai HiME is Sunrise's.
Escape.
Crimson reds watched in silence albeit eagerly so as silhouette of a loyal manservant sets to take his leave.
She remains still – heedful as she is, and only is she able to feel such relief when she can no longer see the man's outline from her quarter's shoji or even hear his retreating footsteps. He's completely gone.
Finally.
Yet, relief seemed rather short-lived for her upon remembering that she still has so much to go through and it wouldn't be as easy as her earlier plot of deception towards her father and one of his trusted men whom he entrusted her safety with, by simply announcing her wish to retire from the night.
No further queries were asked as it all seemed nothing but the ordinary, and she was easily let go and escorted back to her room.
How she wishes going right around under the guards' noses unnoticed comes as easy as that for every night she departs to spend the entirety of the dusk away to a place she's never supposed to set foot.
Another sigh slips past her lips.
Her shoulders momentarily falling as if she has given up on yet another stealthy attempt to slip out of the castle. Unlikely, however. Not with her, no.
This is not the time, she reminded herself.
The only source of light in her quarters is soon put off, allowing the beautiful yet faint gleam of the moon to be free from an earlier strain of presenting its glints while overpowered by the candle's brilliance.
With much needed caution she headed for the wide opening adjacent to her. The broad lea presented itself. She makes way to the far side of the walls enclosing the area, and soon she halts to maintain a particular distance. She stood still on her feet, taking in a moment of silence to study the surroundings outside. She can hear occasional murmurs from the guards.
Over the course of the years that had come, she learned measures necessary to be taken – or so she claims they are, given that they are to aid her in her nightly quest of absolute furtive.
For an instance, climbing up the wall is one. An act her sensei would surely deem very unladylike whilst with an expression of bewilderment. Utter, if one may. While her father, was he ever to gain knowledge of such practice, (in which case she prays very firmly for the day to never come) she's more than certain that she will be heavily kept under his watch, and every decision she is to make, without a doubt, will be subjected to questions and raise a heap of suspicions.
"Troublesome." She'd find herself with the unspoken remark at times the very dreadful thought of her father guarding and watching her every move would come to haunt her mind.
"How's the coast?"
"Clear."
Bitten gasp, wide eyes.
She thanks her instincts. Had she not stop herself from blatantly expressing her astonishment with a noticeably loud gasp, it is all over for her.
With a palm resting on her chest, she calmed herself down until her breathing has gotten even once again and her heart no longer pounds frantically.
Just as she had anticipated earlier, there are indeed two of them on the other side standing guard likewise. But having been done the same thing over, she knows that it's only a matter of time before one of them sets to scout.
Her palm once lying flat on her chest now gripping around the hem of her furisode.
She feels cold as ice, her caged heart wanting to break free, and anxiety eating what's left of her stability by each passing second. Her grip tightened and she bit her lip to stop herself from shaking. But alas she manages and no time is put to waste as she rushes to a familiar route.
A/N: Mhm. Runaway (read: not really) princess Shizuru. Interesting.