So sorry, I have lot of work lately and I'm suffering from a bit of writers block right now so sorry for the delay.

A Harp Plays

Karina wasn't happy, she wasn't happy at all. She didn't like being locked in room of any sort. And now she didn't even know the time! She had to devise a plan to get out of the prince's room she decided.

Then she remembered a very important detail, the rope at the window! It was so obvious he would never suspect it. And anyway, nobody would be looking for a girl abseiling the walls of the palace. She didn't know why he had a rope in the first place, but supposed the prince obviously needed to get away from this place too, sometimes.

She walked over to the window and peered down into the street, she could see the prince and a party of strangers, one of them looked extremely familiar, so familiar she thought she had seen him before somewhere. Somewhere at home. Was that possible?

She watched them disappear into the shaded interior of the building. Karina set about to haul the rope out of it's hiding place. It was a lot heavier than it she had expected and realised that the prince must have been doing most of the work last time. She felt a it ashamed at the thought, it made her seem really unhelpful. At least the prince didn't seem to mind.

She let it fall as gently as possible to the ground completely unaware that she was in fact being watched. Karina looked around, but did not see the man lurking in the shadows of a building in the street. When she thought the coast was clear, she hoisted herself onto the windowsill and jumped down abseiling the wall.

When she finally touched down in the beautiful, well-kept shrubbery of the front flower beds of the palace. She was soon out on the streets and it was much later than the last time se had been in the streets.

The streets were still cobbled, but now there were pedestrians in strange, normally poor clothes everywhere. They looked so strange and every now and again, she saw a person on a horse or a horse drawn cart. The people went about their business ignoring her. It was almost like she belonged.

But it was confusing and Karina stood frozen to the spot, worried that she might get lost. She didn't think it was possible to find her way back in such a big crowd. Her plan of earlier seemed so foolish, she had just assumed there would be no one about, but of course there would be.

Karina sat down on the side of the fountain and looked around still not seeing the scruffy character lurking in the shadows.

She dipped her hands into the water and felt a cooling sensation run through her body. It was such a relief from the hot sun. She already felt tired and exhausted and was doing everything she could not to fall asleep. It was no use. Her head began to droop at an alarming rate.

She was awakened by the sound of beautiful music. It was so enchanting that she decided to take a risk and try to find where it was coming from. She wasn't sure whether or not it was a good idea, but all she could think about was finding it.

She wandered down street after street navigating with only her sense of sound. She was getting closer, she could here it clearly now. Karina eventually rounded the final corner and was confronted by a sight that reminded her a bit of a concert, but here...

There must've been at least a hundred of listeners sitting quietly on the floor and listening to the sound of a harp. It sounded like a piece of music from heaven.

Even though it sounded so foreign, it reminded her of home, the place she knew so well. The place she had once sworn she would leave if she could. And now all she could think about was getting back home.

She made her way silently through the crowd to where could see a an, his skin dark, playing the harp. He was accompanied by a woman who looked happy and yet sad. These two were of course manoush.

Karina only just noticed the resemblance, but all her thoughts were far away. All she could think of was how soothing the music was. It made her feel sleepy. Karina sat down and slowly, but surely fell asleep.

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Enrico had tailed the mysterious girl all the way to the manoush and was sure she was substantial. But then she had disappeared into thin air, just like the boy, Luciano. Was this another one of those strange people that so intrigued and infuriated the di Chimici family.

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Rodrigo led the lord into the sitting room and wondered why he had returned so early.

"Let's skip to the chase," said the lord. "As you know, the di Chimici have lately been trying to enforce a ban on "magic" in all major North Talian cities and as you may already know, in Bellezza, we will not sign the or reinforce the law and here we know your father was beginning to crumble under the pressure of it all."

Rodrigo was not happy about the remark about his dad and folded his arms with a slight frown.

"What are you saying?" he asked eyeing Luciano.

"We just want you to be secure in your position as ruler of Romula," replied Luciano sincerely.

A knock on the door. Rodrigo went to open it.

"Yes," he asked the servant who stood there.

"My lord," huffed the man slightly out breath. "There is a commotion in the street, a girl has disappeared into thin air. The people think it's a bad sign. They're asking for you to enlighten them as to what has happened."

"I'll be out there in a second," replied the prince then he turned to Luciano. "Sorry, you may wait here if you wish."

"Thank you," nodded the Bellezzan as Rodrigo closed the door and hurried away.

He wasn't going to the street just yet. He had to make sure that the girl with the funny clothes was still in his room. He had a feeling he would have to watch her and now...

Well she might have disappeared just as she had appeared that morning.

He fumbled with the key before finally opening the door. His bedroom was deserted. He ran to the window where he could see the rope snaking down the wall to the greenery below. He knew it was Karina and he wasn't sure what to do. Finally he decided he should go and talk to the people.

As he left, the rope still hung from his bedroom window.