Erika's POV:
I stared at the guard as he yawned again, feeling my mouth opening into a yawn as well. I gave up talking to them a long time ago. If they weren't going to listen, then fine.
I could stay here. But what about Rosenville? What about Anneliese? Julian? And Dominick? It wasn't fair for him. He deserved an explanation at the very least. Even if he did not believe me.
There must be a way I could get help. If the Princess is dead, I still had to find Julian. I was sure we could derive a plan to save Anneliese's kingdom.
If only I could get out of here. But how?
"Uahhhhhh…" What time was it? Afternoon nap time? These guards should do a better job a guarding.
…Or I could help teach them a lesson.
I looked at my straw bed and the keys resting on the hook of the guard's belt. And got started at work.
As I stitched the straws into a long bundle, I sang my favourite lullaby, hoping that it would sooth the guard into a deeper sleep. When I was done, I couldn't help but admire my work. I guess the years of being a seamstress paid off. I took out a pin from my brown locks and twisted it around the straw stick, turning the end into a hook.
I leaned near the gate. Still singing the lullaby, I slowly reached the stick out, carefully positioning it below the keys.
"UAHHH—" Don't wake up, don't wake up, don't wake up. "—mmm…."
I sucked in a sigh of relief and continued to fish the keys in. my heart thudded against my bones as I slipped the key into the lock and twisted it. Finally, it clicked open. I pushed the gate as quietly as I could…and took off!
I ran as fast as I could, away from the cell. But the palace prison was just as meander as the palace grounds! I heard footsteps thundering behind me and quickly hid myself behind a wall. Straining my ears, I heard the footsteps disappearing away and fled off once more.
Straight into the arms of a guard.
Dominick's POV:
She never failed to amuse me.
I was wandering around the dungeon, urgently looking for a certain prisoner. I had all the time today after "bulling through" my workload, as Rider called it, the past few days. But I didn't know how long this disguise would last me. I had to find her fast.
But I didn't expect her to find me instead.
"Let me go!" She hissed when I caught her. You'd never hear that sort of tone coming from a Princess.
I spun her around to get a better grip on her when a guard came running towards us.
"You thought you can escape did ya?" He sneered at her, I sucked in a breath of fury. "I'll lock her up."
Oh no you won't. I didn't know what got over me, I felt a sudden protectiveness towards her, but I said, "I'm to take her to the castle."
"Bu—"
"Queen's orders." I commanded, using the same tone my father taught me.
"Oh…well…alright then…" He stuttered, flinching slightly, and made his way back.
I only planned to talk with her, not becoming her partner in crime but I guessed, it would be easier to talk with her without the not-exactly-bright ambience of the dungeon.
I pulled the struggling escapee along the prison walls but as we got nearer to the exit, she started to lose her spirit. I opened the final exit door which I came from, wondering where all the tenacity went—
"Hey!" I yelped, feeling a sharp pain at my toes. She stomped on my foot!
So this was where it all went.
I almost released my grip on her due to the sudden pain. But I wouldn't allow it. I wasn't going to let her go. Not this time. Not again. But she continued to struggle against me. Even though I knew she didn't know who I was, it still hurt.
"I guess I deserve that." I said as I raised the cover of my helmet. And I did. Deserve that, I meant. Kind of. She must've felt scared to be taken like that. I hoped I didn't hurt her with the kind of grip I was using.
She looked at me and blinked in confusion. "Dominick?" Then, her eyes started to moist up, making my heart clench once again. How was it that her eyes always caused my heart to do strange things? From fluttering to throbbing.
"I—I need to explain, I—"
"I don't believe you're the person Preminger says you are." I cut her off. I believe in the girl who saw past the appearances of others. I believe in the earnestness of her voice.
"You do love disguises, don't you?" She joked with a cock of an eyebrow, her sense of humour (when speaking) coming back to her. I smiled and was about to ask her the question I came for—did she feel the same way I did—but it was her turn to cut me off.
"Did I hear a bell?"
"Yeah, there's a royal wedding taking below."
"A royal wedding?" She questioned, looking slightly panicked.
"Yes, I think it was the Queen and…" Honestly, I hadn't paid much attention to that. My whole mind was either thinking about her, or thinking about not thinking about her.
"Oh dear…it'd better not be with Preminger." She said, taking off towards the wedding.
I guessed my questions would have to wait.
