Hey guys! Sorry it's been a few days since my last upload. I took a bit of a break over the weekend. I'm trying to get the most out of my summer before school starts this week :(
Enjoy!
"Let's leave."
"...What?"
They had danced through countless songs, gliding through the crowds with ease. Both had lost track of time, as well as escaped the eye of the king. It was hopeless for him to even try to pick them out in the throng of people.
"I want to go to the village," he told her, leaning in close so she would hear him.
"Bored already?" She teased.
"Not necessarily. But I bet the festival has more than enough trouble for us to get into," he answered with a sly grin.
Rin thought it over, weighing the consequences of such an act against the fun it might bring into her life. They would have to go soon before the crowds thinned. The fewer people, the easier it would be for her father to catch her.
She would not be caught.
"I have to change, first," she pointed out. "They'd recognize me in an instant if I left the palace wearing this."
His grin grew wider at her agreement. "Off to your chambers, then."
Rin knew how it would look if someone caught her leading the prince to her bedroom this late at night, so she was even more determined than usual to avoid getting caught, less so because of the consequences and more so because of the embarrassment it would cause her. Luckily, most of the guards were occupied with their drunken guests to pay the two of them any mind as they slipped out one of the side doors, Rin pulling Len's wrist along behind her.
The halls were much darker and colder than the ballroom, and Rin shivered at the cold breeze as it passed over her shoulders. Neither of them said a word as they turned corner after corner, listening intently for any passing guards. It was not long before Rin pushed open the door to her room.
Len hesitated.
She rolled her eyes. "Now you decide to be polite? Get in here before a guard sees you."
He nodded, stepping into her room as she closed the door behind him.
Rin danced over to her closet. The lack of light in her room was not a problem; she knew the layout of her chambers by heart, her hands sweeping over the smooth fabrics hanging in the small room. She would need something especially inconspicuous, something that would let her easily blend into a crowd.
While she looked, the prince let his eyes fall over the room, from her large bed covered in thick blankets and pillows, all neatly arranged, to her armoire, covered in beauty products that she had been using to get ready. The windows opposite the door were the most impressive, nearly reaching the ceiling. The three glass panels were lined in detailed marble sculptures that circled off at the top. Upon closer inspection, Len realized that the glass panel in the middle wasn't a window at all, but a door, leading to a marble walkway that extended down into her gardens.
"Len," he glanced over in the direction of her voice, unsure where she even was in the darkness. "What's the plan?"
He shrugged, looking away from the source of her voice, realizing that she was probably changing. "I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"When I snuck out at home, it was pretty easy just to walk out the front doors with my head down." He adjusted the cuffs of his sleeves nervously. "But I don't think it will be that easy here."
"How do you expect to get out without a plan?" Her voice rang out from the darkness.
"You know this place much better than I do," he pointed out. "You tell me."
She thought for a moment, unlacing the back of her bodice. "Well, since we're here, we might as well go through the gardens."
He chuckled, still staring out the windows. "Will we be escaping through thorn bushes?"
"There's a gate at the back that leads to the river." She remembered the elusive wooden door with some fondness. "I used to play in the river when I was a child. It was the fastest way to get there."
He raised an eyebrow. "So you have snuck out before?"
"Don't be an idiot," she answered. "The guards were always with me. Or my mother. They were the ones that put the gate there."
"How long has it been since you've seen it?"
"...Quite a few years," she admitted. "It's probably going to be hard to find."
"Won't hurt to try."
She finally stepped out of her closet with a plain brown dress, a cloak draped over her shoulders. The hood covered her hair perfectly. "Ready?" She asked, eyes shining.
He nodded, unable to speak. How she managed to take his breath away so easily was unknown to him.
They walked towards the only light source in the room, pulling open the cool handles of the glass door with only the moonlight to guide them.
"How will we get back in?" Rin asked, suddenly worried.
"Can we not come back in through the gate?"
"It locks from inside the gardens," she explained. "I don't want just anyone to be able to prance into my private quarters, you know."
They hesitated before the open door as they tried to think of a solution.
"I think we should worry about it later," he proposed.
"That doesn't seem very safe."
"You knew what you were getting into," he said. "That's the thrill of it, isn't it?"
She smiled, stepping out onto the balcony. "I guess so."
They closed the door quietly behind them, descending the stairs with haste and disappearing into the gardens.
"Here!" Rin exclaimed after a few minutes of strolling through paths with Len. She was surprised how easy it was for her to find. "This is it." All around them, walls of thick bushes stood nearly twice their height. A wall topped with metal spikes lined the gardens, housing the gate that stood before them. The gentle current of the river could be heard coming from the other side.
Time had definitely chipped away at the wooden door, leaving it wet and soft with decay and covered in vines from the nearby bushes. She wondered if it would simply fall apart once she tried to push it open.
Len grabbed at the vines, attempting to pull the door free as Rin tested the latch. Rust had completely consumed the metal, but it still seemed functional. She flipped up the lock, lifting the latch with some difficulty before it sprang free.
"Yes!" Rin laughed, pushing against the door.
"Shh," he quieted her, smiling himself.
The two of them were able to push it open, though it offered a great amount of resistance. Dirt and plants had piled up against the other side over the years, and only once they could push it back would the door give. After a few seconds of pushing, it was open wide enough for them to slip through.
Rin went first, giggling like a little girl. Her first breath of air outside of the castle tasted like freedom itself.
Len followed after her, beginning to push the door back before Rin stopped him.
"If we leave it open just a little, we can come back through," she told him.
"That doesn't seem very safe," he mocked.
She laughed. "That's the thrill of it."
They left the gate open just enough so the latch wouldn't fall, and went on their way.
There wasn't another soul in sight. The river, wide enough to accommodate the many trade ships that arrived in Khaesea daily, flowed merely ten paces away from them. On the other side, the distant forests and hills looked minuscule. The moon was at least bright, and they were able to easily guide themselves along the edge of the river, sandwiched between the waters and the castle walls. Eventually, the walls turned away from them, and they continued to follow the river behind the buildings of the village until they were far enough away from the palace to avoid suspicion.
Above them, the stars shined brilliantly.
Rin felt herself shaking with anticipation. "What do you want to do first?" She asked, simply trying to pass the time while she impatiently walked towards the village.
"We'll have to see whats there," he answered, smiling at her eagerness.
"What do festivals normally have? Food, music, what else?"
"I heard a traveling troupe was in town. I bet there will be plays and other shows going on," he added.
She furrowed her brow. "Where'd you hear that?"
"The servants," was his answer. "Plus, there will be plenty to drink."
"Please don't anger anyone while I'm with you," she said, amused. "I'd rather not be dragged before my father for taking part in a bar fight."
"Taking part?"
"You think I'm going to let you fight them alone?"
He laughed loudly this time. "There will be no bar fights."
She crossed her arms. "Better not be."
"Come," he said, glancing towards the village. If they snuck into the buildings now, they would likely end up near the town square. "Let's go in here."
He slipped his hand into hers, pulling her gently towards the buildings.
From his seat at the entrance hall, King Brighton gazed over his people, his irritation obvious. Ken had insisted on continuing their conversation, which had been very pleasant before he realized that the man's son was sneaking around with his beloved daughter. Although he knew that Ken could not be blamed for his son's actions, he had to direct his anger somewhere.
While responding to one of his comments scornfully, he had lost sight of the two of them, dancing in the crowd. He had been searching for them since, but it had been quite a while since he'd last seen his daughter.
"Do you see Rin?" The king asked, leaning towards his wife.
She shook her head. "I cannot find them, either." The queen, after witnessing the smiles on her daughters face, could not help but feel a bit guilty pointing them out to her husband. "I...I'm sure they are fine, Bruno."
"As long as she is with that beast, she is not fine. I want to know where she is."
The queen bit her lip, looking frantically for them now. Surely they had to be here. Her daughter wouldn't be foolish enough to leave with him. Her flickering eyes were determined to find her before Rin's father did.
The king was a good husband, treating Lily well and with respect throughout their many years together. He did not get mad often. But when he did…
"Do you want me to go look for them?" She offered.
"We can't leave the table. What will the people think?" His breath smelled of wine, sickeningly strong. He turned his head towards his guards, waving them over.
The queen's heart dropped. "Don't you think you're being a little unreasonable?" She asked before stopping herself. "They are probably just dancing somewhere near the doors."
"I don't want them dancing at all," he grumbled, forgetting his manners in his drunkenness and speaking loud enough for Ken and Kaori to hear next to him.
Len's parents watched as the guards approached the king, all too aware of what was going on. They exchanged worried looks.
Just in time, Kokone hopped up the steps to the table to take a few sips of water. Her cup sat just in front of her parents, where she left it.
"Kokone," Kaori latched onto her daughter's arm in desperation.
The young girl furrowed her brow, looking up at her mother with worry.
"I need you to go find your brother," she said, looking at the guards with anxious eyes.
Kokone followed her gaze, her heart beginning to beat fast at the sight of the guards speaking quietly to the king. She didn't need to ask what this was about.
"Go now, girl," Ken urged her. "I imagine-" he glanced over his shoulder, making sure neither the king or the guards could hear him. "-I imagine they are not here anymore." His words came out just above a whisper, barely loud enough for his daughter to hear.
Kokone nodded, all of her previous anger at Len turning into worry. "I will find them," she promised.
Kaori let go of her arm, and the girl fled into the crowd.
How could he be so stupid? She found herself asking that question more often as time went on. Of course the king would notice both his daughter and Len missing at the same time, and of course he would be suspicious about it. She pushed her way through the crowds, earning many dirty looks and annoyed shouts as she abandoned her manners, before finding Galaco, Lenka, and Yuki all gathered at one of the long tables together. The girls were all red-faced from exhaustion, sitting down only to take a quick break from dancing around the room together. Kokone had been enjoying the night with them, until now.
"Have you seen Len?" She asked Galaco on her return.
Her little sister frowned. "Why?" She asked.
Kokone glanced over her shoulder at the king, who had just finished his conversation with his guards. The armored men stepped down from the head table, exiting the room through the west wing door.
Galaco followed her eyes.
"Because they are looking for him," Kokone answered. "We need to find him first."
"What did he do?" Yuki asked.
"He snuck away with the princess," Galaco answered before Kokone could speak. Although the oldest sister knew it was true, her heart dropped at the confirmation.
"They could be anywhere, then," Yuki pointed out.
Lenka frowned. "Is Lenny in trouble?"
Kokone grabbed Lenka's hand. "He'll only be in trouble if we don't find him," she answered. "So galaco, Yuki, and I are going to go look for him, and you are going to sit back down at the table with mother and father, okay?"
Lenka nodded, her eyes wide with worry. She would do whatever they asked if she knew her big brother was in trouble.
After plopping Lenka down in her seat next to their parents, the three sisters ran off in the direction of the palace gates.
OOooooooohhhh the stakes are high. Things get pretty wild from here. I can't wait for you guys to read :)
Thanks for reading!