Chapter 16: Battling the Conscience

            Melody knocked lightly on the door to Iris's bedroom. She waited for a minute then knocked again. A feeling of worry was beginning to hit her. She sensed that her friend was up to no good this time. Without another thought, Melody opened the door and barged in.

            Iris's room looked the way it had before. The bed wasn't made and it looked as if Iris was still in bed. Melody was about to leave but something didn't seem right. She knew Iris was a light sleeper and she would have woken up but her knocking. So casually, Melody walked over to the bed. She gripped the dark blue and green comforter and pulled it back quickly.

            Melody wasn't surprised at all when she discovered that there were only pillows under the blankets. But then a question arose in Melody, where did Iris go? As she wondered the whereabouts of her friend, she investigated the room. She opened the dresser drawers and noticed they seemed a bit on the empty side. "Oh my god… she ran away…"Melody spoke in a whisper. "Shit! I need to tell someone!"

            Melody rushed out of the room in search of anyone who was awake. She ran down the marble corridors hoping to run into a maid, guard or knight or anyone. It's a good thing I'm not wearing one of those damn dresses, Melody thought to herself as she ran down a flight of stairs to the second floor.

            As Melody jogged around a corner, she ran right into another man. She hoped it wasn't Iris's father and as luck would have it, it wasn't. "Are you alright?" Dryden asked as he lent Melody a hand to get up.

            "Ya, I'm fine but-" Dryden raised an eyebrow.

            "But what?" he asked. Melody sighed but she answered him honestly.

            "I think Iris ran away."

            "What?!" Melody nodded her head sadly. "Why? When?"

            "I really don't know. I went to her room this morning and she wasn't there. And some of her things were gone too."

            "Alright, I'll talk with her parents, you…you just go downstairs for breakfast and don't tell anyone." Melody looked at him as if he were pulling her leg.

            "Why can't I tell anyone? Won't they want to know where Iris is?"

            "I just don't want anyone to overreact or jump to any rash conclusions. I have a feeling Ian will automatically conclude that she was kidnapped. So just say Iris is still in bed." With that said, Dryden left in a hurry to see their highness.

            "Melody, why aren't you wearing the dress I bought you at the bazaar?" Millerna questioned as she took notice of Melody's strange clothes.

            "Oh I didn't feel like it." She answered and took her seat across from the prissy princess.

            Merle looked around and noticed something different. "Where's Iris?" It was the one question that Melody didn't want to answer.

            "Uh… she's in bed. She's not feeling too good-"

            "My lord!" one of the palace pages came running into the dinning hall in a hurry. "One of the mares have been stolen from the stable." Ian stood up alarmed, worried it maybe one of his.

            "Which one?"

            "I do believe it's the lady Iris's mare named Cleo."

            "Cleo…" Ian murmured and sat back down. "Please inform my parents of this immediately." The page bowed his blond head and left promptly. "Strange…"

            "What is Ian?" Millerna asked.

            "Well, it's seems odd that someone would steal Cleo when there are much better mares or stallions they could have."

            "Ah… this is the life! I'm free!" Iris exclaimed as she stretched out her arms while still seat atop Cleo. She closed her eyes and breathed in the sweet smell of the forest around her. What more could a girl ask for? She wondered with a grin.

            'Well she could have a man at her side.'

            "Huh? Who's there?" Iris asked startled.

            'It's your conscience.'

            "My conscience?" she asked baffled.

            'Yes.'

            "Okay…what do you want?"

            'Why the fuck did you run away!?!'

            "I didn't want to be there! I don't want to be forced to marry someone else!"

            'But you seem to like that someone else.'

            "Ha! You're sadly mistaken! I hate him!"

            'Are you sure Iris? Or are you just saying that?'

            "I really don't like him."

            'That's not what I see.'

            "Huh? What do you mean?"

            'If you look deep in your heart and soul, you'll see that you do like him. But your mind doesn't want you to.'

            "I don't get it? Why?"

            'Because you don't want to make your parents happy. And you know very well that the marriage between you two will be like a god sent.' Iris thought it over carefully. Is that true? Iris wondered. But…it can't be. I hate him! I really do…don't I? She ran her fingers though her hair in frustration. She jumped down from her mare's back and onto the forest floor where she paced back forth.

Iris went through all the things she hated about Dryden, which ended up a small list. Alright, let's try the pros of him. Okay, he doesn't like formal clothes, he's loves literature and philosophy, he's not stuck up, he's not all prissy noble like, he- Oh my god…the pros out number the cons! Oh my… She stopped her pacing and sat down on a nearby rock. We have more in common than we don't…Maybe my conscience was right. Damn conscience!

Iris sighed and rested her hand in her hands. Now what do I do? Do I go back? What will my parents say? Oh wait, I probably have a good idea. 'Iris, why can't you be like Ian and be an ass kisser?' or 'Why can't you be a normal princess and stay at home and do as your told?' She sighed again.

            It was noon and the palace was in chaos. Everyone had himself or herself convinced that Iris was kidnapped. Even when Melody told the king and queen about what she found in Iris's bed, they still didn't believe she'd run away. However, Merle seemed to believe Melody but she was the only one.

            "I can't see why everyone thinks she was kidnapped. It just doesn't make sense to me." Melody sighed as she sat down on her bed beside Merle.

            "I know what you mean. It doesn't seem right. Why would Ziabach or anyone want her? What use could she have other than a large ransom?" Melody shrugged and laid back. She rest her hand in the palms of her hands gazed out the window. There's never a dull moment is there…

            Iris looked at the castle walls and prepared herself for what she was expecting to happen. She could already here her mother scold her for running off. She took her cape off and went inside after she spoke with the guards. She rode Cleo slowly to the front doors and dismounted. A groom stood by and took the reins from her. Well, here I go…good luck…

            She climbed the marble steps and opened one of the doors. Her timing couldn't have been more perfect. Her parents were both descending the stairs at the same time. Iris looked away from them. She just couldn't face them, not now though but perhaps later.

            "Oh Iris." Her mother spoke and embraced her daughter tightly. This had caught Iris completely off guard. She wasn't expecting a hug or much affection from her parents. "Don't you ever do that again!" her mother said in a half sob.

            "Uh…okay…I wont…but you're…hurting me…" her mother instantly loosened their hug and smiled warmly.

            "Now go to your room and get changed." Iris went to rebel but was cut off quickly. "I don't care. You smell like the stables now go!" she pointed up the stairs and wore a stern face. Iris didn't bother in saying anything else and did as she was told.

A/N: Sorry about the long wait! I was soooooo busy with exams and school. I'm really sorry. I'll try to update more often alright. Okay, if you want me to e-mail you when I do update, please either leave your e-mail addy in your review or e-mail it to me at esca_chick@hotmail.com