Chapter 2

Evil and escape

Princess Anaiya stared dismally out of her tower window, her eyes fixed unseeing upon the glorious golden sunset. She started suddenly as she heard the door hinges creak open, and turned hopefully when a step fell on the floor. Her eyes dulled again as she saw who disturbed her thoughts, and she returned her gaze to the world outside.

"Don't think you can avoid me, girl," a beautiful, melodious voice threatened. "You know he loves me more than you. He has for as long as I've been here. I am the one who holds your father's ear and heart, and he now has no room left for you. Look at me!"

Anaiya turned and stared angrily at her stepmother, Queen Tebrielle. She hated her to the depths of her soul. The new Queen was radiantly beautiful with long, golden hair, a voluptuous figure that had all the men of the kingdom panting, and a face so divine it didn't belong on the body of a mortal.

She was also the most cold-hearted bitch in the kingdom, and would promptly dispose of anyone who interfered with her quest for power. This was actually why Anaiya herself was locked up in the palace's North Tower; she had disliked Tebrielle from the very beginning, and had had no scruple in making her profound hatred known to the entire kingdom. She mostly hated the way in which King Lambert, her father, now seemed to ignore his only child altogether, instead focussing on his new wife, but she also realised there wasn't something quite right about her new stepmother. Tebrielle had barely been at court for three days before the king proposed, and Anaiya knew for a fact that he had loved her own mother, the late Queen Niande, until that time. If the young princess didn't know better, she would have said that the new queen was a sorceress who had the king under a spell.

But she did know better. And she still knew there was something terribly wrong with Tebrielle. She just didn't know what to do about it.

As the Queen turned to leave, her threats made clear, Anaiya heard her mutter something under her breath.

"Besides, you weak wrench, you won't be around long enough to regain his affections anyway."

She hoped she was wrong; she didn't want to believe that the Queen would actually dispose of her step-daughter.

Suddenly a cold wave washed over Anaiya; she shivered and drew her thin silk cloak closer around her as she stared at the beautiful winter day before her. But now her mind wasn't blank – she was thinking hard and fast. She knew she had to escape; there was nothing else for it. There was no way she was going to remain at the palace until her step-mother got rid of her. If Tebrielle knew where she was then she could ensure that she never came back. On the other hand, if she ran away on her own accord and found somewhere safe to hide for a while, she would have enough time to think a way of returning to her rightful role as princess, as well as find someone to help her.

That settled it; she decided she would run away from the palace.

Yet there was still one big problem; Anaiya was locked in the North Tower and the Queen controlled who came in and out of the chamber. It was obvious she was afraid one of Anaiya's friends would try to help the princess, so she only allowed those loyal to her to pass in.

Anaiya resigned herself to a sleepless night as she planned her escape. She knew she would have to outwit her stepmother – and that was no simple task.

Escaping the traditional way (hiding behind the door and knocking out the person who fed her, or hiding behind the door so they came inside while she ran out and locked them in there) wouldn't work. It had been done too many times, and she knew she was above that in intelligence.

She would simply have to discover a new way to escape. But then, nothing about this would be simple.

Footsteps slowly sounded in the corridor outside, and Anaiya's heart began racing. What was she thinking? She couldn't do this! She'd never done anything like this in her life. There is no way the Tebrielle's servant, Meir, would fall for her pathetic acting. Why on earth didn't she come up with an easier, more foolproof plan?

Because there was no easier, more foolproof plan. Argued a small, annoying voice inside her head. And if there was, then it's obvious that you weren't willing to take any side effect risks that might come of that.

Anaiya sighed in resignation, but then tensed when she heard the door being opened. She jumped up from her cot and, opening her eyes as wide as she imagined a possessed person's would be, she ran at Meir shrieking shrilly.

"Please! Oh please! Get it out of my head! Get it OUT!" she grabbed at the astonished man and began shaking him, before she gasped, clutched her head and sank slowly to her knees, still screaming. "Aaaaah! Help! It's possessing me! Please…help." She choked out the last bit and curled up into the foetal position, sobbing and shaking.

Meir finally seemed to overcome his shock and made a dash for the door, obviously intent on alerting his mistress to the fact that her step-daughter and prisoner appeared to be possessed. He cursed himself as he ran; he was a warrior, a killer, but here he was shaking at the recollection of that young girl shrieking and crying. Queen Tebrielle was not going to be pleased with him.

Back in the tower room Anaiya was still shaking as she gathered the few things she had been allowed as a prisoner, but now it was from trying to contain her laughter. Sure, it was virtually hysterics, but she didn't really deign to notice the difference at the moment. All that mattered was that she had fooled Meir and that he had conveniently left the door open. That bitch Tebrielle was not going to be pleased with him when she discovered her prisoner had escaped. No, she would not be pleased at all.

Her laughter now subdued at the thought of more pressing matters (such as her half-executed escape), Anaiya dashed out of the room and ran quietly but quickly down the corridor. She knew she didn't have long before Tebrielle began searching for her, and she wanted to be as far away from the palace as possible when that happened. There was no way she was going back in that room.

She ran down a flight of stairs, but stopped, panting, when she heard loud voices coming from below. Her racing heart almost stopped when she recognised Tebrielle's harsh voice yelling at Meir. Anaiya whipped around searching for anything to hid behind. She spotted a suite of armour and sprang at it in relief, scuttling into it's shadow and pressing herself into the wall. She very nearly screamed again when the wall moved under her weight, and she fell into a dark passage behind it (A/N - very cliché, I know). The wall closed behind her and she was left sitting in absolute darkness.

Anaiya whimpered. She hated the dark; she'd been terrified of it ever since she had discovered her mother died at night time. Even now she couldn't have rationally explained the similarity between the two, but it didn't stop her from being afraid.

Curling in on herself, the princess hid her face in her arms and rocked herself gently, trying her hardest to keep the terrors at bay.

The moon was lovely. She had never seen such a lovely moon. When had the moon become so lovely? She loved the moon.

Get a grip on yourself, Anaiya. she scolded herself. you're babbling and you know it. A princess never babbles.

She was sitting on a fence by a road in the middle of nowhere. It was night, but she wasn't afraid of the dark anymore. Well not this dark anyway; it wasn't pitch black. Ever since she had escaped from the palace a week ago she had been travelling as far and as fast as she could. She had no idea where she was going but she knew she just had to get as far away from Tebrielle as possible.

What am I going to do? she asked herself for the thousandth time. Tebrielle, the bitch, has every one of her men in the kingdom looking out for me - I just know it. I have to find somewhere to go where I'll be safe. And I don't think I should leave Renedia because a war is going to start. I have to find a way to stop it - without getting myself killed.

Morning found Anaiya once more walking along the dirt road. She had decided upon a course of action, and was keen to get started right away.

"How may I help you, miss?"

Anaiya turned quickly and curtsied deeply, as was befitting the high rank of the man standing before her.

"Your Grace, I was merely wondering if you had any need for a maid in your service. I have recently lost my father(well it's true, she thought silently), and I have no home nor money."

"I see. Of course I will hire you if you are desperate; what sort of man wouldn't? (plenty, they both thought to themselves). What skills do you have?"

"All the skills of a ladies' maid, sir. I can sew, embroider, dress a lady, do her hair, read and write, sing, play musical instruments. This is all I have been trained in; I have no other skills as they have never been required of me"

"Well, then I can see only one position that would suit you." said Duke Jarred. "And that is being my aunt's maid and companion. I sometimes feel that she gets lonely for female companionship as the only family she has here is her husband and I. Does this please you…?" he paused expectantly.

"Oh…my name's Annie, your Grace. And thank you so much. I don't know how I'll ever repay you."

"You don't have to. Now, Gene will take you to clean up and will provide you with new clothes. You will then meet my Aunt Breanne in her chambers. She will be expecting you."

Jarred watched as she curtsied and then followed Gene. She was a funny little thing, covered in all that grime of travelling, but she looked pretty and she had a mysterious quality about her that made him want to find out more about her past. But her attitude. She had obviously attempted to come across as being timid and subservient, but he had immediately seen through her act. Her voice held traces of one being used to wielding power and being obeyed. She even appeared to be arrogant and proud. Something never usually seen in a servant.

He pushed Annie to the back of his mind; he had many affairs to see to with this war coming on.

Anaiya sat in Lady Breanne's chambers embroidering a lovely cushion on her new mistress' wishes. It was to be a gift for a new baby born in the village.

What's the point of giving a peasant baby such a beautiful cushion? thought Anaiya. All this work I'm putting into it and it'll probably never be appreciated as it should be. It was made by a princess for heaven's sake. How on earth did I allow myself to get in this horrible position.

She was interrupted from her private complaining by a knock at the door. She opened it to find Duke Jarred waiting outside. As always, she was struck by his good looks.

"Annie, is my aunt in here?"

"I'm sorry to say she isn't, your grace. She left to discuss something with one of the servants, but she should be back any minute. Would you like to come inside and wait for her?"

"Thankyou, I shall." As Jarred walked over to the window he thought about what Annie had just said; she hadn't said 'one of the other servants,' she had said one of the servants.' The manner in which this had been stated indicated that she considered herself above them. As though she had come from a higher status. But how could that be?

"Annie," Anaiya turned from her embroidering to face the Duke. "Tell me a little about your past. You said you had just lost your father - what happened. And where is the rest of your family?"

The Princess of Renedia stared. She stared at the first human to ever question her about her past or to give the impression that her story wasn't believed. She stared at the first person to ever have control over her (apart from her father, but he had always let her do as she wished). She stared at the first man she had ever been curious about; a man whom she knew nothing about, and a man who was so handsome she fought for breath every time she looked at him. The Princess was quite stunned.

"Aah…I…My mother died when I was very young. I don't remember much of her except that she was very beautiful and loved me and my father very much. I have no siblings, nor am I close to any of my cousins or other extended family; they are jealous of me, you see. And my father…I don't really know what happened to him. One day he was there, loving me and making wise decisions, and the next he was gone. I don't know where he is and I want him back. I want my old life back…I don't know what I'm doing here." Anaiya broke down crying. She didn't realise what she had just said; she had become carried away and had simply poured out her woes to the first person who had asked her. She didn't comprehend that Jarred was staring at her, frowning and thinking hard.

What on earth was she talking about? Her relatives are jealous of her? But she looks like she has nothing. Her father was making 'wise decisions' - what exactly did he do? And where did he go? And she wants her old life back? Then what is she doing here? He paused, and looked closely at the weeping girl before him. She was beautiful - he hadn't seen it at first, under all that grime, but she really was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. And she looked as though she had never worked a day in her life. She was graceful and her manners were perfect, she walked as though she owned Canniton Manor, and his Aunt Breanne told him she often let her tongue slip and would speak sharply and arrogantly.

Who was she? The question had been knawing at him for weeks, and he still hadn't come up with a plausible answer. She fascinated him, and he couldn't get her out of his mind.

"Jarred!" cried his aunt from the doorway. "What are you doing here, darling? How long have you been waiting for me? Oh…Annie! What is wrong, child?" She rushed over to her young maid and hugged her. "Jarred, what did you say to her? What is wrong with her?"

Jarred opened his mouth to answer, but Anaiya beat him to it.

"He was interrogating me, Lady! He asked about my family - he gave the impression that he didn't believe me! I told the truth; I have no family. And it's so painful to think about it all…" She began crying again.

Lady Breanne glared at her nephew.

"Jarred you know better than that. How could you be so unfeeling as to question her about her family? Can't you see it pains her to speak of it?"

"I'm sorry, Aunt." Jarred replied, confused and contrite. Why had Annie made it seem he had been anything but kind and caring? Why had she lied? "I'll leave you both now."

He strode to the door and stepped outside, but as he turned to close it he caught a glimpse of Annie's face. She was looking at him with a smug expression on her face, even as she was 'comforted' by the Lady Breanne.

Who is she? thought Jarred again. I have to find out where she came from and what she wants.

As soon as the door closed behind him, Anaiya cursed silently. She was supposed to be gaining his trust so she could ask him for assistance in defeating her step-mother. Why had she lied to the Lady? Her tutors had often told her to watch her sharp, impulsive tongue, but she had never believed them before. Now she realised she would have to change if she wanted to ever get out of this terrible mess.

Anaiya stepped into the stables and immediately flinched at the overpowering stench. The smell of horses disgusted her. All animals did. She gingerly walked down the middle of the long corridor, carefully avoiding the curious horses who stretched out their heads to her from their stalls that ran along both sides of the corridor.

As she neared the end of the dirty path she spotted whom she had been sent to see.

Duke Jarred was grooming and talking softly to the biggest, blackest, most ferocious horse she had ever lain eyes on.

Anaiya loudly cleared her throat to gain his attention.

"Duke Jarred I have a message from your aunt. She wants you to know that she and Lord Calim will be going to the village for the day and will not return until dinner." Anaiya turned and began to hurry back down the corridor, anxious to leave the stables as quickly as possible.

"Annie, wait!"

"Yes, your grace?"

"Aaah…" what am I going to say? Good one, Jarred. Come on, you know you want to spend more time with her - ask her. "Aah…would you care to join me for a ride? It is simply beautiful this time of year, and I have noticed that you do not get any chance to leave the Manor. You can ride, can't you?"

"Yes I can." she said, looking bashfully down as she imagined a shy maiden would. "But I'm not sure if this would be entirely appropriate, sir. I have many duties inside and I'm sure you have many things to organise about the war…" Anaiya cringed. SHIT! Now I've done it. How would a lowly servant like me know of the war? Only the Councillors and other high-ranking nobles know of it. Uh oh, I'll never get out of this one.

But Jarred simply seemed to not hear the last statement. He had decided that the only way of getting information out of her was by gaining her trust. And confronting her when she let something slip was definitely not going to make her trust him. He stored everything away to mull over it later.

"I know we're both busy, but I wanted to show you something. Please come."

"Of course, sir, if you put it like that. How could I refuse?"

Thank goodness the fool has finally begun to fall for me. Anaiya thought as she watched Jarred saddle up a lovely roan mare for her. Now I just have to keep him interested so he won't tire of me. I suppose if I let slip that I'm actually of noble birth…

"So, Annie," said Jarred a while later, as they rode through the Canniton fields. "Where were you born?"

"Lasador, your grace. I've lived my entire life there, although I have travelled the world a bit."

"You've travelled? Where have you been? And why?"

"Well, I've been to Sydio, Ohmin, Hemmytia and Borrnia. My father considered visiting these countries excellent for business, so we journeyed there quite often, and whenever our acquaintances visited Renedia they stayed with us. I had to accompany my father as I was to inherit the family business; I'm an only child, you see."

"I do. What exactly did your father do?"

"Aah, it's a bit complicated. Oh, is that a stream over there? I'm terribly thirsty."

Jarred followed her, though at a slower pace. Every time he asked her a question he received an answer that answered nothing, and provided him with many more questions. She was an enigma, and he was becoming extremely intrigued as to what her secret was.

When he caught up to Annie he found the girl sitting on a boulder by the stream staring into the water.

"I've never really spent much time outside," she commented quietly. "I was always much too busy, and the thought of becoming dirty and smelly and hot was positively appalling. I always loved looking at it, but venturing outdoors was always out of the question. But now I've discovered that it is as beautiful as it looks, and I wonder how I lived my whole life without realising this."

"And you are, of course, incredibly old, and you have no time ahead of you to amend those misunderstandings," joked Jarred, attempting to levitate the mood a little.

Anaiya laughed.

"You're right, your grace. I'm being ridiculous. From now on I'm going to enjoy the outdoors more than I ever have before."

"That's wonderful to hear. But enough of this 'your grace' stuff. I have a name - Jarred - and I want you to use it. Everyone here on the Canniton estate does. I've spent so much time and effort making my people do this that I can't have you undoing all my hard work. Please call me Jarred."

"Um, of course…Jarred," the name felt sweet on her lips.

The young duke smiled.

"Good. Now that we've settled that rather annoying issue, we can continue on our tour of the estate. Come on."

He held out his hand to Anaiya and helped her to stand and mount her horse, Jay.

"Why thank you, kind sir," she joked, feeling quite strange. Crown Princess Anaiya never behaved like this. And here she was, flirting with a duke who, although very handsome and kind, would most likely throw her out if he ever discovered she had lied to him about her identity. But it's all part of my plan, she consoled herself. I have to make him like and trust me, and in order to do so I have to act sweet and innocent and carefree. That's the way to get to him.

That issue settled with herself, she resolved to enjoy the remainder of the day with Jarred. After all, she was a 'working woman' now, and was not given much free time. She had learnt to enjoy every free minute she was give.

Phillipa of the Phoenix – thanx so much for ur review (I'm glad u were my first reviewer, too). About the title – yes it will change. I just wanted to get the story posted and I couldn't think of a good title quickly enough. Do u have any ideas? I suck at titles.

Abbeygirl06 – thanx for taking the time to review; it's really encouraging to know that people like my story.

fairybells2 – I know this chapter took a while to come, but I have been really busy. Now it's the Christmas holidays I'll be able to write whenever I want.

Lady Vampyre - thanks for reviewing. Sorry this chappie took so long. I love how you spell 'vampyre,' by the way!

Ardelis Mercy - I like Jarred, too. The prophesy took forever to make; I went over it again and again, and wanted to say more in it, but I wanted to post that chapter even more than that. I hope it works.

Kat Laleh - thanks sooo much for reviewing - that has got to be the longest review I've ever seen! Your comments were really useful, and I hope I've improved this chapter based on what you said. But don't be too angry if it's still a little boring. I had to introduce Anaiya, and now I'm just waiting for the events to unfold. I've got this idea of what I want, but it's just so hard to write it all down so it flows and remains interesting. But most of what happens has a purpose later on. This is my first fanfic and I'm still getting used to making things happen faster than they would in any other story I write. Cheers, anyway. Btw - sorry if my 'Australian' spelling confused you. I have the same problem with American and other spelling.

Thanks so much, guys. Your reviews were fantastic and really encouraged me. I'm sorry if the next chapter takes a while, but I've got stacks of stuff going on in these holidays so I'm not sure how much time I'll have to write more. But stay with me…please don't leave me!

Luv nightsoul

xxxxxx