Hate to Love- chapter 6 another escape
Disclaimer: Some characters that you recognize aren't mine, they belong to tamora pierce, those that u don't recognize, they belong to me.
A/N: Glad to hear that some of you are liking my story. Thanks. I'll try to update more often.
A/N: sorry i took so long to update, i had a writer's block... pls review...
Mal took some clothes from the trunk that she was supposed to bring to Tortall, stuffed it into a bag,took some money and left. Shewould leave with her family for Tortallsoon, and she rather she left eariler. Her parents were accompaning her to Tortall the next week, as the route to Tortall was very long. But the plans may change any time.
Her escape was not as easy as Yaven's as her room was on the 4th floor, and the King made it a habit to have many guards patrolling the palace grounds to search for strangers. Strangely enough, the stranger that Mal bumped into that day was not found when she told the guards about him.
After narrowly avoiding 4 guards and 2 servants, Mal finally reached the stables. She called out for her horse, Golden, who was a dull shade of gold. Golden was also a beautiful horse, and was one of the best horses in the country. Mal was to learn riding because the Queen had ask for her to learn the skill. The King had disagreed at first and said that it was 'unladyllike', but the King soon agreed after he was convinced. Mal felt grateful to her mother for that.
The princess usually snuck through a hole in the walls which were to be for the small animals that lived in the palace to escape if there was a war. The wildmage, Hayaine Alderlye, had requested for a place where the animals would be able to escape from and the King, seeing that the wildmage was indispensable to the country, granted her request.
Mal did not mind the fact that the hole was for animals and used it constantly, being caught sometimes when she arrived back late or when her parents discovered that she was missing. She would always be lectured and sometimes beaten.
But seeing that Golden was no small animal, Mal had to use the main gate to get out of the palace. "Guards," she commanded, getting their attention.
"Your Highness," they greeted in unison.
"Open the gates, I have to go into the city for a while," she said.
A guard, supposedly the chief,stepped up and asked, "Pardon me, Princess Malrina, but does Your Highness have His Majesty's permission?"
"Of course," Mal lied. She held up the piece of wood which confirmed that the King had allowed her to go out of the palace. It was in actual fact an imitation. Mal had carved it herself. It was a carelessly done as Mal had not had much experience with carving.
The guard took the piece of wood and looked closely. Please don't find out, please don't. Mal begged in her head. She tried to not show her anxiety. Finally, the guard returned it, having found no mistakes with it. He must not have seen it very often, .Mal thought, relieved.
"Open the gates," he called.
Once out of the palace grounds, Mal rejoiced mentally. She daren't act crazy in front of the palace guards for fear of them getting suspicious and alerting the King.
Now, where should I go? I'm practically homeless out in the city. Mal thought.
Why don't you go find your betrothed? Her mind asked.
Oh, it's you again, are you crazy? You want me to go and find him? As if I won't be seeing enough of him if I marry him!
No, no… I meant that you should go to his country. You weren't planning on staying here, were you? You'll be found soon! Your father will never find you there! Her mind reasoned.
Mal agreed. So, she set off for Tortall immediately.
Little did she know, something big was going to happen on the way to Tortall.