"WHAT?" Shouted Orihime's handmaidens synonymously.

If their eyes could shoot ceros, then Orihime would have been nothing but a pile of ashes on the floor. She forced herself to look at them straight in the eyes and reminded herself that she was the one in control here.

"I am going to go to one of the nearby villages" The tremble in her voice wasn't gone.

"Are you a moron as well as ugly?!" The black haired one, Loly demanded to know. Of the two, she was the more hot tempered and informal with her.

"I-I'm just ad-min-is-ter-ing my duties as a princess" Recited Orihime

"But Lord Aizen has banned you from going" Protested Menoly. She had sandy, cropped hair and like her partner, a hollow hole over her eye.

"You think just cause you're the princess, you don't have to give a hoot about Lord Aizen's rules?" Leered Loly

"You think you're above the rest of us, huh? IS THAT WHAT YOU THINK!?"

Orihime felt like turning into mush on the spot and bursting into tears. But replaying Mary's conversation helped her find her counter argumment.

"Lord Aizen has merely...suggested that I...remain in Las Noches...I don't..umm..need to...and yes...my word...as the princess...of Hueco Mundo...does...actually...override...his own"

Loly was livid with fury at that point and flexed her arm to strike her. The princess shielded her face and braced herself for the consequential blow.

She waited for the point-blank pain to shoot through her body...but as the seconds evolved into a minute, she cautiously opened her eyes and peered at her attendant, unsure what to anticipate as the reason for her retreat from the attack.

Menoly was grabbing the Black haired arrancar's arm and restraining her back.

"You know...she's right..."

With an indignant huff, Loly pulled her arm back.

"ARE YOU FREAKING SIDING WITH HER?"

"Not exactly" Said Menoly uneasily.

"But technically she isn't being ordered by Lord Aizen to stay here. And I guess that even if she was...her decision could...override his...Lord Aizen is really just a seat warmer for her"

If Loly looked livid before, she was apoplectic now.

"YOU TRAITOROUS WITCH! HOW DARE YOU BADMOUTH LORD AIZEN LIKE THAT!"

"But it's sort of true" Protested Menoly (although she sounded as though her speech would soon be hindered with a series of violent upheavals)

"Lord Aizen is only a regent who's serving in her place until she comes of age..." It was obvious that she wished this weren't the case.

Loly looked like she was going to release her zanpakuto right then and there. Orihime decided that it was time to continue her mission. SHe couldn't afford to waist anymore time on her servants.

"I-...er...I must be going...Please...do not inform anybody about...my actions...and I...um...I...f-forbid you...to tell...Lord Aizen...or any of the espada...about my wherabouts...I-I need you to pretend like I'm still here" She stuttered.

The arrancar maidens looked as though they had been robbed of a golden opportunity (Orihime was certain that they planned to tell Aizen about her plans and stop her before she even left) Shuffling off as quickly as she could before Loly could start berating her again, she hurried off to the palace gates

As Orihime walked towards the castle exit, she felt her heart gain a pound with each step she walked. Her breathing grew more and more ragged and every muscle in her body was screaming that it wasn't too late to turn around and go back to her room. But remembering the words Mary had said to her gave her strength.

As she neared the gate, the castle guards, concerned to begin with over the Princess's wandering around the castle looked more and more perplexed as she neared their watch post.

"And-what do you think you're doing? -Your highness" stammered one who was scrawny and hunchbacked with a series of long, gray, extensions coming out of her back with pinwheels at the end and a long, pointed mask.

"I'm-" Orihime inhaled for three seconds.

"I am going out"

"Can she do that" Stage whispered the second guard. He was the opposite of the first, huge and shapeless.

"I don't know" Whispered the other.

"Does Lord Aizen know?"

"Should we stop her?"

"Can we stop her?"

Orihime was slightly offended by the guard's discussing her as though she were nonexistant but forced herself to take advantage of it instead by walking past them. She didn't bother to forbid them from telling Aizen. She knew that the punishment would extend to them for letting her go. That would be enough to keep them quiet.

As Orihime walked through the doors and felt the rushing whip of the night air sting her face, she threw back the hood of her cloak and gasped in a fit of exhilaration. She had done it! She had gone past the gates! She had left the castle! For the first time in years, she was outside!