Chapter 4:

Prince Marcus wasn't mostly considered wise, at times. Even as a young child, he never did anything right. His father even had told him so. His mother, never did. She was too loving towards her only son. Yet, she was gone. So he heard his father speak all the time. Oh, how the Prince was so hateful. Mostly because his decisions are being made for him. It was both custom and habit. Now, this habit is repeating. The traditional ways of his people will reign tomorrow morning.

His marriage.

The wedding.

That continuously depresses him. Of course, no one pities him. All think that his marriage will be something to celebrate, but he would rather want flowers thrown on his coffin than on his wedding bed. They don't see him as he sees himself, was the case. The Prince felt like he was always wearing a gold masquerade mask. Behind a mask, where no one could find him.

The Prince only wants their pity. He does not see himself as a husband too early in the future. He wants a wife of his choice. Of course, love was never an option in their royal household. Or anytime soon for that matter. The Prince does not want the crown, but he would rather want the crown on his father's skeleton head in his grave than his. He doesn't want any of it. Certainly not being a father, either. These are the mingling thoughts he carries.

It was a scary thought for him at his age.

This always happened.

He carries his name. He carries his crown. He carries his royal blood line. He carries fake smiles. He carries a rule of speaking if spoken too. He carries the voice of his father, obeying to sit still. He carries the mourning sighs for his mother. He carries his unhappy childhood. He carries this burden of not praying to Zeus for the least bit of guidance. He carries this little piece of heaven inside of him, that's turning to dull for anyone's liking.

And the poor Prince carries a hate for his father.

Each of those weighing more than a thousand pounds of hardship.

Now, not an idea comes to his head of how to even rear his own children, if he had the seed to produce any. If he ever made the decision to get into bed in the first place. Somewhere, the Prince found strength in himself. He has a voice. Some things could be controlled in his power that he possesses.

So, he went to tell Princess Evey what she's getting into. Tell her it was a burden to go through with this.

"She needs to know," the Prince said to himself.

There was some sort of key to that. Maybe this was the first wise decision he was making. Saving another from a life of turmoil and petty smiles. Prince Marcus coiled back, just thinking what she would have to endure. He did not think of judging himself wise or rebellious, he just did what he had to do. Protecting her freedom and her womb. She shall be controlled by law and rules and the loud voice of the grandfather of her soon-to-be children. Finding it horrid and boring.

He went to her room. She opened the door.

He told her.

Of course, she did not take it well. At all. In the midst of his conversation, she got up, appalled and shocked. He never seen a reactions like hers. In a way, he was almost scared of her. She was completely shocked. Actually… she went into a hysterical seizure! She did not want to marry him, she shouted and screamed, and cradled herself on top of her bed. Crying for her mother.

She spoke out in words…or some sort of slang….he had never heard before. Some would say it be colorful vocabulary. Some, another language. She screamed she didn't want to marry him.

Prince Marcus didn't know whether to see her reaction as fear or a rude gesture towards him. It did not matter. Either way, he would try to fix the problem. Also, there was something about her that made her glow.

Her body moved this way and that. She did not sit still. She had no worries of walking across the floor too much as to get her robes dirty. As a matter of fact, she did not wear a dress as some other princesses should. She pushed back her hair, that was not tied up, fixed, or jeweled. Her hands did not stay at her sides at all times, as a Princess should. She raised her voice is she wished. She was a maniac!

Her eyes strong and experienced, filled with survival. Then after awhile…she did not argue with him. The Princess knew that when they'd be wed, both their households power would combine, making them rich with top authority, a power that would last their family tree for many a generation to come.

She did not care.

Your POV:

"I mean, WTF, man! WTF, to everyone here! What the hell is wrong with everyone! Ok! Ok, this is my problem, Marcus. I can easily flip out. So, I'm sorry if I'm scaring you. I just need to breathe! This is like that one class in school where we have to breathe in and out, and we have to do something with our stomach and chest! Something, like that! Damn it! I'm sorry, I can't get married! I mean, no offense to you, no! I just can't! I just can't! What's my mom going to think? And what about her husba- Oh the hell with him…! Omg! Omg! Ok. Ok. Ok. Marcus, I am so happy that you told me before hand. I'm sorry, I can have a bit of an anxiety attack…! I can't believe I can be this stupid! I just need to breathe…"

"We need to get you out of here. We have plenty of time. The ceremony begins tomorrow morning. Go back home. Go back to your mother. When you are not here, the wedding is off. My father will be disappointed, but I will be happy. And once you are not here, you will be happy, too."

"You are a good person!" I got my bag and turned towards the door. Marcus came up, and pulled me back.

"You can not just walk out. Guards are everywhere, they know that a wedding is tomorrow, so they won't be easily distracted tonight. We need to make a navigational escape out of this place. Where no one will know where you've gone and how. They shall never find out I helped you."

"Ok. What do you have in mind?" I asked.

"That's the hard part. I'm not sure. But, perhaps, we can dress you as a slave girl. Take you out of the walls, ride you out on carriage, and down to the dock."

"The dock?"

"Yes, transport you out to sea. Of course the travel will be slow, but it'll be the easiest. It'll be the last place the guards will look."

"Sounds good! I've never been on a boat before."

"But we can't use boats of the King, they'll know you've escaped. You may not go where you want to go, but it'll be worth it. Trust me. You'll need to be a stowaway."

"Sounds like a plan. But you know what would be a good plan?"

"What?"

"Me not dying of typhoid disease on a ship!"

So me and the prince made our way through my room. The prince said for me to wait here in the room, while he went to go get the servant clothes. Once he returned, I took off my shoes, put them in my bag, then the prince lead me down to the doors. We peeked outside, no one was there. While I didn't know what was going on, the Prince said that he'll take care of it.

We came to the side doors of the palace, and more than 5 armed guards stood there, wide-eyed for anyone. Taking in a deep breathe, I walked out along with the Prince. They noticed us.

Prince Marcus held in his hand a small basket with a cloth inside. My shoulders were stooped low and I tried to look as fragile as possible.

"Prince Marcus," a guard saluted him. They all bowed to the Prince.

"Make way," the prince said, as he softly pushed me out.

"Wait! Why do you send this woman outside? Your wedding is tomorrow and-"

"And I would like to give my bride a gift! And why not the gift of an apple? Sweet and fresh. I am sending this maid out to fetch me some. Once tomorrow as we lay in our wedding bed, we'll exchange gifts. A token of our love, marriage, and trust. Now make way."

The guard stepped aside, as the Prince pushed me outside. The guards did seemed fooled, and that was a white flag.

"Now, maiden, go to the market, pay the merchant for one sweet red apple."

He gave me the basket.

"Once you do find the market, look for the prettiest apple you see. A deep red one."

Inside the basket were gold coins.

"Go, now, maiden, hurry back and inform me what you have received…"

I nodded and ran for the hills! I went through the gardens and into the street where I could see better in the light. I looked around, totally amazed. There was carriages of corn and cabbages, merchants with swords, leathers, and birds. There were many stalls of jewelry, headbands, woven baskets, and bread.

I didn't even bother to look for the apples, I just ran through. Just as Prince Marcus told me, there was the ships at the port that had its sea men up and hauling goats, rum, wool, and fish. They're weren't going to let me on their ship easily. That I knew.

Damn, how was I going to do this?