The moon already gleamed in the night sky, patterned with twinkling stars. Adele stood patiently as one of the maids laced up her corset, still not accustomed to it's vice-like grip on her torso.
The ball was that night. Adele, Jon, Arden, Jessamine, and Rosalie had worked out an escape plan, using the bustle of the engagement ball as their advantage. Jon and Rosalie were in charge of the distraction- that part of the plan the pair had worked out on their own just that morning. Adele didn't even know what said distraction would actually be.
At long last, she was finally ready to make her appearance at the party, already underway downstairs. She paused a moment to examine herself in the mirror.
Her brown hair was wound and braided into an elaborate design, securely held in place by a number of lavishly jeweled ornaments. The gown itself was a gentle powder blue, decorated with dark blue beads and jewels sewn through it's soft fabric. And as usual, thick makeup hid the resemblance she held to her father. A sapphire and diamond tiara completed the look- nestled within her deep brown locks, sparkling and throwing rainbows in the light. Pulling on a pair of delicate white satin gloves, she proceeded to walk to the ballroom. Rather than Arden or Jon at her side, she was accompanied by an older, gruff man who never spoke. Arden and Jon were already in position.
The doors to the ballroom were pushed open for her, and she timidly stepped forward. All twirling and laughter came to an abrupt halt, and people turned to stare at her. Young women hid their faced shyly behind their lacy fans, struck suddenly shy by Adele's gentle beauty. Older noble ladies seemed to hold back sniffs of disgust, as though they could smell the mountain air lingering in the country girl's form. The prince quickly took a place alongside his bride, offering his hand.
The musicians began to play a waltz, and dancing resumed. Adele remained apathetic as she twirled in the Prince's arms. He remarked on her lack of emotion, and she answered that she was simply tired.
Hours ticked by. Every time Adele found herself free of a man she must oblige with a dance, another approached her. She was spun and twirled endlessly over the floor, growing dizzy. She waited for her chance to escape, but the distraction never came. She turned her blue eyes up to the crystal chandelier in a silent prayer for release.
Another quarter of an hour passed before this prayer was answered.
A scream suddenly shot up from the far side of the ballroom. All heads turned rapidly to a frantic-looking woman dressed head-to-toe in emerald covered silk, screeching and pointing a ringed finger to one of the soldiers.
"Stop! Theif!" the woman screamed. The man she pointed to was immediately seized by another pair of guards, and hauled forward. Adele was momentarily struck speechless when she realized the alleged thief to be Jon. But with further inspection, she calmed down when she got a good look at the woman's face.
Only those who knew Rosalie very well would have recognized her that night. Her kind face, normally marred by dirt from her work as a maid, was painted with make-up that brought out the true but simple beauty that lied within her. Her hair, normally pulled back in a messy braid, hung in glossy waves around her face. Adele well recognized the dress and jewels- they'd been taken from her own room. She praised Rosalie and Jon's cleverness.
Rosalie, as the arrogant rich woman, was insisting that Jon had stolen a necklace from her. Jon was arguing his innocence, suggesting that the woman had simply lost her necklace. The distraction worked marvelously as people began to argue over the matter of the soldiers innocence or search the floors for an emerald necklace. Adele felt a hand close around her wrist, and she was led quickly away through a back door.
"Rosalie's doing wonderfully," Adele whispered to Arden as the pair of them slipped out the servants entrance into the darkened garden, "I hardly recognized her- she's so lovely."
Arden beamed with pride for his little sister, but said nothing as he whisked Adele into Jessamine's cottage. The gardener welcomed the runaway bride with a hug, but there was little time for such things.
Arden went outside to stand guard at the door, while Adele quickly began to strip off her layers of clothing. It was necessary for them to move quickly, before someone noticed that she had gone. After the blue dress was pulled away from her body, Jessamine bundled it into a potato sack and threw it into the fire. The jewels and beads would be raked out later a buried. They could leave no evidence.
As piece upon piece of clothing was dumped into the fireplace, Adele began to free pins from her hair and drop them into a wooden box, along with her tiara, bracelet, necklace, and engagement ring. This box, too, would be buried under cover of darkness.
The door suddenly opened, and Adele crossed her arms to cover her exposed chest. Thankfully, it was only Rosalie who bustled into the small room, also already working to yank off her jewelry. These, too, went in with Adele's things. And as Rosalie, too, threw the elegant green dress to the flames, Jessamine went to the small bureau.
To Rosalie, Jessamine threw her maids uniform. Rosalie hastily pulled it on as she explained her plan.
"So the necklace was found, and Jon was released," Rosalie explained, "All was forgotten, and the pair of us escaped unscathed."
She then, quickly, went to the sink to scrub the makeup off her face as Adele slipped into her own clothing. For her, a pair of brown pants and a white boy's shirt had been selected from some of Arden's clothes. She had decided not to go with a magical disguise, as these wore off in moments of passionate emotion. Buttoning the shirt as quickly as she could, Adele twisted her hair up and stuffed it under a brown cap. Then, she too joined Rosalie to wash the makeup from her face.
"Oh, here," Rosalie said suddenly, extending her closed fist to Adele. She uncertainly placed her palm out, and the maid dropped her gift into it. Adele smiled.
Carefully, she pulled her green pendant over her head, and slid it under her shirt. It would have been devastating to have to leave behind this gift her father had given her.
Jon and Arden came in then, insisting that they had to hurry. For warmth, Jessamine gave Adele a grey scarf, which she gratefully wound around her neck. Then, taking a handful of soot from near the fireplace, she speared this over her face, concealing her features. The loose folds of the shirt hid her bosom, and the cap concealed her long hair. It was a crude disguise, but she did look quite like the young boys who roamed the streets.
After a quick and tearful goodbye to Jessamine and Rosalie, Adele went with Jon and Arden to the front gate. Upon seeing two guards there, each man roughly took her by the arms.
"Who goes there?" one of the gate guards demanded.
"We found this street urchin boy lurking around the garden," Jon answered, his voice so cold it send shivers through Adele's whole body, "We're merely showing him the way out."
They were allowed to pass, and Jon and Arden escorted Adele into the dark underbelly of the royal city.
"Are you sure you'll get along fine?" Arden inquired when it came time to part.
Adele nodded, waving one hand in a dismissive manner. "Don't worry about me. Your job is to locate someone who will marry the prince so I can freely return to my parents."
"Good luck, little Adele," Jon wished her with a smile, playfully punching her in the arm, "Stay out of trouble."
Adele rolled her eyes, and embraced them both. Regretfully, she parted from them, walking down a dark alley as they headed back to the castle.
She was alone.
The night wind chilled her, and she hugged her arms tightly for warmth. She wondered what would happen when she was discovered missing. Would they somehow be able to link her escape to her four friends? Would the two kind soldiers, the gentle gardener, and the helpful maid get in trouble for assisting her? Or would the prince immediately assume that Howl was at fault, and attack the moving castle?
Her thoughts drifted back home, wondering how her parents were doing. Was her mother worried, recalling her own encounters in nearly becoming the prince's bride? Was her father pacing the floor, trying in vain to come up with a strategy to rescue her? Was her cat well taken care of? And Markl... was he worried? Was he outraged by the prince's proposal? What would happen to them if the prince suspected them of kidnaping her?
She sat down in the alley, leaning her back against a wall. Her worries rose within her chest until hot, salty tears poured from her eyes. She never wanted to put her family in danger, never wanted to make them worry. But there was no going back now. No. She would not return to that Hell.
She'd simply have to lie low and hope for the best, waiting it out until another bride could be found for the prince then. How long would it take? Moths? Years? How long before they stopped looking for her? And after that, how long until their searching turned up a respectable and willing girl? How long was she prepared to live this life?
Adele fell asleep with these worries swirling through her troubled mind. Tears still on her cheeks, she curled up into a ball and slept quietly in the cold ground, hoping that her loved ones would be alright, and hoping that she herself would be alright.