A Princess' Tale

Chapter Two

I never spoke about the troubles I had sleeping. My mind often felt more awake once the sun went down. I considered it a miracle whenever I managed to fall asleep immediately after getting into bed.

Unfortunately, sleep avoided me later that night.

I stared at my ceiling. More accurately, I glared at it as if it was the cause of my dilemma. I would be exhausted tomorrow and would need to pretend otherwise. Nobody wanted to see their princess yawning. At least I could powder my face to shield the darkness beneath my eyes.

After another moment of glaring, I sat up and groaned.

"I could walk. Yes, I could take a walk outside until I'm tired enough." Oh, but the string of questions that would follow if I did that...

"Ow!" A hiss came from outside, dangerously close... like it came from next door. Edward's bedchamber.

Admittedly, this wasn't the first time I'd heard him sneaking out. I caught him almost every night. But this was the first time I wanted to watch. I needed to discover how he did it. So far, he hadn't impressed me.

When the ruffling resumed, I leaped out of my bed and rushed to the window. And there he was on the small balcony next to mine, using the ivy as a rope to climb down. Then I squinted my eyes and noticed some of the leaves had wrapped around his ankle. The culprit that had caused his little cry.

Edward held on tightly, attempting to shake his ankle free. I laughed behind my hand before quietly opening my window.

I leaned out, smiling at him. "Are you having a little trouble there, Eddie?"

He paused. I waited.

Then he sighed and looked over his shoulder. "Shouldn't you be asleep?"

"Shouldn't you? What will Mother and Father think about this?"

"Tatianna."

I grinned and shook my head. "Of course, this will be kept between us if you promise me something."

He rolled his eyes, already knowing what promise I wanted to make. "Yes, I will behave and will return before dawn. Now get back inside and go to sleep, Anna."

"You do not want my help, then?"

"I can do this on my own."

I hummed and lifted my shoulders. "I wish you luck." With that, I ducked back into my room, leaving the window open. Then I pressed my back against the wall and listened to my brother's clumsy attempts to free himself.

It took plenty of frustrated groans and even a few words of profanity, but he managed it. I figured he used the small dagger gifted to him by Grandmother Luciana. His name was engraved on the blade and had become one of his favorite possessions. Although, he swore to me he only used it for emergencies. I supposed being stuck on the side of his balcony counted as one.

Edward gasped, and I peered outside. He dangled for a moment before eventually catching himself on the railing and letting out a sigh. Then he descended without another issue. And I bit down on my tongue as an idea came to mind.

No, do not be ridiculous, Tatianna. You are not going to follow him.

What was my other option, though? Pacing around my bedchamber until sleep finally crept up on me? That would take hours, and I wasn't feeling particularly patient.

So, I waited until Edward reached the bottom and started to sneak behind hedges. I'd always wondered how he managed to get past the guards and over the castle wall. What better way to find out than to watch and then attempt it myself?