Secrets of the Heart

Chapter 22

We make it to the house Alice directed us to by daybreak. The horses are exhausted from running, so we tie them up by a water trough and go up the pathway to the door.

Leonardo raps at the door, which is almost immediately opened by a middle aged woman.

"You must be Elsa," I greet, reaching ou my hand.

"No time for formalities hurry in before someone sees you," she urges, hurrying us into the house.

Once the door is closed, she let's out a sigh.

"I'm sorry for being so rude Princess, it's just- they'll be looking for you soon and if they knew I was keeping you here them we would be hanged."

"Don't apologize I completely understand. And you needn't call me Princess, just call me Clarabelle."

She nods, before calling out "William, please go put their horses in the barn. And get rid if the palace saddles."

A man comes out from what must be the kitchen, and nods at her before going out the front door.

"You must be starving," she coos, beckoning us in towards the kitchen.

"Well mostly I'm just tired," I honestly reply.

"Well, you two can sleep in our guest room. There are two beds in there. Do you have anything you need to unpack," she asks.

"I didn't have time to take anything. All I had were the clothes on my back," I mutter.

"You're going to need clothes then," the replies, leading me by the hand towards the back of the house. "Your dress is ruined."

I glance down at what was once a gorgeous gown. It now looks like rags and is drenched in sweat and covered in holes.

She reaches into a closet and tosses me a few peasant dresses and a nightgown.

"Thank you," I utter, grabbing the pile of folded clothes in my arms.

"Don't mention it. Now Darling, you should get some rest."

I nod, and go to change into the nightgown before crawling into bed.

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"Clarabelle, wake up," a voice whisper yells. Hands are on my shoulders, trying to shake me out of my slumber.

My eyes flutter open, and I see Elsa standing over me, an urgent look in her eyes.

"There's a palace wide search going on for you. They'll be here in less than a half hour. We need to hide you two," she informs me.

I jump up, and pull on a peasant dress, before following her out of the room. Leonardo is already in the kitchen, waiting for me to get up.

"What about the horses?" I ask.

"William has taken them down to the brook and tied them up under an overhang. They should be safe for now," she replies. "Now follow me."

She leads us down the hallway stops at a dead end. Leaning to the floor, she lifts a floorboard, and then another. Soon she's exposed a secret trapdoor, which she opens for us.

"Climb in there and don't come out till we tell you to," she orders. We both climb down the ladder, and into a small, cramped room. It's maybe 4x5 feet, just big enough for maybe three people.

I sit on the ground, and a silence gals over us. I can't speak for Leonardo, but I'm petrified. If they catch me, I'll have to go back. I can't go back, not now when I've finally realized what a monster Pier is.

After a while, we hear footsteps overhead, and angry voices bellowing orders. The palace men are here.

"We've searched everywhere else in the kingdom, she has to be on this mountain," a chillingly familiar voice roars. Pier.

My eyes meet Leonardo's as I try to convey the fear I feel at this moment in time.