Identity

III) A Plan of Escape

“Every saint has a past, and every sinner a future” – Oscar Wilde.

Rebecca yawned as she woke up, feeling like she hadn’t slept at all. A dull ache spread across her lower back, a result of spending the night of the unaccommodating floor. Princesses do not complain, she thought to herself as she raised herself up onto her elbows.

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she found Carla sitting cross-legged a few feet from her. She was staring at a point on the wall, unseeing. She didn’t seem to have any qualms regarding their rough night. But that was Carla all over. She was always aware of the living conditions of the peasants.

“You’re awake,” said Carla.

Rebecca pushed herself to her feet and moved over to her older sister, taking care to avoid the chink in the tattered curtain, the only light source in the room.

“Where’s Peter?” asked Rebecca, after having a quick glance around.

“He left before dawn. He told me he’ll be back around midday. We just let you sleep,” replied Carla, somewhat detached.

Rebecca nodded and went over to the kitchen area. She was going to wash the utensils from the previous night when she realised there was no water to do so. She sighed. She couldn’t even go and get some from the well since the whole citadel was looking for her.

“Becca, come and sit down,” said Carla.

“How are we going to survive?” she said rhetorically as she sat down.

“We’ll manage. We don’t need to worry about that right now. We need to worry about Katherine. Peter has gone to see if he can figure out an escape plan.”

Carla and Rebecca were huddled up together in the dark corner, attempting to keep warm. The sun had long since set and there was still no sign of Peter.

“We should get some sleep,” suggested Rebecca.

“I don’t want to sleep,” responded Carla.

She was drifting off every now and then, but every time her eyes flew open again. She wished there was some water so she could wake herself up a bit. She wouldn’t sleep with Katherine still in trouble.

“Girls,” whispered Peter in the darkness.

There was the sound of water lapping against the side of a bucket and then the room started to become more visible as Peter moved around lighting the candles. Only then did he sit down beside them.

“Where were you?” quizzed Carla.

“I’ve got some bad news. Lord Robert has joined Ravana, as has Lady Caroline,” said Peter with a shake of his head “Katherine… she was apparently as obstinate as ever.”

“What of our parents? And our Aunt Mary?” asked Rebecca, worry gracing her usually soft features.

“To be executed along with Katherine in two days’ time,” said Peter.

“I’m going to rescue her,” declared Carla, rising.

“There’s something else. Ravana has declared that anyone who hands you over to him will receive one hundred gold coins and a lordship.”

“You have got to be kidding.”

“I have got an idea, though.”

“Tell me what I must do.”

“Not you, Carla, or you, Rebecca. My best friend, Graham, is one of the dungeon guards. I met up with him today, which is one of the reasons I took so long. He is going to drug the alcohol and then release Katherine. We’ll wait and the stables and then we’ll get as far away as possible. We don’t want to be around when he finds out.

“What about our parents? And anyone else in the dungeons?” questioned Rebecca, although she knew it would be impossible.

“Come on, Rebecca, you know they won’t leave. Plus, if we get everyone out of the dungeons, we’ll be easily spotted. Katherine and maybe the children will be freed. I’m sorry. It’s the best we can do,” replied Peter.

“We understand,” said the two princesses, the rationality of it undeniable.

After Peter had handed them some honey cakes, they mulled over the best plan of action. It was agreed that at nightfall the next day, Peter would take them to the stables and they’d wait and hide whilst Graham brought Katherine. Then, with whatever provisions they had managed to obtain, they’d saddle as few horses as possible and ride out. Hopefully, they can just trample the guards at the gates if need be.

“We should get some sleep,” said Peter.

Preparing themselves for another night on the floor, Carla and Rebecca huddled close and draped their blankets over them. It was warm enough and they’d need to get used to sleeping rough if they were to be on the run.

Peter seemed to toss and turn for a while but he eventually stilled and he fell into a troubled sleep. Carla had no such luck but tried not to move around too much so she didn’t disturb her sister. She hadn’t had a proper sleep since the takeover and it was unlikely she would until Katherine was safe and they were far away.

As the dawn sunlight crept in, Carla removed herself from the makeshift bed and made her way over to the corner, and sitting in a similar fashion as the day before. Her eyes felt heavy since she had barely slept but she didn’t care. Today was the day when she rescued her sister and got out of her once home.

Katherine was bored. She paced her dungeon cell as each minute seemed to drag on for an eternity. She had no idea how criminals survived lifelong imprisonment. It was torture. There was nobody to talk to. She craved to be out riding with the sun beating down on her or sparring with Peter, revelling in her rebellious activity. Her thoughts turned to Peter. She wondered where he was … if he was even still alive. She prayed he had gotten out of the citadel with Carla and Rebecca. A huge part of her wished she was out of here and not awaiting her execution, but she’d signed her death sentence with her speech. That brought a smile to her face.

Then she was jolted back to reality with the thought that she was going to die. It hit her hard, as if part of the castle had come crashing down on her. This time tomorrow she would be dead; head removed from her body. In one swift motion, she would be nothing but a memory. She wondered what would happen to her. Her body would probably be burnt, or maybe even buried since she was of royal blood. She didn’t really care. What she cared about was her soul. Where would that go? The priests and priestesses had beaten it into her that if your soul was cleansed and pure you would be invited into god’s arms up in heaven, and if you were sinful you were sentenced to burn in hell for all eternity. Katherine wasn’t sure if she believed it; it sounded far too simple. No-one was flawless just as no-one was completely immoral.

Katherine knew her thoughts would be deemed sinful, but she didn’t care. If such places as heaven and hell existed, where would she go? She had no clue. The unknowing frightened her more than the prospect of her death. She hadn’t contemplated death before now. She had always thought that it had to happen to every being at some point and you just had to accept it. But now she felt unsettled by it all. She suddenly felt alone; such an insignificant piece in the game that was life.

Katherine cursed herself for her weakness. It was going to happen whether she wanted it to or not; she didn’t have the power to stop it. Her mother’s words came to her in the freezing darkness – Sometimes one must sacrifice oneself for the safety of others. She would die to give her sisters more time, as her parents had chosen to die for them.The words reassured her but she longed to be held in her mother’s arms as she had when she was a happy-go-lucky child with nothing at all to worry about.

Her fear was suddenly replaced by a burning anger. She rose to her feet, feeling stronger, more in control. She began to pace her cell, thinking of what her execution speech would be. If she was going to die, she wanted to die having contributed something to the people’s lives and to die knowing her life hadn’t been worthless. Perhaps she would be a martyr, the face of a rebellion against Ravana and his army. And my uncle, she thought with a bitterness so unlike her. It was wishful thinking, nothing more; yet, it brought her a strange sense of relief. She smiled at the treasonous words and the appalling language which was most unladylike whizzed through her mind.

“It’s time,” said Peter.

A/N - Next time has all the action in it :D Please comment. Hope you enjoyed!