Thirteen Lullabies | ✓

VIII.III

That night I paced up and down the spacious room to which I had been assigned, thinking of any way to get you to believe I truly wanted you for you. I grew frustrated, removing my shoes and throwing them at the wall. It felt childish, but helped relieve some of the frustration. When my second shoe hit the wall, I heard a sound like that of a hollow wall.

I ceased throwing what I was wearing and walked over, feeling along the ridges of the wall to identify how to get it open. I finally noticed a small notch at the base of the wall, almost completely covered by the armoire. I pulled and pushed at it until the wall finally gave out, folding in like a door, leading to a dark passageway.

The sound of water dripping could be heard, far off, as if it were raining, though that made little sense, as the tunnel seemed to lead underground. I returned to my room to grab a lit candle, closed the door and made my way through the dark maze, hoping I would be able to find my way back if necessary.

The whisper of voices startled me, and I pushed myself up against the walls of the tunnel, extinguishing the candle in my hand. I just hoped I could get back to my chamber by sense of direction alone.

It sounded like Joan, her annoying giggle causing a shiver to run down my spine. I couldn't make out who was speaking with her, just that it was a man. She began giggling harder and then I heard a moan that made me want to get out of that tunnel as quickly as was physically possible.

I began moving back the way I had come, but struggled without the light of the candle. I pushed my hand against the wall beside me, using it to find my way back. I felt another notch, similar to the one I had found in my room. I didn't think I had gone far enough for this to be my room, but I was so intent on getting out of the tunnel that, again, I began tugging at it until the wall folded in on itself.

The light in the room made me think I had found my room correctly, so I turned to close the wall again, hoping I could explore the hidden passageways a bit more later. Preferably when your sister wasn't dallying with strange men inside of it.

I heard a gasp from across the room, and as I stood, knocking pieces of wall from my clothes, I saw you. That is when I realized that I had not, in fact, made it back to my own room. You sat at your vanity, plaiting your hair intricately, mouth open in a small 'o' of surprise.

Attempting to be charming, I smiled, taking a step away from you so that you wouldn't feel as though I was purposely intruding on your late evening routine.

"Oh. Hello. This is not what it looks like. I-I was frustrated about how today went, so I began throwing my shoes at the wall." Your eyebrow quirked up and something like amusement crept into your eyes. "I realized it sounded hollow, so I figured out how to get it open. Turns out your home has secret tunnels, did you know that?" I was speaking so rapidly that I was out of breath.

The amusement was still there as you nodded your head. "Well, anyway, I began trying to figure out where it led. I got pretty far down when I heard voices. I think Joan was with someone in there. I didn't want to be caught, so I tried to go back. I found the notch and thought it would lead to my room again, but apparently it leads to your room and that is why I am here." I couldn't stop the words from coming out of my mouth. I sounded like such a fool and I was speaking so fast my head was spinning.

"You fell through two doorways and somehow managed to land yourself in my chamber?" Mischief twinkled in your eye, an emotion I hadn't yet seen from you before then.

"What a scandal this would be, indeed." With that, you stepped past me to look out into the tunnel.

This time, it was me who was surprised. I had expected you to question me further, or call the guards, or at the very least push me out of your chamber.