As the night of our escape approached, a week passed swiftly with Eleanor's discreet assistance in all preparations. She was more than just my handmaiden; she was my companion who stood beside me in all circumstances. She was the only soul who knew me in person whilst mother and father remained preoccupied with their own affairs. I spent the majority of my time honing my skills in archery and swords'woman'ship. It isn't just a man thing, is it?
I was well equipped with everything I required or might need on the way for survival. The night was darker than usual. My heart beat could be heard as a whisper to anyone who stood beside me. For the first time in 19 years I was scared. I was afraid of the consequences if I failed somehow. I was not afraid of what they would do to me but the fact that I would succumb to the awful fate of marriage. I was about to marry this suitor with whom I conversed twice and still don't remember his name.
We were strolling by the lake when he told me that he was of my age. He kept on boasting about being handsome and how the ladies in his kingdom died to have a look at him. That was an awful one-sided conversation, with him being the speaker and me being the fake smiler. Ugh! He thought I wouldn't notice but little did he know that I had eyes better than a hawk. It was unbelievable for me to see a PRINCE picking his nose. Seizing an opportune moment, I subtly nudged him, causing him to lose his balance and tumble into the water with a splash. I swiftly asked for an apology, concealing my true intent in the guise of innocence. He deserved it ;)
I was happy that I did not have to meet him again. Eleanor brought me the dress which the maids in the palace wore. I disposed off every royal accessory except for the ring which MY mother had gifted me on my sixth birthday, a year before she died.
I covered myself in a brown cloak and slipped into the cart which was loaded with blankets for the citizens as winter was approaching. Eleanor was my driver. The guards did not stop her as we had made an official donation programme. It was not the only cart. Although the rest of the carts had left the palace at dusk, it was a relief moment when the sleepy guard did not interrogate us much. She drove through the rough track, finally stopping where the rugged path met the edge of the woods.
I immediately got out of the heap of blankets that covered me when I realized that the cart stopped. That was suffocating. Eleanor was looking at me with pitiful eyes. "You can trust me", She said, her tone low and we hugged a farewell to each other. "I know", I whispered in her ears. And we parted in two different directions.
In the dark, the woods became a realm of mystery. The trees, silhouetted against the night sky, seemed to stretch endlessly upward, their branches casting eerie shadows on the forest floor. The air was heavy with the scent of earth and damp leaves, while the only sounds were the rustling of branches and the occasional hoot of an owl. In the darkness, the woods felt both enchanting and foreboding, their secrets hidden just beyond reach.
With cautious steps, I moved through the shadows. I had nowhere to go but at that moment I felt this was better than marrying the 'nose picker'.
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YOU'RE MINE | #1
רומנטיקה"Stay away from me," I warned, my voice trembling with fear. But he paid no heed to my pleas, his gaze fixed on me with an intensity that made my skin prickle with awareness. And then, in one swift movement, he was upon me, pinning me against the co...
