The Death of Hope

Chapter Seven

​"Amber, do you think you could show me around the Palace before we go to see The Leader?" Victoria asked in the sweetest voice she could muster. 
​"Victoria, what are you up to? You would never act that sweet." Amber asked, tilting her head. Victoria laughed for the first time in... forever.
​"I'm just curious." She replied, stepping up next to her.
​"Fine," Amber sighed. "Martha, please show Victoria through the palace, then meet me back in my room when you're finished." Amber turned back, heading towards her Chambers. Martha began to walk forward, looking back to make sure Victoria was following.
​Victoria's eyes noted every nook and cranny, every door, every exit. A map slowly began to form in her mind, which turns to take, which to steer clear. Where guards were stationed, and where the halls stood empty. Martha led the way, pointing out the kitchen, dining hall, who's chambers were who's. Talking on and on about which men treated their Chosen best, or worst. Victoria tried to listen, but eventually zoned out. 
​"Martha, can I trust you?" Victoria interrupted.
"I... I would say so," she stuttered out.
​"Victoria, just Victoria." She hesitated, questioning whether she could be trusted. "Which exits are least guarded?" Martha looked around, then dragged her into a little nook.
​"The Kitchen door is the least guarded, but there are all of the servants in there, and most of them wouldn't hesitate to tell the Guards you were there. The best way to escape is right
through the main doors, there are only two guards... and well, there is a way to take care of them." She said with a sly grin. Victoria smiled back.
​"Please, can you show me?" Victoria asked. Martha gave a quick nod, peeking out into the hall.
​"Follow my lead, and pay attention." She slipped back into the hall and began walking, jabbering on about one of the cooks. Victoria followed, noting every turn they made. When they reached the grand Entrance Hall they stopped and slipped into a side chamber. 
​"Martha, have you done this before?" Victoria asked, tentatively. Martha lifted her dark eyes to meet Victoria's. 
"Yes, I have." Her fingers began to work furiously, feeling across the floor for something.
"What happened?"
"Someone has to be blamed when Chosen escape, it wasn't me." Her eyes filled with tears, but she angrily blinked them away. "All of the Leaders are the same, never truly injuring you, only those you love. They aren't just mean, they're cruel." Her fingers found what she was looking for, a small lever. She pulled it, and a small opening popped out of the ceiling above. "Annabelle, are you up there?"
​"Coming," A small voice replied. A rope ladder was tossed out of the trapdoor into Martha's waiting arms. 
​"Wait till I call, then come up," Martha said, before climbing up.
Victoria waited, hearing their faint whispers above, but not able to understand what they were saying.
"Come on up, Victoria," Martha called. Victoria struggled to climb up in the tight dress. When she pulled herself up she looked around the small room. It was outfitted like a small house, a bed, table, chair. Piles of papers lay on the floor, some neatly stacked, others thrown randomly around the room. A small stove stood in one corner, a pot of water slowly boiling away on the burner. Her eyes landed on the girl, Annabelle.  She had a narrow face, dark, almond-shaped eyes, and long black hair pulled into a tight braid.
"Victoria, you must never breathe a word of this to anyone," Martha warned. "This is Annabelle, she was Chosen four years ago, Annabelle, tell her. I trust her." She took a deep breath then began.
​"Four years ago I was chosen by the Captain. He was... is ruthless, uncaring." She faltered, then sat down in a chair. "I had a brother, still safe back at home. The Captain used him as leverage against me, forcing me to do anything he wanted to keep Silas safe. He wanted me to go spy on some of the guards, get them to like me. I tried for a week, and when I didn't have much information..." She let out a sad laugh. "The Captain said I wasn't doing my job correctly, that I wasn't trying as hard as I could. He said I needed more motivation. He brought Silas to the Palace, saying he was part of the rebellion. They started torturing him for information he never even had. The Captain said that I needed to give him 'worthwhile information' by the end of the week or he would kill Silas." Tears brimmed in her dark eyes, but she wiped them away. "I had 
four days to get information that wasn't even there. I instead focused on trying to get Silas away, have him escape somehow. I met Martha, and we worked together to throw together a rough plan, and just hoped it worked. At the end of the week, the night before I was supposed to give the Captain information, we broke Silas out of prison. We had help from the inside, one of Martha's friends was a guard. Silas and I ran to get out of the Palace, there were more guards than usual at the door. I stayed behind to hold them off as he ran. I had found this hiding place in my search of the Palace, I hid here. I've been hiding ever since."
​"What did he look like? Silas?" Victoria asked, quietly. Annabelle smiled at the memory.
"He looked nothing like me, he looked like my Mom, I looked like my Dad. He had this little mop of curly, red hair on top of his head. It always fell in his eyes, it drove Ma crazy. His eyes were a golden brown... He always had the sweetest grin on his face, like he had just played a prank on you." She laughed quietly. "You could never tell when he was being mischievous or normal. He was tall for his age, nearly reaching my chin, even though he was three years younger than me."
​Victoria looked up surprised. She had just perfectly described Rip.
​"What is it, Victoria?" Martha spoke up. 
​"How old was he... Six years ago?" Victoria asked Annabelle.
"He was just about to turn ten, he couldn't wait for his birthday each year. He always loved the strawberry tarts at this one shop."
Victoria had no doubt in her mind now, but she kept quiet.
"Victoria, we need to go, but first. I brought you here because Annabelle can send messages to the outside, to the Lower City." Victoria looked up sharply. "Is there anyone you want to contact before we go?"
"Yes," Victoria replied. "Rip, he lives in Residence Building eleven, second floor, third door on the left. Tell him... Can you tell him that Eloise is here, that I know where she is? And that I'll... I'll be watching her, keeping her safe." Victoria asked as Annabelle nodded eagerly.
"Of course, I haven't left the Palace in a long time." Annabelle was almost jumping up and down in happiness.
"Victoria, we need to go."
​As Victoria and Martha walked down the halls, back to Ambers chambers, she though. She knew one thing, something she had been wondering for years. 
Rip's real name was Silas.