The Arcana: Imagination

Part Eighteen

!NSFW WARNING FOR THIS CHAPTER! MATURE CONTENT!

(Asra's point of view takes place on Sunday. Prue's takes place on Monday. I'm sorry the timeline gets a little confusing sometimes.)

Asra's POV~

There's a knock at the door- it's a royal guard. I quickly rush to the door and open it.

"Hello?"

"The Countess has sent this gift here for you." He hands me a royal purple box, and takes his leave. I close the door and put its charm back, locking it, and I go to the kitchen counter to inspect it.

"It looks just like..." I pull the golden ribbon undone, and lift the lid. "Oh!" It's a box of maple-bacon pastries...

Just like I used to get every Sunday they had Prue summoned to the palace. My heart melts a little, and I get teary-eyed, thinking about Prue and how sweet she is.

I hope they let her go...

"What's this?" I notice there's a note taped to the inside of the lid- I carefully remove it and unfold it to read.

"Dear Asra,

Prue is safe and in my care. She will be returning home, whether Lucio likes it or not. These are for you- not Julian. Don't let him eat them.

Cordially,
Nadia"

Relief washes through me, and I laugh a little at the part about Julian. Nadia knows he's back, and that he's done nothing wrong, so he won't get in trouble. That's also a relief.

Prue... she will be back.

I place the note in a drawer, safely kept, then I indulge myself in the decadent flavors of one of the pastries.

"Mmmmmmm..." I put the box aside and continue to make lunch, humming one of my favorite melodies as I do.

Prue's POV~

"Nadi... what did you mean by 'packing up my things'?" I ask as I get dressed behind her divider in the clothes she gave me- it's almost identical to what the Ram-Man gave me in my dream to wear, except this is a romper, and he gave me a dress. The shawl matches and everything... what a coincidence.

"Oh! I mean, some of the things I've given you are being packed and loaded into the back carriage as we speak. The shirt that smells of Myrrh is being brought directly to you, so you have comfort on your way home." I slip on the grey flats she gave me to wear, then step around the divider.

"Thank you, Nadi."

Let me just say, it's nice to have underwear on again.

"It's of no trouble to me." There's a knock on the door, and Nadia answers, collects a black shirt, then hands it to me after thanking the servant and closing the door. "There you are. The servant says that all of your things are being finished loading now, so we should sneak out of the palace as soon as we can. Come, I know a hidden way to the outskirts of the palace, where the carriage is."

I follow her quickly, looking around to make sure we aren't being followed. She links her hand with mine and pulls me into a servant's tunnel... we hurry along, her hand never letting go of mine. When we emerge, we are outside the walls of the gardens, and there's a pathway with a carriage on it- and Mr. Solomon is patiently awaiting our arrival.

As we get closer, he looks our way, and we wave to each other.

"You remember him?"

"I remembered him before I remembered anyone else at the palace. He's been my coachman every time I've been transported to and from the palace... he's such a nice man."