45: Waiting in the dark alley

Waiting in the dark alley

Music Recommendation: Violin Concerto No. 2 RV 315 L'estate: I

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When Anastasia was on her afternoon break from serving Princess Emily, she went to the servants' quarters to have lunch and sat next to Theresa. Some of the servants stared at the young woman. 

"I guess everyone has heard the rumour about you," Theresa murmured as she took a bite from her food. Once she swallowed the food, she whispered, "I don't mean to scare you, but you should be careful to watch your back." 

'I won't be here for them to stab me,' Anastasia moved her hands. 

"Huh? Are you really going to be a concubine?" Theresa asked in a hushed voice. 

Anastasia shook her head, 'Mary agreed. It is today.'

With Anastasia busy serving Princess Emily, she hadn't found the time from yesterday until now to let Theresa know about her leaving the palace.

"Will it be possible?" Theresa asked, "Wouldn't it be hard for her? To leave in front of everyone?" 

Anastasia nodded and replied, 'It is why she told me to wait at the Bazaar. Whoever reaches there first will wait for the other, and we will leave together.'

"I feel like I grow a year older every time you say this," Theresa said with a frown. She said, "You have to take that coin from me if you need it. I will pray Mary meets you there." 

The last time, Marianne had a change of heart, which  stopped them from escaping these walls. But her sister was sure this time, and Anastasia hoped everything would go well. 

'We can only hope for everything to go smo—' Anastasia was moving her hand when one of the senior maids scolded her, 

"Stop moving your hands like a lunatic and finish eating! Do you think it is wise to leave the princess without you  when she needs assistance? And you," she turned to Theresa, "still have the four corridor windows to clean. Hurry now!" 

Once Anastasia and Theresa finished having their meal, the older woman handed over the gold coin that now belonged to the young lady when they were alone in the room. Theresa asked, "How is Mary holding up?"

"Not that good. We saw each other in the corridors, and it feels like she's holding back her tears," Anastasia sighed. 

"Oh dear… This was bound to happen with the prince finding his soulmate." Theresa's eyebrows furrowed in concern. She said, "And this is only the beginning. The couple's bond is still weak as it is the beginning. But as time passes, the two people who share a soulmate connection will have their bond grow stronger."

"This means Marianne's presence will be erased from Prince Maxwell's mind, and he will forget he ever had anything to do with her. Mary must know that, which is why she's been like this," Anastasia said softly. It would be suitable for a courtesan without feelings but not for her sister, who was irrevocably in love with Prince Maxwell. 

"Yes," Theresa agreed with sadness. She said, "In a way, it is good that no one will defile her anymore, at least until you escape." That is what Prince Dante meant, only that he didn't know about the escaping part.

As the hours continued to move forward, Anastasia kept a close eye on the clock and the sky. She served Princess Emily until evening, and her heartbeat quickened when the clock struck six. 

Princess Emily was in the company of her sister and other young ladies, talking and laughing, when Anastasia offered a bow to her and said she would go clean the princess's bedroom. 

"You work so hard, Anna. Instead of resting, you want to make use of your time." Princess Emily praised her maid and said, "Why don't you take the rest of the day off after you are done fixing the bedroom? I don't need any particular help tonight." 

"She's your maid, Lily. She is supposed to be by your side until you go to sleep," Princess Niyasa reminded her sister, who was too easy on her maids, which was why the last maids took advantage of Emily's kindness. "Why are you sending her away?" 

"She has been working hard since I woke up, and I don't want her to be tired tomorrow. I want her with me in good health," Princess Emily smiled at her sister, and the princess's words only brought the guilt back into Anastasia's mind. The princess wasn't wrong that her maid had been working non-stop, but it was precisely because Anastasia knew the princess would let her off work early for the day. "Go on, Anna. I don't need any help for now, and there are others if I need anything." 

Anastasia offered a deep bow to everyone before she walked backwards and stepped out of the room. She was walking too quickly, turning to look behind her to see if anyone was there, when she collided with Prince Aiden. 

"Slow down there, horse!" Prince Aiden joked and asked, "Did my sister put you on an urgent errand that you are running?" 

"Forgive me for not looking ahead, Prince Aiden," Anastasia apologised for crashing into him. "I have to clean the princess's room. Please excuse me," she said, walking away, heading toward Princess Emily's room. 

She met Theresa in front of the room, who said, "I have cleaned the room. From the bed to the bathtub and even the cupboards. Everything is done." 

Anastasia hugged Theresa, "Thank you so much for helping me." 

"You don't have to mention it. Go now!" Theresa saw Anastasia leave from there and took a deep breath before releasing it. "Please God, don't let her get caught…" she murmured. 

The sky had turned dark earlier than usual, giving Anastasia an advantage to conceal herself. When one of the carriage carts was moving out of the palace, she quickly positioned herself at its side, as if accompanying it, and crossed the palace gates. 

But when she was about to head forward, her eyes fell on Prince Dante and Prince Maxwell on their mustangs, with other soldiers and guards behind them. 

"Hide! Hide!" Anastasia turned around where she stood before she hid her face and walked to the far corner of the wall, waiting for them to disappear inside the gates. 

And while Anastasia stood there, waiting to make sure the view was clear before she could run, she heard someone wince, "Ow!" 

Startled, she turned and found Prince Aiden climbing down the wall, and she asked, "Prince Aiden?" 

"Oh, Anna, hi—oof!" Prince Aiden exclaimed once he jumped on the ground. 

"What are you doing here?" Anastasia asked him. Don't tell me he plans to help me ride the camel, she thought to herself. 

But then her eyes fell on a little bag that hung behind Prince Aiden's back. The prince offered a bright smile and said, "I am running away. With you. Though I must say you barely brought anything with you," he frowned. 

"Huh?" Anastasia wondered if she didn't hear it right. 

"Isn't that why you needed the camels? Don't tell me you thought I wouldn't catch on to you, though I am glad to have company for something I have been wanting to do." Prince Aiden looked ecstatic, while Anastasia felt she was losing her mind. 

"W—why do you want to run away?" He was a prince! If he ran away, with her and Marianne gone, it would unleash the wrath of the Blackthorn family on them. Why did he even have to climb down the wall? She stared at the wall before looking at the young prince. 

Prince Aiden pursed his lips and said, "I have my own reasons, and it will be fun. It isn't like I have anything to do here for some time. My two brothers are going to war, and the younger one will still be a spare no matter how young he is. Everything is under control." 

Anastasia's panic increased because this was not good! She tried to persuade him, "Prince Aiden, please return inside the palace. Everyone will be looking for you."

"That they already are," came the prince's nonchalant reply before he craned his neck to look towards the gates. "It is time to go on a journey of life discovery." 

With the possibility of death! Anastasia said, "Prince Aiden—"

"If I go in, I will tell my sister to look for you," Prince Aiden said seriously, where the earlier smile had been erased from his lips. 

"Okay, let us go then." Anastasia tightly smiled, and Prince Aiden returned her smile. 

[Music Recommendation: Torn- Ben Collier]

As Anastasia and Prince Aiden walked away from the palace walls with their faces hidden, she asked him, 

"Why didn't you walk through the gates?" 

"Some of the inner palace guards caught me morphing into Juan, and some were sent to the gates. The guards have been busy looking for me, not realising that a princess's maid left through it," Prince Aiden huffed as if he couldn't believe his luck. 

On the other hand, Anastasia couldn't believe she would escape from the kingdom with one more person than initially planned. 

"I cannot believe you were going to leave your friend behind. What a rude woman!" Prince Aiden exclaimed in disappointment as they walked. "You just turned lucky because I kept wondering how you would leave my sister's side, and then I went ah-ha!" 

"I didn't know you were interested in leaving…" Anastasia muttered. Though Prince Aiden changed his face to Juan, she couldn't help but be extra careful by looking over her shoulders now and then.

Upon reaching the quiet and deserted alley near the Bazaar, Anastasia's eyes fell on the two camels tied to a pole. Anastasia turned to look in the direction they had come, while Prince Aiden was ready to mount his camel, and he asked, 

"If you are looking for guards, they won't follow us. Do you need help mounting the camel?" 

"Not yet. I need to wait for my sister," Anastasia replied, as her eyes looked around. 

"Sister?" Prince Aiden asked, "I didn't know you had one. What time did you tell her to come here?" 

"Seven. She told me she would meet me here." Anastasia moved to the side, where she was hidden but could still spot her sister when she would be here. 

Prince Aiden pulled out his pocket watch and said, "There's still a good ten minutes before it. Though let me tell you, Anna, the sooner we leave, the better. Because as time passes, the number of people leaving through the tower gates will become fewer, making it harder for us to leave."

Ten minutes passed, then another ten, before even more time passed, so that the time was now seven-thirty.  0

"Anna—"

"She will be here any moment, Prince Aiden," Anastasia said with surety. She believed in her heart that her sister would come, and she wouldn't leave Marianne behind.

Prince Aiden turned to look at the camel, gently patting its head, and said, "The camels have been fed. I even got food and water arranged for the ride…" 

At the same time, Anastasia, who had kept a lookout for Marianne, finally saw her sister. But as she was hidden in the shadows, her sister failed to notice her and walked back. 

Wanting to bring her sister here, Anastasia stepped into the light, while a shawl hid the lower part of her face. Her feet moved to catch up to her sister, but her sister was faster. She wondered if her sister thought she had failed to appear, which was why she was returning to the palace. But instead, her sister took a turn and stepped into another alley. 

Anastasia ran towards the alley and called her sister, who had reached the other end of the almost dark alley, "Mary! Wait!" 

Marianne, who was looking left and right, turned to look back, and a wide smile appeared on her lips. She said, "I thought I lost you."

"I thought I would now," Anastasia laughed, and she walked to where her sister stood. "You made it! I was worried that you would be held back and we would have to plan again."

"I was held back until now, but no more, Anna," Marianne replied.

Anastasia hugged her sister in relief and joy that they were finally doing this. Marianne hugged her back. She whispered, "I am so happy."

"Me too, Anna. I cannot wait to see you fulfil the promise," Marianne said, hugging her tighter. 

"You will do it with me, Mary. We can now go. Come, before it's late." Anastasia released her sister before having her  follow her. She said, "Though there is a slight change in the plan. Prince Aiden is coming with us too, but it shouldn't be bad. He will be like a shield, and having a man with us will do us good. Even though he is…" 

Not hearing her sister's footsteps, she turned in worry and saw Marianne looking at her. Marianne said, "I heard they will be closing the gates soon. Should move faster and leave quickly." 

Anastasia nodded, and when they reached the end of the alley she heard her sister say something, and at the same time, Prince Aiden came to stand in front of her and demanded, "Don't tell me you were planning to leave me."

"I went to get my sister. She didn't see me and lost her sense of direction," Anastasia explained to him. 

Prince Aiden gave her a suspicious look and then looked around before raising his eyebrows and asking, "Where is she?" Anastasia pursed her lips, and when she turned, she noticed Marianne missing behind her. 

"She was right here with me…" 

Anastasia looked left and right before staring at the long alley. Turning frantic, she called, "Mary! Mary!" 

"Shh, you are going to get us caught, Anna!" Prince Aiden tried shushing her, saying, "Are you sure you saw her? Because I would have caught someone walking back in such a long alley."

Anastasia ran through the alley, her heart pounding as she tried to catch up to her sister, but she had disappeared. She ran through the other alleys that connected to the one she and Mary had walked in. After a minute, she asked, "Where did you go, Mary?" With a deep frown marring her forehead. 

Prince Aiden, who had followed Anastasia, asked, "Do you think maybe she went back to the palace?" 

"Maybe she arrived where the camels are waiting," Anastasia whispered before making her way there to find no one there. 

When they heard loud creaking sounds that belonged to the tower gates, Prince Aiden fluffed his hair in slight disappointment and said, "I guess today is not the day to escape. We can try tomorrow, aye?" 

Anastasia wondered if Marianne had turned around and returned to the palace. But that didn't make sense. She would get the answers once she returned to the palace, and with that thought, she walked back with Prince Aiden. 

Upon reaching the gates, one of the guards noticed the prince and quickly said, "Prince Aiden, you have been summoned by Queen Sophia immediately!" 

"Did she come to know that I left the palace?" Prince Aiden asked himself with a sigh. They entered the palace and walked through the corridors while being led by the guard. They noticed more guards around, and when they entered the room, Anastasia noted the heavy atmosphere hanging in the air. 

When Anastasia looked around, a gasp escaped her lips when her eyes fell on King William lying in a pool of blood. But he wasn't alone, as not far from him lay Marianne's lifeless body. 

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