by Sarah Olson
Chapter 7
Aria
THAT'S IT!" CATHERINE YELLED, storming into my room.
It had been almost a fortnight since I ended my engagement to Thomas.
"You're getting out of that bed and this room!" She yanked the covers from me before I could protest.
I would remind Lydia later that she shouldn’t let anyone into my chambers uninvited.
"Come on," Catherine whined when I didn’t move. "Up."
I sat up groggily, pushing the hair out of my face. "I don’t want to."
"I don’t care. You’ve been locked up in here for days. I understood at first, but now this is ridiculous. You can’t do this to yourself."
"What does it matter?" I said with a shrug. "It’s not like I can leave the castle now without gossip trailing behind me."
"Gossip about something that’s not your fault. Everyone knows it was Thomas."
"You know rumors get twisted as they spread. The Windsors will no doubt put the blame on me when they tell the story."
Catherine rolled her eyes and plopped down beside me. "Why do you care what others think? You’re the princess—nothing they say can change that."
I didn’t have to answer since Catherine already knew. Even though my mother was queen, I would always be referred to as the child she had with Prince Richard—granddaughter of the tyrant Luther. The whispers always followed me, and I tried my hardest to show the people that I was worthy of the title. It was a struggle neither Gabriel nor Juliette would ever understand. Now I had a scandalous engagement to add to the list.
Catherine looked at me seriously. "Aria, he’s not worth any of this. Thomas is an ass, and does not deserve your tears."
I looked away. "He hurt me, Catherine."
She reached out and took my hand. "I know."
"I—I just need to get away," I whispered. "I need to escape the rumors and the pity, but I can’t."
"Why not?"
I looked up at her. "Because you said it yourself; I’m a princess. Anywhere I go, someone will always follow."
She stood and opened the curtains on the doors that led to the balcony. The sunlight streamed in through the windows, bright and beautiful.
"What if you could go?" she asked, turning back to me. Her eyes had a mischievous glint in them.
"What are you talking about?" I asked, uncertain I would like where this was going.
Catherine smiled. "What if you could leave the castle and everything behind—just for a little while? You could leave your title and do something!"
I blinked back in surprise. "Are you mad?"
"Just think about it," she said, sitting on the edge of my bed again. "You could be free of being a princess. You could go somewhere no one would know you." She bounced up and down now like an excited child.
"And how do you propose I do that?"
She smirked. "Run away."
"Catherine!" I cried. "You are mad. I can’t run away. Do you know what that would do to my parents?"
"They would understand," she insisted. "They have seen the pain you are in and would forgive you."
I pursed my lips and watched her carefully. The idea was tempting. "Let’s say I want to—I’m not saying I will—but how? Who would help me leave?"
"Wesley," she said, matter-of-factly.
"Wesley?" I asked, appalled. "Moira’s brother?"
"It’s perfect. No one would ever suspect you left with him."
I raised an eyebrow. "It’s Moira’s brother. Why the hell would I want to go anywhere with him?"
She rolled her eyes. "You forget I told you he hates her almost as much as you do. He was terribly angry with her when he found out what she’d done with Thomas—you should have seen him! He could’ve killed her!"
"Why would he care that much?" I asked.
"Because she is only dragging the family name down further."
"So he feels bad and would help me."
Catherine nodded. "He’s leaving tomorrow night with a few other merchants to Malan. All you would have to do is go by a fake name and accompany them. He and his companions would be more than happy to help; I’m certain of it."
"How certain?"
"I know him, and he holds the crown in high respect," Catherine assured me.
I lay back onto the plush pillows.
"What do you think?" she asked.
While the proper side of me was completely opposed, the other was drawn to the idea. I needed to get away after everything that had happened, and this was probably my best chance.
I looked at Catherine and smiled. "Let’s have a talk with him."
☐☐☐☐
I leaned back into the soft seat of the carriage as Catherine looked out the window. Ethelyn sat in the opposite corner, keeping to herself. She had to accompany me, as usual, but I made an effort not to show how nervous her presence made me. If she knew what I was up to, she would tell my parents.
Even though I had spent days in my room, I barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Thomas with Moira. His words haunted my sleep—the ones that he used to try to blame his infidelity on me. But whether I tried to sleep or lay awake, the aching void in my heart seemed to grow with every passing minute. I had never actually realized how much pain someone you loved could cause. It made me wonder how my mother had been able to move on from Richard—especially since he abandoned her while she carried his child. But somehow she overcame the betrayal and heartbreak and believed I could too. The relief in her eyes had been all too evident when I told her I was going out with Catherine. She saw it as a step forward, when actually, I remained stuck in the pit of grief and heartbreak into which Thomas had cast me. If she only knew what I was planning to do . . .
"We’re here," Catherine said, as the carriage pulled to a stop in front of the estate.
"Are your parents home?" I asked.
Catherine shook her head. "They’ve gone to escort Moira back to her family. She is no longer welcome in our home."
Good.
I followed Catherine out of the carriage. "Ethelyn, I will not be long," I said before she could get out. "Would you wait here?"
"Yes, Milady," she replied, not a trace of suspicion on her face.
Catherine and I walked up the steps to her estate, and the housekeeper opened the door.
"Your Highness," she said with a bow, "please accept my apologies about—"
"That is all, Gretchen," Catherine interrupted. "Princess Aria would rather not be reminded."
Gretchen bowed again and scurried away.
"Servants," Catherine laughed, pushing a golden lock of hair behind her ear. "They never know when it is time to speak. Come on."
She guided me to the back of the estate and up a flight of stairs that led into a secluded guest room. She knocked on the door. "Wesley?"
A man cleared his throat. "What is it, Catherine?"
"I’ve brought someone to see you."
There was the scraping of a chair against the wooden floors, and the door opened. Wesley looked at Catherine, and then his eyes widened when they met mine. "Your Highness," he said with a quick bow.
"Wesley," I said in greeting. "It has been a long time."
He had not changed much since I last saw him a couple of years before. He was a little older than Thomas and had the same brown hair and eyes as his sister. That is where the similarities stopped. His nose was a bit longer than hers, and his cheekbones were not as sharp.
"Come in," Wesley said, gesturing into the room. "I apologize for the mess. I’ve been packing."
"So Catherine tells me," I said. "You are leaving for Malan?"
"Tomorrow night, please take a seat."
I lowered myself onto an overstuffed armchair, and Catherine settled into another beside me.
Wesley’s eyes darted around the room nervously. "Princess Aria, please allow me to apologize for my sister’s actions."
I held up a hand to stop him. "It was none of your doing, Wesley—it was Moira’s and Thomas
'. No one forced either into her bedchamber."
He looked relieved. "May I sit?"
"Of course," I replied with a smile.
He plopped down quickly onto the edge of the bed. "If you are not here for an apology, why have you come?"
"To ask a favor of you," I answered.
"Anything."
I exchanged a quick glance with Catherine before looking back at him. "Take me to Malan with you."
Wesley’s eyes widened, and he swallowed hard. "Your Highness, why would you need me to take you to Malan? Wouldn’t it be easier to have some of the king’s men take you?"
"It would defeat the purpose."
"She needs to get away, Wesley," Catherine added. "This scandal has spread throughout the kingdom, and she cannot escape it if she stays here."
"All I want is a chance to leave it behind, just for a little while. I will pay you for your troubles."
He shook his head. "I don’t need any of your money, Your Highness. If you are confident that this is what you want, consider it my way of making up for my sister’s recklessness."
I nodded. "Thank you."
"Am I to assume then that you will not be telling your parents?"
"Your assumptions are correct," I said.
"But you plan to return," he said, a nervous tinge in his voice.
"Yes, of course. I am not abandoning my family—I am only taking time off from being the princess. If you are worried about getting into trouble with this, I can assure you that I will not let that happen. I will leave a letter informing my parents that I am safe and will return when I am ready."
Wesley nodded. "Very well then, Your Highness."
I smiled. This plan was becoming better every second. I knew my family would be worried, but was confident they would understand. After all, I would return.
On the ride back to the castle, I sat in silence.
"Is everything all right, Milady?" Ethelyn asked. Shadows flickered across her face as the carriage rolled through the forest. The sun was setting now.
While I’d hoped to keep her from becoming suspicious, I had stayed inside with Catherine too long. We had details to discuss such as what name I would go by, and what roads were the safest to take for a fleeing princess, and the time had flown.
"Everything is fine," I said. "Apart from Thomas' affair, just fine."
She looked out the window and said nothing. My sarcasm was usually the hint that I wanted to be left alone.
I sighed and gazed out the other window.
The trees blurred as the carriage flew by them. My driver never liked to be out this late without guards. While their people loved my family, one never knew what evil lurked in the darkness of the night. The thought suddenly made me uneasy. It hit me for the first time that I would be traveling without any protection. My father’s men had always accompanied me during long journeys.
I took a sharp breath and felt Ethelyn’s eyes on me again.
You will be safe, I told myself. After all, I would not be traveling as Princess Aria, but as a commoner by the name of Norah Dalton. Yes, I would be safe as long as no one knew who I really was. With that thought, I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, willing the carriage to rock me to sleep.
☐☐☐☐
The next morning, I asked Lydia to have Juliette eat breakfast in my room. She had been so worried about me since everything with Thomas. I had to ease her mind before I left.
As unhappy as I was, I did my best to hide the pain for her sake. We spent the morning talking and laughing as if we were children again. Juliette had always looked up to me, and it pained me that we would be separated for so long. I could only hope that she would not mind too much.
When we finished breakfast, I went through the castle in search of Gabriel and found him in the inner courtyard sparring with one of the guards. He had turned sixteen during the time I had hidden in my chambers, and I knew he was disappointed I hadn’t celebrated with him.
Gabriel had been learning to use a sword since he was a child and was on his way to becoming an expert swordsman. My mother hadn’t been terribly happy about him learning so young, but my father insisted. He wielded the sword like an extension of his arm and took the guard down easily.
"I suppose all that training has paid off," I said, clapping as he helped the guard back to his feet.
Gabriel glanced up at me; a giant grin spread across his face.
"Don’t let him get too confident," the guard declared, laughing. "I’ll get him next time."
"Of course you will," Gabriel said as the guard walked away. He turned to me. "It’s been a while since I’ve seen you in this part of the castle."
I shrugged. "I know—I suppose sparring was never quite my thing."
"What about archery?" he asked. "You were always an excellent shot."
"I suppose a princess grows out of all that sometimes," I said with a smile. "Can you really picture me with a bow now?"
He shook his head and laughed. "I suppose not. That doesn’t mean it would not be useful to know."
I smiled. "Will you walk with me?"
"Of course," he said. He placed the sword on a rack and took my arm.
"I’m sorry about your birthday," I said, as we strolled into the gardens.
"It’s all right, Aria," he said.
"No, it’s not. I should have been there—I’m your sister."
"It was just a feast, and you’ve been to plenty," he insisted.
I stopped and looked up at him. When had he grown so tall? "It was your first official royal feast."
"I appreciate the concern," he said with a smile, his blue eyes sparkling in the sunlight. "But I really didn’t mind. If I were in your shoes, I probably would not have wanted to face all those people either . . . so believe me when I say I don’t hold it against you."
"Are you certain?"
He nodded. "Just make sure that the day I become king, you attend my coronation."
I laughed. "I promise."
We began to walk again.
"It wasn’t very exciting anyway," Gabriel said. "No wonder Mitchell never attends."
"We all know that’s not the real reason he doesn’t attend," I said with a sly smile.
"Don’t worry," Gabriel said, "I’ve told him it's hands off on Juliette."
"You did not!" I gasped.
"Of course I did," he said, squaring his shoulders.
"Well, don’t tell Jules," I said, laughing. "But I am certain that Mitchell would be much better for her than Thomas was for me." I felt Gabriel’s arm tense and leaned into him. "I do appreciate you pinning him to the wall."
Gabriel relaxed a bit. "It was my pleasure."
"So, beyond the castle walls, what are the people saying about me now?" I asked.
Gabriel laughed. "Mother made sure that the blame was not put on you."
"Good," I said. "Still, though, that does not usually stop people from talking."
"I know."
"It’s times like these that I hate being a royal," I whispered.
"Well, I don’t think it was ever meant to be simple."
I sighed.
Gabriel stopped and looked at me. "Give it time, and it won’t matter anymore."
"You forget that the people were looking forward to the royal wedding. I wish I had found this side of Thomas before the engagement was announced."
"They’ll get over it—they always do. Perhaps it will take a few months, but soon something else will catch their attention to gossip about. You need to stop worrying about what they think—it’s not important."
As we continued walking through the garden, I realized just how much I would miss my brother and sister. I could only hope that they would understand and not feel like I had abandoned them.
Chapter 8
T HAT NIGHT, I joined my family for dinner. I could see the relief on all their faces as I convinced them that I truly was better now. Neither Thomas nor the Windsor family was even mentioned, and for that I was grate
ful.
When we moved into the parlor, I watched the clock carefully. My mother was going on about how much Eagle’s Nest had grown and that it no longer looked the way it had when she was a child.
"It’s progress," my father said as the clock struck ten.
"I wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes as big as Kings City," my mother added.
"May I be excused?" I asked.
Juliette glanced up from her embroidery.
"Are you tired, dear?" my mother asked, sweetly.
"A little," I lied. "I think it’s time I retire for the night."
"How can you still be tired after being in bed for two weeks?" Gabriel teased.
My father shot him a glare.
"I was only joking," Gabriel said.
I rolled my eyes. "I don’t know. However, it does not change the fact that I am tired and want to go to bed."
"Then go," my mother said. She stood and came over to hug me.
I suddenly felt guilty about what I planned to do. I had no idea how she or my father would react to my leaving.
When she let go, I went over to my father and kissed his cheek. "Good night, Father," I whispered.
He looked at me and narrowed his blue eyes.
"Are you all right?" he asked, suspiciously.
My heart sped up. It was rare anyone was able to get away with something around him. While my father had always been difficult to read, he had no trouble reading others—especially me.
I tried to give him my most genuine smile. "Yes. As I said, I’m just tired."
He watched me carefully for a second longer, and I feared he would be able to see the lie in my eyes. Thankfully, he nodded. "Get some sleep then."
I nearly ran from the room after saying my good nights to Gabriel and Juliette, knowing that if I had remained in the parlor a moment longer, I might have changed my mind.
I waited until I heard the door click and the footfalls fading down the hall before I slid out of bed. I had been desperate for Lydia to leave but couldn’t show it. I got down on all fours and felt underneath my bed for the bag I had packed the night before. I sighed in frustration as my groping hands only met the cold floor.
"Looking for this?" a smooth voice said behind me.
I spun around in surprise and found Ethelyn. She stood in the doorway to my parlor holding the bag.