If anxiety was a person, it would be Princess Nyssa. Time had crept and it now struck 12. A.M. It was a new day.
Nyssa stood in the center of the cell, with her hands clenched at her sides. The Queen's gown flowed over her frame, soft and regal, brushing against her chained ankles.
The scarf was tied around her hair just as the letter had instructed, concealing most of her red curls and shaping her silhouette into something royal. She was royal. So she wasn't really in strange clothes, was she?
Staring at the gown, a small smile made its way to her face. It was a sleeveless gown, but had a cape to conceal her back. The queen had chosen this because of her chained wrists.
She didn't need much adjustment. It fit her perfectly and it outlined her already beautiful features. Of no doubt, she was royalty.
Oren watched her from the shadows. He had barely slept and neither had she.
"You look…" he began, then stopped.
"Like I'm pretending to be someone else?" Nyssa offered weakly.
"You look beautiful," he said instead.
A small blush crept to her cheeks. "You can barely see me."
"I know you are."
He had assisted her in wearing the gown, and Nyssa was so glad that there wasn't much lighting, her flushed cheeks would give way for embarrassment. She didn't understand why her heart always pounded, whenever he came closer to her.
The dungeon was quiet in that eerie way that made every breath sound too loud. Nyssa's heart was already beating fast, as if it knew what was coming.
Then, click. The lock turned.
Nyssa froze. Oren's eyes snapped to her and then his hand went to her wrist instinctively, steadying her, as she seemed dazed. They both turned toward the iron door as it creaked open, revealing a tall figure cloaked in dark fabric. The torchlight behind them flickered, throwing strange shadows against the stone walls.
Then the queen appeared beside the person, with a green cloak and a similar scarf Nyssa wore, on her hair. She was bare of jewelry and Nyssa confirmed Oren's theory. The Queen was going to take her place.
Her eyes went to her and Ingrid placed a finger over her lip, insisting Nyssa said nothing.
Nyssa's lips pursed. It was hard not to speak right now.
The person beside the Queen then walked over to Nyssa, unlocking her chains. Nyssa's heart leapt to her throat as the queen then enveloped her in the cloak she had worn.
The queen wore a silk nightgown underneath, and Nyssa watched as she walked deeper into the cell, taking hold of the garment Nyssa had been wearing and then put it on.
All these while, there was silence. The cloaked person then chained the Queen and the scarf was removed.
Nyssa gasped, seeing her hair was red.
"W-what did you do?"
Ingrid blinked. "It's dye. Nothing serious."
Nyssa shook her head, her eyes watering. "I don't think –"
"You. Will. Do. As. I. Instructed," the queen's eyes on her didn't waver.
"But…why? Why do all these for me?"
Then the queen smiled, "You will know one day."
The person then turned to her and Oren, who had been observing, and said in a low voice, "Follow me."
It was a woman. Nyssa's throat went dry.
Oren met her eyes, just for a second. In that glance was a thousand things: fear, resolve, and something far deeper.
Together, they stepped forward.
The door swung wider, and the cold air of the corridor washed over them. The figure clicked the iron door shut and turned, beginning to walk, not looking back to see if they followed.
But they did. Nyssa's steps felt unreal, as if she were walking through someone else's dream.
She could feel her nerves dance with every step she took. But then, she turned worried. Wouldn't seeing Oren be a problem?
But when they got to the guards and they bowed, Nyssa frowned. They walked past and the breath she didn't know she was holding, released.
She turned to look at Oren, but he shook his head, signaling her to face forward.
Nyssa expected at any moment to hear a shout. A cry of recognition, or a blade being drawn.
But none came. The scarf hid her face slightly. The gown on her flowed with unmistakable authority. Even her posture, stiff with terror and fear, passed as regal poise.
Oren walked just behind her, with his presence like a shadow at her back. He wore his hood and it concealed his face.
When they had walked far past, one of the guards' turned to look at the other.
"I thought we saw only one servant accompany the Queen to the cell? Why were there two just now?"
The other blinked. "Was it one or two?"
The other one tilted his head. "Huh?"
Down the three went, deeper into the palace. Down through stairways rarely used, through corridors that smelled of damp stone and heavy air.
The person leading them did not speak once. Nyssa's legs began to ache, but she didn't dare slow down.
Finally, they reached a narrow archway hidden behind an old tapestry. The figure pushed it aside, revealing a tunnel sloping downward. Underground. Nyssa's breath caught, and her eyes widened.
This didn't look like a part of the palace people used.
The tunnel was dimly lit by small lanterns spaced far apart. The walls were rough, carved from ancient stone. The air smelled of earth and water.
They walked in silence, and their footsteps were swallowed by the damp ground, making a slight squelching sound.
Nyssa felt Oren brush against her hand. She wanted to hold it, but she didn't dare. She was too nervous to.
And at last, they reached an opening.
Light spilled in from somewhere ahead. The tunnel ended at a break in the rock, wide enough for a person to slip through.
Beyond it lay a slope leading upward, toward the outside. Freedom. Nyssa's eyes widened. That was it? They were free?
The figure stopped and Nyssa's chest felt like it might burst.
Then, the person turned.
"Run."
That was all. Nyssa hesitated, just for a moment. Then Oren grabbed her hand.
And they began to run.
They burst through the opening, with their feet slipping against loose dirt and stone. The morning air hit Nyssa like a shock, sharp and cold and filled with the scent of trees.
They were outside the palace walls.
Oren pulled her forward, and they stumbled down a narrow path hidden by thick brushes. Twigs snapped beneath their feet and the leaves whipped against Nyssa's long gown.
But, they didn't stop. They kept on running and running, and Nyssa felt her leg ache more.
"O..Oren," she called out breathlessly, "please…could we hold on…for a minute?"
Oren snapped to her and then he stopped abruptly. He grabbed her by the shoulder.
"We don't have much time. We need to run."
"But where are we running to?!" She exhaled, gasping for air.
Oren's eyes narrowed and before Nyssa could think, he swooped her up, placing her over his shoulder. Nyssa's eyes widened in shock and her heart flew.
"Oren!"
But, in the next second, Oren continued his pace. Nyssa thought her weight would be a hindrance, but instead he even sprinted faster. Just how strong was he?!
"We need to leave here as fast as possible, before they find out there has been a break!"
Back in the cell, Ingrid sat quietly on one side, her eyes steadied at the cell's bars. Her fingers tapped rhythmically on her thighs as she counted in her head.
And then, in the next second, she heard footsteps, heavy and authoritative. Her fingers stopped their tapping.
The cell's door then banged open, and two huge men appeared with lit torches.
"Up now! We don't have much time."
Ingrid lifted her head, and they hastily dragged her up, pulling her out of the cell.
A small smile appeared on her face, and as they made more steps away from the cell, it transformed to a smirk.