King of the Darkest Stars (EXO Kai ff)

Chapter Five

I paced back and forth in the room, biting my nails as I did. It was a habit my mother scolded me for, but I was going mad. There were guards outside my room. My appointment with Nari was soon. I had to be at the greenhouse by one thirty. I didn't want an escort either.

I had tried to open the door to the terrace, but it was locked and they seemed to have conveniently taken the key with them. I had one window that wasn't locked. I walked over to it and opened it. It was possible I could squeeze through but there wouldn't be much to hold onto once I was outside. My dress would cause me to trip and I would probably end up falling and dying.

I had a different plan now. I had read dozens of books with similar ideas. I grabbed the sheets from my bed and started tying them together. I tied one to the leg of my bed, then pulled my bed against the wall and threw the makeshift rope out of the window. I used a piece of the burned dress to tie my wrist to the rope so I wouldn't fall if I lost my footing.

For some strange reason I thought I would have better luck if I went out feet first, so it took a few minutes of strange maneuvering and squirming for me to get out of the small window. I gripped tightly to the bed rope and pressed my feet firmly against the side of the castle. I started jumping along the wall as fast as my shaking legs would let me. Someone would see me soon and assume I was trying to sneak into the castle rather than out of my room.

I landed on a terrace connected to the library. I tucked the rope behind a potted planet then pushed open the door to the library. There were several historians handling the old smelling books. They write things in notebooks and barely looked up as I passed through. I entered the hallway and let out a shriek of excitement. One point Aera!

I walked through the halls until I found one that was familiar and followed the path to Nari's room. I hesitated outside the door and rocked back and forth on my feet. She said she'd be my friend. She'd said she'd break the rules with me. She was the only one here I could even sort of trust. I sucked in a breath and knocked on the door then opened it and entered.

Nari was slipping her earrings in her ears and gave me a strange sort of smile. I sighed and she raised an eyebrow, her eyes slipping across the room as if she were distracted.

"I figured today would be cancelled." She laughed awkwardly.

"Why? Because your brother absolutely hates me?" I pouted, she made jerking movements with her eyes. I frowned and stared at her for a moment.

"Who's that talking?" His voice made me freeze. She gestured violently to the other room. It was too late. He came out of her bedroom and saw me standing there, unguarded. I backed away and started for the door.

"How did you get here?" His voice radiated the violent feelings he had. I met Nari's eyes and mouthed you know where to meet me. She nodded and I wrenched open the door and ran out of the room.

I knew I couldn't outrun him so I hid behind the closest potted plant. He passed by and kept walking in his wide gait and annoying straight posture. It was like there was nothing human in him. He was sculpted for hard stone and if you broke him open that was all you would find. Cold and empty.

"Who are you hiding from?" I looked over to see the seamstress glaring straight at me.

"No one." I cleared my throat and looked down the hallway. I couldn't see him. "Should we go to your office and talk about the dress?"

"Do you have some ideas now?" She asked. I looked down the hall again.

"Yeah." I nodded. She sighed then started walking. I followed her down the stairs and through a wooden door and another two sets of stairs. She led me to a room full of mannequins and strange outfits and walls filled with every colour and pattern of fabric. She walked over to a section of white fabric and gestured to them.