Fragmented Dreams

Chapter 28: Dreams of Young Love

I strolled hand in hand with Casimir, happily pulling him towards the Keep. As we walked, every servant would stop and bow when they saw me, but quickly returned to their task without asking where I was heading. The castle was currently a hive of activity due to the fact that there was to be a royal ball in only one day's time. No one paid us much attention, since everyone was focused on preparations for the party.

My part in the festivities was easy, as I would just have to throw on another frilly gown and greet all of my father's guests. My only major concern was that I was expected to dance with my fiancé in front of all the visiting dignitaries. To ease my fears, my groom-to-be, Alpheus, agreed to practice with me all this last week. Dancing was not one of my favorite activities, but Alpheus was good at it, so I just followed his lead. Despite our hard work, I was still stepping on his feet and nearly stumbling over my own. I had resigned myself to the fact that I would never be good at dancing and decided to have fun instead, sneaking off with Casimir to show him my newest secret castle discovery.

Still, as we walked past the keep and onwards to the gardens, I felt my worries grow. I had learned from my mother that this event was to be a secret test for me, as my father had planned to announce his decision to name me as his heir over my older sister. Although I was not yet an adult and thus not expected to take over any real responsibilities as ruler, I was still expected to participate in all castle events, front and center. I decided to push those worries and thoughts away and focus on my excitement in the moment. Spending time with Casimir was always my favorite part of the week.

Casimir and I stopped before the large hedge wall, debating which direction to go. The garden we needed to be in was located just past the hedge maze, which blocked the most direct route. Most people would take the winding path around the maze unless they wanted to see my grandmother's roses, which were hidden in the center of the maze.

"Is there seriously a secret tunnel leading out of the castle?" Casimir asked, his voice incredulous.

"Why do you say it like that?!" I scolded, stopping so I could turn to look at him. He shrugged slightly, his hand moving to adjust the glasses he no longer wore. They were once a memento he wore to remember his mother, but he gave them up when he became a knight in training. He was dressed in his practice gear, a simple tunic with our royal family crest painted on it, along with some plain pants and boots. On his waist was a leather belt with a small dagger, a gift from Captain Enki when he passed the test to become a squire. For this adventure, I had thrown on my favorite dress, which was a pale lavender with dark purple piping surrounding the edges. The skirt was high in the front and low in the back, so I would wear my pants below it, allowing me to ride horses, run, and do other un-princess-like activities. The older I got, the less I liked the formal dresses I was forced to wear, but despite my complaints, nothing seemed to change.

"Aurora showed it to me, you'll see!" I exclaimed. When my elder sister came to me a week ago with her discovery, I was hesitant. She did like to tease me, so I was prepared for this secret tunnel to be one giant ruse. When I asked her how she found such a place, Aurora claimed to have overheard our uncle and father discussing its possible existence long ago. After that, she was determined to find the truth, so she started her research. In the library, she discovered journals from our former relatives and ancient maps of the castle blueprints detailing the tunnel's construction. The entrance was hidden under the statue of Baris in the northernmost gardens. Magic protected it so it could only be opened by people of royal lineage. I only got to step inside the entrance for a short while before we had to return to our lessons, but I was elated to learn of its existence. I was also very excited to go deeper, perhaps even all the way out to the forest. Aurora had warned me to follow only one path down in the tunnels below, making me memorize it forward and backward before giving me her blessing.