Royal Façade[COMPLETED]✔

💮 Chapter 29💮: Away.

   "What took you so long?... I've been waiting here for you for the past fifteen minutes". I asked Mary as soon as I set my eyes on her. I had called her thirty minutes ago with Dure's phone, asking her to get ready for my arrival and pack a few clothes for me in a little bag.

"I'm sorry, your highness. It wasn't easy getting past all those guards. They all report to Prince Green and if they saw me, I'll be questioned and it might also implicate your highness". She explained.

"Whatever. Where's the bag I asked you to bring?" I asked her.

  "It's here your highness". She replied as she handed over to me, a suitcase.

  "What is inside here?... I asked you to pack only a few clothes for me!" I complained.

  Ah!!! This girl is driving me mad!

  "But your highness, you'll need to be comfortable wherever you go".

  Is this girl kidding me?

  "But this is...Argh!" My left hand agressively went through my hair and scattered it. I was getting more frustrated.

"So who's bag is at your back?" I asked her, pointing to the black bag at her back.

  "It's my belongings, your highness. Wherever you go, I will go. Where ever you stay, I will st-"

  "Her highness isn't back at this time of the night?" I heard Green say. His voice sounded angry.

"Yes, my Prince".

"Where's Mary?!... Call her for me. If Nora doesn't come back before this hour is up, Mary will be punished in her stead. Maybe then, she'll understand that being a Princess is a serious responsibility". My brother said angrily. His footsteps were getting closer to the gates than usual.

I was planning to leave Mary behind but as I see things, Mary will suffer a great deal if I don't show up tonight...

  No! I must take her with me.

I'mmediately, I took Mary's hand and told her "Follow me".

It wasn't easy, carrying the suitcase with one hand and dragging Mary with me but luckily for us, we were able to get into Dure's car before my brother open the Gates to the Mansion himself.

   "Go. Go, go, go, go, go!" I urged Dure who immediately drove away, into the dark, cold night.

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I opened my eyes and found myself in a strange and unfamiliar room. I slowly sat up, as I tried to recognize my surroundings. The room was as beautiful as my own but it didn't look shabby either. In fact, it was perfect for me. In the room, there were two chairs, a table, a lamp, a clock and the bedroom itself. The windows of the room was quite big but all I could see was a white forest.

  I gathered my strength, stood up and walked out the room. On walking out of the room, I looked around. The house looked completely like Tina's house. Quite ordinary. It wasn't as big as the mansion I was brought up in but it was fine by me. As far as I had my freedom, anything was worth the sacrifice.

I looked at the time and saw it was just 7:09 am in the morning. I walked out the main door and saw Dure, seating on a rocky chair and having a mug full of beer. There was a normal chair beside him, so I sat down on it.
  He was wearing a black T-shirt and shorts on a winter morning. While I was still clinging unto the jacket he gave me yesterday.

"Good morning". I greeted as I looked at the beautiful cold Forest in front of me.

  "Good morning, your highness" He replied.

  "Why are you being so formal, all of a sudden?" I asked him.

  He turned his head to my side and looked at me. I could feel his stares bore into my head but I pretended to not know he was looking at me.

  "Nothing" was all he replied.
 
"Where are we?" I asked him.

"In the mountains". He replied, then dropped his drink on the floor which was close to his seat. 

"Oh. No wonder it's colder" I replied.

  "Yeah" he said before looking back at the mountains.

    The peace of this place was deafening and this is what I've always wanted. To be in a place where there is complete peace and quiet and also to have nothing to worry about.

"Thank you, Dure". I said as I sank into the chair.

  "For what?" He asked me.

"For bringing me this peace". I told him.

"When do you plan on going back?" He asked me.

"I don't know but it wouldn't be anytime soon". I told him.

  He nodded before taking another sip from his beer.

  "Are you worried about something?" I asked him.
 
  "No. I'm fine". He replied, non challantly. I turned to look at his side, his bright eyes were looking at the forest that was below and he pretended to not know I was looking at him.

  "Fine. Let's pretend you are fine" I said, finally looking away.

"Seriously, I am fine".  He replied.

"Men take beer when they are worried, sad or too happy. You don't look happy. You might be sad without expressing it on your face or you might be worried". I explained to him.

  "Oh, the beer!... It has become a habit of mine to take beer every morning and night. I mean, that's the only way I can stay sane". He replied.

"But you brought me to this plac-"

"Nora! I don't want to talk about myself, can you please respect my decision?!" He said harshly.

  "Oh. Sorry for being a bother". I whispered and turned to my side.

Looking at the forest covered with snow was quite eye catching and it gives me this peace of mind that I didn't know how to explain.

  "I'm sorry for yelling at you like that. It's just that topics about myself puts me on the edge". I heard him say.

  "Yeah, I understand. I also behave like that when I feel like I'm being interrogated". I told him. Then I sat up and faced him. He looked at me too and for the first time this morning our eyes locked.

  "I'm sure being a Henia isn't easy". I told him.

"Yeah. Just like how being a royal is a lot of work". He replied.

  "Yeah. I'm guessing we just needed a place to cool off and while cooling off, we probably don't want any disturbance". I told him.

"Yeah". He said and we both laughed. 

  Then he stood up. "I have a meeting to attend to this morning. I'll be off to the city. Don't worry, I'll come back to check on you". He told me.

"Oh, okay. Thanks for lending me this place to stay". I told him.

"How many times will you thank me?" He said and we laughed about it.

  "Ummm... Dure?"

"Yes"

"Please don't let anyone know I'm here. Okay?" I begged him. He looked at me and smiled. Then nodded, before walking away while waving at me.