Internal Dimensions

chapter 4

Austin

Austin sat down at the edge of his bed, he had not expected Laura to faint…

Of course, the fact that she had wings came as a shock to her, but fainting seemed a bit overboard, and apparently, she still hadn't woken up. Austin shook his head, maybe she had been scared into a coma.

After Laura had fallen into the fountain Austin had tried to wake her up but had failed to do so. So instead he phoned her adoptive parents who told him to call an ambulance and go home. And now Laura was in the hospital and probably in a coma.

Maybe it had been too soon for her wings to appear. With a sigh Austin collapsed onto his desk chair and banged his head on his desk while groaning in frustration, he really hadn’t meant to almost kill his best friend.
Just then a paper came flying in through the open window, landing lightly next to where his head lay on the desk.

Looking up Austin squinted at the crumpled beige paper. Picking it up and turning it around Austin began to read the short and precise note.

“Part 1 of the job is complete. Meet me at the fountain. Midnight. Onto part 2.”

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Max

“Well? Where were you?” Max asked Isabella, feigning stupidity. He had heard Isabella as soon as she left her room and naturally followed her to see what she was up to.

So in truth, he was just asking her this as a test on whether she trusted him or not.

So when the lie flowed smoothly from Isabella’s mouth Max was left feeling like he was punched in the gut. “Just wanted to clear my head, walk through the garden. Alone.” her tone was forceful.

“Right, of course. Well, I’m sorry to have disturbed your ‘head clearing’ then. Also, I’m on break till tomorrow so you won’t be seeing me until right before the ball.” Max lied smoothly and glided out of the room not bothering to wait for an answer from Isabella.

There was no way he would allow Isabella to leave the palace alone and barely prepared for the dangers lurking beyond the palace walls.

Now with war right on their doorstep Max really didn’t think it would be a good idea. And now that Isabella had chosen to leave just as her mother was about to declare her future queen. This was only about to cause more chaos.

Walking down the passage Max nodded a greeting to one of the guards stationed there and whispered a few words to him, instructing him to stand outside Isabella’s door. Before carrying on down the passage and towards the guard quarters - where he lived.

Once in his room, Max glanced around, a hollow feeling opening up in his chest - the same way it did every time he came in here.

His room was devoid of any warmth. It looked blank. Plain grey bed sheets, a few school textbooks from the year before and a cupboard filled with all of the same clothes - aside from one suit jacket and pants.

Max had grown up without a mother, he had been told that she died. And with his father being the captain of the guard it didn’t really leave much room for love in his life. His closest friendship had been with Isabella but even she didn’t trust him.

Max yawned, tiredness sweeping over him as he lay down on top of his bedsheets and fell asleep almost immediately.

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It was about an hour later when Max was awoken by a knock at his door. Scrambling up quickly and slipping on his shoes Max blinked blearily at the man standing outside his door. “Captain,” he greeted his father with a curt nod.

“Max,” the Captain’s voice was smooth, his face a blank mask of indifference, “Her Royal Highness Queen Aria is summoning you into her presence, be in the throne room within the next 5 minutes,” and with that, the captain turned on his heel and stalked back down the passageway he had come from.

Max sighed, what in the world would the queen want now?

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“My queen,” Max bowed before allowing himself to look up at the queen, who looked like she required an urgent nap.

“Max, I know it’s now the second time you find yourself in a meeting with me and that it is a very rare occasion to even have one, but this is urgent.

Max’s eyes narrowed slightly as he remained silent waiting for the queen to speak.

“She’s leaving, isn’t she?” Queen Aria asked after a beat of awkward silence. Max was startled, but the queen didn’t even sound angry, just sad.

And as much as Max didn’t want to betray Isabella, the price for betraying his queen would be worse. Max expelled a breath and whispered the words, “yes, tonight, midnight.”

The queen nodded ever so slightly, “good, I don’t want her around for this,” she said, her eyebrows crinkling ever so slightly.

“Max, our kingdom is in danger, and we are on the edge of war. I cannot have my daughter in the middle of it. At age 12 you were sworn in as Princess Isabella’s bodyguard, now at age 17, I am asking you to carry on your duty. Follow your princess out of this kingdom and protect her, at even the cost of your life.” Queen Aria ordered him.

And no matter how surprised Max was at these turn of events, he nodded mutely before placing a hand on his heart, “Avre sen alt, nwah le” he spoke his vow in ancient Ramiean, 'I will protect, until death.

Satisfied with Max's answer, Queen Aria stood up and walked over to the wooden door, situated behind her throne, “Come,” she beckoned Max, “we need a plan.”

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The night was still, aside from an owl hoot once in a while.

The Princess nimbly climbed down her balcony, dressed in clothes that matched the night's darkness. She moved silently through the gardens and towards her freedom.

She was so caught in her task that she did not notice two separate figures trailing behind her. One of them with a feline's nimble grace and the other with a heavier foot.

And far up inside the glittering palace, at the window of the Queen's chamber, a lady stripped off her make-up, leaving behind a face that looked youthful, aside from the dark lines resting beneath her eyes - a sign of sleepless nights.

The lady stared out the window, tears streaming down her face as she watched her last child leave her. Now they would all be safe.

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