Isolde

Chapter 4 - Escaping

They hadn't much time, the Turige could launch a second attack at any moment, especially on realising that the soldiers they sent to kill the princess had been slain.

"Do you have any riding clothes?" Isolde turned to Alouette.

Alouette gazed at Isolde as if her question were ridiculous "Of course I have riding clothes, but why?"

Without answering, Isolde added another question "Would you be willing to let me borrow some too?"

Alouette couldn't understand why Isolde was fixating on riding clothes when they were supposed to be finding a disguise, she was always open to letting her friends borrow her clothes but didn't think now was the time to be arranging it. "You're welcome to them at any time, but I don't see why now is the time to be asking about them."

Isolde smiled "Because we might not need disguises, just clothes we can move in more easily."

"But people in the castle will recognise me, they've seen me in my riding habit almost as much as they've seen me in my gowns." Alouette protested

"I have a route in mind that should help that." Isolde explained vaguely "But we need to hurry."

Alouette threw open the heavy doors of her wardrobe and began to pull her finest riding attire from the rail, tossing each item onto her bed with a careful accuracy. "Take what you want." she called to her friend.

Isolde chose quickly, she wasn't interested in the colours and beading or lacework, she was just looking for functionality. A pair of navy blue slacks caught her eye, tapered at the ankle but loose on the leg, fastening at the waist with two simple buttons on each side. An equally plain dark orange bodice would complete her ensemble. She changed quickly, throwing her current gown into the fire, it had been the finest one she'd owned but now the front and hem were drenched in blood from the Turige soldier she'd stabbed, she couldn't risk leaving a trail behind them so it had to go.

Alouette by this point had also begun to change, but she carefully folded her gown and placed it back in her wardrobe, it wasn't marked at all. Her choice of riding attire had been driven more by vanity than practicality; it seemed to Isolde as she evaluated her friend's deep purple outfit, the bodice laden with jewels and a skirt rather than slacks, still shorter than a gown but longer than she deemed ideal. Yet she resolved not to comment, it was still more appropriate than the light gown she'd been wearing before, the only thing she questioned was that Alouette was still wearing dainty slippers.

Alouette saw Isolde observing her and explained "It'll look better once i've put on my cloak" as if that were the reason Isolde judged her.

Isolde didn't argue with the logic, instead tossed her friend a pair of boots from the corner of the room.

A shout came from downstairs, bringing them back to the reality of the situation.

Alouette pointed to the chest at the end of her bed and whispered "My cloaks are in there, choose one for you and pass me the purple one." she was tying her boots now she'd removed the slippers.

Isolde threw open the lid of the chest and pulled out the purple cloak Alouette had requested and the brown one that was next to it in the pile for herself, it was more embellished than she'd have liked with gold leaf round the edges, but she was in a rush so fastened it around her shoulders and tossed Alouette the purple one.

Another noise came from outside the door, this time louder as if closer.

"We need to move." Isolde demanded, pulling her friend along with her as she ran to the corner of the room, grabbing the fire poker on the way.