𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 | 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐛 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝

𝐯𝐢𝐢𝐢.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐤𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭, 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞.

The princess struggled slightly, despite wearing a simple blouse and a corset, and brown pants replacing her usual hooped skirt. Her black boots were in place of her usual buckled heels, and it honestly felt much more comfortable, the ends of her hooded cloak dragging over the floor.

She dusted her hands off, smiling to herself before slinging a small bag around her shoulder, seeing a decent-sized hole which her piece of furniture had blocked. The girl grinned over her shoulder to her handmaiden beside her, the young girl's eyes flitting nervously at the sight.

"Y-Your Highness, are you sure this is a good idea?" She stuttered, hesitation mingling with her fear.

"Well, it should be, considering that this stairway was built generations ago as an emergency getaway," The princess joked before noticing the jittery look on her assistant's face, realising that it wasn't the right moment.

"Now don't you worry your pretty little head, Beth," Lilia reassured the girl. "Easiest solution for you is to push the vanity back, and say I've snuck out again, or that you haven't seen me. It's not like my parents will care anyway."

The princess placed her hand on the hidden pathway, her heart thumping at the thought of adventure as she clutched her cloak tighter. Lightly, her hand hovered over her choker, her brows knitting together at her inner turmoil before she shook it off.

The girl cracked her neck, before taking in a deep breath, a challenging smile re-appearing on her face. She turned behind to smile at Beth reassuringly for the last time.

"Remember, if they ever get suspicious, leave the note on my bed. Or anywhere you'd think they'd see it," Lilia smiled. "It was nice knowing you, Elizabeth."

"And you, Princess," Beth smiled back with a hint of sadness. "It was an honour working under you."

Lilia nodded back, sending the handmaiden another smile before striking a match, pulling her hood over her head as she spotted a nearby torch.

Lighting the item on fire, Lilia angled the torch to the ground, noticing a stairway that lead down, most likely to a nearby exit. She nodded at Beth, her friend nodding back at her as she pushed the piece of furniture back, darkness surrounding her other than the torch's light that kept her company.

And she was off, ready to meet the Captain, as promised.