Her Royal Highness, Leonor

Tipping Edge of Reality

Zarzuela Palace, Madrid

Leonor 

The hours after the early night stroll in the park were spent with Leonor trying to act normal despite the dreamy day that she just had. She was silently smiling on the cab driving home, grateful that Aurelia remained silent during the travel, so as not to disclose her identity to the cab driver.

This gave her more time to compose herself, what's with the overwhelming feeling of mixed nervousness, unexplained happiness, and heart-pounding fear that surrounds her mind once she realized, upon looking out to the window during the drive home; that what she was feeling is something new yet must be kept within her as no one would understand it as much as she also doesn't understand it.

Once they have asked the driver to stop by at a street near the Palace, she can feel Aurelia's urgency to get her home right away, as the secretary told her that due to plans changed, her father and mother are joining them for a late dinner tonight, which had her whisk from her dreamy thoughts of the past evening, focusing on getting back to her bedroom before they find out she was out.

"Infanta ha preguntado dos veces por ti, y entró a tu habitación hace unas horas" (TL: "Infanta has twice asked about you, and did enter your room a few hours ago.") The secretary informed her, as they struggled to keep up with the walk.

"¿Y ha descubierto que yo no estaba en el palacio?"

(TL: "And has she discovered I was not in the palace?"

"No, princesa, ella piensa que te sientes cansada por los eventos de la semana, que necesitas dormir hasta el crepúsculo".

(TL: "No, princess - she thinks you're feeling tired from the week's events, that you need to sleep until twilight.")

"Did she... believe it?"

"I think so."

"How?"

"Te mostraré una vez que lleguemos allí". (TL: "I'll show you once we get there.")

When they reached the Palace, Aurelia guided her towards the exit where, thankfully, the guards assigned were busy checking the garden lights protocol and speaking through a remote controller. When the guard caught sight of Aurelia, he greeted her, and the secretary quickly motioned her to hurry and enter the palace.

A few moments later, Aurelia had successfully stalled away the guard. They were now silently hurrying through the stairways, and she sighs with relief seeing that the maids are in the kitchen and is now busy with preparation for the arrival of the King and Queen for the late-night dinner. 

That's the thing about this palace - it's too big, and staffs are off to every corner of it that even at the strict security protocols, one can still sneak in.

Or maybe it just happened that she luckily sneaked in.

They finally reached her room, and as quick as they could, Leonor entered it and was surprised by a movement underneath the sheet across her bed.

"Esta bien vamos." "(TL: Alright, let's go.") She can hear Aurelia saying this upon entering the room.

"Ay dios mio - finally – " She almost jumps in shock when she recognizes Liana, the palace maid, now trying to get away from being wrapped in the blanket.

"Perdon, su majestad." The maid suddenly became embarrassed, and after giving her a quick curtsy, docked her head.

She turned her stare to Aurelia, who gave her a frail smile. "Es lo que se me ocurrió por el momento" (TL: "It's what I came up with for the moment.")