Deception

"Venture"

I lifted my hood over my head hoping this was a decent disguise. Would anyone notice me? Mother never let me out the castle walls. what was it like? Were the townspeople kind? Or once they noticed my disguise send me back?

I took a slow breath, like it was my last.
I got this. Keep to yourself and make it to the towns bay. If I can retrieve a boat I can go overseas and continue my route around the kingdoms barrier. To do that won't be easy, I would need to cross through the forest to reach the doc.

I scavenged through my bag hoping I'd remembered to pack currency. Unamused I noticed a jeweled bracelet on my wrist, and a few stoned rings. This should be enough to buy supplies needed for the journey.

It was reaching dawn, I need to leave, and leave quickly. Walking down the castle steps I looked ahead at everything I was leaving. The castle was a beautiful stone structure with tough gates to forbid anyone to enter or leave. Easy for me, I knew the walls, how to get past the walls.
I studied the castle, it's exterior is beautiful no doubt, but the secrets inside are bitter. If anyone ever found out the secrets, what would they think? Madeleine Harrington, princess of Ariadella growing into her mothers cruel rein as queen. How would they react?..
Would they outcast me? Fear me?...

All of my emotions ceased, I wiped my tears and stepped back. The castle wouldn't miss me, no one would. I gripped my pack and left without anyone knowing I was gone.

I was able to reach the town, I hid in an empty alleyway cast out from everyone, going unnoticed is not easy, but it's more efficient if I don't want my cover blown.
The sun peaked, dawn struck. The clock towers bell sang. I realized I needed to be quick, I needed to find a shop for supplies but where would I look? I decided to go north, north is the quickest way around the town. I need to leave now, I can't risk being spotted-

"Hey!-"
shit!!, a women, about my age maybe older, with glowy darkened skin and bold blonde locks approached me. I couldn't just run, if I seemed suspicious she might tell a guard. I needed to come off as in a hurry, while maintaining manners.

"Are you alright?"
What? Why would she ask, unless? I scavenged my body, blood. A deep cut, how could I have already gotten myself hurt? Maybe from climbing the wall? The cut stung, there was a lot, to much to just wipe away.
"You poor thing, come with me I'll get you fixed up."
The women looked genuinely upset, could I trust her? I guess I had no choice, the women gripped my other arm and hurried me inside a small wooden house. The house wasn't big, but it was comfortable, the interior was beautiful, she had decorated it perfectly. Each color complemented the other. "Your house, it's lovely" she smiled and grabbed a small wooden box from a medicine closet.
"This house was built by my father before I was born, he wanted us to have everything we could ever wanted, it's not much...but it was ours"

I admired her graciousness, how can someone take a complicate stranger in and tell them there whole story? That's when I realized that I didn't appear much as a threat than I imagined. She wrapped my arm in the bandages and asked me what I was doing out alone.

"I'm meeting a friend" I told her.

I was never aloud to have friends. Mother would tell me anyone interested in me just wanted to use my social status for their own benefit. I wonder what a friend would be like, perhaps compassionate, caring...willing to do anything and hurt anyone who discards me. I wonder what it feels like to love, just to be loved. Guessing she didn't believe the story, she asked me again. This time her voice stern.

"How is it you claim to be meeting a friend? It was nearly dawn when I found you. Not to mention all beat up and- "
She stared at my wrist, the bracelet. And when I thought my worst fear could come true she spoke, this time with fear.
"Princess...you are-" she rushed to retreat something from a back room, she came back with a bag, and some food. I rushed to get up, she stopped me just as I was about to leave.

"We need to go now." What? What did she mean, we?
"I'm not going anywhere with you?!"

She slowed her breathing and now looked more concerned than upset.
"We need to leave, if they see you-"
I cut her off, "I'm not going back. I can't go back" tears where streaming down my face, my heart was pounding out of my chest. "Please" I begged. "Please...just don't take me back."

She grabbed my hand, this time sympathetic. She lowers her tone, this time soft. "I wasn't going to take you back. If you were running in such a hurry it was for a reason. Now that I think about it..the wound-" I took a breath,
"it's not from them,...I was climbing the wall." She looked genuinely concerned, she was good. "Meeting a friend huh?..." she gave a small laugh but that quickly faded, she smiled. "The princess...I saved the princess?!" She said.

"We'll I wouldn't really call it saving-" this time she cut me off. "We'll, where we're you actually going? Please tell me we have a plan?" Again..we?.. I looked at her stern. "Listen I don't even know your name?!..There is no "we"..." she nodded her head. I could see my words affected her greatly...she sat down.
"You know...you're not the only one looking to escape..run away" She was right. I wasn't. The whole town was looking for better and I'm putting only myself first. Even if I help this women, and we make it to the doc, then what? I can't trust her,..but I can trust her word and that's enough. It has to be enough.

"Your right" I said, she looked pleased. "I'm not the only one whose looking to leave this dreadful kingdom. But if I can help at least someone who put their trust and efforts in to me, then I'd be a fool not just stand and watch." I pointed to my arm,

"you took a risk by helping me, and for that I'm grateful." She smiled, this time with hope.

She held out her hand, "my name is Tasha." This time I was the one smiling, "I'm-.."

My name always reminded me of my mother due to similarity. But I'm not her. "My name is leanna." Similar to my given name, but now made my own. She seemed to put the pieces together. She finished packing her bag, she added food, flashlights, a sleeping bag and a photo of what it seemed to be, her family. She stood ready, confident.

"Alright, leanna, when do we start?"

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^hope you enjoyed chapter 3!!^