The Runaway

Chapter 7

A/N: I edited the picture to make her hair the actual color it is. I couldn't stop imagining her with the silver hair, I hope this helps :)

The last sunrise to sunset has been lonely.

I can't lay in the bed anymore or sit on it. I can't stop crying. I've been here for a week now. How come no one found me yet? How far is this place from home?

I watch the map disintegrate into the waterfall, down the hole. Foolish map is the reason I'm here.

The map is gone. The feeling is still here, hiding at the ends of my senses, waiting to break me.

It's working. I wiped away tears for the 40th time and curled into a ball on the cold, hard floor, letting the water hit me.

It should drown away all my worries, doubts. Wash away all my regrets and painful feelings. My dress on the floor in front of me, torn, thin, dirty, damaged. It's falling apart. Everything is falling apart.

There is a knock on the bedroom door. Silence wears on. I have no energy to talk, move. I can hear footsteps walk away.

Who was that? Who wants to talk to me at late high point? The sun shrinks away as usual. The days are much shorter here.

After some time, the sun is now down, the crying has stopped. The water runs cold. My skin hurts. Everything hurts and feels numb at the same time. There is this pain at the back of my neck, near the top. My face feels dry and tight, the water doesn't help.

I would turn it off but none of my powers work here.

The ear I'm lying on is soar, same as my whole left side. The wound in my arm feels painless right now, as all I feel is pain.

I haven't been in this much physical pain besides when I fell off a unicorn and hurt my ankle as a child. Everything else is internal anguish.

Another knock on the bedroom door, Footsteps don't walk away this time. Instead, they walk closer from inside.

"Princess, the guards came to get you earlier." He knocks on the door frame once he gets closer and is facing away. "Can I come in?"

The door is wide open. He waits for an answer I cannot muster. Why is this so hard? Talking is as easy as breathing. I hum an approval since my mouth is dried shut, as is my throat.

I'm not presentable right now, I'm a mess. If only I could say go away.

He turns around, pausing before walking in the room.

"What happened, princess?"

He walks over and puts his hand on the wall, under the line where the water pours out. It turns off.

Now I'm very cold. I hold my hand out to him. He holds the ends of my fingers while leaning over to the shelves, grabbing on the drying cloths. He shakes it till it unfolds and puts it over me. He sits on the floor in front of me.

"You shouldn't be putting pressure on your arm, dear."

I try to roll on my back, but it doesn't work. The floor patterns are imprinted on me. He puts his hand on my right shoulder and slowly pushes it down till I'm on my back. He then shuffles one hand under my back and the other under my knees before picking me up. He's so warm.

He walks to the bed and sets me on it. Now I'm sitting on the edge. He takes my shoes off and wraps a blanket around me.

"Tell me what happened."

My fingers are shaking. I'm so cold. My mouth finally lets me talk.

"I... miss home..."

He sits on the bed next to me.

"That doesn't explain why you were laying on the floor naked, shivering and crying."

He takes the end of the cloth and wipes my face. I lean on his shoulder, resting my pounding head on it. I can hear the blood going through every part of me.

"I don't know... it just felt right."

He runs his hand through the sopping ends of my hair.

"You could have drowned and died. Next time you're sad, go outside."

I can't drown if there is no base to collect the water. It comes out the wall and disappears into the floor.

"The door is always locked... I can't leave. I don't know this place either, I'll get lost, or someone will find me. I'll get in trouble."

"Shall I come over more often then?"

I nod. He pushes me off of him and walks over to the window between the bed and bathroom. He gets on the ledge and reaches as high as he can. He presses the tips of his fingers on the side walls that hold the window in place. There is a click. He gets down and pushes open the window. Does the same to the other one on the other side of the bed.

He pints to the window behind the bed, up in the air. It is the highest one.

"Do you want that one to open too?"

I nod. I want to see how he gets up there since he was barely able to open the others.

He takes off his boots and climbs onto the bed, moving the pillows and blankets. He gets up on the headboard. He stands on his tippy toes, on the highest part of the frame. It isn't very thick. How has he not fallen yet? He does whatever it is and there is a click. He gets off the bed, puts on his boots and holds his hand out to me.

"Come on."

"To where?"

"Somewhere."

I get my poor dress and shoes on before I follow him to wherever he takes me.

We're in the hallway, walking to wherever. I'm still cold but not as much. The sun has settled, and the moon is as calming as usual. Everything is dark, quiet as usual.

"I've had a whole day to think about it, yesterday, in my prison of solitude and I still believe you are the prince, good sir."

A/N: Thoughts? Do we like the mystery guy? Is Vivienne going to be okay?

Don't forget to vote!