Eclipsis: Water

Chapter 31

Junto's eyes widened in shock, and he backed away, nearly tripping over his feet, but Ondine lunged forward to grab his arm, her grip tight. He looked almost scared of her - kappas arms could easily be removed from their bodies. She didn't know if it was the fear of this, or what she just said, that caused his expression to look the way that it did.

"Escape?" The way he asked it sounded like an exhale.

She nodded forcefully to show she was not joking. "Tonight. You have to help me. You have to."

"But, I..." He shook his head fervently, his dark shaggy hair swishing against the sides of his face. "That is treason. I would be going directly against the King's wishes, to keep you here - "

"And that is exactly why you have to help. He is keeping me, Junto. Against my own will. I do not want a future here at Lune, and I very much doubt that the Moons want me here either."

"With time, miss, they will come to respect -"

"I don't care about respect!" She had raised her voice suddenly, and saw him flinch. A feeling like shame trickled into her insides, but she did not release his arm, scared that he would run off and alert one of the guards. "I don't belong here. I am a Sun. I want to go back to my kingdom. If my father will not return with me, that is his choice. I'm afraid Lune has turned him into someone that I do not recognise."

Junto did not say anything, his eyes still wide. Ondine stared at him, waiting.

The kappa took a deep breath, speaking quickly and quietly. "He will know it was me. Who helped you. I will be tortured and killed, and those are two things I don't wish to ever experience."

She shook her head fast, hoping to convince him otherwise. "There's no reason for him to believe that you had any involvement in my escape. He knows I am bright, he knows I have been training for years. I could very much escape by myself if I put my mind to it."

"So why don't you?" He spluttered. "Why need me if you are capable of it on your own?"

"Because," She pulled him closer, just gentler than a yank. "My success would be far more likely with help. Attempting to escape independently would prove much more difficult," She could tell by Junto's face that he was prepared to protest again. "You are bound by this rule, to help me because I helped you. You do recall saying this?"

"Yes." He answered miserably.

"You have to help me, with anything I wish. Anything, you said. Yes?"

"Yes." He repeated more miserably.

"Meaning you have to help me with this."

"Yes." This last response was more deflated than the previous two, and she had to push down a triumphant smile so as to not irritate him further.

"So that's settled, then. Tonight, when it is dark. I will need you to take me out of my room, preferably to a lower floor so it's easier for me to climb out -"

"You are going to climb?" Junto asked incredulously.

"Yes, of course," She replied, impatient. "It is the only way out of the castle. The guards will know something is up if I leave through the doors."

"But how will you manage that? Even on a lower floor, falling could result in a grave injury."

"I'm not free-soloing, I'm not stupid. I'll be using a rope or something - how easy would it be for you to get me that from the weapons building? I'll need a grappling hook, too."

He shrugged. "Relatively easy, I should think."

"Good. What about something sharp like a knife? It should be easy to conceal but enough to do damage."