Princess on the Run

Chapter 5

"I wish I wrote the way I thought; Obsessively, Incessantly, With maddening hunger."

-Benedict Smith

♕♕♕♕♕♕♕♕♕♕♕♕♕♕♕♕♕

And so, time passed by as quickly as ever, leaving only a week until Isabella's eighteenth birthday. The anticipation and anxiety mounted with each passing day. Mary's training sessions were over, and now their evenings were spent huddled together, discussing possible escape routes and strategies in the dimly lit safety of Isabella's room.

This was the most crucial part of their plan, a phase that could not afford any mistakes. Every detail had to be meticulously planned, every potential mishap accounted for. Isabella knew that one misstep could mean the end of her dreams of freedom—and worse, it could put Mary in grave danger.

Every day, Mary came into Isabella's room with newly discovered ways to escape. She would enter with a mix of excitement and apprehension, armed with maps, sketches, and ideas she had gathered throughout the day. They would sit on the plush carpet, poring over the details, their faces illuminated by the soft glow of candlelight.

"Here's a new idea," Mary said one evening, spreading a large parchment map of the palace grounds on the floor. "I found out that there's an old servant's passage behind the east wing. It hasn't been used in years, but it's still accessible."

Isabella leaned in, examining the map closely. "It's near the kitchens, isn't it? We could blend in with the servants during the evening rush."

Mary nodded. "Exactly. But we'll need to time it perfectly. The guards change shifts at sunset, so we'd have a small window to slip through unnoticed."

They discussed the plan in detail, considering every possible scenario. But as they talked, they began to uncover flaws.

"What if the passage is blocked?" Isabella asked, her brow furrowing with concern. "We haven't had the chance to check it out ourselves."

Mary sighed, tapping her finger on the map. "You're right. And if the guards catch us near the kitchens, it would raise too many suspicions."

The next evening, Mary arrived with another idea. "I overheard the stable hands talking about a delivery coming in late at night. We could hide in one of the carts and sneak out that way."

Isabella's eyes lit up. "That could work. But what about the palace gates? They're always heavily guarded."

Mary's face fell slightly. "I thought of that. The delivery carts are usually inspected. We'd need a way to avoid detection."

They spent hours brainstorming, their minds racing to find a solution. Each new plan seemed promising at first but eventually revealed its weaknesses.

"What if we disguise ourselves as guests and leave during the birthday ball?" Isabella suggested one night, her eyes gleaming with a mix of hope and desperation. "There will be so many people coming and going, it might be easier to slip away unnoticed."

Mary considered it, her fingers drumming on the edge of the map. "It's risky. Your parents will be watching you closely, especially since it's your birthday. But it might be our best shot."

As the days passed, the pressure mounted. They continued to refine their plans, discarding ideas that seemed too dangerous or impractical. Their conversations grew more urgent, their determination crumbling.

One evening, as they sat by the window, the cool night air drifting in, Isabella turned to Mary with a weary smile. "We've considered almost everything. There's got to be a way."