For King and Country

Bareona

Chapter 22

            I woke with a pounding headache to the bright white light of the sun pouring through my windows. I rolled over for, closing my eyes briefly, before opening them. On my bedside table, I saw a little, folded, embossed card, with Princess written on the front in a slanted hand. A servant must have left it while I was asleep. I had a feeling that the palace wasn't awake. The banquet had stretched until midnight, and then the people wanted to dance with their soldiers. I'd come back to my chambers alone before Lily had let go of Private Kerigan's hand, and while Marie was still standing in a corner listening to Fitzgerald talk to her with her arms crossed and a drink in her hand.

I snatched the card off the table, unfolding it quickly. Princess, I promised to take you to see the city, Bareona. Seeing as the castle will be asleep for the majority of the day, meet me at the waterfall exits. Just go down the stairs until you hit the basement, and take a right at the portrait of the naked babies. You can't miss it. Elijah.

I scrambled out of bed, running excitedly into my dressing chambers, spotting Charlotte folding slips into the lingerie chest.

"Charlotte!" I shouted, making her jump as I ran to one of the racks of dresses. I started flipping through them.

"Good lord, Princess, you scared me!" She exclaimed, holding a hand to her chest.

"I need the simplest dress you have. Oh, and a cloak of some kind." I said, giddy about the day. "Elijah's taking me into the city today."

She smiled, walking beside me. "Go sit over there if you're going to act like a child." She pretended to scold me. I smiled and walked to the chair as she riffled through the spinning racks. She put a finger to her lips, then walked through the rack of dresses. I looked after her, confused, before she emerged with three dresses. One was royal blue with silver trim, the other was a delicate yellow, and the last was a stone washed white dress. I nodded to the last one.

"It'll stand out the least." I said simply. She smiled.

"Here's the matching cloak." It was dark grey with a hint of olive, and embroidered with a fine silver thread around the hems and hood. I grimaced.

"That's the simplest thing we have?" I asked, standing up, letting her approach me with the corset. As she laced me up, I gently touched the linen fabric of the light summery dress and its cloak. Hopefully it would hide my face and keep me slightly cool in the extreme summer heat. She braided my hair over my shoulder, before knotting the cloak gently over my neck.

"Thank you, Charlotte." I smiled. "Don't tell Josephine where I'm going. I'm sure Elijah would have told Henry about his plans."

"I'm sure Elijah has told Henry all about his plans." She snorted.

"Charlotte!" I scolded, turning around red faced. She laughed back, making me look down slightly. I walked towards the door that led into the main chamber of my quarters, slipping out the main doors. I nodded to the guards, and then I walked slowly to the side stairwells until I was out of sight. Then I ran in excitement like a giddy little girl. I couldn't remember being this excited since the holidays when I was a little girl.

I headed down the stairwell, and then I stopped in front of the fat naked babies flying in the sky. I smiled, before jetting off down the right hand corridor. The sound of water dripping somewhere made my heart beat faster, knowing that I was close to getting out of this court. The murmur of deep voices made me hurry towards the heavy wooden door, but when I swung it open my heart dropped.