After leaving the dining room I realized how foolish I was being. None of the servants deserved to be beheaded, though Louis would surely think otherwise. They were, as Gemma had put it, just jealous.
Instead of going off to wait for Louis I walked into the kitchen. It was very busy, due to the ball tonight, but Niall had managed to sneak off into the storage room. I joined him there, hoping no one would find me, especially not the head cook.
"People will always be jealous of the playmate. It just happens. It only means you've got something worth having, a place at a higher circle, that's all." The Irish prince comforted me after I told him why I was joining him.
"But I'm losing it all Niall. My days are numbered. Louis and this French Princess are to be married in spring. What happens then? The servants welcome me with open arms as one of their own?" I begged of him.
Niall and Zayn were really the only people I could openly talk to, especially about matters such as this. I'd discovered that Niall actually lived a few doors down from my room, also on the cold side of the palace.
"I don't know what will happen, Harry. Only time will tell." His accent shown heavily through his wise words.
"I'm tired of waiting. He doesn't even want me anymore Niall. He gave me up last night without a fight. What am I supposed to do? They're going to sell me to who knows where, to do who knows what! I love him Niall. I love him more than anything else in this world. I can't just sit around waiting for him to sell me." I confessed my biggest heartache to the Irish lad.
A serious expression crossed his features then. He leaned in closer to me and I instinctively leaned closer to him.
"Do you really mean that?" he asked, all laughter gone from his voice, completely serious.
"Yes, I can't stand this anymore." I told him.
"Run away with me tonight, back to Ireland. I can free you. You'll be able to do as you please. No more serving an ungrateful prince. No more snippy jealous servants. You'll be free to do whatever you wish." Niall spoke quickly in hushed tones.
"Leave the palace? We'll never get away. They'll find us. Louis will know I'm missing." I countered.
"Not if we leave after they announce the engagement. Everyone will have their eyes on Louis and his bride-to-be and all the attention will go right to his head. You'll be the last thing on his mind."
The realization stung, but it was the truth. Tonight would be all about Louis, and he'll be loving every minute of it. He wouldn't notice if I slipped away, and then by morning I'd be long gone when he came calling to my room.
"How will we get out?" I whispered to him, suddenly afraid that someone was listening to us.
"We'll wait until right before the announcement. The king will surely start having everyone gathered to make a toast. That's when we'll slip out the back kitchen service entrance that leads to the stables."
"But how will we get a horse? All the hands will be out there watching the visitor's carriages." I interrupted him.
"They always bring in new hands for events like this. We just need to act like we know what we're doing. Say a guest is leaving and we're getting their horses. After that, we head south to Ireland."
He really had this all planned out. I sat up again, taking in all of his words. I was skeptical of course, did I really want to abandon Louis? I still had a few months with him. Did I want to give those away? And Niall couldn't really promise much, he didn't know what state his homeland was in, or even if his family still sat on the throne.
