"Miss Berlin, you must not attempt to escape again." Andree whispered.
"I'm not escaping anywhere," Berlin's hand swished dismissively. "I just need to run a little errand. I'll be back before dawn breaks." She clipped her dark cloak, the heavy drapery swished in the slight breeze of the night.
Andree bristled at the same words she'd been hearing for the past few weeks. "Miss Berlin, you've been going away almost every night, you will hurt you health."
"I feel very healthy."
"Going tomorrow, Miss Berlin, I believe, is wiser."
Andree set down the oil lamp and adjusted Berlin's cloak in her worry.
"It'll be too late tomorrow," Berlin attached her sheath to her belt. "I doubt Luke will let me run off in broad daylight either."
"You still mustn't, Miss Berlin," Andree tried again.
"Don't worry, I won't get caught." She winked at her Andree. "I never do."
"They'll definitely notice it this time, Miss Berlin," she tried to catch up with Berlin's hastened steps as the lady turned into the hallway. "They'd even doubled the guards' shifts."
"I'll be fine." Berlin patted her shoulder, unconvinced with Andree's repeated attempts in dissuading her.
"And they had the trees outside cut down."
"It's all right, the shrubs are enough."
Their footsteps slowed to a whisper as they entered the room. Scant moonlight filtered in from the frosted glass widow, casting milky puddles of the reflected night sky on the floor. It was, however, too dark to make out either of them save for their still silhouette. Berlin caught a faint exhale from behind—a familiar sound.
"Miss Berlin is making my job difficult."
The said lady lowered her hood to hide a grin.
"Andree, I will bring you a vial of scents." She promised.
"Be safe, Miss Berlin. I can only keep the windows on the fifth floor open till dawn."
Berlin walked towards the ajar window. Shadows shielded her lustrous curls; with her cloak cascading down in a waterfall of midnight raven, she could almost pass for a male.
Andree blew out the oil lamp. "Have a safe trip, Miss Berlin." She curtseyed.
Berlin nodded. "Good night." Without a sound, she jumped off the balcony.
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