Kaider Shots

M.A.V. Part 5

Cinder covered her ears as the latest girl who was going to sing strained on every note of a song she couldn't even recognize. She was going to blow an ear drum if she hadn't already. This was going crazy and completely pointless. Why on Earth would the prince want to do this? What would he gain? Sure, he could weed out the girls who kept mimicking croaking monkeys. Still, what would the prince get out of this?

Surprisingly, there were no guards around them. So naturally, Cinder was extremely tempted to try to escape again. But ...

Peony wasn't feeling good.

She'd complained about and upset stomach just after eating dinner and was getting a bit warm compare to her normal temperature. When Peony came back from dancing on the stage, she tripped over nothing and nearly fell asleep just standing. Cinder called a few of the attendants and had them bring Peony to a place she could rest. All while Pearl had been standing around idly without a care as to what her birth sister was going through.

Cinder knew Peony would be fine. She had to be. Maybe it was just something she ate or exhaustion from the excitement of coming to the palace she dreamed of since she was a toddler.

Another girl was on next. A girl she learned to be named Victoria. She was fairly pretty and had a flowery, delicate personality. When she went on stage, she didn't sing or dance like most of the girls. She made her intelligence known. She talked about the geography and architecture of the kingdom, which was actually impressive. From behind the curtain, she could see the prince's adviser nodding in approval. That was a good sign.

This was also a grand opportunity for the escape that Cinder had been planning. While helping Cress deliver the laundry she was having trouble carrying, she saw an exit that led right out of the palace to a back road. If she could make it that far, she could run into the woods and the bulky guards on their horses wouldn't be fast enough to follow her. Plus, most of them would be making sure no one would be breaking into the palace tonight, and not the other way around. Also, since Iko and the others broke into Prince Kaito's room, there was a three guard detail there at all times.

Before she left, she made sure to tell an attendant to watch over Peony and make sure she got some rest. After than, she was "letting other girls go before her so they could show the prince their talents first". Victoria was taking longer than most of the girls, and making a shooing motion with her hand behind her back.

Oh, Cinder thought. She's stalling to help me get out.

While Cinder wanted Peony to be chosen, she was now also rooting for Victoria. She'd have to remember to thank her if she made it out.

At last, she made it to the door, and luckily, there were no guards between her and the end of the hall that led to the exit. Cinder couldn't help but grin with pleasure.

Keeping a light step in her feet, she walked and walked to the end of the hall and peaked around the corner. No guards between her and open doorway to the back road. Cinder could understand good luck. But this was either uncanny or bad security arrangement on the adviser's part. Shouldn't there have been a guard at every entrance? Maybe one patrolling the halls?

They're probably with the prince, she reasoned to herself. Just get out of here.

Cinder took in a deep breath and tiptoed to the door. No guards were outside. Not even Thorne (if that's the way you spell it with an "e". Cinder still had no idea why you'd add and "e" if the would would sound the same without it. Stupid language rules).

Carefully, she took each step down the stairs to the road. The back of her head was nagging that this was way too easy. But when would she get a chance like this again?