Looks Can Deceive

Chapter 15

We have been walking for about 2 hours. The river is nice to walk by. If it weren't for the fence surrounding it, I would put my feet in. It might help the aching I am feeling. Yes I am in better shape, but that doesn't mean spending two hours changing between running and walking isn't going to hurt my feet. Also our shoes are meant for mainly indoor use. I won't be surprised if they are completely destroyed by the time we get back to school.

I see Hanna pointing to something in the distance.

The castle. It's huge. The pictures do not do it justice. The huge wall may cover a lot of it. But you can still see the glowing towers high in the sky. I hope we can pass here when the sun is setting. It would be gorgeous. Now that we are about half way. Hanna and I stop for a water break. We drink silently and stare in awe at the castle. I also have a couple of crackers. Hanna has half an apple. We pack back up and continue the walk.

We walk until we reach the castle wall. I touch it. It's not every day that you get to see something like this. Or touch it. I wish I could go in. But I never will. The castle is so large. I learned that it has 12 bedrooms. Only two have people live in them. The King and the prince, the one who is coming to Bratten. The queen died a couple of days ago. Hanna cried, I don't know why. I mean it's sad but not really. She died of sickness.

Hanna is crying again. That girl needs to fix her emotions. I don't know maybe it she has a significant reason for crying. I want to cry because my feet really hurt. And I am really tired. I wish we would have left last night or earlier today.

"Hey you!" I hear someone yell

I turn around and see guards running at us. Oh crap I try to grab on to Hanna but she isn't moving. I run, I don't know where. I just keep running. I turn around. No one is behind me. But I see Hanna taken by a guard. What are the going to do? Take her to jail, prison, or just kill her now? They can't, I can't let my best friend get killed. I have to do something to save her. I see Hanna look at me, her look tells me to run. I can't! I can't leave her. She looks at me again, her eyes are begging for me to leave. Hanna and I know how to communicate with looks.

I turn around and continue to run. I find a bush with a hole behind it. I hide in there. I can hear the guards and see them. I am crying now. They have her held on her knees. They are screaming each other. They sound so proud to have caught someone.

"Dudes." I hear a man yell "Let the lady go, don't you know her."

I know her. He doesn't. Maybe it's the other way around maybe I don't know Hanna, he might though.

I see him come into view. It's Prince Mitch. He is tall, taller than I thought. Why is he letting Hanna go. I always thought the royalty were bad people. I always thought they only cared about them selves. The guards back off to another side of the castle. Mitch pulls Hanna off the ground and gives her a look, that doesn't look good.

"What the hell Hanna, you should be in school!" He yells at her

Wait does he know her? He must he knew her name. He knew where she should be. And Hanna looks old for a 12 grader. He must know but how?

"You are going to be killed!" He continues "Why are you here anyway?"

Hanna stares at him for a minute. She looks like she is in awe. Not for the Prince fact though. There is something else.

"Factory I have to go." She says

She told him? How? He is going to send the guards back on us.

"Hanna, you are so stupid sometimes! And how do you plan to get in?"

"I have no idea, I just had too."

Mitch pulls out a piece of paper and a pen, writes something and hands it to Hanna. She reads it, smiles and puts it safety in her backpack.

"Alright, don't be dumb again, scooter."

She smiles.

"Don't call me that." Hanna says still smiling.

Hanna knows the Prince. In more than a friend way. But is it a relationship. Is that why he changed from Vandy to Bratten. He must. Why couldn't she tell me. In a way I feel betrayed. But maybe they aren't together.

"Whatever scooter, I have to go to my dad, he is dying." He says with a long face

The king is dying? Is wife just died. I feel so bad for Mitch, he will be the King soon if his father dies. That means that someone from Bratten will be the queen sooner than expected.

"Can I see him?" Hanna asks

Wait so now she wants to see the king? How does she know this family? She shouldn't.

"Hanna, you know you can't, anyway, you have a place to be."

She smiles while crying. They hug each other. They know each other. They are a bit to close not to. I don't think they know I am here. I can't ask Hanna. At least  not yet. Before he goes back in. Mitch kisses her on the cheek. Hanna is not the girl I thought I knew, we tell each other everything.

Who is she?