Prince Daniel's POV
My brother runs into my room, waking me with a start. I look at the doors, he looked as proper as always. The opposite of how I looked.
"Daniel, father would like to speak with you." His tone set off alarms in my head. His face looked solemn as I stood up. I took in a deep breath and let it out.
"Tell him I will be down after I get dressed." He nodded and closed the door, I could hear his footsteps echoing throughout the halls as he ran down the stairs. I look at my window, walking over and pushing the glass with my hand. I look out over the landscape, and sigh. I close the window and draw the blinds, picking out an outfit from my wardrobe.
I put on the clothes and start walking to the door, it definitely gave me a scare when my brother burst open the doors and stepped in, quickly closing them behind him.
"What's going o-" he cut me off. "You need to get downstairs now." He moved away from the door and sat on my bed, watching me as I opened the door, staring at him strangely. I closed the door behind me and walked down the stairs, my bare feet barely making a sound against the wood. I reach the end of the stairs and walk forward, toward my father. He wasn't too strict of a king, but he could scare the living daylights out of anyone who disobeyed his rules.
"Daniel, as the oldest; your mother and I have decided that you will be married to the princess of a neighboring kingdom." I felt my heart shatter to pieces, he couldn't be serious. He handed me a small frame, I looked at it. It was a small painting of a young maiden.
I was left speechless, I could feel tears forming in my eyes. She was beautiful, yes, but I couldn't love her. I don't even know her.
"Her name is Annabelle, she is your age. We are hoping the marriage of you two will keep the peace between our kingdoms." I could barely hold in the tears, I dropped the painting because my hands were shaking so much. I turned around, I couldn't let my father see me like this. I ran toward the stairs, quickly climbing up them. When I got to my room, I swung open the door and slammed it shut behind me.
My brother stands up, he was still in the room. Fuck. I don't want him seeing me like this.
"Daniel? Are you okay? You look upset." I look away from him, and step away from the door. He breathed a heavy sigh, and walked to the door, opening it and leaving. When I heard the sound of the latch clicking into place, my eyes welled up with tears; they spilled down my face, running down my neck and soaking the collar of my shirt. I sit on my bed, looking at the window, I felt betrayed by my own father.
'How could he not let me find love myself?' I stand up and walk to the window, yanking the curtains and staring at the world around me. I push roughly on the glass and the window swings open. I sit on the windowsill, putting my legs outside. I sit there for a while, letting the tears that seemed to be never ending come to a stop before putting my legs inside and standing up. I wiped away the remaining tears and kneel down beside my bed, grabbing the rope.
I stared at the rope, I made a promise to myself. 'No matter what happens, I will meet Phil tonight. I will run away from this stupid marriage.' I put the rope back under my bed and stood up, sitting on my bed and stared at the window.
"I will see Phil tonight" I whispered to myself, before laying on my side and closing my eyes.
~~Time Skip~~
By the time I wake up, it was dark outside. I looked out my window, it was about midnight. I slept through a whole day? I look slightly down and sure enough, there was Phil. I grabbed a small candle off my night stand and throw it down at him. He looked up and I smiled, waving at him. He waved back. I moved away from the window and grabbed casual clothes, changing into them and putting on a pair of shoes. I grab a bag and put clothes into it, slinging it over my shoulder.
I grab the rope from under my bed, tying a knot tightly to my bedpost. I pick up the rest of the rope and drop it out the window. I think for a second, hesitating before getting on the windowsill. I grab a chair from my desk and prop it against the door, before jumping on the windowsill, lowering my foot onto the side of the wall grabbing the rope as tightly as possible. I look down and continue climbing down.
When I reach the ground Phil looks confused, I smile at him. I hope he's only going to ask why I have a bag. He points to the bag, and I smile wider.
"I want to run away from all of this." I gesture towards my open window and the castle behind me. I looks at me strangely.
"Why would you want to run away" I look at the ground, I could feel the tears start to appear. Oh god, Not in front of him. He places a hand on my forearm.
"My father wanted me to participate in an arranged marriage with a girl I don't even know." I look up at him, his face was solemn, as if he understood how it felt. I felt the tears start to fall, at this point I didn't even care that he was seeing me cry. I trusted him.
"It'll be okay Daniel, I won't tell the king." His voice was sincere, and he smiled. I smiled as well, he was such a nice person, risking himself for me. I felt selfish asking him this, but I had to. I didn't want to be alone in this, I needed someone I trusted, I just hope trusts me enough to say yes.
"Would... Would you go with me?" I look away from him, he wasn't going to say yes to this. I sounded like a babbling idiot. My mind trails off, had we been this close to each other a second ago?
"Daniel," I reluctantly look at him. "it is my duty to protect you and the royal family. It would be my honour to join you." I smiled, I was filled with hope, he said yes. The only way my head would respond was as if this was a marriage proposal. He takes his hand off my arm and moves away from me. and I take half a step back.
"Thank you, Phil." He nods and smiles, I look to my right and see another guard looking straight at us. I freeze, Phil follows my gaze.
"Don't worry, I'm getting him back inside." The other guard nods and starts walking away from us. Phil grabs my arm and starts to run in the opposite direction of the castle. Other guards start yelling, one starts chasing us. Thankfully Phil was faster than him, running further and further away from the castle and the guards.
3rd Person view
They ran away, ran from the castle, away from the guards. They found themselves lost in mysterious woods. But all was not alright, they wouldn't live happily ever after for a long time. For the morning after they ran away prince Daniel's brother tried to open the door to his room.
Upon finding the door locked, he called for a guard to get it open. It took a while for them to get the door open, but when they found Daniel missing, they sent guards to find him. The guards never found Daniel, or Philip. They were pronounced dead by the king, never to be seen again.
But secretly, in the woods. They were living happily ever after...
