Isadora awoke to the sound of footsteps close by. Immediately recognizing that she was not in her usual four poster palace bed but instead somewhere much different, and musty smelling. She found herself still wrapped in the fur coat August had leant her last night,
August.
The ginger haired girl was sitting once more in front of the fireplace with her back towards Izzy. The previous days events flooded back to her, however a layer of fog seemed to wrap around them. Izzy felt as though she had no more tears left to cry. Instead she found her sadness replaced by a much more dangerous emotion- anger. Anger towards August for forcing her away from her fiances body. Anger towards whoever, or whatever, attacked them in the first place. But most of all, Izzy was angry at her father for leaving her behind.
Unfortunately for August, she was the only one around for Izzy to take said anger out on.
Izzy found her voice, "I would like to go home" she stated firmly.
Her voice took August by surprise causing her to subtly jump.
"Oh, you're awake," she spun to sit facing the princess.
"I said I would like to go home," Izzy again reiterated. She did not like to be ignored.
"Yes, I did hear that part. Now what do you want for breakfast?" August sprung up on her feet.
The princess was far past irritated with this back and forth. She stood up to face the girl as she spoke. "As the daughter of King Edwards and next in line to the throne, I command yo-"
"You command me?" August felt her voice rising to match the princesses.
"Yes, you heard me." Izzy crossed her arms and attempted to mimic the stance her father would take when giving orders. "You will take me back to the Aldham gates this instant or else the guards will hunt you down and leave nothing of you left behind."
August stood in shock. Here she was, risking everything she had managed to build for herself for some girl. A girl who certainly wasn't worth risking her life over.
She took a deep breath and took a step closer to the princess, their faces inches apart. "Listen here, your majesty," she stated as calmly as her body would allow, "I don't know how they do things in the palace, but this is how it is here. You see that door?" She motioned towards it, "That is the only thing keeping us from the same things that took your little boyfriends' life. And I'm not about to risk my life for an ungrateful, spoiled little brat. So if you want to go journey through the forest alone to find you're precious palace then be my guest. And if the royal guard wants to come hunt you down, let them come. They already have killed most of us anyways."
Izzy stood in shock. No one had ever spoken to her like that before, in fact she had never been told "no" before. Sure, it came with the territory of being royal but that didn't mean she was a spoiled brat. But one thing really seemed to stand out.
"W-what do you mean they have already killed most of you?" Izzy managed. Her voice was noticeably much softer after taking the blows.
"What did you think your father was all high and mighty? Did you think that big wall your family put up was to protect you? Well grow up Izzy. Why do you think people live out here anyways? Because it's fun?" August felt herself fuming. She stomped over and picked up her coat that was lying on the floor. She quickly put it on and turned back to see Izzy watching wide eyed at her. "News flash princess, your father is the reason a lot of people are dead. You don't see my parents around here anywhere, do you?"
And with that she quickly left out the door, slamming it behind her.
---
August let her back fall against the outer door of her home. She could feel her heart beating in her chest. Her hand grazed the door behind her as she let the energy flow, sealing the princess inside. August hated her. She hated how entitled and awful she seemed, and ungrateful considering the risks August was taking to keep her here. But she also knew that too much time had passed and there was no way she was going to let this girl die on her watch, despite how much resentment sat between them.
Her breathing slowed but the thoughts that swirled through August's head were constant. She wasn't lying about her parents, at least not entirely. The royals never made life easy for people like her and if the King ever knew his only daughter was hiding out in Sennewick with someone like her, he would burn the forest down tree by tree until no one was left breathing.
She shook her head, living in the Sennewick meant that there was no room for distraction. Not staying alert would cost you your coin or food; but for someone with Augusts powers it would cost her life. A walk in the woods was very necessary. If she was going to be hosting the King of Aldhams daughter, the least she could do was get more firewood before the princess starts to realize the fire is burning from nothing at all.
