The carriage was small. Not the typical ones used for royalty. So Izzy couldn't help but wonder what, or who they were transporting into the palace at this hour. But nonetheless getting on that carriage was probably the only chance they had to make it back inside. Scaling the wall was even more impossible and there was no way the guards would ever let August live if they knew she would be entering Aldham.
The girls ran silently until they reached the last area that provided cover between them and the carriage. As customary, the two single riders went out in front and began crossing the bridge as the carriage itself slowly followed behind. Izzy exchanged glances with August and nodded, this was their chance.
Before there was even a chance to think, they both sprinted out and towards the carriage. If it weren't for her time playing around in and around the stables, Izzy may have never known that each palace carriage had a lower wooden rack built under them to store any larger belongings needed for journeys. It would be tricky to slip onto on while moving but they didn't have much of a choice. The cobblestone bridge provided for a loud uneven ride, which was the exact conditions needed to sneak onto a moving vehicle. Izzy made it first, lifting the fitted curtain mounted around it and springing herself onto the platform. She held her breath in fear of being caught. The ride was by no means going fast, but any unnecessary weight shifting would surely notify any rider above.
Next came August, silently following the princesses lead. As she hoisted herself onto the moving ride she froze in fear before realizing that the wild impulsive plan might have just worked. They managed to be silent enough not to draw attention to them as the carriage completed it's way across the bridge. It came to a stop. August felt her fingertips brushing against Izzy's. She made an attempt to not move them in fear that it would make the princess move away.
The bridge began so shake with the opening of the gate. Izzy could make out the familiar creaking sound as it opened wide enough for the men and carriage to fit through.
Once the gate was open, the carriage began rolling again. They had made it past the entrance but they still had one more checkpoint to pass and the princess knew that if they we're going to be found this would be when.
The horses pulled the carriage through the gate and halted as they cleared the threshold. Loud bootsteps could be heard approaching them. As the noise grew in volume, Izzy panicked and grabbed onto the first thing she could find. Which in this case happened to be the hand of her new friend.
August closed her eyes. Feeling the newly found warmth of the princess's hand in hers and hoping the sound of her heart beating wouldn't give them all away.
A loud knock above startled them both. Followed by the rhythmic clicking of locks being unlocked.
"Ah hello, your Majesty," The guard announced. "Welcome back. Any word on the theif?"
"No new information." A voice replied. Izzy clamped her free hand over her mouth to prevent her from gasping out as she recognized the voice of her father. "But I promise you that when we find the Rhyle that took my daughter, I'll have her skinned live in the square for her crimes."
August felt herself holding her breath. They were talking about her, no only did they knew she was with the princess but they knew her most important secret. She peered over at Izzy who stared wide eyed back at her, he hand still over her mouth.
A hand suddenly appeared at the bottom of the undercarriage covering, about to lift it when a voice interrupted,
"Oh no need sir, we didn't bring anything in the first place. Nothing is under there," the king declared.
The fingers released the curtain, draping them both in full protection again.
"As you wish, Your Majesty. Well have a wonderful night." They heard the guard shut the door above them followed by the locking once more. To both of their surprise the carriage jolted forward quickly as it fell back into a steady roll. They had made it and if the King was in the carriage then they were getting a one-way pass to the palace.
Izzy took a sigh of relief. Her crazy, improbable plan had somehow worked. She tried to come back and stay in the moment. The princess let in the smells of Aldham that were swirling around, and judging by it the bakers were already awake and beginning their morning work. It had felt like ages since she had passed through these very streets under very different circumstances. But even then, it felt as though she was coming back a very different person than who she was when she left.
The cobblestone path transformed into the smooth winded pavement leading them home. She could nearly picture the outside. Based on her calculations the sun was due to be rising soon, really awakening the city around her.
August felt the carriage slowly travel along the paths until finally it began slowing down. They rolled to a stop once more as multiple sets of footsteps began approaching. The two riders could be heard dismounting their horses and handing them off to what Izzy could only assume were the stable boys. Then the shake of the King leaving the carriage began.
"Your majesty, this way. We think we're getting closer to finding the Rhyle," the vaguely familiar voice of a guard rose above.
"What did you find?" The King questioned.
"This," the girls looked at each other, certain that they had been caught.
"An arrow?" The King questioned, "This is one of my daughters. I gifted her them myself. Where did you find it?" His voice rose.
"Just outside of the western forest. No more than a quarter day trip away. It looked as if she had shot them at someone."
"Or something," He scowled, making his way away from the carriage and towards the palace. "I will find that monster and I will kill her. I swear it to you."
...
The carriage began again, this time at a much slower pace. Izzy guess that they were heading back to the stables to bring the horses in. They had managed to break back into her kingdom completely undetected and she was giddy. She couldn't believe that they had done it. So much so that she started to laugh to herself. August saw this and couldn't help but begin laughing herself. The two were so slap happy they didn't realize that the carriage had come to a stop.
So when Izzy turned over to find her face inches away from another mans peering in, she couldn't help but scream.
