Sanity

6. Intruder

The ball approached quickly. Servants were scurrying around the castle making their own preparations, as Jaelyn remained tucked away in her room, almost in hiding. She had not seen William or the Queen since their meeting in the dining hall, and she was not sure whether this was a good thing or not. At least no one would see how nervous she was.

For the first time since she had arrived, Jaelyn longed to return to her home. Yes, it was a dump where she had to sleep on concrete and would hardly scrape by each week, but it was the only home she knew. The only place she had grown up, in all her life. But she knew she couldn't leave the palace. Even just for an hour, she longed to sneak out, to return to where she grew up and beg Tank to just forget about this whole stupid contract. She didn't want to do it anymore. William didn't deserve this, any of this. To be lied to, manipulated, murdered. He didn't deserve to die. He was the sweetest, most caring soul she had ever encountered, and she didn't want to kill him. She didn't want to do it anymore. She wondered if there was a way out, some little loophole that was concealed to her. She hadn't slept for days, trying to come up with a solution to her problem. But, as far as she was concerned, she was stuck. She had nowhere to go. No matter what she did, she was either going to die or never going to see William again. Neither of those outcomes made her happy at all.

She gazed out the window to her left longingly as mouse girl - the servant from when she first woke after being poisoned - was trying to fit her into her dress for the ball. She was tugging and pulling at the strings from every angle, almost trying to make Jaelyn more uncomfortable. She grimaced at every yank, trying not to snap.

"Are you excited for your wedding, your Highness?" the girl asked in the silence, shattering Jaelyn's thoughts with her tiny voice.

"My wedding?" Jaelyn repeated, hesitation in her tone. "Oh. Yes, I suppose I am a little."

She almost forgot she was to get married amidst the assassination.

"What's he like?"

Jaelyn looked down at the girl, seeing intrigue in her eyes. She sighed, looking back out the window.

"He's nice," she admitted. "I admit, I haven't spoken with him enough to really understand his character, though from what I have encountered of him he seems like a fine man."

"No, I'm not talking about your betrothed," mouse girl replied, tugging another ribbon behind Jaelyn's back, causing Jaelyn to breathe in sharply from the jolt.

"You're not?" she questioned, surprised. "Who are you talking about, then?"

"The other one. Prince William."

Jaelyn's eyes narrowed, although she kept this reaction to herself.

"Why should I have any opinion on William? He is not my betrothed."

"You're right, he isn't," the girl sighed. "He's your target. And you still can't seem to manage to kill him."

Jaelyn's head shot around and her eyes met with mouse girl's, who was still tying away at her dress as if the words she just stated were perfectly normal.

"What an absurd thing to say!" Jaelyn snapped, pulling her dress from the girl's hands and forcing their eyes to meet. "What on earth gives you the impression that I am to kill the brother of my betrothed?"

"Please," the girl muttered, tilting her head to one side. "Give up the act. Tank sent me."

Jaelyn's eyes shot around the room, glancing out the door to her room. No one was around, no guards, nothing. Only Jaelyn and mouse girl.