Unmasked

Chapter 38

-unedited-

Chapter 38:

I watch him as he gathers his belongings. He says it's not much but by the looks of it all seems like a handful.

A sudden knock at the door makes me jump.

"Is the maid in there?" A muffled voice asks.

I look at the door. My heart immediately pounds in my chest. Me? Are his parents after me directly now?

"Who asks?" He comes up to me and places his arm around my shoulders as to calm me down.

"A message for her, your majesty." The voice becomes clearer. It's a man's.

"She's not receiving anything."

"Mary, it's me." Michael.

I touch the prince's arm and take a breath. Why? No, how would they know he's related to me? I should speak to him but something in me says he's here to stop me too.

My eyes meet the prince's and he takes a step back. Leaving me to decide what I do next.

I find myself moving forward and opening the door just a crack, first to confirm if it's really Michael.

He stands there on his own, a good distance away from the door, and once I see that it's only him, I take a step outside and shut the door behind me.

"Mary, if what I'm hearing is true then you absolutely cannot go through with it." He whispers as soon as I'm outside.

"Why not?" I avoid his gaze. There's no way I can go against my only family but to be able to finally escape where I'm at, should be a good thing right?

"Should that even be a question? Come on, you know better for what's at stake if the future ruler leaves the kingdom."

"I'm not demanding him to leave, Micheal, it's his own choice." I explain softly, "I've been exiled. He is simply choosing to come with me."

At that he remains silent. I only look at his shoes as he paces a bit in front of me before standing still again.

"Mary, this... this is bigger than just you and your love for each other. You know that."

Bigger. Everything comes back to me in that moment. Everything I've overheard and the conversations I've been present in... he's right but... but-

"I don't want to be alone." I look up at him. If I were to convince him to stay, and if he listened, then I would truly be alone.

"Mary, this is for your kingdom's sake."

"I- Him being here doesn't guarantee anything... does it?" Now I'm not too sure. Why? Why is he putting doubt in my mind? Has he always been like this?

"You're father wouldn't want this," I feel him grab my shoulder, "think for a second. He sacrificed his life for a better future for everyone else, his selflessness is the reason I took on this role to protect the kingdom and now you have a choice to do the same."

"Why?" The question comes out of me on its own. "Why are you so against me? Isn't anyone on my side?"

"Mary-"

"What if I don't want to sacrifice myself?" I look at him again, this reminds me of the time I went against the prince when I took the blame for stealing that food.

"Then there would be no choice but for us to be enemies. At least until I know you have the kingdoms best interest at heart."

I hear a door open and close behind me and I know it's him. The Prince himself.