Chapter six

Gabriel was supposed to have returned hours ago, the sun had fallen and the moon was almost full. I won't have a better opportunity and I won't get another chance as good as this one. I can't wait for him any longer, I need to make my move. I wrapped my brothers' black cloak around me and walked onto the balcony, watching carefully for the guards walking around to go around the corner. I watched their movements and planned the perfect moment to make my move, every fifteen minutes the courtyard is empty for ten minutes. I have ten minutes to get past the main wall, by using an escape tunnel, built not far from here. BANG! BANG! The room shook as someone continuously banged on it. I stepped over the balcony and was ready to jump out when a loud harsh voice spoke in between the banging.

"Princess Kristina opened the door now!" The voice yelled.

I sat on the gate and peered downward at a deep fountain two stories below me, my hands started to shake as I took a deep breath and kicked my legs out as my body followed. It felt as if my soul took a vacation on a stormy island as I dropped into a deep pound of freezing, algae-filled fountain water. Quickly jumping out of the fountain, I ran toward the backside of the castle. Running around the corner, a large bang sounded through the courtyard, someone had busted into my bedroom door down, I shook in my force my skin and forced myself up against the wall.

"She went over the balcony! Find her!" A male voice yelled.

Trying to keep myself from panicking, I ran up to the thick metal fence, there was a large rock on top of the hatch to the tunnel. I pushed the rock with all my strength as it slowly started to roll away, opening the hatch, I didn't have time to hesitate. Luckily it wasn't a long fall this time, getting out of the kingdom's walls was way too easy, no wonder we have been losing this war. I closed the hatch and ran through the tunnel, popping up on the other side of the walls near the farmhouses. None of the guards were doing their rounds out here, I hid behind a tree and waited just to be sure that it wasn't a trap. I could see two farmhouses in front of me and one was at least five acres to the right the other was half an acre to the behind that. I ran to the closest house that still had its kitchen lights on. Acting normal I walked up to the front door and knocked loudly, I wasn't used to knocking on a door before entering. The lights to the living room quickly flickered on and an old man started to very slowly wobble to the door. My head jolted to the left with the sound of echoing voices of the guards with their feet against the stone path. I knocked on the door again, but this time in a panic as the old man opened the door a crack.

"Princess, come in... come in, please," The old man said, his face riddled with shock.

"Thank you," I said with a shiver in my voice.

I walked into the house with my arms crossed across my chest. He closed the door and shut the drapes to all the living room windows, I stood in front of the door, waiting. My legs and arms were shaking as my clothes dripped all over the floor.

"Princess, you look like you were swimming in winter, come sit... sit by the fire, I will bring you a cup of tea to warm you up," The man said.

"Thank you... I've seen you before haven't I?" I said while sitting close to the fireplace in the corner of the living room, I placed my cloak on the floor beside me.

"Why yes, I saw you earlier today in the throne room," He said, slowly making his way to the living room with a cup in his hand.

"Right, sorry I've been busy with everything going on, our earlier encounter has slipped my mind," I said.

He slowly walked over to me, handing me a cup filled to the rim with hot, delightfully scented fruity tea before resting himself in his armchair. He pressed himself up against his cushioned backrest.

"May I ask what has been going on? and why you are here exactly?" He asked.

"The king has made a number of extremely bad choices, and... um... the queen has passed yesterday night," I said, trying not to reveal too much of the king's plan.

"The queen is dead, no wonder the kingdom is in chaos and the guards are looking for the killer?" He said.

"No, there is no killer, her death was a natural cause," I said.

"The guards like to gossip while they are on their rounds... They're looking for someone aren't they?" He asked while leaning in.

"Yes, they are looking for me, my plan is to run and never look back, I was hoping I could outrun the guards and disappear into the woods," I answered.

"That doesn't even have the slightest chance of success and I'm not going to ask why they are looking for you or why you are running but I have to pick up some seeds from an ally deep in the woods, I will smuggle you out of here with my wagon in the morning," He said.

I took a very big sip of my tea; I was basically chugged half of the cup in one go. I turned my head to look at him, I wanted to know why he would risk his own life to help me.

"You know that if you leave if you help me, you will never be able to come back, especially if they find out that you helped me... I'm a trader to the throne now," I said.

"Yes, yes, I know, there were only three people that kept me in this kingdom all this time, my son Josh, your mother the only true ruler I've ever known, and you... my only grandchild," He said, turning his head away from me. "You were probably never told the truth about what happened to the Emerald kingdom, have you?" He asked.

"I heard the stories and the rumors... mother used to tell them to me um... I'm sorry but did you just say, grandchild?" I asked.

"Well, it will be an excellent story for the road, don't you think? get some rest, we leave at first light or maybe just before first light," He said before wobbling off to bed.