02 Disowned Pt. 2

The carriage ride home was filled with nothing but ridicule towards Anna for making a scene. The older girls were scolded too of course but hardly compared to what Anna was enduring.

Once we arrived at the castle front mother told us to: "hurry inside as if nothing's happened." once inside the real mother' came out.

"You damned brat, you- icolent, disrespectful, disobedient stuid, pitiable child. Do you know what you have done. Do you know what your little scene will do to our family's image, our reputation? Uhg! Why do you exist?!" mothers shouts caught the attention of father, who came quickly from his study to investigate the situation.

"What's the matter dear?" he said.

"The thing caused a scene at the shops today." she replied.

They both looked down at Anna who had been quietly standing and receiving her mothers words.

"And her face? You hit her?"

"No I did!" piped Cassy. "She wasn't respecting me, she needed to be taught her place."

After a few moments of silence Father made up his mind, "she is to go to bed without a meal for causing such commotion. You hear me girl? To your room, the door closed, lights out, NOW." he said in a firm cold voice.

Anna bowed her head and quickly walked off towards her room. Allie began to follow until father blocked her.

"Where do you think you're going? Don't you have lessons to attend to?" he said.

Allie watches as little Anna walked further down the dark hallway. "Yes." she responded.

The two sisters who had been snickering from the sidelines were also abruptly told off to go attend lessons or find something to better spend their time.

---

Allie couldn't keep Anna out of her mind for the rest of the evening. The poor child was sitting alone in a dark room. Allies stomach grumbled, it was neering meal hour. Poor Anna must be starving, she thought. She deserves better parents, a better family. She deserves so much more. Though Allie wasn't treated as badly as Anna she wasn't treated nicely. Allie'd thought about standing up to the Terreklanitha's, (Anna's parents) but it wasn't her place. Allie wasn't even an official member of the family. The families Allie lived with in the past were kind and caring, but this Terreklanitha's were not. They were the opposite of what you'd expect for a royal family in their position. They should be ashamed of how they act. They wouldn't even care if I were to leave, she thought.

That thought sparked an idea into Allie's head; I should run away. Allie forgot her lessons and went over to the bookshelves in search of a map. An old folded parchment map caught her eye, she carefully pulled it out and set it on the table. Allie studied the map and ran her fingers over the past places she called home.

She was born and raised till the age of five in the Eastern-Main-Castle, with the Essletahmain-royals. Next she lived in the north with the Oshkinyas, the Northern main-royals at their castle. She followed her finger as she drew an invisible line to the Western-main castle. This is where she is currently called "home". The pattern was stupidly obvious.

"East, north west, my next stop must be south-" Allie mutterned quietly to herself, tapping her finger over the southern-main-castle. "Surely they're expecting me, well maybe now but maybe in a few years. If I arrive early they won't turn me down, surely." Allie let out a sigh, "it would take about two weeks by carriage, soo- maybe a month or more by walking. I don't think I could handle a month of walking, nor could Anna. maybe if we hitch a ride for free?" Allie studied the map for the rest of the evening, planning her escape.

---

Later that night after supper Aliie was sent 'straight' to her room, but she instead hurried off to Anna's room. Anna's room was separated from the rest of the family's rooms. She was an outcast, hated by those who were supposed to love her. Allie knocked on the door and opened it letting a crack of light spill into the dark room.

"Anna?" Allie asked, she didn't expect a reply. Anna was sitting on the floor beside her bed, curled up, trying to hide herself away from the world. Allie lit a candle and a warm light illuminated the room. "Anna, I've brought a book, would you like me to read it to you?" asked Allie sitting beside Anna on the floor.

"Yes please." she said, her voice was muffled behind her arms.

"Okay," and Allie began to read, her voice softly washing over Anna, lulling her of her worries.

---

The candle burned low, as the light weakened, Allie closed the book. "Anna, do you know why you're hated?" she asked.

Anna hugged her knees closer to her body, "because I was born a failure, that's what Mother says anyways." Her whole life she was constantly compared to who she should've been rather than who she was.

"Anna how would you feel if you lived somewhere else, faraway?" asked Allie.

"Happy." was the only thing Anna said, it was all Allie needed. Allie stood up and grabbed Anna's hand leading her out of the room. "Where are we going?"

"We are running away." said Allie leading them down the hallway to her own room. Before supper Allie prepared a small bag filled with some food, water and clothes. She also packed the old parchment map she'd found earlier that evening.

"Why are we running away?"

Once the girls reached Allie's room, she turned and looked Anna in the eyes, "I want to make sure you live a happy life. You don't deserve to be treated poorly. Hopefully where we're going you'll be able to find happiness." for the first time since Allie had met Anna, her little green eyes sparkled like emeralds.

Together Allie and Anna snuck out the window and gardens behind the castle, then they ran. They ran through the dense trees and buildings, they ran away together with hope in their eyes, both never wishing to look back.