Chapter 7: The Escape

Anaya

"I know you are awake." The princess' voice was barely a whisper.

Anaya opened her eyes and met the gaze of Nasacha, who was sitting in the corner of the prison unmoving, her hands still bound.

"You are not asleep either," Anaya said hoarsely.

The other villagers were asleep around them, exhausted from preparing the camp. The entire day had been nonstop. The fort had been armed to the teeth in anticipation of the rescue attempt.

"Do you have a plan to escape?" Nasacha asked

Anaya moved around sleeping bodies until they were side by side.

"No." Anaya hated lying, but her sole thought was of her family.

Nasacha looked at her. She had covered her head again with her shawl, and only her piercing eyes shone in the night.

"I know that is not true. You hid the knife. You tied my bounds loosely."

Anaya tore her gaze away.

"If you value your family's life, you will tell me the truth, and I will do everything in my power to help." Nasacha tentatively reached out with her bound hands and placed them over Anaya's.

"The plan was for you to get captured," Anaya said honestly, "then we would have a chance to escape when they came to rescue you."

Nasacha pulled her hands away for a moment, and Anaya thought that all hope was lost, but the princess replaced them.

"I understand your motives." Nasacha's voice was void of emotion. "However it would never have worked."

"Why?" Anaya felt desperation fill her throat.

"The rebels will send a ransom. They are hoping for supplies; they know they are no match for Dermnith’s army."

"There will be no rescue?" Anaya looked at her mother and sister curled together in the dark.

Nasacha shook her head.

"We must escape now. On our own. Before the ransom is made, Dermnith cannot give supplies to the rebels."

Anaya knew that she was right but did not speak.

"It is the only way your family will survive. Im sure they will kill you all when you are no longer useful."

Anaya thought for a long time. Was it worth it to risk all their lives now. She might never get a chance again.

Anaya stood and helped the princess to her feet. They made their way back to the wall under the window. Anaya removed the hidden brick carefully and set it aside, and drew the knife cutting the princess’ bounds away.

"The lock on the door is dead bolted; there is no way to pick through it," Anaya whispered, pulling the ropes away. "The only other exit is the window."

Anaya could see the princess frown even through her veil.

"You are a fool, child, if you believe we can get to the window." Nasacha's words were like a knife.

The window was about ten feet off the ground and barricaded with bars, but Anaya had been watching closely.

"Two bars on that window are loose; they shake every time that door opens."

Nasacha looked at the window. "You are observant. How do you suppose we get up there?"

Anaya tugged on the shawl of the princess' head. She unwrapped it and gave it to her. Anaya tied the brick around one end.

"I will help you up; then you will pull me out." Anaya threw the makeshift rope over her shoulder, "then we will come around the front and help the others escape."

"No." Nasacha stopped Anaya's movement. "We do not have time to help the others; they will make too much noise."

"I will not help you unless we can save them all."

Nasacha pulled her roughly by her dress forward until they were inches away. "I don't think you grasp the severity of this situation. We are in a war. We must all make sacrifices."

Anaya did not flinch. "Not with the lives of my people."

"You would have made a good princess." Nasacha pushed her away. "Alright, we'll do it your way. It's now or never."

Anaya bent low, and Nasacha placed one foot on her shoulder. Anaya slowly lifted Nasacha as she clung to the wall, and finally Princess brought up her other leg. Anaya stood to her full height and grunted at her drained energy that the lack of food had caused.

"I still can't reach it." Nasacha pushed down hard, but it only dropped her lower. Her fingertips were inches away from the ledge.

Anaya passed up the shawl with the brick on the end of it. "Use this to pull the two bars in the middle down." Anaya had trouble keeping her voice low.

Nasacha took the rope and tossed it up; it looped around the bar but didn't stay. She tried again, and this time the brick looped around back down to her hand. She pulled hard, and the bar came loose. She did so again, and it released with a pop. The princess almost came away from the wall but caught herself. She lowered the bar down, and Anaya took it.

"Careful." Anaya hissed when Nasacha shifted her weight, almost taking them both down.

Nasacha ignored her and threw the brick over the second bar, and pulled with urgency causing the bar to fall and make a loud clunk on the ground.

They both became still, and when no one stirred, they continued their work.

"What now?" Nasacha tapped Anaya on the head with her foot.

"Throw the brick over one of the stable bars and pull yourself up and out. Then help me out."

Nasacha did as she was told, and with a great effort and Anaya pushing from below, she pulled herself up to the window ledge. She threw her legs out and over the edge.

"The drop’s a little far; I will have to pull you up so you can lower me down." The princess hissed.

Nasacha lowered the brick to her, and Anaya took it. While she pressed her feet to the wall she pulled herself up bit by bit. The shawl began to tear at the strain.

"Hurry, the fabric is tearing." Nasacha's voice rushed through her gritted teeth.

Anaya thought about giving up; she had no more strength to climb all the way up.

"Push Anaya." A deep voice that was not her own spoke in her head.

Her body was suddenly not her own but that of a bird with light bones and wings. Just before the shawl tore, she launched her body upward, grabbing the ledge and Nasacha’s hand.

"Quick, let me help you down."

Anaya and Nasacha slowly switched positions. Anaya was now hanging halfway out the window and Nasacha on the outside hanging down. When she was fully extended, she let go and fell the last few feet. She landed awkwardly on a rock and let out a cry of pain.

Suddenly voices rose from the camp. Warriors on lookout had heard her cry. Nasacha looked up at Anaya, who was waiting for her to help her down.

"Don't go!" Anaya mouthed, but Nasahaca just smiled at her. She never had any intention of helping her or her family.

The princess turned and abandoned her. Anaya watched in horror as Nasacha ran as fast as her injured leg would take her to the edge of the camp. Warriors noticed her as she began to try and climb over a broken chunk of the outer wall.

"A prisoner is escaping!" Someone called, and then arrows began to whiz by, narrowly missing the princess.

Surely they did not know who they were firing at.

"Wait!" Anaya called, but her voice was lost to the other screams.

Just as Nasacha was about to make it over the wall, an arrow struck her in the back. She stood still for a moment, then fell face-first over the wall. Anaya could watch no longer, and attempting to escape would be suicide.

She tried to lower herself back down into the prison but couldn't reach the ground on her own. She fell the last few feet but awkwardly and hit her head violently on the floor. She felt her vision go blurry, and despite everything she had witnessed, she could think of nothing but the prince's eyes. She prayed she would live to see them again.