Ropes and Mallards

I opened another door and breathed out heavily when I looked in the room.

That room didn't have a balcony off of it either.

~surely I'm getting close at this rate.~

I looked behind me again and was relieved to find that the hallway was still empty. If my calculations were correct, I should find the room soon that had the balcony that Altan pointed out to me yesterday. The room from which I could escape the Palace. Which now, especially after the happenings of last night, was no longer a choice, but something I had to do in order to survive.

Whoever that man was -well, aside from apparently being a prince in Pani Rastra- he had left a huge impact on me. And by that, I mean that I hadn't gotten a wink of sleep after he left.

~DId he really plan to kill me? Well, he did have a knife to my throat...~

For some reason, I couldn't get the image of the man out of my head. I could see him standing in the moonlight on my balcony. And I could hear his voice threatening to take my life. He seemed to me, to be the exact opposite of Altan in every sense. If that man was water, then Altan was fire. If Altan was the sun, then he was the moon. He was cool, and dark, and mysterious. And Altan was strong, and warm, and safe.

I shook my head and attempted to get the two men to leave my thoughts. I had a task I needed to focus on.

~The room should be around here somewhere.~

I knew it was on the third floor of the Palace, and I knew it was on the northern end. I just had no idea how many other rooms also fit that description.

Another two doors opened to rooms that I wasn't looking for, and I was beginning to get nervous. Especially because of the rope I had hanging from my arm. I had snagged it from the garden shed outside the palace and was rather pleased with myself for how resourceful I had become.

However, if I were to get caught walking around the palace with the rope, I probably wouldn't be pleased with myself anymore. Not to mention, my Lady's Maid was nowhere in sight.

Poor Dilera, she was probably racing around the Palace looking for me at this rate. I had sent her to the kitchens to get something sweet for me to eat, then disappeared while she was gone.

In all honesty, I had expected to be back in my chambers by now. I planned to find the room, stash my rope in a hidden spot so I could get it later, then get back to Dilera and the plum cake she brought for me as soon as possible.

I did, however, get a bit distracted looking at some golden decoration pieces that were atop one of the fireplaces in a room. I realized when I saw the two golden mallard statues laid with gems and silver that I would need money when I escaped the palace. And since asking Altan for a pile of Fiet (Money) was probably out of the question. I made the most of my circumstances. Now a golden mallard sat tucked into each pocket on the sides of my skirts.

After my escape, I would find a way to trade them for money. Surely, it would be enough to get me to Pani Rastra. Or at least far enough away from this marriage that I wouldn't be killed by a prince of the Water Mages... Although I have no idea how much these golden ducks would be worth.

~Maybe I should ask Dilera...~

I came upon another door and stopped when I heard a sound down the hallway.

"Is that...?" I whispered to myself.

~footsteps!~

Someone was coming. I quickly opened the door and danced into a new room on quiet feet. Turning only to shut the door and let the latch find its home as quietly as possible. I turned back to the dark room before me and blinked my eyes.

This floor of the palace was majority guest rooms that I assumed were used when large parties and gathering were held at the palace. Since most of the rooms weren't occupied, there were no lights and heavy curtains covered the windows. Other rooms like my own, and the commonly used spaces, had their own electricity. Although, it seemed that the rest of Kiziljer went without it.

This room looked much like the others I had seen. A large king-sized bed took up the majority of space. A small sitting area; complete with a table and some comfy looking couches sat at the foot of the bed, and a large window was placed on the wall to let in light and color. The other rooms had all had stained glass windows. I knew because even behind the curtains I could see fractals of the colorful light cast by the window. But the window in this room was different.

~It might be the entrance to the balcony!~

I skipped across the room on my toes and threw back the floor length curtains. Instantly, the room was filled with light and dust particles. I couldn't help but sneeze a couple times, then grin with pleasure at the sight of the balcony before me.

This was the exact one that Altan had pointed out to me.

I pushed open the doors that were made from mostly glass and stepped out onto the side of the Palace. I was so close to the palace walls.

sooooo close.

~I could escape right now if I wanted to.~

I was certain that I could jump onto the top of the wall from where I stood. The hard part would be getting down the other side because it was so tall. But that was what the rope was for.

I took in a deep breath and relaxed my shoulders for the first time that entire day.

I was going to escape.

I was going to survive.

I was going to choose my own path.

"I thought I would find you here."

~That voice.... I know that voice.~

My entire body flinched at the sound of Altan, and in one swift motion I turned to him and dropped the rope behind myself.

~Dear god, please don't let him have seen the rope. Also, how did he enter the room so quietly? How long has he been there?~

"Y-Your Grace." I spoke and my voice came out higher than usual. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Altan said and smiled lightly.

~How did he find me here? Did he see me enter the room? How did he even know I was missing? Jeez, nothing gets past this guy..... What if he has some kind of tracking device on me?!~

"Enjoying the view?" He asked and began to cross the room to me.

At his approach, I immediately began toward him as well. I stepped off the balcony and met him halfway across the room, then came to a stop in front of him. If he got too close to the balcony, he would definitely see the rope, and that would not be good.

"I'm just exploring the palace." My prepared lie spilled past my lips and I attempted to smile.

Altan took another step toward the balcony, and I side-stepped to block his path. In the movement I was suddenly standing very close to him, nearly toe-to-toe. The last time we were this close, he had kissed me.

I swallowed at the memory and willed my heart to slow it's beating. I wasn't sure if it's quick palpitations were from nearly being caught trying to escape, or from being too close to Altan. I wanted to step back from him; I didn't want to feel anything from being close to him. But right now, I had to stop him from getting to that balcony.

Luckily, my proximity seemed to distract him, and he stopped his course. He looked down at me and met my eyes.

~Please don't kiss me. If you do, I know I won't be able to stop myself from enjoying it... then I'll hate you and myself even more.~

I realized in the moment how incredibly tall he was. When standing this close and meeting his eyes, my head was craned as if to look at the ceiling. I realized it would be far easier to look away, but still, I didn't.

"You were exploring without your maidservant?" Altan asked and raised as eyebrow at me. "She came to me in a near-fit of hysteria saying that you disappeared."

"I'm sure she's being a bit overdramatic." I tried to act casual, although I felt my hands sweating.

"Perhaps we should find you a new maid, then?" he suggested, and I realized he was stepping closer to me.

~Closer? really? Seriously, Your Grace, there is so much space in this room, do you need to get closer to me?~

"No." I answered immediately, I didn't think about the possibility of Dilera getting in trouble for me misbehaving. Nor did I imagine she would tell the Duke right away. "Dilera is good, I don't need a new-."

I stopped when Altan's hand touched my arm. My entire body froze at his touch and my stomach dipped, then dived. I couldn't tell if I liked it, or if I was scared witless of it.

I had sworn up and down after our kiss that I would not enjoy his touch ever again. And all of yesterday I had avoided any physical contact with him. I wouldn't even let him hold my hand -which he seemed to want to do 100% of the time we spent together-.

In fact, when his hand touched my arm, I assumed it would travel down to my hand like it always had. But instead, today, it slid up. Up my arm and over my shoulder, soft and slow and I....

I flinched and stepped away from his touch.

Lately my dreams had been filled with forced marriage and an Altan with angry glowing eyes that I did not know.

I had grown afraid of him.

I had grown afraid of his touch.

Yet, I still craved it in some odd way.

A short silence that seemed to pound in my ears followed.

"You fear me." Altan assessed from my behavior then stared at his hand that hovered in the open air and clenched it into a fist, "Why?"

"I don't fear you." I lied quickly.

"Then why do you avoid my touch?" his eyebrows creased, "Yesterday you did it too."

I shook my head and stared at the floor. "It's not you...I- I-" I searched my brain for a lie but couldn't find a good one. Then, despite everything, I found myself wanting to answer honestly. "I've just been having dreams..." I spoke finally, and my shoulders dropped when some truth passed my lips. "And- and I remember the way you hurt that man on the street."

"Azul." he spoke my name so strongly that I felt my chest thunder with the beat of each syllable. I met his eyes again, and his gaze was the same flaming color of amber that I remembered from the dreams. The same eyes I feared. Yet, I realized in that moment that his eyes didn't just look like that when he was angry... they flamed like a fire with gasoline thrown on it when his emotions were strong. When any of his emotions were strong. "I would never-" he stopped to fix his words, "I WILL never, in my life, cause you pain like that."

I felt a chill run down my spine and I wasn't sure what it meant.

"I may be able to hurt anyone I touch." Altan went on, "But among all the people in this world, you are the last that I would cause such pain to."

I breathed out slowly at his words, at his promise. I believed him. And that might have been more scary than the dreams I had had.

"Follow me." Altan said suddenly, then turned his back to exit the room.

"Where are we going?" I followed, confused.

"To play a game."