Escape

CIEL was a good dancer. He was good enough to keep the eyes of the guests on every step that he took skillfully without drawing attention to how obviously he was whispering to his younger sister.

"I already set your escape route," He whispers lowly on Larissa's left ear. "We just need a distraction,"

"What kind of distraction?"

The older of the two did not respond immediately and instead focused his entire attention on the waltz for a while. Once the attention of the guests shifted to their father who was now dancing with his first concubine, Ciel responded. "I can burn someone,"

Larissa tried her best to remain composed at how her brother suggested something murderous again. "You're lying,"

Her older brother grins wolfishly. "Will you do me the honors of choosing who will be the unlucky fellow?"

"Can't the distraction be something else? Something more humane, perhaps?"

Ciel steps forward, making Larissa step back. The two continued their dance near the front, as their father beckoned them over with a subtle tilt of his head.

Larissa spoke after a while. "How about accidentally tripping one of the servants?"

"I don't think that will be enough,"

"Then what--"

"Announcing the arrival of his Royal Highness, King Valentin of Ennoria!"

Every pair on the dance floor stopped dancing as they turned to the one whose presence was just announced. Along with the majority of the guests, Larissa was unable to keep her emotions in check.

However, it was not for the same reasons as the other guests. It was not due to awe of how young the king looked. It was not due to surprise either, for Larissa had already met the boy. He was the boy from earlier!

The same boy that Larissa unconsciously told snippets of her life in the castle. The same boy whom she had the audacity to consciously dissect, much like how she would often do to nobles she would meet through her father.

The boy who ended up being none other than the same boy became one of the reasons why she would leave her own kingdom.

As usual, her older brother was quick to realize that something was wrong and turned his complete attention to Larissa. "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost,"

The Ennorian king descended the stairs in an unexpectedly regal manner that those who were staring at him earlier remained that way. Perhaps, due to how barbaric their traditions in determining the next king were to other nobles, they thought of him as someone who could not carry himself with grace.

Dressed in robes that represent the colors present in his kingdom's coat of arms, the young king's golden eyes even seemed to resonate with his choice of attire.

Just like earlier, Larissa had a fleeting thought that the boy's eyes resembled the stars in the night sky. She quickly chased those thoughts away as she heard some female nobles talk about him in flirtatious tones regardless of their partners still being with them.

She couldn't help but pity their partners.

"Princess, you should go," Ciel suddenly whispered. His face remained emotionless, but Larissa could see the hastiness in her older brother's red eyes. "While everyone is distracted with the Ennorian king's appearance,"

"But how do I just--"

"Take the swiftest route that leads to the royal gardens," His eyes remained on the Ennorian king that was now having a conversation with their father. "Go to where the hedges are and push one of the hedges that I used to hide the escape route that leads to the river outside,"

"The river?"

Ciel ignores her question. "Swim to the bankside and you will find some supplies that I hid below one of the trees nearby. It should be enough to last you a week,"

"But--"

"I'll distract him," Ciel steps in front of Larissa, and the sixth princess's eyes widened as her brother summoned a ball of fire on his right palm. "Go,"

Larissa didn't wait until the chaos unfold behind her. Lifting her gown with her hands, she quickly ran past those who were quick to leave their previous positions and make their way to where Ciel was already wreaking havoc.

It took every fiber of her being to not stop in her steps and say her words of gratitude to her older brother whom she might not be seeing any time soon.

Nevertheless, Larissa held on to what her older brother said. She immediately took the swiftest route to the royal gardens which was through a secret passageway that she happened to discover when a younger version of her was hiding away from her older sisters. The passageway led her straight on a wall right behind the huge fountain that seemed the primary attraction of the royal gardens.

She dashed towards the hedges that her brother told her about but temporarily stopped when she realized that her brother was unable to give her a single clue as to which hedge should she push to give way to the escape route.

"Fuck," Larissa curses out loud. "How am I supposed to know which hedge is it..?"

There were five hedges in total, and all five looked heavier than her. However, she knew that there would be no use dallying around. She could be caught any time and she'd rather not be dragged by a bunch of guards back into the castle after everything that Ciel planned for her.

Using all the strength that she could possibly muster with her thin body, Larissa pushed the first hedge forward as hard as she could to see if the escape route was behind it.

It wasn't.

Groaning in frustration, she proceeds to the second one and yet to no avail. The third and fourth hedges came next but still to no avail and Larissa was barely able to catch her breath after pushing all four heavy hedges on her own.

What if Ciel lied to her? What if this was all a ploy to string her along with the intention of eliminating his endless boredom?

"No," She found herself saying out loud. "He couldn't be that much of an asshole.."

After shaking the negative thoughts that tried to settle on her mind, the princess inhales deeply before mustering the last ounce of her strength to start pushing the fifth and the final hedge forward.

"Come on," Larissa grits her teeth as her arms started to lose their strength along with her legs that she used to pivot herself forward. "Come on..."

And when she was finally able to push the final obstacle enough, she lets out a huge sigh of relief upon seeing that the escape route that her older brother had prepared for her was indeed there. However, her relief was short-lived as loud voices along with bright lights coming from torches filled the royal gardens.

"Princess Larissa!"

Larissa's eyes widened. Fuck! How could they possibly reach where she was that quickly?! Scrambling to pull the hedge back as fast as she could to at least hide the escape route for a little while, the princess quickly ran towards the end of the route after getting rid of the heels that she wore which would only hinder her from running as fast she could if the guards are able to catch up to her.

It didn't take her very long to reach the end of the passageway and quickly removed her gown, leaving her with only her lingerie. She knew better than to swim with her gown, knowing that its weight would drag her to the river's depths.

Despite how freezing it was to be outside with just her lingerie, Larissa knew that she had to move fast. She could already hear the voices of the knights that were already making their way down the passageway.

The river in front of her was deep. That much was obvious. Its currents were also wild, and Larissa was not a good swimmer. Hell, she didn't even know how to fucking swim.

"Princess Larissa!"

The lights from the torches were brighter now. She has to jump. Now.

Taking one last glance at the castle that provided her with everything that she needed for the last seventeen years, the sixth princess of Idradale plunged towards the deep waters of the river.