Second day before the wedding. I have memorized each and every detail of the plans, with a little improvisation, and filled in the blanks. Terrence doesn't seem to know about the shifting of knights, their schedules, and secret checkpoints.
Before I left the room, I leave the paper to burn in a metal jar as my room lacked a fireplace. Then stepped outside and initiated the plan.
"Father, I wish to go and see the city one last time." [Elaine]
"My daughter, even if you marry, you can still come to visit here whenever you want." [King Alex]
"But father, I also planned on buying a gift for my fiance." [Elaine]
"Well, it would certainly be rude if you don't have a gift that you've brought yourself. Fine then... Terrence, please escort my daughter." [King Alex]
"Yes, your majesty." [Terrence]
I had lied to father about buying gifts to exchange for my wedding vows. I was really anxious whether he would agree to it or not because leaving the castle is only the first step in our plan. Thankfully he agreed without trouble.
When Terrence and I got to the city there was already a wagon waiting for us. Inside were maps and some food, but...
"Why is there only so little food?" [Elaine]
"There has been a change of plans, because of the preparation for your wedding the kingdom has tightened and increased security. The other kingdom has also sent their knights for the security of the prince. So we plan on abandoning this in a few hours." [Terrence]
"Where will we go?" [Elaine]
"Let's talk about that once we get out of here." [Terrence]
"..." [Elaine]
"Elaine..." [Terrence]
"Ye-" [Elaine]
Terrence hugged me and he spoke the words that I longed to hear for so long...
"Elaine... I love you..." [Terrence]
~~~
"Kyah!!" [Kate/Regina]
"Hearing stories like this is so wonderful..." [Maria]
Kate and Regina were fangirling, well... I'll let it slide for now... While Maria tried to hide her blushing face as if she had just listened to a nice fairytale...
Then, I felt someone holding my hand and I checked who it was...
It was Blake's. Now, he was going to hold it up with both hands, don't tell me that he's going to confess?! I still haven't even thought of an excuse yet!
"Wah?!" [Angelica]
I retracted my hand by reflex. In doing so we attracted some attention...
"Ange-" [Blake]
"Not now!" [Angelica]
"Angelica!" [Blake]
He held me by the shoulder, were now face to face. The others were just staring at us...
I looked at Maria for help but she just shyly looked away. Then, Kate... what is with that weird assed face she's making! And why is there smoke coming out from her nose?!
Next is Michelle... she was silently cheering "Go-go-go!"
Hey! Your daughter is going to get forcefully kissed! That is not how a good parent should act!!
My last hope is Regina. She seemed normal and composed. Then she... smiles and goes into a trance-like state. She is petting something that is small and invisible... don't tell me that she's imagining on petting my children?!
I returned my gaze to Blake. Oh shit... he's really serious...
Why is my heart racing?! Stop beating so fast, you stupid heart! You're going to give me a heart attack!!
He slowly leans forward and touches my back... I can feel his fingers digging into it... then he embraced me.
"Stop moving." [Blake]
"Hah... hahh..." [Angelica]
As he whispered, I felt his hot breath hitting my ear, my breathing became erratic. Being this close, I was sure that he could feel my heartbeat.
"Got it." [Blake]
"Huh?" [Angelica]
He moves away as he was holding something in his hand.
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"Ahh, it's just a huge beetle... ... ... ... wah-wah-wah-wah-wah..." [Angelica]
"?! Everyone restrain her quickly!!" [Blake]
I stroked my hair over and over, a huge beetle the size of an apple crawled on my back without me noticing it.
~~~Blake~~~
"Ange-" [Blake]
"Not now!" [Angelica]
As we were listening to Angelica's mother. A bug flew in from the window and landed on her back. I grabbed her hand so that she wouldn't move, but it only startled her. I tried to tell her about it, but she stopped me before I was able to do so, did she think that I was interrupting her from listening?
"Angelica!" [Blake]
In order to get her attention, I shouted and held her shoulders. She stiffened up when I did that, she then started glancing at everyone in the room, did she already notice it?
I slowly got near her, so that I wouldn't surprise the bug and if possible reach and remove it. I'm worried that it may be dangerous.
"Stop moving." [Blake]
"Hah... hahh..." [Angelica]
She started to squirm so I whispered for her to stop. I could feel her tense breathing and also her heart was beating very fast.
"Got it." [Blake]
"Huh?" [Angelica]
I grabbed the bug by the back. Oh, it's only a wood beetle. It isn't dangerous, as I and the other kids used to play with them.
"Ahh, it's just a huge beetle... ... ... ... wah-wah-wah-wah-wah..." [Angelica]
"?! Everyone restrain her quickly!!" [Blake]
She's showing the signs...
"Ex-ex-exterminate!!" [Angelica]
"A-Angelica calm down!" [Maria]
Maria held her by the waist. She's being shaken around by Angelica in the air... such strength...
"Don't let her grab a weapon!" [Blake]
She's trying to get to the weapon rack. This is bad if she manages to reach even one weapon the whole house might be burned down...
"Please calm do- omf!" [Regina]
"Why is she so strong?!" [Kate]
Kate was being dragged over the floor while she held Angelica's foot and poor Regina... got elbowed in the face as she tried to grab hold of her arm...
Angelica glanced at something. There was a knife on a plate with a piece of small pastry left "Oh crap!" I thought. I went to stop her, but it was already too late.
The instant she grabbed onto it, it lit aflame. Angelica, then randomly started slashing at the air and the girls got out of the way in the nick of time.
This made me remember the after events of our first quest when we got back to the inn. Angelica was always on heightened alert and was quickly startled, then she saw a cockroach inside our room...
She quickly reached for her gladius and began slashing randomly. In doing so she burned a few pieces of furniture at the inn and we have to shoulder the damages, even though that loan is already paid a long time ago. Yet her fear of insects still remains...
I embraced her tightly and stroked her hair. While holding out her hand that was holding the knife, I was quite surprised that it didn't melt, is the knife she brought high quality or just flame resistant? I saw small teardrops from her eyelids.
"You okay?" [Blake]
"Yeah..." [Angelica]
She finally calmed down and sat close to me, our shoulders touching each other and her mother continued telling her story.
~~~
We got on the wagon and began our escape. Leaving the city wasn't easy for there were checkpoints everywhere, but since there were a lot of visitors and spectators, they didn't manage to check us out thoroughly.
Though there were a few numb skulls that tried to extort money from us, once Terrence showed his face they just backed down and let us through. Showing himself also proved as a problem, the other knights knew that he was my personal guard.
Once we're out, we proceeded to go southeast. This route has little to no checkpoints, but the wagon broke down soon after because the road was undeveloped. Full of pot-holes the land was uneven and rocky, also monsters littered the area since only a few people use it.
We used the horses that pulled the wagon as transport and rode till dusk. We released them and traveled a bit farther so that it would give those trackers a hard time knowing where we were.
Making camp at night is a lot more difficult because we shouldn't use fire. So eating, staying warm and having visibility is a problem, also the light and smoke will most likely give away our position to any search party or worse monsters...
We got to a small town to resupply. Terrence said that he had already talked to some people and we just needed to pick it up. When we got to the storehouse, what awaited us were knights...
"Princess, your father is worried, you should quickly return."
"Terrence, we didn't know that you'd try as far as to kidnap the princess."
"He wasn't kidnapping me, I came with him on my own free will!" [Elaine]
Someone has sold us out, there were only a few who knew about the plan. At present, the knights numbered about 20 or so...
"Don't you ever think of escaping Terrence, we've already got the storehouse surrounded."
"You would probably be executed after the princess's wedding."
There's even more outside?! "Terrence, what are we going to do?" I looked at him worriedly.
"Everything is going to be fine." He told me via telepathy, fine? why is that?
(Bam!)
"Bandits?!"
"We're under attack!"
There was a commotion outside. Great, now we're sandwiched between knights and brigands I thought. "I used Firewall to separate us from the knights." I just did what he told me and we exited through the entrance, we couldn't possibly fight those twenty or so knights in that cramped space.
A hooded bandit approaches us. I was about to use an attack spell just in case, but Terrence stopped me halfway.
"Hi, there!"
"Took you guys long enough." [Terrence]
A familiar voice rings out. It was Kate.
"You thought that it's easy to leave the king's side without notice?" [Kate]
"You do have a point there." [Terrence]
"Anyway talk later, we have to leave quickly, we only have a few people who are willing to help." [Kate]
Two bandits brought a horse with them. Terrence and I hopped on and we quickly left the village, as we got farther the bandits scattered and only Kate accompanied us.
"Why are they scattering?" [Elaine]
"As a distraction." [Kate]
"Wouldn't they be in danger if they were caught?" [Terrence]
"They knew the danger, but risking their neck for the princess is worth it." [Kate]
Again, we were stuck in the forest and without food I was starting to get hungry. My stomach growled I'm pretty sure that Terrence felt it since he glanced at me wryly. I just hugged him by the waist and leaned on his back so he wouldn't see me embarrassed.
"We are near the hideout." [Kate]
"In the middle of this forest?" [Terrence]
"It is an abandoned mine that the dwarfs had left long ago." [Kate]
"How did you know that?" [Elaine]
"I'm a local here of course! How else am I going to know how to navigate through this thick forest." [Kate]
We got to the mine and it was filled with children, mostly orphans and a dozen teenagers. Despite being abandoned, the place was very habitable.
"Ahh, it's Kate!"
"Big sis is here?!"
"Yayy!"
Three kids happily flocked towards Kate, they seem to know her well.
"Have you guys been good?" [Kate]
"Yesh!"
"Where were you big sis it was almost a week since we last saw you?"
"I'll tell you about it later, could you prepare us some supper?" [Kate]
"Okay!~"
"Who are they, big sis?"
The two kids raised their hands and entered the mine. There was one that stayed and asked a question.
"Friends of mine, this one is the princess." [Kate]
"A princess?!"
"Hello." [Elaine]
The child hurriedly hid behind Kate, shyly peaking out from the side. There we met the abandoned children.