Chapter 26
Sheer boredom had claimed me.
I blew the strand of hair away from my face for what had to be the twentieth time.
It floated into the air for a brief second before falling right back across my eyes.
Around me, the maids busied themselves with one task after another while I lay sprawled across my bed, accomplishing absolutely nothing.
I felt the mattress sink near my feet.
Lifting my head through the curtain of hair now covering half my face, I saw Welme sitting there. She lowered her head respectfully before offering me a small smile.
"Princess, have you even left your room today?" she asked. In response, I simply let my head flop dramatically back onto the pillow.
She chuckled softly, gave my foot a playful shove, then pushed herself off the bed and wandered around the room. My neck nearly cramped as I watched her walk toward the windows. She reached the heavy curtains and threw them open.
"Damned it be..." I groaned as sunlight poured into the room and nearly blinded me. I threw an arm over my face before rolling onto my stomach with an annoyed grunt to look at her.
"What are you doing?" I asked, equally irritated and confused.
"It's a beautiful day, Princess. And these past few weeks you've barely gone outside at all."
"Welme, I'm outside every day while Ser trains. I read outside. I practice archery outside."
Halfway through my sentence, I buried my face into the pillow again, so she probably only understood half of what I had said. When I finally looked back up, her eyes darted toward the servants still moving around the room.
She didn't have to say a word. I understood immediately.
"You may leave now." The maids instantly stopped what they were doing and quietly began filing out of the chamber.
I followed them with my eyes, and as the last servant stepped through the doorway, I caught a brief glimpse of Lysande standing outside, faithfully keeping watch. "Thank you," I called after them.
His armor gave a faint creak, as though he had shifted his weight.
The moment the door clicked shut, Welme hurried back over and sat beside me again, leaning in until we were almost shoulder to shoulder. "Prince Sanaedeo gave me this for you, Princess," she whispered, holding out a folded piece of paper.
I frowned, took it from her hand, and untied the thin red ribbon keeping it closed. The parchment crackled beneath my fingers. Once I unfolded it completely, I stared at it in utter confusion.
I turned it upside down. Then sideways. Then upside down again. It still made absolutely no sense.
The page was divided into two sections. On one side someone had drawn what looked vaguely like a bed and a small table. Across from it stretched several straight lines intersecting at right angles before ending in some strange pattern near the edge of the page.
"Uh... did he say anything else?" I asked as I continued rotating the paper.
"No, Princess. He only gave me this and said you'd know what to do with it." I slipped my bare feet onto the cool stone floor and leaned against the wall beside the open window. A warm breeze brushed across my back while I studied the strange drawing.
"Maybe it's just one of his jokes," I suggested. Welme merely shrugged, still frowning thoughtfully with her lower lip caught between her teeth.
Just as I was about to crumple the paper and toss it into the dresser, something outside the window caught my attention.
At the far right side of the castle wall, I noticed something. I leaned farther through the window. From this angle... I could see a small part of the city
"Wait." Welme tilted her head. "Wait... wait... wait!"
I quickly smoothed the wrinkled paper flat again. I leaned out once more, looked toward the city, then hurried across the room.
I looked at the paper. Then at my bed. Back to the paper.
"This is a map," I whispered excitedly. "A very badly drawn one... but it's a map of my room." Welme immediately joined me. "Look... this is the bed. The little table is here... which means this must be the wall." My finger traced every crooked line. "And then this must be..."
"...the passage," Welme finished as she walked toward the opposite wall and ran her hands across the stone.
Something clicked beneath her palm.
A quiet scrape echoed through the room. A narrow stone door, perfectly disguised as part of the wall, slowly swung open. I clapped a hand over my mouth, too excited and too shocked to speak.
My eyes darted between the hidden doorway and the entrance to my chamber. "You said I haven't been outside much lately?" I asked with a grin.
She laughed and I nodded toward my wardrobe.
After quietly closing the secret door again, she rushed over to it. Meanwhile, I straightened my dress, took a deep breath, wiped the smile from my face, and opened the real door to my room. I poked my head outside.
"Princess." Lys bowed, saying what became his new maxim.
"Lysande, I don't want anyone disturbing me. You shan't let anyone into my chambers. Welme and I have... certain women's matters to tend to."I smiled innocently.
"As you command." He answered without hesitation.
But as I pulled the door shut, I noticed him turning slightly toward me and peeking through his helm, yet he said nothing more.
I no longer had the strength to beg him for words. If he wanted to remain silent, then let him remain silent. I would fulfill my duty. Just as he fulfilled his.
But at least I would have these few moments of freedom.
Trying to contain our excitement and stay as quiet as possible, Welme and I quickly changed into our old clothes. I kissed the little map, silently promised myself I'd buy Sando a gift for this, and together we slipped through the hidden passage, following the sketched route toward freedom.