Chapter 5 Encounter
Encounter
It was only with Clyde that Luna risked challenging the rules imposed on her life.
She was nervous to rebel, but she was also excited.
She and her sister had spent most of the night finalizing their plans, and now as she lay in bed waiting for morning light, she mentally went through every single detail looking for loopholes.
The clothes Emily borrowed from the servants’ quarters hours ago sat neatly folded on the wooden table beside Luna’s bed.
The plan was for Luna to pretend to be a servant helping Emily run an early morning errand.
Once they were close enough to the walls surrounding the palace grounds, Emily would create a diversion to distract the guards so Luna could climb over them and escape.
Although it would have been easier to use the palace gates, they decided to avoid them; less of a risk, even one person recognizing Luna would ruin the whole day.
Beams of sunlight filtered from the window into her room, and finally, it was time.
She rolled out of bed and slipped on the servant clothes; which consisted of a plain floor-length brown skirt, an apron that wrapped around her waist, and a simple beige long-sleeve button-up shirt.
To avoid being recognized, Luna decided to wrap her hair in a scarf.
Luna’s fingers lingered on the delicate chain of her necklace, tracing its familiar contours for a moment before she tucked it under her shirt.
It was far too precious to leave behind.
Angie had given it to her when she was just a little girl.
It was tradition to pass it down to the firstborn daughter; Luna knew wearing it was an honour.
The necklace had become a constant source of comfort and served as a reminder that she belonged in this family, regardless of blood.
Luna drew in a deep breath, steadying her nerves.
Emily should be here soon. In the meantime, she bunched the blankets in the bed and positioned a pillow under the covers to make it seem like she was curled up fast asleep, then she put a bunch of open books beside the blanket bundle, attempting to make it appear like she had dozed off studying.
Emily waltzed into her room minutes later, wearing a simple green dress accessorized with a golden clip and her brown hair braided to the side.
She gave Luna a once over and, with an approving nod, announced, “I told our parents you’re studying at the library all day, working on a report we have due, and William thinks you are studying in your room.
As long as you get back here at a reasonable time, no one should come looking for you. ”
“Are you worried about the extra guards around the palace?”
“You underestimate me, sister. I can be quite the distraction.”
“Then there is only one more decision to make . . .” Luna said, “Do you think I should bring an umbrella, or wear this massive hat?”
Emily glanced at the big black hat, eyes narrow, giving away her thoughts. Luna hadn’t mentioned it was a gift from Prince Kieran, but it was rather obvious who it was from. After all, who else would have given her such an elaborate gift?
If Emily had any opinions, she kept them to herself. Instead, she shook her head and said, “I think either option is going to get you recognized. Your illness is only a concern if you get hurt, not from being in the sun, right? You’re already breaking a rule. Why not break another?”
That was all the encouragement she needed. Luna placed the hat back on top of her wardrobe before strolling to the window and sticking her head outside.
The coast was clear. Not a soul in sight.
Luna hopped out the window with Emily following right behind her. They had decided last night to use a window, for the same reason they decided to avoid using the palace gates. Less chance of bumping into someone.
Emily led her the long way around their house, skirting down behind the other residential buildings.
Luna trailed close behind, keeping her gaze down and walking with purpose, hoping to appear like a lowly servant.
This early in the morning, there wasn’t anyone awake who would care to question why Emily was running an errand.
They headed towards the western gardens.
The sun hadn’t left the horizon yet, which meant they were on schedule.
Soon, there would be a shift change, and if they timed their distraction right, there would be a short window where no one was watching the wall.
Any guards that were watching would hopefully be fatigued and less observant considering they had been awake all night.
Luna hadn’t returned to these gardens since her encounter with the shadow unicorn, and she tried her best not to think of that now.
By the time they reached the end of the pathway, Luna was nearly bouncing with excitement.
Just beyond the surrounding woods was the wall, and just over that was her freedom.
As they approached, Luna could see the giant trees with massive branches that grew close to the wall.
The plan was to climb up one of the larger trees and use its branches to get over.
Luna slipped into the woods, leaving Emily alone in the garden.
She found a tree to hide behind and crouched down low, attempting to become as concealed as possible.
Daring to peek around the trunk, Luna watched as Emily took off one of her dangling gold earrings and tossed it into the flowerbed.
Immediately, Emily dropped to her knees and began frantically wailing, “My earring! My earring! It’s gone!
” Emily’s hands sifted through dirt, tearing out flowers left, right, and center.
With tears welling in her eyes, she cried out, “How will I live on?!” She threw her head back and screamed to the sky.
“Someone help! My life is over! It’s gone. It’s GONE!”
Luna stifled a giggle with her hand. Emily’s exaggerated ‘distressed damsel’ act was utterly outrageous, but if she wasn’t careful, she would be found and ruin everything. Meanwhile, her sister’s crying intensified, escalating into hysterical sobs.
A nearby guard rushed over to her. “What is wrong, m’lady?” His voice was soft and he knelt beside Emily, his hands outstretched, ready to help her to her feet.
She swatted him away and continued to search through the dirt like a rabid squirrel looking for an acorn. “I lost my earring,” she sobbed, tears flowing down her cheeks like rain. “It was a gift from Prince Kieran.”
“I’m sure the prince will understand, m’lady. Come, let me help you inside.”
She violently shook her head, her braid whipping around her. “No! You don’t understand. It was his mother’s. He’s never going to forgive me!”
The guard visibly stiffened.
“You have to help me,” Emily cried, grabbing his pant leg. “He cannot find out.”
The guard nodded in agreement, and before Luna could blink, he was on the ground searching for Emily’s ‘lost’ earring.
Time to get moving.
As soundlessly as she could, Luna snuck away from her hiding spot.
Crouching, she dashed from tree trunk to tree trunk.
Once she was far enough out of sight, she launched into a full-out run, the shadows from the trees covering her as she headed to the wall.
Her first taste of freedom was so close now, and she thought she might burst with glee.
The wall was ten feet high, which didn’t seem very tall until she was standing directly in front of it. Luna surveyed the area. No guards. Good. Emily had accurately predicted her distraction working.
Luna’s gaze swept the trees, searching for branches strong enough to hold her weight. Not far off, she found the perfect one—a tree with low-hanging limbs that formed a natural ladder, leading straight to the top of the wall. Perfect.
She’d just have to be careful. A fall could shatter bone or worse—cause bleeding, which would be fatal for her.
She exhaled, rolling her shoulders. Not a problem. She simply wouldn’t fall.
Inching over to the tree, she wrapped her arms and legs around, hugging it.
Her nails dug into the bark while her flats scrambled for a foothold.
She barely made it an inch off the ground before she slid down the smooth trunk and landed on her bottom.
Apparently, her rather pampered life had not prepared her for an adventure of climbing trees.
She stood up, brushed off her skirts, and tried again.
And again.
Each time, ending with the same result.
This wasn’t working. With her heart hammering in her chest, she listened for her sister; she could still hear her sobbing about the earring. Thank the skies above. There was still time.
Spinning on her heel, she took off farther into the woods to a different section of the wall, scanning each and every tree until she found a massive oak.
Its enormous trunk was surrounded by several trees that had sprung from its base, creating a complex network of intertwining branches and pathways.
It didn’t grow as near to the wall as the last tree she had attempted to climb, but it was close enough that she could probably jump off of it and land on the wall.
It wasn’t the best plan, but it was a plan nonetheless.
Luna grasped the rough bark of the tree’s lowest branches and began to climb.
The tree was a living staircase, each branch a mostly solid step.
The multiple branches as wide as her arm’s reach narrowed as she ventured upwards.
Carefully, she navigated from one to the next, occasionally moving onto the adjacent trees where their boughs seamlessly intertwined.