The decision was made.
Elena could not stay. She could not passively wait for her fate to be sealed in the cold marble of the palace, under her mother's indifferent gaze and Adrian's brutal grip. She had to escape.
But leaving was not enough. She had to flee intelligently, without rushing, without leaving behind the slightest clue that could betray her departure. If she failed, she would not survive the punishment that would fall upon her.
The escape had to be perfect. And for that, she had to start preparing.
The plan was extremely risky. But there was no other way out.
She knew that every detail had to be thought out with absolute precision. One mistake, just one, and she would be caught, dragged back to the palace… and this time, she would never be given another chance to escape.
So, she had to be discreet, patient, methodical.
She was in her room, her heart pounding erratically, as Anna closed the door behind her. Her maid cast a cautious glance around, then stepped forward quickly, her expression grave.
—Anna: "Are you sure you want to do this? Once we start, there will be no turning back." she murmured, her voice barely audible.
The princess met her gaze. She had never been so sure of anything in her entire life.
—Elena: "If I stay here, I will die, Anna," she whispered. "Maybe not immediately, but little by little… He will take everything from me. My freedom, my dignity, my soul. I can't let him have that."
The maid slowly nodded, but Elena saw the worry in her eyes.
—Anna: "Very well. Then let's begin."
The two young women began devising an escape plan. They knew that simply leaving the castle would not be enough. They needed a long-term solution.
Running away was one thing. Surviving was another.
Without gold, the princess wouldn't last a week. However, she couldn't carry bags of coins, that would attract too much attention from unwanted individuals. But jewelry, on the other hand, was easier to hide and often worth more than a fortune in coin.
—Anna: "Your room will be searched as soon as they notice your absence." Anna whispered. "You can't leave anything important here."
Elena nodded and immediately walked over to the large carved wooden chest at the back of her room. She pulled out a small velvet box, where the jewelry she wore at official receptions was stored.
She opened it and observed the contents: gold necklaces adorned with rubies. Sapphire-encrusted earrings. Rings set with diamonds.
Once, these had been mere ornaments, imposed upon her, accessories she wore without a second thought. Today, they were her currency, her only hope of survival.
She selected the most valuable pieces, the ones that could be easily sold without raising suspicion. A few rings, a pair of earrings, a pendant with an emerald.
—Elena: "Where will I hide all this?" she asked, clutching the jewelry in her palm.
Anna thought for a moment, then walked over to an old fabric doll resting on a shelf.
—Anna: "Here."
The princess raised an eyebrow.
—Elena: "Do you really think…"
—Anna: "Who would search an old childhood doll?" Anna retorted, taking a knife from the table and carefully opening a seam.
Elena watched as she slipped the jewelry inside, then meticulously stitched the fabric closed again. The hiding place was perfect.
—Anna: "We'll hide it near the place where you'll escape. That way, if your room is searched before your departure, nothing will be found."
The princess let out a shaky breath.
One step completed. Now, she needed a way to leave unnoticed. And her lavish silk garments embroidered with gold were not in her favor. She was too easily recognizable. She wouldn't even make it past the castle gates.
Rigid corsets and cumbersome skirts were also out of the question. She needed to be able to run, ride a horse, blend into a crowd.
—Elena: "I can't leave dressed like this. I need something more discreet."
Anna thought for a moment, then nodded.
—Anna: "There's an old trunk in the servants' quarters. Inside, there are maid's outfits, worn-out cloaks. If we take old clothes, no one will suspect anything, and you'll go unnoticed."
The princess agreed, and Anna added:
—Anna: "I'll also cut your hair."
The princess flinched. Her long, well-maintained blonde hair was one of her most recognizable features and her pride.
—Elena: "No! There must be another way," she said, panicked at the thought of touching her beautiful hair.
—Anna: "It has to be done," the maid insisted. "Even a hood won't be enough if someone catches sight of your hair. I won't cut it too short, just enough to make it unrecognizable."
Elena took a deep breath. Then nodded.
—Elena: "Do it, then."
—Anna: "I'll take care of it after dinner. And I'll burn the hair so there's no evidence."
—Elena: "My beautiful hair…" she said with a sorrowful expression.
—Anna: "It will grow back, Princess," she laughed, seeing Elena distressed over her hair.
—Elena: "You're right. There are more important things to worry about than mourning my hair."
Anna smiled at her before responding:
—Anna: "Indeed, Princess. We need to think about your supplies."
Fleeing the palace was one thing, but she didn't know how many days she would be on the road before reaching a safe place. She needed provisions.
—Anna: "I'll find you a supply bag," she said. "Inside, there will be dried bread, cheese, a water flask, and some dried fruit. It won't be a feast, but it will keep you going for a few days."
Elena gave her a grateful look. She could never have prepared all this alone.
—Elena: "Thank you, Anna," she murmured.
Her maid offered her a gentle smile, but Elena saw the shadow of concern darken her features.
—Anna: "I'll do everything to help you, but… I beg you, don't get caught."
The princess felt a surge of warmth tighten her throat. She placed a hand on Anna's shoulder and squeezed lightly.
—Elena: "I won't fail."
And she wouldn't.
Because failure meant death.