Take this into your own hands
After a day of waiting, the plan had been set in action, you were going to distract the queen from even showing up to the ball. Therefore, over the next few days you work to plan out how you shall halt the queens plans.
Quicker than you could have imagined, your mind goes to the first potential lead that came to your mind: the hare Taur from earlier.
“Of course.” Clearly he could have had some information about any planned usurping, if he was in such close communications with your father. You had decided to seek him out, and interrogate the individual until you found out what’s going on.
You searched and searched for the remaining days before the ball, not even recounting with your other family members on your secret journey to protect your family line. On the night of the ball itself, you come across a secret entrance right against an exterior palace wall. Shrouded just behind some small bushes, you notice a shadowy figure lingering around the slightly ajar door.
Before long your eyes begin to adjust to the darkness outside, you believe you’ve finally found who you were looking for. Upon closer inspection you find out that you indeed have found the mysterious hare from earlier.
Unbeknownst to him, you crept up on him with skillful talent, before jumping him from behind, and beating him up, before tying him to a nearby tree for safety. You spend mere moments questioning him, the high stress of the moment, plus the looming deadline of the ball beginning soon caused your anxiety to shoot through the roof.
“May not be the only one.” you think to yourself, as you look around in the darkness for another sign of movement. “Maybe I should check out the ball.” your feet began to carry you faster than you ever have before, despite you not being too far from the banquet hall where the event was held, you didn’t waste any time making it to the ball.
Once you arrive you find yourself already missing a portion of the opening, arriving after the food had been served. The smell of the plethora of different dishes filled your nostrils as you entered past the high-up threshold of the doorway. Nobody even took notice to you as you slipped in behind the crowd. Nobody other than your family of course.
In a moment, you are scolded by both the queen and the king. Slightly taken aback, you stand, confused, before the king turns and winks at you, indicating his understanding of your plan. You all sit as a family until the ball concludes, though your mother never seemed to take her eyes off of you throughout the entire night.
It wasn’t until after the party had ended and everyone had when you were approached by your mother, her soft voice barely echoed through the acoustic walls of the palace when she spoke.
“Hello there princess!” She said in your direction, as you began walking briskly out the front door. The high pitched sting of her voice was shrill on your ears, causing you to jump slightly as her presence surprised you. Before you knew it, it was too late, her footsteps were already directly behind you. “Mind letting me know what was holding you for so long?” She continued.
Your heart began to sink once more, chills came over your spine as you quickly pondered what excuse you could come up with. You only stutter, as your mother watches, her arms crossed, and with a slightly annoyed look on her face.
“Look you don’t even have to tell me.” Your eyes widened, palms sweating, and filled with nervousness, her cold stare almost felt as if it was piercing your entire being. “Whatever truth will come out eventually!” She said with a cold sharp tone in her voice before turning and walking away.
“What?” you thought to yourself. You couldn’t have known what she meant, so you continued your quick pace back to the tied up hare you had left outside of the secret passage. To your surprise, you only find a single rope tied loosely around the tree, though the shock hits you like a ton of bricks once you realize that you are no longer protected.
You quickly look around in fear before noticing the doorway to the secret passage ajar, once again, but this time your curiosity got the best of you. The door was heavy and almost impossible for you to pull open on your own, though your willpower helped you swing the heavy steel open to an angle you could have slipped through with ease.
Once you entered the dark tunnels once again, your eyes began to adjust, though it was still dark, and all you could hear was the rhythmic beating of your heart as you paced through the long corridors.
you call out to your mother, as you attempt to slither in through the low roof of the much smaller room she led you into. You were only about halfway to the door before slammed shut in your face. Your mother turned and looked at you through the bars. “Huh? What’s this?” you ask her as a smirk formed on her face.
“No worries honey, I’ll be able to take care of things for now, until then you just wait here for everything to be finalized.” She turned around, her long fur trailing behind her as she swiftly began to part from the gate. You reach out your hands from between the bars and call out to her as she laughs and pads away.
“Hey! Wait! What?” your mind races, you have no idea how long you’re going to be down here, or even what’s going on. Eventually days and even weeks pass and she never returns. You feel like you’re on your last leg, dehydration being the worst of it. Though you’ve prolonged your life with the trickling of sewer water down the dank tunnel walls.
Written by Driftingdragon on 14 March 2020
The end (for now)