As Princess Isabella ran through the thick bushes, her legs began to ache with fatigue, but she knew that she must keep running. Her life depended on it. If she were caught, she would be imprisoned in the palace forever, robbed of her freedom and forced to marry against her will.
She gritted her teeth and pushed herself harder, feeling thorns prick at every inch of her bare skin. She was so close to freedom, so close to escaping the clutches of the kingdom that had held her captive for so long.
But just as she was about to burst through the last of the bushes and into the clear, she felt her dress get caught on a particularly wicked thorn. Panic surged through her as she struggled to free herself, but it was no use. She was stuck.
Her heart pounding, Isabella heard the sound of footsteps closing in behind her, cruel laughter ringing in her ears.
With a sense of desperation, she tried once more to free herself from the thorn's grasp, but it was too late. As she turned to face her captors, a gun was suddenly aimed at her forehead. The trigger was pulled, and everything went dark.
Isabella woke up in a cold sweat, trembling with fear and relief all at once. It had only been a nightmare - a twisted, feverish dream that had felt all too real. As she lay there shuddering, she couldn't help but wonder if there was any truth to the nightmare's warnings.
With a deep breath, Princess Isabella shrugged off the lingering fear from her nightmare and forced herself to get out of bed. Despite feeling shaken, she knew that sleep was not an option anymore. She reached for her phone and played her favourite calming music as she made her way to the washroom to take a long, warm shower.
After the soothing water washed over her, she emerged feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Drying off, she slipped into her usual gown and took one last glance in the mirror, carefully tucking any stray strands of hair back into place before putting on her tiara.
Isabella took a deep breath, trying to push the nightmare to the back of her mind. She knew she couldn't let it affect her day, especially since she had a lot to do before her big move. She contemplated having breakfast in her room but decided against it. Joining her parents for breakfast was expected of her, and she didn't want to give them any reason to worry or be upset with her.
She clutched on the door's handle, opened it, and headed outside.
As she made her way through the hallways, she was greeted by the sight of royal guards bowing respectfully to her. She nodded politely in response and continued on her way to the dining hall.
Upon entering, she greeted her parents, King Edward and Queen Isadora, with a smile, taking a seat across from them at the table. One of the nearby servants quickly stepped forward and served her breakfast on her plate.
Despite feeling uneasy, Isabella forced herself to eat. The closer the day of her escape drew near, the more anxious she became, as if time were moving too quickly. But with each passing day, she also felt a growing sense of hope and anticipation. Soon she would gain the freedom she had longed for, and the thought gave her the strength to keep going.
"Isabella."
The sound of her father's voice echoing through the grand hall brought Isabella's attention back to reality. She looked up from her plate to find the King staring at her with raised eyebrows.
"Yes Father?" she replied, absently stabbing her fork into a piece of bread.
"You've been fiddling with your food for the last ten minutes. Is something or someone who is troubling you?" he asked, his tone gentle but concerned.
Isabella took a deep breath, feeling a surge of courage rising up within her. "Actually, Father," she began, her voice shaking slightly, "I'm not ready to start seeing suitors yet."
There was a brief moment of silence as her parents exchanged unsatisfied glances. Isabella held her breath, waiting for their response. But to her surprise, they simply grunted in displeasure and went back to eating their breakfast without another word.
Feeling both relieved and emboldened, Isabella allowed herself a small smile as she dipped her bread into some strawberry jam and savoured the sweet taste. "Well, it was worth a shot," she thought, feeling a sense of satisfaction from having spoken her truth.
As the rest of breakfast passed uneventfully, Isabella couldn't help but reflect on how far she had come in standing up for herself.
After a few more bites of breakfast, she took her leave and headed out to the garden, where Maria had requested to meet her on the phone.
She found her, sitting on a bench at the corner of the garden. Smiling to herself, she hurried her steps and sneaked up behind her, feeling the growing urge to annoy her friend, but before she could make a move, Maria beat her to it. "Oh no you don't!" she exclaimed, grabbing Isabella's hand mid-air before she could startle her.
Princess Isabella sighed in defeat as Maria shifted on the bench, making space for her friend to sit.
With a laugh, Isabella took a seat beside her friend on the bench. "What did you want to show me?" she asked, her gaze fixed on a nearby butterfly.
"Well, I wanted to show you the bush I was talking about the other day!" she whispered, glancing around to ensure that no one else was within earshot.
The mention of the word "bush" sent shivers down her spine, and the terrifying nightmare she had seen just a while ago unfolded before her eyes.
Feeling her body tense up, Isabella struggled to hide the sudden fear that consumed her. Sensing her friend's distress, Maria placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and asked, "Is everything okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Isabella hesitated for a moment, unsure if she should share her nightmare with Maria. But the unease that still lingered in her mind compelled her to open up.
Maria listened intently, as Isabella recalled her nightmare. Her expression shifted from excitement to concern as Isabella recounted the details of her dream. When she finished, Maria placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Okay, that's really scary," Maria said, "but it was just a dream. Besides, remember that you're safe on the castle grounds. Nobody would dare harm you here, unless they wanted to face a brutal death."
Isabella nodded slowly, grateful for her friend's reassurance. Though she still felt a sense of foreboding about their mission ahead, she knew that she couldn't let her fears consume her. With a deep breath, she stood up from the bench.
"Well then, let's go find this secret bush of yours," she said, a hint of determination in her voice. "Who knows what kind of adventures await?"
Maria immediately clamped her hand over her friend's mouth, rolling her eyes at the carelessness she displayed.
"Might as well announce it to the entire kingdom?" Maria asked, annoyed, as Isabella mumbled from under her palm.
She removed her hand, and Isabella gave her an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I didn't mean to say that out loud," she said, feeling embarrassed.
Maria shook her head, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "Don't worry about it," she said. "Just remember to be careful about what you say around others. You never know who might be listening."
With that, Maria started leading her friend towards their desired destination. She knew what she was about to show her friend was not going to get a good reaction out of her, so she tried lightening the mood.
"Did I ever tell you that the optimistic side of you is kind of scary?" Maria teased her friend, earning herself a kick on the shoulder. "No, no you didn't." Isabella replied, trying to keep up with her friend's long legs.
They continued towards the bush, which would serve as Isabella's escape route. As they rummaged through the garden, Maria stopped in front of a particularly overgrown bush that looked more like a bunch of trees.
"Are you sure this is even a bush?" Isabella questioned, eyeing it sceptically.
Maria grinned mischievously and pushed the bush aside, revealing a clearing with a breathtaking view of the villages beyond the palace. But Isabella's excitement was short-lived as she realised the height they were at. The place they stood was situated on top of a huge hill that had trees scattered at random places. Where the hill ended, they could see the entire village, the villagers below, tiny dots in comparison to them.
"Are you out of your mind!?" she shrieked, feeling her heart racing with fear.
"It should feel just like a slide," Maria said, trying to assure her friend, but failing miserably.
"A slide to my death, you mean?" Isabella retorted, her voice trembling with fear.
"Okay, okay, calm down," Maria said, quickly pushing the bush back into place. "Let's worry about this later! I really want to show you this hilarious video I found online!" She said, all the while, taking Isabella's hand and leading her back towards the castle.
As they reentered the castle, Maria immediately let go of Isabella's hand, knowing that they had to be careful. Nobody knew about their friendship other than themselves, and they had to keep it that way, at least until Isabella wasn't safely out of the palace.
As they started towards Isabella's room, Isabella tried reasoning with her friend, "You know, there's no running away from it! We will have to face it sooner or later!" But she immediately stopped, seeing the pale expression on Maria's face. She realised they could easily be overheard and didn't want to attract any unwanted attention.
"Could you possibly arrange a cup of tea for me?" Isabella asked instead, trying her best to change the topic and ease the tension.
Maria nodded, grateful for the change in subject. She quickly headed towards the kitchen to get a cup of tea for her friend, all the while Isabella headed towards her own room.
As Isabella walked through the corridors of the castle, she couldn't help but feel grateful for her friend's presence in her life. Their friendship was the purest thing in her life right now, a source of comfort and joy amidst the expectations and pressures that came with her royal status.
It was a reminder that no matter what class or family one came from, friendship had the power to bridge the gaps and erase the boundaries that society imposed. With Maria by her side, Isabella could forget about the differences in their backgrounds and simply enjoy each other's company.
This was their little secret.
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