1 The beginning

The day was blissful and happiest among all days ever I have lived as a palace maid at the castle of Monocot kingdom.

But as always as it seems a castle maid has been deprived of her own freedom and living without it was not what I wanted in my life so possibly I was looking for a secret route and I was glad that I found it. The secret pathway outside the castle.

For once I thought I was free because I had always do what I was told to but only then I was sure of having a thought of doing something on my willingness, on my own.

The life of being scolded, ordered and treated as a scooper was getting a toll on me and I couldn't live like that.

I was tired from inferiority and discomfort that I was feeling inside the castle truly it was out of the place, it wasn't my choice and it didn't have to be that way.

"It had to be now" I told myself to move me on my courage, totally wanting to ignore the misfortune that predestined on me.

It has been sixteen or seventeen years of my life being stuck within the castle blockade with no way out I could possibly left with and disappear away from it.

The life of living as a maiden inside the castle was limited by laws, rules, and boundaries and running away was always my thought since I was tired living my life in slavery.

I felt like I was a bird locked inside the cage who wanted to break free but no wonder if I had strong wings to fly out of it.

With no idea of how life was outside the castle I yearned to live outside of the castle for the rest of my life.

I was determined and confident about being capable of taking care of myself even outside of the castle.

But will my life complete be different ?. Will I find my happiness?!.

Did the freedom that I thought I was missing behind those giant castle walls, really exist ?!.

I didn't know maybe I was lying to myself or clouded by silly judgement that the life inside the castle was suffocating and different from the outside.

But that didn't stop me from trying to escape the unintended yet uncompromising figurative life which I wasn't looking for to live by.

I planned to escape and I chose a day that there will be less watchful eyes and less tightened security at that castle.

That day, there was a banquet prepared for reception of the prince who rumors said he was away from the castle for about seven years and finally he was coming back home.

The security was less tightened as I thought since a lot of people were busy with preparation of welcoming the prince.

I on the other hand with other maidens were busily ordered by court ladies to carry out different errands and under their instructions we were given uncontrollable tasks to finish off.

We were usually given both the outer chambered and in-chambered tasks.

The outer chambered tasks include sweeping the yards, attending to the gardens and the kitchen, also cleaning and preparing clothes.

But on this day because of the banquet likely only cleaning and preparation to the hall were made with an ado of preparation to the food and drinks for the banquet.

I skillfully immersed myself in in-chambered tasks avoiding outer ones so I couldn't be grouped with the other maids and I couldn't stand a minute easily seen by the court ladies since I will be inside the castle chambers performing intended duties.

I had my own reason doing that and my plan was perfectly arranged for my escape.

I invisibly entered the luxurious bedchamber which was reserved for the queen, Queen Melissa of the Monocot kingdom. Only I knew what I was intending to do when I got inside it.

I on the other hand was the maiden under the queen's residence and entering her room was unquestionable but I didn't want to get that unreasonable attentions from the other people who might sense my hidden motive for entering the queen's chamber.

I carefully slipped inside through the front door which was unguarded at the moment since the queen was not in her room.

I sighed, the fear prickled my inside, my eyes anxiously scanned the room deliberately searching for the secret passage outside of the castle only in my knowledge I sensed that it could be at the queen's chamber.

I rummage the room by checking on the walls, the floor even under the bed and fruitlessly my efforts came to no avail but when I continued to check the room, clinging to the tiny hope of getting the way out of the castle, around the corner of my eyes I spotted a large rectangular painting of the queen on one of the wall of her room which always scared me whenever I entered the room for cleaning.

And at that moment it did a very great job to scare me, making me jump out of fear as I stared at it as it stared back at me.

The painting was reminiscence of the owner of the room setting her gaze upon me, watching as I effortlessly indecent her room.

I tried to push the painting aside but it has to be lifted away. I scooped it out of the wall and put it on the floor leaning it against the wall.

It was heavier than I thought but my senses were heightened and the sudden strength rushed over me as I over thought about my life once again, it had to be then I had already decided there was no way of turning back.

Sometimes desperate moments brings about desperate measures.

I leaned against the wall, heaving heavily as I touched the surface where I lifted the painting, that part seemed to be like a board-door leading to another side of the wall but it was painted the same color with the attached wall, camouflaging it to blend with the surrounding ones.

I knocked the door to prove my observation, it was true, it was the door leading to somewhere and if my senses were right it could be the secret way I was predicting to be on the queen's chamber, the way to the outside of the castle.

The door could have keys but fortunately not it was simply left unlocked for the easy escape if something bad happened at the castle if it could be a fire or an invasion to the castle that path was reliable for running away.

I couldn't imagine seeing the queen and her people running away through this door, saving their own skin while left the guards and handmaidens behind as a sacrifice.

I chuckled bitterly realizing what I just thought.

It won't matter anymore as I will be gone for then.

I told myself to calm down the frustration that I felt within my chest.

"Wooh" I sighed heavily finding the courage to push the door open while I slide through it.

I found myself just outside the castle blockade after walking for half an hour under that seemed long well-built underground tunnel that it's mouth just end outside the giant castle walls.

It was dark and gladly I found a stored fire torch and a lighter along the pathway and it helped me see through the tunnel. I didn't know where I was going but my desperation took the best of me as I believed I was going outside of the castle as I will finally be free.

I stopped when it felt I reached the end of the tunnel.

There was a door with a lock but it was old enough to a just hit it and click it open. This prove that the way wasn't used for a long time, and even the door looked old and shabby.

I managed to find a rock beside me and give it a one go to the lock. The padlock fell down to the floor, it's sounds vibrated through the dark way behind me.

I breathed, looking a back and sighed after reassuring myself that this was what I wanted and freedom was only few feet behind this door.

After opening the door, I popped my head outside the covering, my eyes smoothly trying to adjust to the bright sunlit where they landed on the view of the open field of short grasses and small bushes of the grazing ground. A bit far, there was a capital city with small buildings and bigger ones, I can see the smoke coming from the near houses.

I jumped with excitement as I rejoice with my victory. Finally I was out and I was free but little did I know if that freedom only cost just sneakily walking out of the castle or maybe could be more.

What if castle guards had pursued my trail and came to search for me ?!.

I will be punished severely or getting executed if my case by any chance fell on the hands of the merciless executioner.

I flinched at the thought of it but confidence stirred in my eyes. They will never catch me or let them catch me. I will hide, smoothly blending with the society forever.

But that wasn't the time to let the fear strike me. I put those scarry thoughts behind me and carry out with my plan.

First I wanted to explore the city, it wasn't a long run until I reached the city center. It seems the city had a delightful event going on held for welcoming the only prince of Monocot kingdom who was expected to come back from the border had he reached the age of serving to the castle.

But those were only rumors nobody knew the reason behind his sudden return.

As I took my time wandering around the city. The air, the environment, and the houses. Everything outside the castle was astonishing and breathtaking, the castle was grimly and alarming different from outside world. Actually my efforts paid well.

Only I was happy and curious about the things that one of the court ladies inside the castle used to tell me about the life outside the castle.

I do remember her, she was like a mother to me, she was the one who raised me after my mother's death. She the one who loved me as my mother would.

she was my mother's closest friend, back then they were all the maidens working together inside the castle.

And thinking about them I really missed them both my mom and her. They were both lovely and caring.

The city was cheerful and fabulous as I walked here and there and the atmosphere was breathtaking as I went down the streets while glancing over the people who were happier and seemed to be enjoying their lives. The children were playing around, running while passing over me when I continued to walk along the streets.

It was a wonderful sight to see, I was wondering how could my childhood be like if I could have lived outside the castle, the right that I couldn't get to enjoy.

I walked around the marketplace and the place was lively and sparkling with a lot of people, merchants and caravans. People were busily selling and buying stuffs on their own less likely to notice me and my dress. Not like I wanted to, just letting them doing their things while I enjoyed myself.

My feet stopped at one shop that seems to sell flowers, I closed my eyes when I felt the smell of sweet fragrance coming off from the beautiful flowers outside the shop.

They were colourful and looked beautiful yet they smell good. I felt the urge to touch them, smell them and feel them, oddly surprisingly enough to my behaviour.

I let my hand reaching for them but before I did that I felt the strong hand on one of my shoulders, I flinched.

I got this feeling of turning around to see who touched me but before that happened I heard the voice of the one behind me, the one who touched me.

"Judging by your dress, aren't you a palace maid?" he said with a contemplating voice.

It was a man and I freaked out at his voice that ghastly drown me and left me sink.

I had this feeling that I never felt before. I was afraid nearly to death since someone I never know was nearly going to identify me in the middle of the market.

I cursed on my dress that I rushly forgot to change before I went out of the castle.

What was I thinking?!.

Before I thought of something to help me out in this kind of situation, I heard his voice again now it was harsh and commanding.

"It's a soldier here, lady. Turn around !". I gasped and didn't know what to do.

Ravius was a palace guard who was entrusted of guarding the Queen's quarter inside the palace, he was forbidden to leave the palace or the castle grounds unattended until he was ordered to do so by either the queen herself or by officials from the higher positions.

But that day, Ravius was ordered to go out of the palace to secure the streets and ensure the safety along the way to the palace since the prince of the country was on his way back to the city.

Ravius, after he careful observed people around him at the market. He didn't see anyone or anything that seems to impact danger to the prince's arrival.

But when he turned around looking all over again, his eyes cought a brief of a white and black sewed dress that usually the average Queen's quarter maidens wear.

Firstly, he was surprised and thought for a while and then he decided to follow this lady behind until he saw her suddenly stopped at a flower shop.

For a moment, he didn't recognize her or figured out her movements because he was only behind her.

So he decided to put his hand on her shoulder and ask her to turn around but the lady seemed to be shocked by his sudden voice and touch.

So he thought she might be that danger he was looking for.