The escape plan

Anastasia used her hands to suppress the sneeze, while her back pressed against the pillar behind which she hid. To her relief, after two minutes, the Mother Queen and the minister left the abandoned place, and she quickly slipped out of this side of the palace.

Dodging two guards on her way, she returned to her room. During the remaining hours of the night, she slipped in and out of sleep, somewhere worried that she would sleepwalk again.

The following day, the Flores sisters met in one of the music rooms assigned to the courtesans to use. As today was Marianne's turn to use the room, the sisters met in the closed space while Anastasia had the task of cleaning it. But instead of the courtesan, Anastasia was the one to pluck and release the harp's strings.

Marianne softly hummed along with the music. On noticing Anastasia yawn, she said, "I think you should nap, Anna. I will wake you if I hear someone outside the room. You have yawned twelve times in the last five minutes."

"Sleep is for the privileged," Anastasia stopped playing the harp and brought her hand to cover her mouth. "More importantly, I wouldn't be able to spend time with you."

Marianne thoughtfully replied,

"To think there was a time when we used to spend every hour of the day with each other. Now we steal time for it. But something is better than nothing, isn't it?" She smiled, consoling Anastasia and herself with that thought.

Anastasia turned to look at the door and then turned to her sister, saying, "Lady Sophia's birthday celebration is in four days, and I was thinking… The celebration will last for three days and two nights. What better day to leave, when the entire kingdom will be busy with guests and entertaining each other?"

"Did you arrange the camels…?" Marianne asked, and Anastasia shook her head.

"I am hoping to arrange it during my next visit to the Bazaar. But I don't have the money to buy the camels," Anastasia said, biting her bottom lip. Noticing the look of worry on her sister's face, she smiled, "Don't worry, Mary. I will find a way out for us. We can leave on the first night of the celebration. Pack your things and be ready."

Marianne pursed her lips before nodding, "Okay."

The days were quick to pass in the Blackthorn Palace, where everyone was preparing for the grand celebration, ensuring every guest room was ready to be used. A day before the celebration, Anastasia was sent to the Bazaar with the other maids for a last-minute errand.

Anastasia was at one of the shops in the corner when she heard someone remark,

"Do you think these are pretty?"

Anastasia's eyes widened upon noticing Prince Aiden disguised as a commoner, as he examined a trinket in his hand from the shop. She tried hard not to bow, the way she and the other servants were taught to show respect to the members of the royal family.

Prince Aiden turned and offered a smile to Anastasia. He said, "I am glad that we got to meet again. I didn't see you around for the last few days, and wondered where you went."

Did this mean that the prince had no idea of her being a maid in the palace? Anastasia asked herself.

"It is good to see you too…" Anastasia carefully replied.

He said to her, "I am looking for something unique. A present for my mother, as it's her birthday tomorrow."

Wanting to test him, Anastasia said with a surprised look, "I heard that even King William's wife's birthday is tomorrow as well."

"Haha, it is a good coincidence, isn't it?" Prince Aiden turned slightly nervous, as if not wanting to be caught. He quickly switched the subject and said, "I realised that I don't know your name."

Anastasia didn't want to meddle with the royal family members, but it was hard to get rid of the prince when he had an earnest look, which reminded her of a small puppy that one of the princesses owned but was later killed.

"It is Tasia," Anastasia answered.

"Tasia? That's a pretty name." Juan nodded, looking over his shoulders for someone. He leaned towards her and whispered, "Why does it look like you are hiding something, Tasia?"

"I could ask you the same," Anastasia replied, turning her back to one of the royal maids walking by the shop, and looking through the metal jewellery. At the same time, a palace guard appeared, and Juan turned along with Anastasia. She had picked up a hairpin with only one butterfly wing and green stones on it. She asked, "How about this?"

"This is pretty! I wonder how I missed it."

Prince Aiden took a closer look at the hairpin with a grin, and he turned to the shopkeeper and said, "I will take this one." Being a prince he didn't inquire about the cost and handed fifty buckles to the shopkeeper. "Keep the change," he said, before slipping the hairpin into his pocket. He turned to Anastasia and asked, "Tasia, you found me a lovely gift. How can I repay you?"

"It is nothing. Anyone would have been able to help," Anastasia responded. Unable to resist, she bowed, before biting the inside of her cheek.

Prince Aiden didn't notice Anastasia's bow, as his eyes had fallen on the palace guard walking in the direction where he stood as the guard searched for him. He quickly caught Anastasia's hand and pulled her to a narrow alley that wasn't too far from where they had been standing.

Anastasia had not expected the prince to drag her to an alley, and the grip of his hand around her wrist was tight. He exclaimed,

"Phew! That was too close. I thought I almost got caught today," he laughed, looking in the direction they had come from, before realising what he had just said and done. He cleared his throat and explained, "I don't get along with the palace guards. We have bad blood between us, as I am not very fond of them." At the same time, feeling Anastasia's calloused hands, he remarked, "Your hands…"

Anastasia quickly pulled her hand away from his hold and said, "I should return… home now."

"Wait!" Prince Aiden stopped her. He quickly apologised and said, "Forgive me if I have upset you. It wasn't my intention. I really meant it when I said I would like to repay your kindness. Being a Blackt—black sheep, it is the least I can do."

The prince found this commoner woman interesting, ever since he had seen her hit the drunk man with a wooden ladle. He didn't know where she lived or who she was, because he couldn't get past the Bazaar without being followed and chased by the guards to return to the palace with them.

Anastasia stared at Prince Aiden as if he had given her the opportunity she had been waiting for. She carefully asked him, "Then… Can I borrow two camels?"

Prince Aiden blinked at her request. He then laughed, "The camels! How could I forget that! Let us have you ride a camel right away. Follow me!"

"Not now!" Anastasia replied, and he gave her a look. She said, "My sister… She's coming to town tomorrow evening. I would like to ride along with her…"

Prince Aiden pursed his lips and murmured, "But I will be busy tomorrow with my family." He then said to her, "I can ask my uncle to have two camels arranged for you and your sister to ride then."

Anastasia asked, "Really?"

"Mm," Prince Aiden nodded pridefully.

"Then perhaps you can ask your uncle to bring the camels near the end of this alley? I wouldn't want to draw any attention from my neighbours that we have two camels," Anastasia requested, her eyes filled with hope.

"I will have the best camels arranged here so that you and your sister can enjoy the ride. Riding when the sun sets and no one can see you, yes?" Prince Aiden asked naively, without suspecting her true intentions. "I can relate to you. This is why we are friends. Not to mention, you and I share a secret."

Friends? Anastasia wasn't sure about it, but she offered a nervous smile.

Anastasia didn't know if Prince Aiden, who was now disguised as a commoner, would keep his word. He could forget or get busy. But she hoped that tomorrow night when she would arrive at this alley with her sister, the camels would be here.

"Thank you, Juan," Anastasia offered a deep bow. She wouldn't see him here after tomorrow night. "I will forever be indebted to your generosity and will never forget it in my life. I hope God blesses you with what you want."

Prince Aiden smiled at her words, his eyes reflecting the same emotions as hers, and he replied, "I hope you enjoy your evening ride with your sister tomorrow. I look forward to seeing you here again in the Bazaar."

Anastasia watched the prince leave the alley and disappear from her sight.