Crowns of Flame and Ice - Book One

(6) The Dangerous Stranger

After drawing all afternoon and missing lunch I was famished by dinner, this wasn't unusual, I often forgot to eat when my mind was busy. It was only once I reached my room and glanced out the window did I notice the sky, shades of dark blue and purple eddied together throughout the still, windless night. cursing myself for missing dinner I rang the little bell by my door to alert Rosie I needed her, I didn't like using it but I didn't want another encounter with my delightful sisters today. Rosie was hurrying in through my door with two plates in her hands just as I placed my sketchbook onto my table next to the bed, a huge grin on her face. "let me guess you're hungry because you missed lunch and dinner" Rosie chuckles, I didn't reply as she sat down the two plates and reveals stacks and stacks of all my favourite neatly cut sandwiches. "I'm honestly surprised you didn't come and find me earlier" she muses setting down the silver dome lids. The first sandwich to be devoured was a salmon and cream cheese one which I stuffed into my mouth in one go. After a few minutes of silence I noticed Rosie stood there with her arms crossed staring at me, an amused look on her face. "Nkoou" I grumble with a mouthful of half-eaten sandwich. "what was that?" she asks cupping her ear.                     "you heard" I reply swallowing the last of that sandwich and moving on to a particularly full looking chocolate spread one. "I was hoping I could have one" Rosie mumbles with a large smile on her face. I offer her the last sandwich I was about to eat with a sorry smile, she laughs and gestures with her hand for me to eat it " I was joking I've already eaten" she adds. well in that case there was no harm in eating the last of it if it was just going to go to waste.

Once I'd finished the two plates of sandwiches Rosie had given me and I'd washed my hands I sat down at the little table looking out over the river. The moon casting a silvery glow over the water looked so delightful tonight, so in tune with the music I knew was playing right now. I could almost see it, the happy carefree faces of the people far away from this castle. Even though the castle was still a reminder of the unjust rule my father brought into their lives the people of Vauxhaven still danced and revelled in the city, the one slice of freedom my father had not yet touched. Something was pulling me towards the city, something strange and familiar tied to my very existence. It felt like home and that's where I needed to be right now, with that light and sound. I'd only realised I'd been staring out the window for about five minutes when Rosie broke the silence with "you're going out again aren't you". I grin at her and she rolls her eyes as I stand and walk over to my wardrobe. "I know better than to ask you not to, so you better tell us all about it tomorrow" Rosie sighs picking up the plates. By 'us' she meant her and James, they would keep it a secret as long as I told them everything about what happened. Part of me thinks they enjoy listening to tales of my antics. "Oh don't look so glum I'll be fine" I reply with a pout when I notice she looks slightly nervous. "I'm just going to go, I don't want to be to blame if you get caught" she adds picking up the empty plates and lids. "try not to die will you?" she condescends before walking out. I snort, pitching a glare at her back as she leaves.

Dark and melancholy or simple and dull? I ask myself pulling two horrible dresses I'd never wear from a trunk hidden at the back of my wardrobe. Neither I decided when I noticed a glint of red in the corner of the trunk. This was a peculiar outfit, it was pretty much a long cloak with a few stitches in various places for shaping and a thick black belt. Fiery and wild was the theme of the night when I pulled on the strange fabric and slipped on a pair of black tights and high heels. The warm cloth clung to my hips in a way that showed them off but that wasn't what I cared about tonight. This outfit was nothing like what a princess was expected to wear and wasn't revealing enough to draw any unwanted attention, perfect. I tied my hair up into a tight low ponytail, one I made sure never to wear to any royal event as it was the one that changed the shape of my face the most. The makeup was the trickiest area, I used powders to fill out my eyebrows to make them appear larger, and black to make my eyes stand out more which was slightly unusual for my normal style. Blush and highlight to completely change my face. The hood would cover some of it but not enough to make me completely unrecognisable. This was the trickiest bit, whether I'd made the right call by choosing tonight. There was no one under my window and no one in the garden for as far as I could see, let's hope it stays like that. It was easy to climb out of the window and leap into the huge oak tree next to it even in heels, I'd done it countless times before. Leaping from the tree and landing soundlessly on the cold grass below I triple-check that there is no one to see me escape. Deciding the coast was clear and I definitely wasn't about to get hauled in front of my father I sprint to the far wall carefully ensuring I stay in the cover of the shadows. There was a small gap in the huge castle wall that I'd mysteriously forgotten to mention to anyone including James and Rosie, it was just big enough for me to slip through into the city beyond it.