Royal Façade[COMPLETED]✔

💮Chapter 30💮: Lost in the wintery woods.

   "Mary, I'm going into the woods to get us more firewood" I told her as I wore one of the fur coats Mary packed for me, held the big straw basket and opened the door.

  "Your highness, you can't go today. It's almost dark". Mary said, holding my right hand.

  "I'll be fine, Mary. You can't be doing everything for me. I also need to do a few things too" I tried peeling her hand off me but, mehn, she was stronger than I thought.

  "Let me go with you, your highness". She begged.

  "Mary, No. I'll be back before dark. Trust me". I assured her. It took quite a while for her to believe me, but when she did, her grip loosened of it's own accord.

  I looked at the sky before going down the stairs that led down the hill. The sun was just about to set. I immediately set out so I could make it before dark ass I had assured Mary.

  We've been here for a month now. Mary and I. The nights has been getting colder than before and the days were cold but not too cold. I didn't want to be a royal Liability as my brother had once said out of anger. So I asked Mary to teach me a lot of things. It was fun and we got to know each other better.

  I must say, Dure knew exactly what I needed. If I hadn't left home, believe me, my temper will just grow worse.

  Staying in this quiet place where no one knows me, and I have to be on my best behavior at any time was like exploring another side of me which i didn't know existed.

  Even though for the first few days I was here, It was really hard to adapt. I had forgotten I wasn't protected anymore since I came to a place where no one knew me. I tried to boss around a pepperseller and I got slapped by a hand soaked with chilli pepper. It wasn't nice and yes, it was embarrassing. I couldn't open my left eye for the rest of that day. I was furious, swearing I would deal with her but for three reasons, I didn't.

  First reason, I didn't bring Kalia and Ciara along. It was just me and Mary and Mary wasn't the type to go around hitting people even if I ordered her too.

  Second reason, This little community was more interwoven than I thought. Everybody was connected. If I openly bullied her, I was going against the entire town, which means I would starve the remainder of the days left.

Third reason, she was a mother and a wife. She had a family to cater for. When I saw her husband and one of her kids, I understood why she hated people bossing her around. And believe me, you wouldn't want trouble when you see the child.

    Staying alone with Mary, made me see a whole new world that I couldn't see outside the palace gates.

  At home, I could come out of my house around midnight and go back unscathed. But when I tried that here, two nights ago, I almost got robbed, raped and killed that same night, if it wasn't for Mary who saved my ass. Apparently, once you're out at night, if you don't get robbed by the robbers here, or you don't get raped by the tugs here then the wolves will be waiting for you.

  I didn't know that we had come to Mary's hometown. I had wondered why Mary knew the in and outs of this place. She told me that her family members died in a fire accident, so she went to the city to look for a way forward in her life and luckily was found by Nanny.

  What a coincidence!

  If it wasn't for Mary, I'd have either returned home in a casket or probably never be found again. Neither will I know I was highly allergic to Walnuts.

    But all the same, this place has been one hell of a new, free and dangerous life. And I'm happy I came here.

The snapping of wood brought me back. I looked around and all I saw were mighty trees surrounding me. All of them looked the same and it was colder in here.

  Normally, I and Mary go out to pick firewood which is supposed to warm us for the night. We don't go deep into the forest especially at night. We stay where we can easily be seen by passersby. Mary had once warned me that on No occasion, should I walk into the forest. She didn't really explain why but I'm starting to get the reason now.

  I could hear wolves howling, and the cold penetrated deeper into my bones. I couldn't find my way back because all directions looked the same. That's when I discovered, I'm lost.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

    I continued to walk aimlessly. Praying silently that I'll just find a helper to help me out of this mess. It was already dark and never have I been so scared of the full moon. I didn't believe in werewolves but now that I can hear the howling of wolves, in a cold Forest with only the bright moonlight to light the way, I'm starting to have a rethink.

  The snow was getting heavier and I was seriously shivering. I couldn't move anymore. The snow was already reaching my knee. I would have called if there was any network here.  There was absolutely no network, besides, I left my phone with Mary.

      Not to far away from me was a cave. It would be safer for me to go there and pass the nights, instead of aimlessly trying to find my way. Maybe by morning, I'll see someone to save me.

  I tried my best to move my frozen legs to the cave but I just couldn't. My legs were numb and the fur coat I had on wasn't helping anymore. So I just lay down into the snow. Hopefully, this snow will stop and I'll be able to go back home.

  I laid there, many thoughts crossing my once empty mind.
     What if I died here?... What if I wasn't even found?... What if I was found by wolves and eaten before anyone had the chance to find me?

  I'm quite sure Green, Nanny and my grandparents will be searching for me like crazy. I should have told them I wanted some time alone.

   If Nanny didn't stop nagging me, or if that bitch of a child Aunt Leila raised wasn't always looking for ways too embarrass or humiliate me, maybe I wouldn't have done this.

  "ELEANORA!... ELEANORA!!" I heard someone call. It felt so real. My mind was slowly shutting down. I couldn't move an inch of my body.

"ELEANORA!" I heard the voice again. I tried so badly to raise my hand so that whoever calling could see my hand but no matter how I tried, I couldn't.

  The snow continued to get heavier and my face was almost covered with snow.

  My eyes started dropping.

"Eleanora".  Was the last thing I heard  someone say before all became dark.