The Runaway Princess

Chapter 2 : The Doppelganger

Disclaimer : I don't own GS/GSD or any of the characters. I love Asucaga too much to make them fall apart.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Sound of the door being slammed loudly from the outside. The room's occupant was sleeping soundly until she heard her door was knocked rather loudly.

"Miri, hurry up! It's me!"

As the door opened slowly, the occupant's eyes widened with shock.

"Princess, what are you doing here? The party? Is it already over?"

"I have no time to explain, let me in and open the passage."

"Now?"

"Yes! Hurry! I'll explain later."

The brown haired girl opened the door for her guest. She was shocked indeed, as Cagalli's lady in waiting, Miri should have attended the party, but tonight she was feeling so ill, so she asked permission for her absence. She never knew that Cagalli would barge into her door tonight with anxiousness written all over her face.

"I have to go Miri, I know you are sick, but I really need your help, so listen to me carefully."

Cagalli explained everything that happened at the birthday party, Miri was shocked but still listened very carefully.

"So, I need your help."

"But Princess, it will be dangerous." Mirialia tried to reason with Cagalli

"I know but I can handle it, you know I can defend myself."

"But princess, still I can't."

"Miri, please I need this. I love my freedom and being trapped with this kind of marriage won't make me happy."

"Princess, you know you will throw away everything and your life will be in constant danger."

"I know and I'm ready. I have been spoiled for over 25 years you know?"

"Princess.."

"Trust me Miri."

"I can't convince you otherwise, can I?" Mirialia tried her last resort, even though she knew it would be rejected.

"No..."

"Then, I guess you must hurry."

Mirialia Haww was one of the most loyal Cagalli's lady in waiting. For years she had served her and now they were like best friend. Miri's mother was Cagalli's mother's lady in waiting. Haww's family was famous for being the most loyal servant of the Athha families.

Cagalli changed her red dress with Miri's dress as Mirialia opened up the secret passage. The history of the secret passage began as the easterners were a bit conservative, women were protected or we could say banned from doing many things. The girls from royal families are often spoiled and ordered to keep their noses from the nation's businesses. Just 20 years ago, Cagalli's descendants felt fed up with the conservative way that treated royal women like they can't do anything. So, they had their own way to rebel against the rules. Cagalli's great great great grandmother and one of Haww's female descendants joined hands to build a secret passage and linked it to a house outside the palace to learn many things. It wasn't easy to build something secretly under the King's domain, they felt worried too, but even if they felt anxious all the time, they still built the passage anyway. The house was filled with so many books around the world. Cagalli's great great great grandmother made a deal with a book merchant from the west to make the house filled with various books until it was fully capacitated. The secret passage and the house became a secret that passed down only to the female royal family and to the Haww's family who will be a lady in waiting. So, that is why Cagalli and Miri knew this passage well, because their mothers taught them about it. The house that linked the outside and the palace became a quarters for the female royals to learn about a lot of things, however they were limited to learn only from books. There was only one rule about the passage. They could learn anything from the books, but they could never get out from the house, because the risks of being discovered would be high. So in the long run, rumors spread that the house was haunted, because sometimes the lights were on, but no one ever came in or out from it.[1]