Crowns and Daggers- Completed

Twenty Seven.

"Run away with me." 

"What?" 

"Right now."

"You're joking?" He stood up moving around to the other side of me. 

"Please Ana. I can't stand another day of people being between us. I don't want to have another conversation about politics or the weather. My god." He threw his head back and if what he was asking wasn't so out there, I'd have laughed. "Save me." 

"Theo-" 

"Please. I'm begging you." 

"I can't just run away." I shook my head but he pulled me up anyway. 

"Then tell Bash. He's outside." 

"Theo-" 

"You trust me right?" 

"Well yeah bu-" 

"No buts. Let's go." I smiled as he pulled me, opening the doors. Bash looked at me and I shrugged. 

"Cover for me." Was all I managed as he pulled me away. Down the long hallways. We reached my favourite one. For such a short period of time each day, this hallway lit up in a rainbow of colours. A stunning sight I could only relish in summer. 

He stopped. Looking at it as I spun in a circle, feeling the heat of the sun and the colours flash in my closed eyes. I was spinning for what felt like forever before his hands were back on me. I opened my eyes and we started dancing. 

This was it, what all the books talk about. The pure delight of being young and in love. I understood Romeo and Juliette now. How they would rather have ended it all than live without this feeling again. I was beyond happy, a feeling I'd never felt. 

His face looked it too, beaming smile right up to his eyes as he lifted me up and spun me in a circle. When he eventually put me down, he held me close, kissing my forehead sweetly before pulling away. 

"Which way out? I'm lost." Our breathing was already so heavy as his hand grabbed mine. 

"This way." I pulled on his hand and we started walking. 

"Anastasia, where are you-" I looked back at Percy and he stopped speaking. I put a finger over my lips and told him to be quiet. 

"Just for the day Percy. I'll have her back by sundown. I swear." I looked back at Theo. "Unharmed. Untouched. Safe." He looked at me softly. 

"I'll come for you if she isn't home Theo." 

"I know you will. Which is why you won't need to." He looked back at Percy. "She's armed anyway. Right?" I nodded as he looked at me and smiled. 

"Fine. Go." I looked back at Percy. "I'll say you told me where you're going if anyone asks." 

"We're not leaving the kingdom." Theo pulled on my hand running out of the room now we could breathe again. "You'll be out of it soon enough anyway." I could barely hear him as we ran. 

This was the most exhilarating thing I'd ever done. Wild, rule breaking. My father would go ballistic. I would be sent to the nunnery for sure if he found out about this. But I didn't care. My prince was whisking me away and all of my cares and worries had been left behind at the piano. 

We went through the kitchen, him grabbing a selection of foods for wherever we were going. Nothing fancy, some bread and a flask of water beside all the others, ready for the day. We could forage some fruits as well which would be nice. Before I could do anything he pulled the bag over his head and I handed him 2 apples. They were stuffed into the bag before he pulled me on our way again. 

I stood back as he saddled up his horse quickly. Jumping on the second it was right. once he was on he held a hand out for me so he could pull me up. He did so with ease and I settled on the back of the saddle, wrapping my arms around him tightly, laying my head on the back of his shoulders. 

"You mentioned lakes?" His head turned to me as he led his horse out of the stables, I nodded. "You'll have to direct me beautiful." 

"Out the back gates, turn right." He nodded and we took off, me whispering directions to him as we went. 

This was the best feeling. The wind in my hair, flowing freely in the wind. I couldn't explain how he smelt. Like wine and fire and all the greatest thing in life. It was comforting and freeing. I felt free. I wasn't trapped here now. I wasn't trapped like I felt I had been for the last few months here. Right now. In this very moment I was free. 

I could see myself, like some sort of out of body experience, flying through the hills on his horse, heading somewhere we wouldn't be found. No one watching our every move, No one judging, whispering, gossiping. 

We got to the lake and he pulled his horse still, stopping on the hill over looking it.

"Woah." His breath stopped and I pushed myself into him deeper. 

"Pretty isn't it?" 

"Not as pretty as you my sweet. Though it comes close." He looked back at me and smiled, moving the horse down the hill. 

This was my favourite lake to escape to. That's why I brought him here and not to the one closer by. I loved the field that it backed onto. The horse could eat here and enjoy their day. They wouldn't be able to go far. He'd brought a tether so he could tie it up with enough room to enjoy itself. 

He pulled me off the horse and I wandered whilst he took the saddle off and tied the horse up. 

I looked out at the lake, mountains as the back drop against the rocky cliffs we had just scaled down carefully. We wouldn't be disturbed here and I knew it for a fact.

"Ana?" I turned around and he was slowly walking towards me, pulling his shirt over his head. 

"Yeah?" 

"I don't want to do anything you're not comfortable with. And wherever today leads, is up to you okay?"  I knew what he meant. It wouldn't lead there. I was sure of that. I nodded. "Okay good. Now take your dress off." 

"What?" 

"Well you can't swim in that. And I'm sure you're not naked under it. Right?" 

"Well yeah." 

"So just take the top dress off. Keep the under dress on. It'll be easier to dry than this one." He spun me around and started unlacing my corset. "I know how to redo this, don't worry." 

"How many girls have you taken corsets off to be able to lace it back up?" 

"Just one." I looked back and he smirked. "I'm kidding. I've got 3 sisters. I help them all the time." 

"Don't you have people for that?" 

"Yes, but sometimes, when they're sneaking around, they need my help to make sure no one knows. You remind me a lot of them you know."