Her skirts swished behind her as she quickly trod on the rug-covered stone floor of her bedchamber. Sunlight was streaming towards her window as it started to sink below the horizon, and when she looked out the window she could see the wildflowers dotting the land below. It was a beautiful sight, but upon seeing it, her face fell. Reaching her desk in front of her window, she reread the letter she had gotten that very morning, hands trembling in the fading sunlight.
"Dearest Gwendolynn,
As per your request, I have found two horses perfect for our escape. One's a white mare, sure to compliment your locks spun of gold and your eyes made from fog themselves. The second is a tawny stallion. I've been told that him and the mare share a special bond, much like us. Please meet me tonight at the stables about a mileway after dusk. Be careful. This is when the guards change shifts, so we have a limited amount of time. I will be anxiously awaiting you, my love. - Andor"
Gwendolynn noticed several, or most, words were misspelled, but the sentiment shone through regardless. She felt a blush rise to her pale cheeks, flattered by her lover's words. Unbeknownst to her, her hands had ceased to tremble and her heart had slown.
She glanced up at her window, noticing that the sun had sunk ever further. It was now a sliver on the horizon. Panic raced through her once again. She hastily folded the letter into quadrants and dropped it into an embroidered bag she had picked up off her desk. She felt the velvet material between her fingers. It soothed her.
She looked around the room, growing slightly dizzy from moving so fast. She had only a few minutes before she had to rush to say goodbye to her best friend and then had to rush to the stables, which were half a mileway away. Curse that party. It was so much fun celebrating little Prince Frederic's second birthday, but the party preparations and the party itself had left her little time to herself. Her thoughts were swarming with ideas of what to bring; she couldn't carry too much with her.
A simple yet elegant silver necklace with an amethyst tear caught her eye. Feelings of sadness and nostalgia engulfed her throat and clouded her eyes. This was the very necklace that her best friend Miriella had given her on her birthday the year they met. A tear dripped down her face. She dreaded leaving the side of Miriella, but she loved Andor so much. The only way they could be together was to leave Minayshia, and Kallabaum altogether. It would be fitting for her to bring this with her. It signified the start of something special for Gwendolynn. She picked it out of her jewelry box and slipped it into the bag.
After she felt the subtle weight of the necklace settle in the bag, she looked back into the jewelry box. Another silver glint caught her eye, hit by a lingering ray of the disappearing sun. It was her signet ring.
Her eyes focused on the crest. A Minayshian silver denaria, encapsulated by tiger lilies. A reminder of all her family had done for Minayshia in its fledgling days. She suddenly realized the magnitude of what she was about to do. Not only was she to leave her family, she was to leave the only place she had ever known. She would be abandoning her privilege as an Emelot, and stepping into the unknown world of Ulepta. Her chest tightened. Uncertainty gripped her heart.
She looked up at her window, only to realize the room had darkened and the sun had disappeared. She thought of Andor. Dimples and cleverness made up that man. It was too bad he was a poor thief. If he had been a noble, he would be sure to be a hit among the noblewomen. Would he still want to be with her when he could have picked anyone with her status? She hoped he would. She knew he would.
Her breathing had calmed. She picked up the signet ring out of her jewelry box and slipped it into her bag. If she was to leave this place she would be leaving with a reminder of who she will have used to be. Looking around once again in the now dark room, she made a mental picture. This was the last time she would ever see this room again.
A tear slid down her face as she hurried towards her dresser, flinging open the oak doors and grabbing her cloak. Although it was summer, the nights could get cold, and she didn't want to risk being recognized. The purple of her cloak would blend in with her purple gown and would hopefully mask her identity. She had no time to change.
Stepping out of the room she had grown up in, she quickly walked on the stone floors. She struggled with trying to keep her heels from making too much noise. Tiny clicks followed her with every step she took. Fear quickening her breath, she stopped. She hastily peeled her heels off of her feet, and held them with her free hand. Then, she properly ran to the nursery. She knew Miriella would be here, rocking Frederic in her arms before retiring to bed with Jeffry.
Reaching the nursery, she burst through the door. Miriella gasped as she turned around to look at Gwen with wide eyes. A toddler with fine light brown hair was in her arms, asleep.
"Is everything alright Gwen?" she whispered, shocked. Gwen rushed over to her, tears clouding her eyes. Miriella glanced down at the shoes in her hand and then back to her face.
"I have to leave tonight. I'm sorry. Andor has some horses waiting for us, and I need to get to him as soon as possible," she whispered back. Mirella's eyes grew wider. "We're going to Ulepta! We're finally going to be able to be together," she said. A smile had graced Gwen's face as tears collected in her eyes. As she uttered the last few words Miriella had turned back around to the crib in back of her, lovingly placing Frederic inside of it. When she turned back around her blue eyes had grown red with tears. Gwen's heart hammered in her throat.
For a moment they just stood there. There was a deafening silence. Gwen's smile had vanished and tears spilled from her eyes. She tried memorizing Miriella's features. Her gorgeous dark brown hair had been pulled into a loose braid after the party, fastened with a cloth hair tie the color of her eyes. The color of blueberries.
Miriella took a quick step towards Gwen and engulfed her in a hug she quickly returned. "I'm going to miss you so much, you know," Miriella whispered. Gwen swallowed hard, feeling the tightness of her throat.
"We can still write each other! Ulepta is across the ocean, but there must be a way to send letters here!" Miriella let go of her. As she looked at her once more Gwen smiled a pained smile.
"Nothing will keep me from writing you, Gwen," she said, smiling as well. Gwen wiped the tears from her face. She followed suit.
"I'm glad to hear that. I am going to miss you as well, my Queen," Gwen replied. She laughed. It was the kind of laugh where you are both happy and sad at the same time. The kind of laugh that comes during goodbyes.
"For the last time, I told you that you can call me Miriella," she laughed. Just like the second time they met, except this time it would really be the last.
Gwen smiled a genuine smile now, cheered up by her friend.
"Goodbye, Miriella," she whispered. The tears returned to Gwen's eyes.
"Goodbye, Gwendolynn."
Tears streamed down her face as she turned around from her and made her way to the door.
written by ShadowedViolet
