The False Princess

Chapter 23

Edited

The carriage ride is long. Almost too long to bear. But we do get to Dalllea eventually...very late that night. We stop in front of a dirty inn on the outskirts of town, with a broken sign reading

The Dancing Pony.

Gai turns on Mufar angrily.

"This is where we're staying? Are you kidding?" He shakes his head in disbelief. Mufar sighs.

"All the other inns are full. I had to bribe the innkeeper to give us a room that had been reserved." He mutters quietly. Gai rolls his eyes.

"I guess this will have to do." He responds with frustration. He herds all of us out of the carriage and onto the street. My bones creak and groan with displeasure as I stretch in the evening air. My legs have been in the same position for hours. I wince as the feeling returns to them.

The Dancing Pony is dark. And dirty. Compared to the clean, bright halls of Asenhouse it's hard to get used to living poorly again. But I did that for four years before I was snatched, and I'll adapt quickly. Our room, although gross and dirty, is indeed larger then I expected.

"Boy! Hang this sheet right here. Give the girls some privacy." Gai yells. I have to bite my tongue to stop myself from telling off Gai. People should be referred to by their name. Before I do something I regret, I snatch the sheets of the only bed in the room and hand them to Derrin.

"I'll hold it, you hammer the nails." I mutter. There's a large beam running length wise across the room. I hold the sheet up to the beam as Derrin pounds the nails into the wood.

"Meet me half a hour after everyone's asleep tonight by the window." He whispers to me as we work. I nod-a tiny little nod, but I know he sees it. Then I turn my head and smile tiredly at him. His emerald green eyes sparkle as he smiles back. I can feel my mood brighten.

"Lynx! What are you doing! Sit down like a proper lady!" Gai growls at me. He certainly is stressed......he is anxious, and everybody can tell. I quickly look away, and sit back down.
It's hard to stay awake. I'm exhausted from the trip here. Luckily for me, everyone else is exhausted as well. They fall asleep quickly. At midnight, I deem it's been long enough, and throw off my blankets. Then I silently stand up and walk to the window. There's movement behind the curtain, and Derrin's head peaks out.

"C'mon!" He whispers, a childish grin on his face. Then he climbs out of the window. I hesitate for a moment before following him.

Right outside the window, there's a leafy green patch of ivy that's sturdy and easy to climb. I'm on the ground in seconds. Derrin waits for me, holding out his hand and letting me jump the last few feet.

"What's going on?" I ask-bemused. He looks to the ground, scuffing his sandals against the dirt.

"I need to talk to you." He says solemnly. The slight smile drops from my face when I remember I need to talk to him as well. About who I really am.

"So do I." I murmur, suddenly exhausted once more. My eyes meet his for a moment before flitting away. He begins to walk away. This could be a trap. Every time I've trusted somebody it ends badly. The right thing to do would be to go back inside. But I'm Lynx-so obviously I choose the other option. I follow him.

He sits on a park bench. I cautiously sit next to him, but a safe distance away. For a couple of minutes, we sit there in silence-the tension growing. The night air is warm, and you can hear the crickets chirping in the darkness. But I can't even appreciate it.  Finally Derrin begins to speak.

"How are you? Like actually-how are you really feeling about this? Don't lie-I'll know." He breaks the silence. Of all the questions he had to ask...

I look out at the horizon as I think.

"It's weird. I have no idea what I'm going to do or how I'm going to do it. But I'm really glad that I'm the one that's doing it. I guess." I sigh. I run my hands through my hair nervously. I've got to tell him.

"I'm the only one that can do it." I whisper, almost as an after thought. Derrin suddenly looks at me, confused.

"Why?" He asks, cocking his head to the side. I don't answer, so he puts his hand on my shoulder reassuringly.

"There is something I need to tell you." I mumble-my voice shaking and unsteady. Derrin doesn't say anything,  waiting for me to talk. It's now or never.

"Remember that first night, when everybody was talking about how much I looked like the lost princess? The real one?" I ask, meeting his gaze for the first down. He nods his head, completely lost as to where I'm going with this point.

"They weren't actually to far off from the truth. My name isn't Lynx. I'm actually Eadu....I went undercover 4 years ago." I let out in a rush of air, speaking quickly.

There's a long, pregnant silence. I don't dare to look at Derrin. I can't. What is he thinking? I honestly have no idea. Finally I sneak a tiny look at him. He's staring at the tree in front of us, a troubled expression on his face.

"I'm still the same person." I whisper, breaking the silence.
Derrin stands up angrily.

"What's that? A liar? Lynx...Eadu....whatever your name is! How could you do this? And not tell me? I thought we were friends!" He turns and looks at me-his face as hard as stone.

"Derrin! We are friends! You have to understand....I couldn't tell you! I couldn't tell anyone!" I plead, now standing as well, looking him dead in the eye.

"No....no. I get it. But don't expect me to be happy. What do I call you? Do you want me to bow whenever I address you? What happens after the truth comes out? Were you just using me this whole time?" He asks-his gaze not kind and warm anymore. There is a strange coldness to his eyes that I am not accustomed to.

"No! Derrin....you know me! You-" I start, my voice cracking, but he interrupts me.

"Don't say that. I know nothing about you!" He hisses. He looks at me again, for a long moment, before he turns and walks away. I stand there, watching him walk away, leaving me in the dust.

My heart hurts. My head hurts. I hurt all over. I thought Derrin was a friend. I thought he of all people would understand. But he didn't. Nobody ever does. This is why I don't trust people.

I always end up getting hurt.