The King's Bride

Chapter 40

November Dufort

The tulips made Nova snap.

What the hell did the King want with her? She married him? Isn't that good enough? Nova figured that if she just... kept to herself he would leave her alone. However, ever since they got married a few days ago... he's been hovering. Not terribly - but enough.

Enough that Nova felt she was about to lose it.

All she wanted was to get out of here... and... well damnit.

She married him like he wanted. The fucking royals can yell at her all they want. She needs out of here. Therefore, quite literally with the tulips in hand, Nova retreated not to her bedroom but to the garage. She was sick and tired of the room that she was supposed to call her bedroom.

Nova needed out. She needed to do something for herself - otherwise, she was going to snap. She was already snapping. She didn't feel like herself.

Therefore, snagging Duke, Nova slid into the back seat of one of the vehicles. She rubbed at her face and rested the tulips on the adjacent seat, giving a slight groan.

"Long day?"

"Yeah," Nova decided to murmur. "Let's just... Where's the closest wig shop?"

...

"Wig shop?" Duke questioned, turning around. "...In the city somewhere. I'm sure you can look up one. Why?"

"Because if I stay in this palace one more day I'm going to lose it." Nova said. "I just... I just need a break." A break from people that she feels like are always plotting. "Can we just drive somewhere. Anywhere?"

Duke blinked his eyes, a smidge surprise. After all, Nova had been in his car a lot - but she'd never taken the step and actually asked for him to take her somewhere before. "Shouldn't you grab bodyguards before we leave, Nova?" He questioned, calling her by her first name.

Nova had threatened to tackle him if he called her anything but by her first name.

"I'd rather die free than live as a prisoner." Nova said simply. "Besides... I'm thinking about taking a... trip on a train." Nova said, trailing off slightly.

Duke seemed to hesitate slightly at that. "I'm... not sure it's the best idea for me to support you in that kind of behavior."

"You don't have to." Nova said, a bit cheekily. She leaned forward and shrugged her shoulders slightly. "You can just... drop me off in one place and magically pick me up in a different place."

Duke gave Nova a look, arguing for a while longer, before eventually agreeing. Without a bodyguard, Duke took Nova into the city. Primarily because Nova didn't want to get swamped in public, Duke politely stepped into a store and picked up a black wig like she had requested. It was far better than the one she had from Halloween which she used when she escaped her house weeks ago.

Then, as Nova attached the wig to her head and hid her blonde hair, Duke began to drive and stop near a train track. Giddily, the woman began to giggle as she rocked her body with excitement, waiting for the train.

"...You realise that if the palace discovers you left without a bodyguard, that they'll track this vehicle to find you. For your own safety." Duke pointed out, turning to look over his shoulder at Nova.

Nova scratched her jaw. "If they come... just... say I went for a stroll in the woods." Nova said. "If they don't, then, no harm no foul." She said, chuckling. "And if they get mad at you, just blame me. I'm supposed to be the... responsible one calling the shots anyway, or something like that, right?" Nova said with a sneer. She never pictured herself, ever, as either a person who commanded or was responsible.

Responsible.

Ha.

Hearing a train begin to rumble, Nova placed her hand on the car door. She squeezed Duke's shoulder before standing up out of the car. "I'll be safe! Just pick me up in the spot that I told you," She called as she slammed the car door shut and began to run towards the train.

Seeing an opportunity, Nova ran next to the train and swung herself on the car. She clutched with a wide grin, feeling a genuine smile cross her face. It had been a long time since Nova felt the wind on her face from a train. Weeks, in fact.

Too long.

When Nova felt a branch whip her arm, she knew that it was time to haul herself completely on board. She was only fortunate that her small sleeve was able to block the branch from cutting her arm at all.

...But it was still exhilarating.

Fortunately, unlike last time she was on a train, the wig managed to remain gripped to her hair. This wig that Duke bought her could actually attach itself fairly well to her head.

Once she was comfortable, Nova sat herself down on the walkway between two train cars. Though she normally climbs on top, Nova decided to be safe and sit lower down below. Besides, she can hear the train rumble better from down below.

Nova had only been on the train for approximately two minutes before her phone started to buzz in her pocket. She pulled it out and gazed down at Erika's name, who was currently calling her. Nova stared down at the phone, debating about answering it solely because of Erika being able to hear the train noises in the background.

After all, Nova's mood was much lighter now that she was somewhere that she felt... free. She was happier to the point that Nova pressed the answer button on the phone. Nova could lie her way through where she was at easily, no problem.

Except, shortly after she pressed answer, Nova's phone slipped through her fingers onto the track. She watched with a blank look, not completely processing what had just happened, as the train wheel literally rolled over her phone.

Well...

...Then Nova began to laugh. She leaned her head back and felt her chest bounce in laughter. Laughter that she needed and hadn't felt for a long, long time.

No doubt Erika was now a bit concerned. Nova would be too if she heard whatever Erika had heard through the line. Yet, Nova couldn't help but feel... joyous? Trains had always relaxed her. She wasn't even worried about the fact that now she was going to have to buy a new phone and find all of her contacts again.

It would happen when it happens.

But right now, Nova had at least another ten minutes on her joy ride. She wasn't certain of the next time she would have the courage to skip out of the palace and take a joy ride on a train unsupervised.

Nova wasn't going to let anything bother her right now. Not King Killian. Not the royal family. Not her marital status.

Nothing.

Just her, the train, the wind, and the view.

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XOXO Alice