Unfortunate Realities (Semi-Advanced)

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    OOC hehe. I don't care. I was just trying to drag out the thread and put in a bit of drama. That's all. If you wanna time skip for a few weeks that's fine.

    (You're making me decide! Don't do that! Fine...I will skip forward a week or so, and you can decide whether to add in a princess. There - isn't splitting decision-making so much better? :D )


    A week passed quickly, the castle swept up in preparations for a feast and Benjamin swept up in preparations for escape. He found out where the stables were located and which were the fastest horses. He discovered when there were only one or two servants in the kitchen, and which were sympathetic to him. Everything seemed ready. The king had not demanded anything of him yet - he suspected that he would save this for the feast, as a chance to show off his new prize. When the night of the feast arrived, the young prince dressed accordingly in the clothes he had found in his trunk. He had regained some of is lost weight since leaving the tower, and looked rather dashing and every inch a prince. He rather liked the clothes, which were a soft, dark green, and his high boots, and he especially loved the dark green cloak, which was almost more like a cape and flared dramatically whenever he left a room. His reddish hair was tied nearly behind his head, there were new black gloves on his hands, and he felt quite confident. As he waited anxiously for guests to begin arriving - which would create the commotion he needed - his thoughts flew back to Enna in the tower, and he fingered the necklace she had given him, determined to get her out.

    Enna had been put through hell, she had only gotten worse. She retreated back into her shell of emptiness, she slept in his cloak, she refused to touch the minuscule amount of water and food she was offered. She stopped drawing, stopped pacing, she could hardly stand. She had been moved out of the tower and back into the dungeons, fighting to keep the cloak she had been beaten as punishment. Though what hurt her more than any blow she injured was the talk of Benjamin, the gossiping of a princess. According to everyone he knew what was going to happen. She had expected him to make his move but he hadn’t, the gossip and rumours. He had been spending his time with a princess, one that he had apparently proposed to. This killed Enna, from where she was curled in the shadows at the corner of her cell. She couldn’t cry anymore. She just stared blankly at something far away.


    Erika, A cruel and cold young woman, uncaring to the suffering around her. Her father was the king, an equally corrupted man. Her father had planned this. This feast wasn’t only to show off his new prize, it was to force his new prize to his daughter. He had heard of his attachment to the little rebel girl and wanted to break both for once and for all. He had yet to see the horrific state of the girl. But he would be betrothed to the princess and then he would execute the rebel girl. She was a waste of space. There was no point for her any more.
    The princess smirked, her dull amber eyes narrowing. At first she had hated her father for this arranged marriage. Yes, sure. He had power and he was a prince so she would have two kingdoms. Yet he was a filthy and weird boy. Yet now she was delighted to see his transformation as she lightly stepped into the room with a cold laugh. She had been forced to hand around him, make the kingdom believe it before it happened. She knew he was hopelessly clueless as to the terms of this grand finale tonight. She herself was dressed in a blood red, overdone gown. Yes, it suited her. Yet at the same time the clearly hidden scowl and disdain constantly ruined the picture that had an opportunity to be beautiful. “You look good” She smirked with a slight purr as she circled him slightly “I trust you know how to dance?” she raised an eyebrow.



    OOC if this all isn’t ok, just discard it ;)

    (*claps wildly* Yay! Yay on so many levels! Ah, poor clueless Benjamin. And Enna. She's fairly clueless about the truth of the matter, too. :D )


    He quickly dropped the necklace when he heard the door opening, and lifted a hand to his mothballs to keep back a disgusted grimace. Benjamin hated the princess, hated her insincerity and the way she looked at him like he was a mere object, a means to an end. He would never understand why she kept hanging around him, no matter how many times he tried to leave her or get her to leave. However, he caught sight of true open door, and his breath caught in his throat. Trying to act natural, he stepped backward toward the cot, retrieving one of his writing books and a pen. Dipping it into his ink bottle, he wrote, 'Yes, but I will not do so with you. I must go. Goodbye.' He tucked the pen into his hair, tore out the page, and handed it to her, then from beneath his blanket took a relatively small pan that he had taken the week before. Holding this in one hand and his book in the other, he ran out of the room and shut the door, knowing that it might lock behind him, then ran toward the tower, his soft boots making little noise on the castle floors.


    When he reached the top of the stairs, he saw no guards, and realized that they must have moved Enna. They could not have killed her, he knew, or the king would have made sure to tell him. The arrival of the princess in his room had put a twist in his plans, and now he knew he must get out before the guests arrived. Benjamin dashed down toward the dungeon, which was fortunately close to the tower, slowing as he reached the bottom of the stairs, his movements softer and softer. The guard was not laying attention and dropped like a stone when hit in the back of the head with the pan. The young prince took the keys, tucker his book and his pan beneath his arm, and started down the row of cells, looking for Enna.

    OOC lol, *bows* you're most welcome


    IC
    The princess blinked and glared, watching him go. She had seen that horrible pendant around his neck. She scrunched up the paper and cussed softly. The door hadn’t locked and she pursued after the prince, stalking after him in anger. She wore a ring that he had ‘given’ to her. It was all set up. Now the guest would be arriving. She just needed to grab her prince. She stormed over, down to the dungeons, growling as she saw the worthless guard and stepped over him.


    Enna didn’t stir, her face a bloody mess, her mattered hair hid her eyes which were closed. She didn’t seem to register anything at all. It was hard to see if she was even breathing. Not moving, she was lifeless, possibly even dead.


    The princess grabbed Benjamin’s arm just as he spotted Enna, she pushed him up to the wall “if you don’t want anything to happen to that cell rat. Then you will come up to the celebration with me” she purred in his ear. She glanced back, Enna’s eyes were open. Glazed over with betrayal and sadness. She couldn’t bear to watch as the princess took his hand and tried to take him away. She tutted as she saw the necklace and tugged it from around his neck, throwing it to the ground “no need for that anymore” she smirked. Watching as despite her pain the girl leapt from the shadows. Painfully crashing into the light, revealing just how severe her time had been, she was hardly conscious as she managed to save the necklace from shattering to the floor. Laid sprawled in the light pain constricted her heart and body. Her bloody hand curled around it. Her head bowed as she managed to stumble back into the shadows before collapsing again. She spoke no words, unable to even look at him.

    Benjamin struggled futilely as he was pinned up against the wall, the necklace taken from him. His heart seemed to stop when he saw Enna's condition, and his eyes narrowed as he turned back to the princess. He looked directly into her eyes for a moment, then did something that he had never done before in his life. He hit a woman. The punch was hard and direct, and he held nothing back, aiming at her chin. Dodging around the princess and not even looking to see what had happened to her, he found the key to Enna's cell and unlocked it with shaking hands. He approached and knelt beside her, scooping the girl up into his arms and holding her close, caring nothing for what the princess would do. Finally, they were together again, and nothing would separate them now. He could see the remains of his cloak still around her shoulders, and tightened his grip on her slightly. Finally, he pulled away, gently slipping his fingertips beneath her chin and lifting her head up so their eyes met.

    Erika shrieked in utter horror as she was caught by his punch, falling to the floor. Stunned and unable to do anything.


    Enna yelped as she felt herself scooped up and held close, she tried to feebly struggle and push him away. Unable to stop the tears that trickled down her face. “P-put me down!” she sniffled and cried. She had heard talk of him and the princess, been tortured, beaten and starved. She hardly recognised him. She couldn’t bear to look up at him, ashamed by how she looked. Her heart twisted at the sight of all his nice fabric. She had seen his face, he took her breath away. He didn’t deserve someone like her. She didn’t have the strength to tear her chin away from his hand. Forced to look up at him, her eyes tear filled and dull. She was once again only a ghost of the girl known as Enna.
    Erika finally seemed to snap out of her daze “Guards!” she shrieked and yelled. This caused Enna to jump and whimper. Though she didn’t hide any closer to Benjamin, looking up into his eyes.

    Her condition twisted at his heart, and he felt no revulsion, only pity and a deep sense of shame that he had not been able to come for her sooner. Unable to speak, he instead bent his head and did something else for the first time, his lips brushing lightly against hers. Without even a glance at the princess, Benjamin stood, holding Enna carefully in his arms, and started for the stairs. The stables were close by. If they could make it there, they would have a much better chance of escaping safely. He knew they would have to do it fast, but Enna would hardly be able to walk, and he was still recovering from his own time as a captive, not to mention the other, slightly more hidden brand of horror that the princess had brought into his life. Knowing that he should not have stopped to hold her but also knowing that they had needed to do so, he carefully stepped up the first few stairs, hoping that nothing terrible would happen.

    Enna's dull eyes widened slightly as he bent down, she hardly dared to breathe, her breathing quick and shallow anyway. She closed her eyes slightly as he brushed his lips against hers, colour touching her cheeks as she softly returned the kiss. His lips were soft, reassuring and warm. She wanted to protest as he continued to carry her and headed for the stairs, shaking her head and grimacing in pain. She lent close to his ear as she tied the pendant back around his neck with trembling hands "Benjamin..get out of here..run" she begged and whispered.


    The princess spat some blood from her bloody lip, she got to her feet, panting slightly, dress a mess as was her hair. "So help me. That blue eyed brat will be executed tonight as planned. And you will bend to our will and rule at my side!" she snarled. Glaring at Enna and Benjamin in disdain "You're just too perfect together, both filthy and worthless. You, prince clean up nice but she never will. But you're both just filthy and useless pieces on a gameboard" she taunted, making Enna look down, the woman was right. She was useless and not pretty. She had never cared for appearance, never worn a dress in her life. She had never had time for it. Not like she could have bothered much, living on the streets practically her whole life.
    "And to think you're a royal descendant, eh Enna?" She smirked, making the girl tense. It was all so bleary, her past. What did this woman know?
    The woman gave a cold and cruel laugh "we thought we had wiped out you, little blue blood, all of you. Turns out your mommy and daddy placed you in the care of others and took on a substitute daughter knowing they would all be killed. Sure enough we burned your little home to the ground, your family lived amongst peasants. We killed them all, they had no maids, servants or guards, in fact they gave up all that royalty to lead normal lives. Yet after we killed them, we turned the people on your name, having suspicions about their daughter, rumours spread quick. You were tossed out and left to fend for yourself like the scum you are. A street rat just like your parents. The last of the humble Cicero. Little princess Enna. You give royalty a bad name.”


    Tears blurred in Enna's eyes. She knew this was all a distraction, how could she believe this girl? It was most likely all lies yet deep down she knew it wasn't and it hurt. Though a bloody and dark smirk of defiance crossed her lips. "You're all corrupt and blind if you believe that. Even after you dragged my name through the mud ..even then throughout my early years as a naive mere child. I gained power... I swayed the people to my side.. not even knowing what you had stacked against me.. and I convinced them to rebel. Sure. Betrayal was my downfall. But that was my own mistake, hardly assisted by you people. You give blue bloods a bad name. You give this very world a bad name.." she muttered breathlessly, refusing to cry. "Benjamin.." she murmured as she heard heavy footsteps headed for them yet there was still time to escape. She was trembling, that defiance had taken more energy that she could summon. She put up a strong front but honestly this new information pierced her heart.

    Benjamin took all this new information rather calmly, setting Enna down for a moment so he could hand her his frying pan. Having done this, he wrote quickly on the grimy wall. 'Whether we live or die, I won't leave you.' He bent and picked her up again, knowing that he would not be able to go as quickly but unable to leave her here to die. It was the first he had heard of this plan to marry him off, and it was the first confirmation that he had been given of Enna's royal origins, and he tucked the information away in he back of his mind for him to puzzle over at a later time. Now was not the time for reactions to such things, it was the time for action. He had suspected that she was royal ever since he had seen the necklace, but now he knew the truth of it. Holding her gently, he continued up the stairs, exiting the dungeon before the guards reached it. There was a long red curtain that usually hid the dungeon door. It was pulled to one side now, and knowing that they would not have time to get around the next corner before the guards came, he ducked behind the curtain, pulling it around himself and Enna and standing still, hoping to not be noticed and that the guards would rush immediately into the dungeon. The curtain fell all the way to the floor, which hid even his feet, and he held his breath, waiting for the footsteps of the guards to pass by.

    Enna blinked as he set her down, panic flooded her making her almost retreat into a small corner of her mind. Her first thoughts he was leaving her. Though she blinked and took the frying pan, managing a mischievous smile. A frying pan was a great weapon in her opinion. As a street rebel one had often served as her favoured weapon. Relief flooded the weak girl as she was scooped back up and she forced herself to get her second wind. Letting the adrenaline give her enough strength to wield the frying pan should it come down to a fight. Tears welled in her eyes and she only wanted to kiss Benjamin again as she read what he wrote on the wall. She clung anxiously to Benjamin, trembling in the princes' arms. Enna held her breath as they exited, hardly daring to breathe and fearing they were walking into a trap. She managed a shaky smile seeing they hadn't run into the guards yet. The castle had been thrown into chaos and disarray. She was surprised as Benjamin stepped behind a curtain though quickly realised his logic. She didn't dare move, sinking even more so into his arms and clutching the frying pan. She hardly dared to breathe. Her heart racing as the footsteps only grew closer, you could hear the princess shouting and making up stories, yelling and screaming orders and name calling. She honestly was cruel.

    He held his breath as the guards turned the corner and came into their hallway, heading for the dungeon. Holding Enna as tightly as he dared, he looked down at her again to be sure that she was alright. When he saw her face, he was struck again by how much she had deteriorated over the time he had been gone. Had she not been eating? What had happened to her? We are never coming back to this place, he thought firmly. We are leaving for good, and we are never coming back. This has been a terrible experience for both of us. When he heard the guards enter the dungeon to go and see what was the matter, he hesitated a moment, then slipped out from behind the curtain. There was a small door not far away, a servants' door that was near the stables. If they could reach that, their chances of escape would increase. As he rounded the corner, the sound of the shouting princess became fainter, and he quickened his pace slightly.

    Enna was pale and petrified as she strained her ears and listened to the guards race past. Had they managed to avoid notice? She hoped so. She blinked in surprise as Benjamin suddenly took off again. Relieved as the princess's voice faded. Erika was cruel and horrible. She blinked as they rounded the corner. Spotting a guard she summoned all her strength to swing the frying pan into the guard's face. There was a sickening crack as the flat side connected with his nose. Enna's breathing was rugged and she trembled even more so as she looked up at Benjamin with wide eyes.

    He grimaced when he heard the sound, but knew that the guard would recover from a broken nose. It would probably be enough to keep him from chasing after them, but hopefully it wouldn't be too serious. We are temporarily inconveniencing him, he reminded himself. He would kill Enna and either kill me or condemn me to a life of unhappiness here. Benjamin managed a faint smile down toward Enna, then looked up again as another corner neared. Just around this corner lay the door that led outside, that led to the stables. He had none of the food he had hoped to snag from the kitchen, but he did have the money that had been hidden in his old clothes, so they would hopefully have enough to buy food for a little while and hide from those who would want to find them and bring them back to the castle. He wanted to tell her that they were close, but being unable to speak could only smile faintly down at her and hope that she understood why.

    The post was edited 1 time, last by Linear Guild ().

    OOC so sorry! Lost the thread! Thanks for bumping it


    IC
    Enna watched crimson droplets lazily run like rain down a window on the underside of the pan. She shuddered slightly, not really liking blood very much. She carefully settled back down into his arms, her heart racing and bashing through her ears as she tensed, suspense only building in her. She caught his faint smile and softly nuzzled his jaw fondly and in an attempt to reassure him. She had no idea where they would go, what they would do. When they got out. She just trusted she and Benjamin would get out safely, she still had no knowledge of the money in his clothes. She noticed his smile and looked relieved, giving a tiny nod and holding her breath in hopes that they would make it out. She was shaking again, noticing a mirror that they walked past she wanted to hide in shame. Tiny tears pricked the corners of her eyes.

    As he caught sight of himself in the mirror, he felt as though he might die of shame. He had known that he looked good - he had always been able to clean up well - but it was not until he saw himself with Enna that if truly hit him how much of a change there had been in the past weeks. In the tower, they had both been hurt and cold and nearly starving, but they had been together. Now he looked almost normal, if a bit too thin, but she seemed to be near death. He could only wonder what had happened in his absence. Reaching the door, he slowly pushed it open, looking around to be sure there was no one nearby before he started for the stables. The guards would search the castle first, he knew, not believing that he could have gone far with Enna. If he was lucky, the guard at the gate would not be paying attention or would have it open for the arriving guests. If he was unlucky...well, perhaps the man would take a bribe. Still mostly in the dark about what would have happened that night had he not attempted escape, he had no idea whether or not the guards would let him go.

    OOC I really am sorry


    IC Enna had ripped her gaze from the mirror. Unable to let her gaze dwell on it. She felt dirty, useless and insignificant. It hurt, injuring what little pride she had clung to. She tensed slightly as he pushed open the door. Her sharp and intelligent gaze darted around for any sign of danger. She shuffled up closer to him, looking scared. They couldn't be caught. No matter what. And if that meant he had to dump her and run. She would be all for it. No matter how much it crushed her heart. She wanted to stand and fight, hating being so useless. But she was just too weak, too sick, in too much pain. How would they survive once they got out?! She bit her bottom lip. What then?

    He could hear the sounds of arriving horses and carriages, sounding faint and muffled from where they were, and he quickened his pace, reaching the stable rather quickly and nudging the door open. No one seemed to be about, which was perfect for what he had planned. With the flurry of arriving guests, everyone would be busy welcoming them and trying to act as though nothing was wrong while the guards continued their search. Benjamin made his way to the last stall, where a horse that he knew to be both fast and strong stood. There was no time for a saddle or bridle, or anything along those lines. As gently as he could, he lifted Enna onto the horse's back, then began to lead the horse out of the stables. His heart was pounding, and he knew that the hardest part of this plan was fast approaching.