A Fairy Tale With Two

Chapter 4

     Rowan knew that Adeline's wrath would be devastating once she returned from the party, especially because Rowan had been defended by Lord Kaizen himself. So the moment she reached her room, she changed into comfortable clothes complete with a scarlet hood to hide her face, and she threw her more valuable possessions into a bag.

     She tucked the emerald dress beneath her arm, slinging the satchel bag over her shoulder as she headed for the door. Rowan met Silvia down by the kitchens, thanked her again for the dress, pushed it into her arms, then hurried towards the door.

      She left swiftly into the night, telling herself she wasn't running away, only hiding out until her stepmother's anger calmed down. But as she was passing the stables, she heard a voice say: "Where are you going?"

       Rowan paused in her steps, looking back to see Kaden staring at her through the dark, "K-Kaden!" she stepped back, "Going on a walk."

      "With a bag filled with your things?" he asked skeptically, "Come on, Rowan, I'm not stupid. Why are you leaving?"

      Rowan sighed, pulling down her hood so she could see him better, "I'm not going to be gone long. Long story short, I went to the ball anyway, and got busted by my stepmother. Now she wants to kill me, so I'm going to... lay low for a bit."

       "In the forest?" Kaden glanced in the direction she had been heading, "You could just stay with me for awhile."

        "That would get you in trouble if I was busted there," Rowan shook her head, "Besides, I've had enough of men tonight. Thanks for the offer though, nice to know I've got a friend willing to do that."

      Kaden shrugged, glancing back at the dark forest, "If you're sure. Be careful though, would ya?"

       "Well, I'm not planning on getting hurt," she said dryly, pulling her hood back over her head, "If anyone asks, you never saw me. Okay? If no one knows, you can't get in trouble."

        "Alright," Kaden shoved his hands into his pockets, "If anyone asks, you were never here. Sounds good to me."

       She gave him a relieved smile, "Thank you, I owe you."

         "See ya," he gave her a weak salute that she returned before continuing on her path towards the forest.

Back in the castle...

         "I demand to speak with the king," Kaizen said briskly to Adeline, who had managed to regain her composure in Rowan's absence, "Unless you're going to tell me who that woman was."

        "She's just a servant girl!" Adeline insisted, "That's why I forbade her to come to the ball!"

        "Why? Because she wasn't born into a royal bloodline?" Kaizen turned away in disgust, "May the Lord forbid you are like your husband or we will most definitely have a war."

       "Adeline?" A voice spoke up behind them, and to Adeline's dismay, it was the king himself, "Adeline, what's going on?"

       "Oh, it's nothing," Adeline prayed Kaizen would keep his mouth shut, but he bowed low to the king.

      "Pleasure to meet you, your Majesty," he said respectfully, and the king returned the bow and formal greeting. Kaizen straightened, "This is a lovely party you have made for my people. But tell me, do you usually exclude servants from the party that they put together?"

        "No, all servants are welcome here tonight," the King said, and Adeline face palmed behind her husband.

        "Then why was I just witness to one being ordered away?" Kaizen asked coolly, his tone lined with mistrust as he eyed Adeline icily. He knew she was lying. That girl had not been some servant.