I Spent A Night With The Crown Prince

34. Running from the reality

Aiden

A problem had arisen. Blake and the others kept him busy all night and at the end he was finally free when Blake went to discuss it further with Arlen.

He wanted some time alone so he took a detour and entered this hallway that had no guards or servants whatsoever. It was peaceful so he stayed for a while. The moon outside glowed brightly and the flowers seemed pretty even in the dark , reminding him of that one person he was trying to forget.

Aiden closed his eyes and leaned back on a chair. It was quiet for a while until he decided to get up and retreat to his room. He picked up his coat that he had taken off and stood up .

Suddenly he heard the sound of someone coming. Even before he could register who it was , he recognised her. And this time he didn't hide.

Aiden rushed ahead , not caring that he was making a little noise. He rushed ahead and there she was , standing with her back to him , wearing a hood that covered her face.

She turned around as soon as she heard his footsteps and he held his breath , waiting for a reaction , but she stood still.

Seconds ticked by and.....no reaction.

She would have been a statue if she hadn't dropped the stuff in her hands. They made a thudding sound as they fell on the ground. The sound didn't seem as if it had registered her ears because she didn't like to be focusing on anything.

Aiden wanted her to say something , anything , but just as he was about to step closer to her , she bolted. She turned around ..., and ran. And soon she was just a blur of motion as he just blankly gazed at her back.

Annette

There was a slight tremor in her hands and her heart was beating so loud she thought it might be defected. She didn't care if someone discovered her , she just ran and ran and ran until she was out of the mansion.

Once she was in cool air , she hunched and took big breaths. Her heart was still beating loudly , her ears ringing and her hands trembling. Was this really her? Did she really have this reaction just from seeing him?

This was embarrassing but at the moment she just wanted out. She had just wanted to disappear.

Annette still wasn't in the right place to go back inside , so she took to the stables. There was no one at the place but she went inside. She went to get her favourite horse that was usually at the back.

As she climbed on her horse , she suddenly noticed something. Royal carriages and royal horses , hidden in plain sight. Her brother really did go to great lengths to hide all this from her. Even the royal horses were hidden in another place so that nobody could find out anything.

She scoffed and guided her horse outside. As Annette was ready to get away she heard someone calling for her.

It was one of the caretakers of the stable. He was asking her where she was going. He was calling her.

She couldn't focus. She wanted to get away , from her brother , from everyone at the mansion , from HIM. She wanted to get away....

So she did. She tapped her horse and then retreated away from the mansion at such a speed that made everything seemed like a blur , ignoring the shouts of the caretaker behind.

Ignoring everything , just until it would be okay ...., if it ever would be.

Arlen

Arlen had a rough night. He and Blake had spent half the night discussing matters and he had gone to sleep late.

In the morning he still woke up on his usual time but he was tired and wanted to sleep in. Still he somehow found the energy to get up.

"The damn assistant and his arrogant prince."

He grumbled under his breath and got ready for the day.

As Arlen descended the steps he heard some commotion outside. Making his way to the place of shouts , he saw his guards stopping some caretaker who was resisting them.

Arlen approached them.

"What's the matter here?"

The guards immediately bowed along with the caretaker.

"Good morning your grace. This man here is here since dawn and keeps saying there's something urgent he needs to tell you. We tried to tell him you were resting but he wasn't stopping."

One of the guards explained.

"Something urgent?"

Arlen raised an eyebrow.

The caretaker then looked up and pleaded.

"Please your highness it's about your sister."

"My sister? What is it?"

Arlen stepped closer and looked down upon the man.

"Last night. It was late and I was asleep but I heard some noises and went outside to check. Her highness was getting on a horse. There was no guard with her and she looked like she was sick. She didn't seem to be in her senses. I shouted and shouted for her to wait but it was like she wasn't hearing my voice and then she rode away on her horse."

"What?"

"Please spare my life! I'm only telling you what I saw!! I'm concerned for her highness you should go after her."

The man begged on his knees. Arlen ordered the guards to take him away.

Then he made his way to his sister's room. Sure enough , it was locked. Luckily he had a key and opened the door but there was no one inside.

He observed that her carpet was folded back at one side and that some books were taken down from a bookshelf.

He sighed and massaged his temples.

'Where could she have gone?what even happened to make her run away like this?'

And as if answering his own question , he suddenly became rigid. Then he rushed out and into the wing where the guests were supposed to be staying. He went inside the crown prince's room after knocking once.

Blake and Aiden were inside , discussing something but they stopped when he entered.

"Your grace? Is something the matter?"

Blake furrowed his brows as he looked at the time and then at Arlen.

Arlen ignored him and stared at Aiden.

"Your highness , where is my sister?"

"Excuse me?"

(TBC)