Chapter 31 - Flying The Coop

I choked up. No, we can't get caught like this.

"What are you talking about?" I uttered out as I worriedly glanced at Reynard who wouldn't meet my eye.

"You know very well, Your Highness," she said and turned to a startled Reynard. "My good sir, it is a pleasure to meet you. I'm sure you already know but I am Lady Yvonne Sumner from Clatoise. Pleasure to make your acquaintance. Now," she said as she stood up, "let us skip further formalities for I am certain that we are all on the same side. My good sir, aren't you also of the same belief that the princess deserves a chance at life?"

Reynard remained tight-lipped but nodded.

"Good," Yvonne said. "Now that each one of us in this room is a criminal supporting the same cause, we have nothing to hide. Let's move on."

I looked from face to face, stunned. Yvonne had brushed off our wrong-doing so effortlessly, I wondered if what we were doing was even illegal. Reynard looked as if he was finally at ease with the situation at hand and flashed me a nervous smile as I stood by the door, worried if the guard was wondering why it was taking me so long. It wouldn't be long before he'd come to check up on me.

Then I remembered.

"Reynard, out," I said urgently. 

"What, why?"

Yvonne responded on behalf of me. "She needs to change..." She was smiling but her eyes held a glint of suspicion. "...my good sir."

✿

"Your Highness," Zoie squeaked out as she pulled at the heavy dress. "No offence meant, but this is quite stifling. How do you manage in this?"

"Likewise," I said, irritated. "Your maid outfit is so scratchy. How can one even work in this all day?"

She smiled wistfully. "I've gotten accustomed to it."

"So," I sighed, "have I."

"Enough chit-chat!" Yvonne butt in. "Your guard is going to knock on the door any minute now. Zoie, you'll go in the princess's stead, just like we planned."

Zoie pursed her lips but nodded.

"And you, Your Highness," Yvonne said as she turned to me with gleaming blue eyes, "will follow this gentleman outside."

The gentleman in question was actually Reynard who didn't look much like a gentleman now that he was wearing his cloak which he'd hidden somewhere in the gardens. Yvonne had been quite impressed by his parkour skills when he had jumped out to retrieve it. Zoie had almost fainted at the sight.   

I followed Reynard towards the window and spared a glance back at dear Zoie who looked very regal in Fleur's design but the fake, highly-saturated purple wig was a huge turn-off. Yvonne had tried her very best to prepare Zoie physically and mentally for this huge responsibility. But all the same, she appeared to be trembling.

I felt bad that such a huge responsibility which was originally mine, had been cast off to her when she had noting at all to do with it. How absolutely miserable.

"Don't worry," Yvonne said to her softly, her back to me. "No one will question you. All you have to do is stay by the sidelines. Don't let anyone acknowledge your presence and don't let anyone take a proper look at your face. Understood?"

Zoie bobbed her head in a weak nod. 

"Your Highness, let's get moving," Reynard said, interrupting my train of thought. 

"Yeah, give me a second," I whispered and turned to Yvonne. "What's going to happen to her?"

Yvonne looked at me, confused. "To Zoie, do you mean? What do you mean 'what's going to happen to her'?"

I looked at the door desperately before speaking.  "When everyone eventually notices that she's not me, what will happen to her? Won't she be punished for imitating me?" A shiver ran down my spine as I imagined Zoie being thrown into the bitter, cold-floored dungeons.

She thought long and hard before answering, unaware of Zoie gulping.

"Zoie will never get caught," she said confidently and firmly. "You can mark my words. Now go, go, and stop fretting over this subject. You've your own matters to attend to. Mister Gradral, take her away."

Reynard must've been surprised to have been addressed like that for the first time because he didn't reach for me promptly. But after a moment or two, he poked my shoulder. 

"Grab onto me."

Now what I hadn't known, ever, was how Reynard travelled after he had jumped off the balcony or the window. But never did I expect this.

We were soaring.

Just like I had been instructed, I had grabbed onto Reynard's shoulders tightly before he proceeded to jump. The moment his feet left the window's ledge, we were pulled by the god forsaken gravity. I felt the pressure of the air as it knocked against my ears and my tightly shut eyelids, my hair flailing all over the place. I felt stupid for not tying them in a ponytail. 

As we hurled downwards toward the damp earth below, I knew that only a miracle in the next moment or so was the only thing that would save us from disaster. I felt my lips tremble as prayers escaped them. Oh why God, why had I gone along with this stupid plan? Why had I been a fool to have trusted this risky man with my life? 

Just when I thought we were done for, Reynard's assuring words caught my ears.

"Hold on!"

And we landed with a soft thump onto the grass below. 

Dazed, I unwrapped the arms that had been practically strangling Reynard by the neck and swayed from side to side as the thought of what I had done started to sink in. I looked up towards my bedroom window, surprised to see Yvonne peering downwards and flashing a thumbs up before disappearing back. 

Like I had said, my bedroom was on the second floor, but the height of one single story of the palace wasn't even remotely similar to the cranky apartments back in Incheon or Daegu. The ceilings were so high up in every other room that a single floor seemed like a couple.

"Right, that's done," I heard Reynard mutter beside me. He was checking his shoes for damage but when he found none, he turned to me. "Ready to proceed?"

"Wait..." I said faintly. "Normally, you would've broken at least a bone or two if someone fell from that height. How are you still alright? Are you sure nothing hurts?"

"Princess," Reynard chuckled, "when did I ever say I was normal?"

Moments later, I was running in tow to Reynard in Zoie's maid flats through the neatly trimmed grass. 

"Remember to stay out of the light," Reynard said without looking back, scouting for any guards. 

The tense atmosphere had succeeded in enveloping us both. My heart was thumping in my chest and the blood was pounding in my ears. Being an athlete and all seems like a cool idea but all the work it requires is definitely tiring. As I scanned the perimeter, I was severely hoping that the sound of the crinkling grass wouldn't alert any unnecessary attention. 

"R-Reynard-" I stopped to catch my breath. Keeping up with his pace was a huge task.

He stopped too and turned around to jog towards me.

"What's happened?" he asked worriedly. I noticed that he wasn't even sweating while I was glistening with it, my back drenched. 

"W-wait a moment," I said, as I crouched down. "You're going too fast."

Reynard pulled at my arms urgently. "I can't help it. If we go with your pace, someone is sure to notice us out in the open. I don't even go through the gardens usually, I just skip over the walls."

"Of course you do," I said, rolling my eyes and standing up. 

As soon as I was on my feet, we were moving again.

"Where to?" I asked, running beside him, thankful that he'd slowed down a bit.

"West-wing tower."

My eyes widened. "What?" I hissed. "We can't go there, nobody can. It's in ruins!"

Reynard glanced at me meaningfully. "Not the tower, it's not."

"But why the tower?" I huffed.

"It's the closest location that's connected directly to the outer palace boundary. And according to my calculations, the guards won't be much too concentrated near that wall. After all, who'd expect anyone to escape the palace through an evacuated building which is publicly off-limits? And in the middle of the awakening, no less."

I looked at him, puzzled. "Awakening? Of what?"

"Of you."

Oh crap, I had forgotten about the whole 'divine powers' shindig.