Chapter 33 - The Kick-Off: Freedom

"Reynard….What. The. Frick."

We had both succeeded in reaching the top of the tower after a long trek estimating over 20 minutes of pain and suffering. Zoie's shoes had started to wear out and the soles of my feet were poking through, making it unbearable to stand on the cold, hard concrete.

On top of the tower, there was a large, glassless window, with nothing but a few metal bars to protect one from the outside world. But this purpose had been eliminated as the bars had been pulled apart to make an opening for a larger than average human-being by none other than the very Reynard. 

My feet had been hurting so much that I had unsuspectedly went and sat on the concrete ledge of the window as other than that, the tiny room on top of the tower was bare, except for a few threatening hooks on the ceiling. 

The stairs had been damp and pitch black all the way up but now that we were near the window, cool air was coming through along with moonlight.

I had just started to relax a bit when Reynard had proposed the idea that we jump. Off the tower. Which was god-knows how tall.

Of course, I had called out how outrageous his plan was. He did nothing about it, but just came and sat beside me on the ledge, a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Relax, Your Highness." He smiled, tightening his grasp on my shoulder. "It's not like I'm taking you to your grave."

My eyes widened and my mouth twitched. Before I knew it, I was yelling right in his face, "BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO!"

Sure, he was taken aback by the outburst but that didn't stop him and his histrionic efforts.

Reynard gave an overly exaggerated gasp. "Am I?"

This is crazy. 

"I am absolutely not going to jump off. This is a tower, you hear me? A TOWER! I can't even see how deep down it goes."

Uncertainly, I looked behind me, hoping to see the ground just a few feet below us, but in truth it was so dark that I wouldn't have been able to see so far in depth even with those 21st century night goggles kids always used to gush about.

"But you have to."

"I don't."     

"You do," was the firm answer that was followed by a tightening of grip over Zoie's apron straps.

I shook my shoulder in an attempt to free myself. "Reynard, there's no way."

"There is." 

"Are you telling me to die?"

He pretended to be hurt by putting a trembling hand over his gaping mouth. "I would never."

We're both gonna die.

Well, I had a pretty questionable first life and a half-okay second one. But was I prepared to... fall?

"Trust me," he said as he jumped up and abruptly gathered me in his arms. If I was some girly-girl I would've been blushing like hell and saying, 'S-stop!' as I enjoyed the feel of the handsome man's chest, but no, I was not a girly-girl and the only thing I cared about right now was my life.

"Reynard, put me the f**k down," I growled.

He chose to ignore my statement. "Now on the count of three. One..."

"Reynard."

"...Two…"

I was desperate now, pushing on his biceps in an attempt to get away but he didn't budge an inch. 

"Reynard, stop."

"Three!"

Crap.

********

Isn't life so weird?

One moment you could be at school surrounded by your classmates, unsuspecting of any bizarre happenings and the very next moment you could wake up in a totally different world surrounded by people wearing suits and aprons and real, princess dresses with the most ridiculously poofy skirts. Then the next moment you could be falling down from someone's bedroom window dressed in a maid's gear. How would've one known?

Two weeks or so ago, I'd been living a pretty normal life. If someone had asked me with which one word I'd sum up my whole life, I'd say: 'Meh'

I've a totally different answer in mind now.

As we plummeted down from the tower, I felt a familiar feeling similar to the one which I had experienced when we fell down from my bedroom window. My heart rate had increased and I held my breath as I clutched Reynard by the neck, afraid to look down.

I had no doubt left anymore that Reynard was sure to break a leg or two and pull me along with him as well.

But just like before, we landed on the earth with a soft thud of feet, as if guided by air, and Reynard untangled away from my grasp. I sat there on the soil, not even the least aware that Zoie's skirt was getting dirty. All I cared about was that I was safely down without any injuries.

"You're a monster," I stuttered out to Reynard who was checking his shoes again.

He looked up, surprised and smiled sweetly.

"And you, Your Highness, aren't much less," he said. "As you can see, we have successfully escaped the premises of the palace." I looked around to see the outer boundary of the wall which stretched away beyond our gaze. It was true, we were out. 

"Come one," Reynard laughed as he flicked the bonnet on top of my head. "Let's get you somewhere safe before your powers awaken. I don't want you to fall sick on me. You're heavy as heck."

I punched him in the shin before standing up and brushing off the skirt. 

"Shut up."

Reynard and I had dropped straight outside the large forest that surrounded the outer perimeter of the palace. Which meant, in order to escape without being caught, we had to go through the thick jungle of trees.

As expected, Reynard was a pro at this as he took the lead and walked expertly over the marshy land, guiding me as well. Soon, covered with leaves and bugs sucking off our blood, we finally left the trees behind.

"Feast your eyes," Reynard chuckled airily, "upon this!"

Tired and sweaty, I walked to the end of the cliff, barely keeping upright, but what I saw took my breath away.

It was the view of Eyress. The cityscape was a constellation of lights, as if each one was a star of Earth. I was in awe of the scene held before me and I felt all my pain and tension ease away as I continued to gaze at the city of lights. It was so absolutely beautiful. You'd have expected me to not be surprised at this kind of thing anymore after experiencing life at the palace, but in truth, this was a totally different kind of magnificence. 

"Nice, ain't it?" Reynard sighed beside me. "The city looks exceptional in the day but it's really something else at night."

"Yeah..." I whispered, my eyes not budging an inch away from the lovely scenic view.

21st century cities were all so smoky and the skyscrapers were all jam-packed together that one would never be able to enjoy the beauty that is the architecture. But Eyress was so... planned. Every building was placed intentionally in its spot and nothing seemed to be a turn-off. It was something so different from what I usually saw in Daegu and Incheon; absolutely breathtaking with the addition of the golden lights.

"C'mon, we gotta get moving. It's almost 9," Reynard said urgently, proceeding to walk towards the right, his cloak all folded up in his arms. I hadn't seen him take it off, but now he was back to looking like a gentleman but with more scruffier hair. 

Gladly, I walked alongside him as the thought finally started to sink in:

So this is Freedom.