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1893 Words
Henri frowns at me, "Is everything okay?"
I run my sweating hands over the skirts of my dress, ironing out imaginary wrinkles, "Yes, everything is okay."
He stares at me for a second longer before nodding, "Okay. There's something I need to tell you."
"Tell me."
He hesitates, "It's not something easy to hear. I just want you to be prepared."
I nod, "I can handle it." But my hands shake at my sides. It must be something about Grace. How horrible is it? Surely they haven't discovered her...? No. I can't think like that. That helps no one.
Henri takes a deep breath, "Florentine has been investigating Grace's room for some time now. She hasn't found anything. Absolutely nothing. She has no clues as to who might have taken Grace."
"Just like Alexanne." I murmur.
"What?"
"Just like Alexanne, I said. Alexanne didn't leave behind a single clue when she murdered my sisters. In fact, she placed fake clues just to get other people in trouble. Alexanne isn't someone to be messed around with."
"There's no way for Florentine to move forward. She doesn't know where to look. Grace could honestly be anywhere. We don't have any proof as to whether Grace is even still within the kingdom."
Chills fly over my skin. I never thought that Grace wouldn't still be within the kingdom. But it makes perfect sense. Alexanne wouldn't leave Grace around somewhere we could find.
But we can't give up hope.
I say, "Antonin and I searched the dungeons. She wasn't there. We looked in every cell."
"That's good. We need to keep checking places. Florentine is reaching out to every single connection she has. She hasn't found a single trace. Has Alexanne been out of the castle at all these past few days? Perhaps if we could trace her movements, we might be able to figure out how far away Grace is being kept. That is, if Alexanne would risk going to visit her."
"I think Alexanne would visit her. She enjoys watching people squirm too much to pass up the opportunity. However..." I bite my lip. Why hadn't I paid more attention to Alexanne? Maybe if I had spent less time avoiding her and more time trying to gather clues, we would have a clue as to where Grace is. "I don't know how often Alexanne has been leaving the castle."
Henri says, "Florentine understands that you would want to avoid Alexanne, especially now. But you realize that it would be best for you to watch her."
I nod, "I can do that. For Grace."
"One more thing." He says, "You shouldn't take any more opportunities to kill her. Not now. We don't know where Grace is. If you kill her, you may never find her. I'm sure that Alexanne has Grace hidden away with her most trusted soldiers. If you killed her..."
"I would never see Grace again." I take a deep breath, "Alexanne certainly knows how to make things more complicated."
Henri manages a short laugh, "That's an understatement."
I say, "We should begin the lesson. I'm only allowed an hour with you. While we need to talk about this, I would also like to learn some self-defense."
Henri nods, "In a time like this, it's only more important."
We run through the exercises that he taught me before, back in Florentine's home. It seems like so long ago, though a little over a week has passed. I can't help thinking back to that time. Everything seemed so complicated then, but it's nothing compared to what it is now. I didn't have to constantly watch my actions and the actions of all the people that I care about.
I pull out my dagger from within my skirts and we practice parrying back and forth. Henri is rougher than he was before. He knows that this isn't some game that a little noble wanted to learn. These lessons could save my life, and I won't learn much by gently pushing his blade out of the way.
Sweat slips into my eyes, but I refuse to give up. All my anger and frustration and confusion and grief escapes me through the swings of my blade. My skirts swirl around me as I dance back and forth, escaping Henri's blows.
Henri is the one who stops us, not me. I take deep breaths and wipe away the sweat on my face. Now that I am no longer in the rush of the moment, I'm aware of the aching in my muscles and the sweat causing every inch of the fabric of my dress stick to my skin.
I'm about to suggest we start again, when Henri asks, "Same time tomorrow, maybe?"
I glance at the clock and realize that the hour is almost over. Where did it go?
I nod, "I guess."
I'm about to leave when I turn back around, "Where do you think Grace is?"
"Honestly, I have no idea. She could be anywhere. In this castle, in one of your vacation castles, in a random city jail, in some underground dungeon, in the woods, anywhere. I don't know where you could possibly begin and when you would know to stop."
He doesn't say what we are both thinking. We don't know where we should stop, when we should admit that Grace might be lost. We don't know when we should admit that we are looking for Grace's body, not Grace herself.
I say, "But I can't stop looking. I can't just give up. Where should I look next?"
Henri shrugs, "Maybe the city jail? Perhaps Alexanne is trying to hide her in the open, somewhere you would think too obvious to look."
I nod, "It doesn't hurt to try. I'll go tonight. With Antonin."
"I want to come," He says.
I immediately shake my head, "You can't. You absolutely can't. Alexanne said that if we spent more than an hour together you would be dismissed. She would be furious if she knew that you were sneaking out at night to search for the girl she kidnapped."
"I think she would be furious either way."
I roll my eyes, "It doesn't matter. I'm not risking your life."
"I guess she just won't have to know, then. We just won't get caught."
"But what if we do?"
"I think that if we get caught, I won't be the only one getting hurt."
I say, "I'll tell Alexanne that I forced you to come to help defend me."
"When you already have a guard with you? Sorry, Admira, but that doesn't quite make sense."
I curse under my breath, "You're right. Either way, you still can't come. It's not safe. You are already taking enough risks. You don't owe Grace anything, you don't have to come. Besides, you already have done enough by being here. You are the messenger between Florentine and I. I need that. I can't lose that."
Henri presses his lips together, "That is all very convincing, honestly. But I think I will still have to come."
"You won't know when we are leaving."
"Then I guess I'll just have to wait by the gates. Although, I suppose the guards might get suspicious. If they get suspicious, they might report me to Alexanne. That sounds like a lot of risks right there." He smirks at me.
"Stop, Henri. You aren't coming."
"Yes, I am. Please stop by my room on your way so that I don't have to search the castle for you. If I don't find you, I might have to go to Alexanne to ask where you are and..."
"Henri." I snap, "You. Aren't. Coming."
"Yes. I. Am. Why don't you realize that your stubbornness will never beat mine?"
"Fine." I throw my hands in the air, "Fine. Have it your way. We will come by your room when we are leaving. Be ready. I don't know when the best time will be to leave. We will knock on your door exactly one time. If you do not come within two minutes, we will leave without you. Do you understand?"
He grins, "Absolutely. I can't wait."
"And if you get caught, it was your fault, not mine. I told you not to come. I told you the risks."
"Absolutely. I can't wait."
"And I want you to know that I am ever so grateful that you are willing to do this for Grace, even though you barely know her."
"Absolutely. I can't wait."
I roll my eyes, "Could you be any less infuriating?"
He grins, "You know you love me."
He details the directions to his room and I begin mentally making the preparations for tonight.
I leave the Sitting Room and find Antonin. I whisper the plan to him, wincing as Camille stares at me, searching for answers. Once again I can't tell her the truth. She'll only want to come.
She's too young and she doesn't deserve to be a part of this. She's here to be my lady in waiting. She doesn't need to sneak out in the middle of the night to search a dirty, dangerous city jail.
Antonin nods, unable to keep an anticipated smile off his face. He disappears into his thoughts, slowly creating a plan that will get us out of Alexanne's careful watch and the constricting barriers of the castle.
●◊●◊●
Camille prepares me for bed. She brushes the braids out of my hair and washes away the makeup. She gives me an innocent smile and says, "What were you talking about with Antonin?"
I say, "Just some more stuff about my old lady in waiting. I have an idea on how to catch her."
"How?"
"It isn't completely planned yet."
"When is this plan taking place?"
I catch her gaze in the mirror, "Tomorrow night." Lying to her is helping, not hurting her. I remind myself of this over and over again, trying to lessen the guilt in my stomach. It's eating me away. I need to tell. But I can't. I can't. I can't. I'm doing the right thing, right?
She nods, "That sounds exciting. I wish you the best of luck. Perhaps I could help you. I would do anything for you, you know that?" She stares at me earnestly.
It breaks my heart because I know that she would. She would be willing to do whatever it takes to protect me, no matter how much it hurts her. I wish there was a way to break this from her. It will only give Alexanne more power.
Perhaps that's the thing about love. The only thing it's good for is hurting other people.
I offer her a weak smile. "Of course, Camille. I know."
She nods, proud.
Then she tilts her head the sides, "I was wondering, how do you know the Prince of Fontaine?"
I frown, "I don't. I might have met him at a ball or..."
She laughs, "Oh, you can't fool me. Tell me, how do you know him?"
"I honestly don't know who you are talking about."
Her eyes widen in surprise, "Perhaps you didn't know who he was. Claudio? The man you ran into in the hall?"
"Claudio is the Prince of Fontaine...?"
She laughs, "The heir of the kingdom."
Heat flies over my skin. Of course I would fall for a prince.
- Writer
