15 October 2012
"Hello, Freya" Charming replied.
I moved closer to him. "What happened?" I asked.
He sighed. "You didn't get to Beauty in time, Freya, and so I put up a fight when I saw that she was to marry Reswart and he put me down here."
I shook my head. "Can you stand?" I asked.
A little grunt came from him as he pulled himself to stand. He came to stand before me and bowed ever so slightly. He was no longer the clean cut Charming I had once known. He had a long, unshaven beard and his hair was overgrown. He looked so much older and, in truth, no longer charming. I hugged him, it was the only thing I thought to do. I felt so bad for him, he shouldn't be down there. None of them should.
I stepped back. "I'm getting you out of here." I said, sharply. "I'm getting you all out of here."
My dad nodded. "I'll go now, get the horses ready, while you get everyone out. I'll send someone down with the other keys, when they come down get everyone out as quickly as possible and get them to the stables undetected." And with that, he walked out of the room.
I took Charming's hand and led him out of the room. He was slow on his feet and when people gasped at him, he hung his head in shame.
I stopped, lifted his head and said, "Don't be ashamed, okay? Ignore them. You haven't been out for years, you're going to be a bit rough around the edges. They know this, Charming."
He smiled down at me then kissed me on the cheek. "You're too good to be my sister" He whispered then took a seat on the floor. He nodded to me once he was seated, telling me to start.
"Right, listen up!" I said, walking up and down to make sure they was all listening. "I'm getting you all out of here but we need silence, no noise at all. I need to know if you can ride a horse?"
"Aye, Ma'am. 'Cept Speedy can't" One of the guys replied, indicating to the guy in the cell beside him.
I walked over to Speedy. "You okay to ride with me?" I asked. "Can you get on a horse?"
He nodded, whether to the first or second question I didn't know, but I took it as a good sign.
"He be mute, Ma'am" The one who spoke first said.
I nodded, then went back to the first guy. "What's your name?" I asked.
"Fletch, Ma'am" He replied, bowing his head slightly.
"Okay, Fletch." I nodded then turned away from him. "Any minute now someone is going to come down to give me the keys to your cells, okay? When I open them do not go rushing off. I will lead you quickly and quietly to the stables and then we will all get on horses and get far away from here but I need you to go with me. When we get to a certain point then you can all go your own way but for now I need you to stick with me."
They all nodded in agreement, they all understood what I was asking for.
"Miss Freya?" Someone asked from behind me. I knew the voice but when I turned round, I didn't know the face. She had grown so much that she was now a teenager.
"I have the keys" She whispered, looking scared.
I smiled at her but she didn't smile back. What had happened to my sweet little Lina? Was she going to ruin our plans? I had to know.
"You aren't going to say anything, are you?" I asked.
Lina watched me, her face twisted in what I took as anger. What had I done?
Accidental Princess: Part21 • Opuss № I