As the night went, morning finally came, taking its turn, lightening all the greeneries and blues of the great kingdom of Ximpton. Annie walked into Queen Audrey's room without a knock, she was the only one who could do that apart from the King, the two were close to each like sisters so Audrey doesn't mind her at all. She found Audrey standing by the window in male outfits, a black pants and a long sleeve shirt, her hairs tied up into a neat ponytail. Annie shook her head in denial "No no no! My queen you are not planning to sneak out, are you?" Worry was written all over her face. Back at Dillonia, this is exactly how she wore whenever she wanted to sneak out of the castle. The moment she saw her fully dressed her heart sank, if it were back in Dillonia then she would've let her go and cover her up but then this is Ximpton! The land where she almost got killed on her first day! Who knows what will happen this time? What if they are out there and are just waiting for her to come out so they could annihilate her?.
Annie cried with no tears because it's not like she could stop her, once Audrey put her mind into something then even King Jeremy and Queen Ella of Dillonia could stop her. She is naturally stubborn compared to her. Audrey let out a breath looking at the maids that were moving around, back and forth as a new day had begun. She didn't sleep for the rest of the night, she turned her head and looked at the wall, recalling what happened after the encounter she had with the devil King.
As she sat there sobbing, the whispers came again from the window, she got up already enraged to start with and the whispers won't leave her alone. "Just tell me what the hell do you want from me?" She yelled at nothing in particular as tears streamed endlessly, she was tired of all of this and it's only been two weeks! She was already very damaged and broken.
Suddenly a sketching sound came behind her, she quickly turned and saw an ink drawing itself by the wall, she staggered back stunned! She was a witch indeed but then this was something new to her eyes. A second later the drawing on the wall became clearer to her, she gulped. It was a map but why a map? "What does this have to do with me?" She asked, with hope that she would get answers this time around because she was already going insane. But as usual the whispers didn't reply verbally "It's the lead to come to me" the words wrote itself on the wall. "Now why would I come to you? Just what the hell do you want from me? Tell me!" She shouted frustrated by this whole whisper thingy, why the hell does whispers think that she would go to it? Such crazy thoughts! "Come to me!" The whisper came again with the blow of the wind blowing her hair as usual, she gritted her teeth.
"Argh! I'm not coming anywhere!" She yelled.
End of flashback -
She huffed in her mind, she was determined when she shot back that last reply to the whisper but then here she was, already suited and ready to go whatever it is that damn mao would take her. Curiosity got the best of her, she thought of it the whole night while memorizing the map on the wall by drawing it down. There was a certain feeling that she must go there no matter what that was eating up her heart. She turned to face Annie who was silently waiting for her reply although she could already tell what was going to happen. "Isn't it obvious, darling?" She uttered and walked to pick up an apple, she sliced it and ate it gracefully, Zara always told her to eat like that, she smiled, missing her. "I've missed Zara a lot" she chuckled remembering her angry face whenever she used to nag her.
Annie was dumbfounded. Just what the hell does her mother have anything to do with their current situation? She snapped back and held her by her shoulders with pleading eyes "Please, please my lady…this… isn't Dillonia, this isn't our home so you can't just go out there unarmed and winder around. Just not after what happened to us" her voice cracked up at the end, she held herself from crying. She still remembers clearly what the beasts did to them and their poor soldiers. Their lifeless bodies scattered everywhere around the bloody ground, no! She won't risk it again. Audrey pulled her in for a hug, she understood very well where her worries were and she hasn't forgotten anything about the accident and most importantly her innocent soldiers who fought for her life. That duck like Acine would pay for it someday, but the whispers she thought it through all night anf the only answer everytime was the same. "You have to go" And if she doesn't then she feared that she would never have a peaceful night, even her heart wouldn't rest now untill she finds the root of it.
"I understand Annie, but this time….i have to go and you don't have to accompany me, I'll be fine…lole always" Annie pulled back and sighed, there was no point in explaining or persuading her right now, not when her mind is already settled. "Don't worry, you just have to cover for me as usual and I'll go and be back in a jiffy" she assured her, Annie shook her head "No! I'm comomg with you and that's final" she was serious. Audrey thought if it for a second, she didn't want to take Annie with her because she isn't aware how safe it was to go there. But then this stubborn sister of hers won't accept it anyway, "Fine, go and change now" she told her.
Annietta quickly went and cane back fully dressed as well in a couple of minutes, they wire matching outfits. They were always partners in crime since young. "Shall we?" Asked Audrey, "Behind you" answered Annie, her heart was still restless but it was a mucj wiser decision togo with her. They walked out sneakingly, they saw the main door to her quarters but to hell! Vincy was there talking to the guard. Audrey knitted her brows thinking of a way out "This way" she uttered and Annie followed her, is there was someone who was the best at sneaking out then it was Queen Audrey, she have been doung it for life back at Dillonia. They wales across the walls while being cautious to hide everytime they come across the guards. They reached at a dead end, there was only a wall facing them, she sighed "Let's just go back for today" she gave uo but Audrey's determination is too high than to just give uo without trying, she turned to her right and then to her right searching, she smiled "There it it…our way out" she uttered confidently.
"No! Were not climbing that, are we?" She questioned the obvious, Audrey braced herself and climbed a tree swiftly. "Come after me or go back Annie" she said beifre jumping down to the other side of the wall. Annie stood ther dumbfounded "Coming or what? I don't have time!" She called out "Coming and don't you dare to leave!" She climbed in a hurry, she almost fell but Audrey was quick to hold her, "Thank you" she said heaving for air. "Let's go" said Audrey and walked ahead, Annie followed her like a tail. "Slow down a bit!" Complained Annie.
Vincy knocked on the door for a while but no reply came and nothing happened, just then Celine and Chika came, seeing him standing there they could tell why. "We'll go in first, '' they said and entered the room, but to their surprise there was nobody inside. Looking around, they caught a paper on the floor, Chika picked it up ,her eyes enlarged after reading it, she passed it down to the curious Celine "Oh good lord!" She said loudly. Vincy walked in ready in his attacking mode, but it was only three of them inside the room. "Where is her highness?" He asked. Celine handed him the paper, his eyebrows knitted as he read it.
"Come after us, i couldn't stop her, were heading downtown" -Annie-
He gulped knowing exactly what would happen to him if any harm befall the Queen. "Don't tell anybody about this!" He said before storming out of the room, lesving the two worry warts behid. Annie couldn't stop her but at least she left a memo asking for help just incase something happened to them. She had droped the paper with hope that one of them would see itand tell Vincy to go after them without Audrey's knowledge.