"She does seem off. That's the most reasonable observation you've made since you stepped foot in the palace," Queen Darya mocked. She had indeed noticed a change in Zhanna's attitude. Zhanna would usually rush to her and bow while saying 'Mother', but today it wasn't so. In fact, it almost seemed like Zhanna was ignoring her, she had not spared her a glance since she arrived.
Does this idiot know something about her plan?
No, how could she? Only she herself knew about the plan.
"Physician, check her! I can't have her behaving weirdly when she's about to be married in two days," Queen Darya said and left.
The physician, who had been standing silently all this time, stepped forward to check the princess.
It was actually a psychologist that was supposed to come, but hey...who tells a queen that her stepdaughter is mad? A wicked queen, to be specific. If others could try it, Vika couldn't! So she did what any reasonable maid in her shoes would do.
"My Queen, the princess has been behaving weirdly since she woke up. She requires medical assistance. It's very serious, if I must say so myself."
The physician brought out his equipment from the bag and was about to examine her when she told him, "It's alright, I'm not sick..."
The physician mumbled something—these royals were just so annoying. The Queen had sent him to check on the princess' health and now the princess was claiming to be fine. If the Queen found out that he didn't do his job, well... (gulps) he didn't want to think about it. He was about to protest, but one look from Zhanna shut him up and made him leave. So much for being afraid of disobeying the Queen's orders.
"Vika, come sit with me. I've got something very important to tell you," Zhanna said after the physician had left.
---
Vika stared at Zhanna with this 'On a more serious note, are you okay?' look.
Zhanna had just told her that she transmigrated from 1828 to fix her past mistakes.
"I think the heavens gave me a second chance," Zhanna said.
Vika found this funny, but she dared not laugh at a royal.
"My Princess, if I may speak... You telling me this is of no significance," Vika said. This was much better than asking 'Why are you telling me this?'
"It actually is... I'm planning to run away from the marriage with Prince Boris of Volkorod. Then I'll go to Volkorod under the disguise of a maid, make Prince Boris' life a living hell, and then enjoy the remaining months I have to live in peace in another kingdom.
Why this is of significance to you is that... you might be killed if I go missing.
You can choose to join me and run away, or you can stay here... and die," Zhanna stated matter-of-factly.
"What!" The word slipped out of Vika's mouth instantly.
Vika feared for her life. She had seen how maids who didn't take permission to talk before speaking to the Queen were treated. She hoped Zhanna would forgive her.
"My Princess, I am sincerely sorry for speaking out of turn. Please accept my apology," Vika said, now on her knees. If this got to the ears of the Queen, she might as well consider herself gone.
"It was just an involuntary action, Vika. You need not make a scene out of it," Zhanna sighed. The maids in this palace feared the royals like they were gods.
Vika thanked Zhanna endlessly.
"Thank you so much, Your Highness. I'll go now to pack my things for the escape."
Vika bowed her way out of the room.
"Well then," Zhanna spoke to herself. "This mission has officially commenced."
---
Zhanna visited her father before she ran away from the kingdom.
King Aries was a useless king. Zhanna always had this feeling that someone did something to make him this way (saying yes to Darya's every wish, obeying her every command). When she found out that Queen Darya was a witch, she concluded that Darya must have cast a spell on her father.
She had questions, but her father seemed too lovestruck to answer, he even forgot he had a daughter named Zhanna!
Zhanna came into her father's chambers. He was looking at Queen Darya's photos, love-struck. He didn't even notice her presence.
"Father, I know this is not you. In my past life, I always thought you were a disgrace to your gender, but now I realize that a witch put you through all this. I'm going somewhere far, Father, and if I get a chance, I'll break you free from the shackles of despair holding you down.
Wait for me, Father," Zhanna spoke to his hearing and left.
King Aries paused in his activities, and for five seconds, his eye color turned from an unreal purple shade to a black, normal iris color. Then it turned back to purple and he continued in his activities.
---
Luck was on Zhanna's side that day because the guards were few at the gate since a fire broke out in the eastern wing of the palace. Actually, it wasn't luck. Zhanna planted explosives in the burn pits behind the servant quarters. It wouldn't kill anyone (except the person standing close to the pit) but it would cause a huge fire, making it look like the whole castle was being burnt.
Zhanna and Vika had decided to leave in the afternoon of that day. It was the only time of the day that had less security and less suspicion. Zhanna wanted this (to run away from her marriage) because she wanted peace.
There was no way she would make the same mistake and marry Boris. And Boris also wouldn't take it lightly if he found out she was missing; not just any woman, but her. He called her the solution to all his problems... whatever that meant.
Zhanna knew that it was either she destroyed Boris or he destroyed her first. She realized from her previous life that there are people who don't deserve her kindness and empathy. She wouldn't be that vulnerable and stupid Zhanna anymore.
She'd crush Boris' dreams, find a way to free her father, and live the rest of her life in peace. Period.
Vika just wanted to escape the wicked Queen Darya's rule and explore what life had in store for her outside the walls of Koldunova. She was both excited and scared; excited to see what life out there would be like, and scared of her punishment if caught escaping the castle.
"Vika," a voice suddenly said, it was the Chief Maid. "Where are you going to, and who is this?"
Zhanna was dressed in a maid's uniform and had a wig and makeup on. She was unrecognizable to the Chief Maid.
Zhanna looked at Vika. Hope she remembers what I told her...
Meanwhile, Vika replayed the scene in her head.
(The Scene)
"So here's the plan..." Zhanna had said, showing Vika her plan that had been drafted on a paper.
"We leave towards the gate at exactly 12:00 p.m. I'll be disguised as your cousin who just began work here in the castle, and you'll be... you. If anyone asks, we are going to get beauty supplies for the princess... me."
---
"This is my cousin. We're going on an errand for the princess. She sent us to get beauty supplies," Vika said, looking confident on the outside but sweating heavily on the inside.
"I assume she just started work here. Tell me, what's her name and who recommended her to start service here?" the Chief Maid continued. She was starting to get suspicious of Vika.
"H-Her name?" Vika started, a hint of panic in her voice. Zhanna couldn't say anything otherwise the Chief Maid would recognize her voice.
"Her name is Anna... Annalise," Vika finally said.
The Chief Maid was about to say something when someone came running toward her, a maid, probably.
"Pardon my intrusion, but ma'am, the Queen sends for you," the maid said. The Chief Maid followed the maid away instantly. Who didn't fear the Queen in this palace?
Zhanna and Vika could finally breathe.
"That was close. But it's not over yet. Hurry up and let's leave before the remaining guards arrive," Zhanna instructed. Vika nodded in response and started walking faster.
---
At the gate, the guard kept asking annoying questions, completely wasting their time.
As Vika answered the questions, Zhanna kept checking back to see if the other guards were coming. And then, she saw them... coming.
"If you're leaving the palace on duty, I need to see your pass. You do have one, don't you?" the guard continued asking Vika.
Zhanna got annoyed. The guards were coming back, she had to do something, and fast.
"When I hit, you run. Got it?" Zhanna said to Vika.
Vika didn't understand what Zhanna meant, until Zhanna punched the guard and continued to beat him up.
Vika obeyed Zhanna's orders and began running.
The other guards started running toward Zhanna upon seeing the commotion. It was then Zhanna realized... she had to run too.