An Unexpected Passenger

Ariel hated having to sit in the carriage for so long, but she did love to look around at the scenery. Still, as the mountains gave way to more and more trees, it started to get a little boring. For a little bundle of energy, it was torture. Her sister read books and told stories, and the little girl slept off and on, but she was more than happy when they stopped for the knight. She was also hungry.

She'd hopped out of the carriage as soon as she could, but her father and sisters kept her close while they arranged their things for the night. Still, as soon as she was able to get away, she ran straight to the kitchen area in search of food. The little blonde poked around, trying not to get underfoot or anger anyone while still attempting to beg a few treats from them.

Ariel really didn't know a lot of the cooks with them, since so many of the servants were from Bordelaix, but she was at least familiar with most of them by this point on the journey. She typically knew which ones would give her goodies and which ones would tattle on her and send her away. It only took her a few minutes until she had a half eaten pastry in her hand. She was so focused on it that she bumped into one of the servant girls. Stopping abruptly, she looked up to utter an apology before seeing the woman's face. She lit up, her eyes wide with recognition. "Lady Elsa?" The little girl remembered her from their visit to Vanderhall, though the pair hadn't spent a lot of time together. She was obviously surprised to see her with them.

@elsaromanov

Ariel, nodded, understanding a little bit. She probably really shouldn't be in the kitchen. But she was hungry and bored and she had too much energy. She'd wanted a snack and to stretch her legs and get away from her family for a few minutes. Still, she took the other woman's advice and ran off, nodding and waving as she went, stuffing the rest of her treat in her mouth.

However, as the little girl was skipping through the open area they would stay in that night, she happened to run into a particular knight. She greeted him enthusiastically, as usual, and chatted a few minutes. The knight nodded and played along, but he wasn't very talkative. "It was a really long ride, and I was really bored and now I just want to run around and I wanted a snack, so I went to the kitchen and the cook gave me a treat and then I saw Lady Elsa, but she said my daddy would worry about me, so I should go find my daddy. Bye Sir Pierre!" And off the little pixie went. Maybe later she would try to find Lady Elsa again, but for now she would have to find her family and get some dinner.

@pierredeveraux

Elsa was more then a little relieved when little Lady Ariel ran off back to her family. She was not sure the small, sunny girl would keep her mouth shut on seeing Elsa, making her stomach pitch down to her ankles, but she had to hope. Probably some-one would just tell her she had made a mistake and laugh it off, saying the servant girl just looked like Elsa. No-one could have seen her hide away, or so she thought. Bending her head over the work, she kept her mouth shut and did what she was told. Once the little girl was off to bed, she would have to see about finding a new place to conceal herself.

Her hopes were smashed a few minutes later when she heard the low voice of a man, whose words came just into her ear. Elsa felt herself growing tense, turning slowly to to look up into the face not only of a knight but a Deveraux prince as well. Not only did her stomach fall, so did her heart and her eyes as she quickly remembered herself and curtseyed. "Your Highness, I... " Elsa honestly didn't know what to say so she sighed and decided to say nothing for a minute. Then her fingers smoothed her plain skirts as she tried to smile. "I don't know, it suited me for a few days." Hopeful eyes looked up at him. Was he going to betray her ?


@pierredeveraux

The Prince was lucky. He had a family in the true sense of the word, a place where people looked on him with admiration, respect and probably with more then a little affection. He wouldn't have to run away to break free, and he wasn't the kind who looked on home as a pretty, luxurious prison. True, Elsa had been some-what selfish, not thinking of how this would affect the Crown Princess or the Deveraux family, but really, Marcus was playing a dangerous game of chicken that was likely to get the Romanovs in more trouble then the other way around.

Trying not to squirm, Elsa didn't say anything while she felt him look her over. Hoping that he wasn't going to grab her by the arm and drag her over to where her uncle was, or worse, in front of Princess Nicolette, she was surprised when he invited her first to call him something much less formal. A Prince who preferred to be a knight? Looking up, she could see that he meant every word of it, and she nodded, but the real surprise came with the chance to explain herself first. Relieved was not the word for it, and she nodded. "Yes, that would be best, I think."

Glancing around, she spotted a some-what private place by some of the wagons. Trusting that he'd follow her, she led him over to their shadows, the better to obscure their talk. A servant girl talking to a prince would be noticed and be whispered about, she knew that very well. Elsa took a minute to calm herself down before she began slowly, "You know who my oldest brother is. I don't know if you're aware that Princess Nicolette asked to have me become one of her ladies, and Marcus said no for two reasons. One is to anger the Princess, but the other is to punish me. He hates me, and wants to see me suffer because I was our father's favorite. Or so he thinks. While you were all in Vanderhall, we played the happy family, but that is not the truth."

She looked down, then made herself look back up at Pierre. "You can verify much of this with my Uncle Alexander, but there is nothing of a family left in Vanderhall. Marcus rules and doesn't care what any one thinks. Alex is lucky, he got to leave, but Marcus has no intention of letting me go. I was miserable there, I hated it, and since Marcus threatened both my uncle and Lady Annemarie if they helped me to go, I took it on myself to slip away." It wasn't the best explanation, but it was the truth without trying to make Marcus out to be a complete villain.


@pierredeveraux

The way he stood only aggravated her and put her back up. Marcus always stood that way when he was talking to her, and almost always, he was about to scold, lecture or patronize her. Elsa was sick of it. Pierre Deveraux might be a knight, might be a prince, but he was not her brother, not her father, not her lord, and she was not going to be cowed by the likes of him. Not this time. Her spine went stiff and her chin went right up as she looked at him defiantly. He didn’t like how she spoke, that was too bad. It was easy to judge when you didn’t live there every day and see beneath the surface.

Her mouth tightened on a stream of words that she didn’t think should pour free, not yet, but Elsa’s eyes were almost daring him to out her to her uncle, who was part of this train and free of Marcus’s influence. When he asked his question, she definitely had an answer for him. “Marcus is not my lord. Since you’re the only one who knows I’m here, then let’s keep it that way. You stay quiet, I’ll keep earning my way and no-one is any worse for it.” She almost laughed in his face. “When I was discovered? Don’t you mean if I was discovered? If it wasn’t for that little pixie, you’d never have known I was here, Your Highness, because like every other noble, you don’t see servants. I didn’t need a plan, because no-one looked at me to see me. But since that’s off the table?”

Elsa shrugged, looking away and over the camp. He could try to confine her, but she’d find a way free. He could tell the Crown Princess she was here, and probably get her in a lot of trouble, but right now, she almost wanted all that trouble. Or he had a third option, one she spoke about - he didn’t have to say any-thing to any-one and just leave her alone. “That’s what I think we should do. You go about your business, and leave me to mine. I don’t need any-one’s help, I’ll be just fine on my own. I was managing just fine before today, and I’ll manage just fine tomorrow.” She smiled but like usual lately with Elsa, there wasn’t any humor behind it. If he even noticed, which most didn’t when it came to the youngest Romanov.


@pierredeveraux, Alexander Romanov

"My lady, I am not your enemy, or at least I hope not to be. I took an oath as a knight to fight for the welfare of all and eschew unfairness, meanness, and deceit, among other things. I would like to help you, if I can, and if you will allow me."

Elsa reminded herself the man was just trying to be knightly and look after her as his oaths dictated. He was fulfilling his duty. She wasn't helping by treating him like he was the one she was trying to get away from. She would probably get much further if she was nicer, a little sweeter and maybe added in a few tears to help her along. The Prince was probably more used to females who collapsed in weeping heaps, poor fellow. Making herself take a breath, she nodded. "Forgive me, Sir Pierre. I don't mean to be disrespectful. How do you believe you could help me, please?"

He was trying, the least she could do was try along-side him. She added a shaky, awkward smile as she looked up at him, then around to make sure no-one was watching them or trying to get close to hear their talk. So long as her Uncle stayed away, Elsa thought maybe she could throw herself on the knight's mercy and hope for the best. It was a chance she was going to have to take if she was going to make good on her escape and have some protection from Marcus and her other family members.

Listening, Elsa felt her heart sink straight to her feet. He was going to tell the Crown Princess, and she had more then a feeling that Nicolette was going to send her straight back to Marcus. Looking down, she did not say a single word, trying not to run away but he made some good points. Maybe there was a way to work this so that she could have the Princess's protection. For now, she looked up into his face, searching his eyes to see if this was a trick... and she saw only truth and sincerity in the blue eyes. That was.. not what she expected.

Taking a minute to think, she nodded slowly. "You are probably very useful to any lady, Sir Pierre. I'm not so stubborn that I can't take help when it's offered." Elsa wasn't that stupid either. Pierre was a man of influence and rank. People listened to those who carried the Deveraux name. "I would say... things between Princess Nicolette and my brother are strained enough without adding fuel to the fire. I don't want to be a pawn, or to become a rope between them." Her eyes were the ones open and truthful now. "If she does not know I am here, then she can protest her innocence to Marcus, because he won't hesitate to accuse her of kid-napping."



@pierredeveraux

Alexander could only scarcely imagine the consequences of his actions. Normally, the scholar was far more cautious than this. Under normal circumstances, he would have in no way condoned what he had done for Elsa, but desperate times called for desperate measures. The Deverauxs had no idea was truly going on within Court of Owls and the man at the head of it. Alexander was becoming increasingly convinced that Marcus was turning into a monster… or was already one. Thus was the reason he felt justified in helping Elsa flee the area.

Disguising her as a servant had been clever enough, since Elsa was quite adept at hiding herself when it was necessary. Yet, many of the nobles had seen her face during the visit and it would only be a matter of time before someone spotted her. Some courtiers and knights had amazing hawkish eyes. Drawing in a breath to calm himself, he ventured toward the end of the camp in which he would find Elsa. However, as he drew closer, his heart sank upon hearing two familiar voices and a very urgent conversation.

Damn. Just damn.

Alexander listened carefully to Pierre’s reasoning before he slipped in to join the conversation. “And I also suppose that very code will prevent you from keeping this to yourself, even if we were to ask for it.” The scholar’s voice sounded resigned, a tired sigh escaping him. “But… I suppose he is right. It was only a matter of time. We’ll need to present our case.” The dark gaze shifted toward Elsa.

@elsaromanov, @pierredeveraux