Chapter 27: We Almost Made It

Adeline Mills

Less than two days is what I had left. Less than 48 hours did I have left of freedom.

He was going to arrive soon.

We, as in Troy, Al, Jack, and myself, managed to get past all the other guards and I led the way through the secret passages (which weren't such secrets anymore) that lead all underneath Camelot's castle. I hoped to god the guards wouldn't rat out my secret passages.

"Through the passaaaggge, as we go on with life, through the castttllllleee, we are risking our lives!" The twin sang and I rolled my eyes.

"We won't get caught if you sealed your lips shut!" I snapped. Al laughed and Troy wiggled his eyebrows.

"You could always help seal them..." He said in a singy voice. Both Jack and Al laughed. I was about to scold at them when I stopped walking and my eyes widened.

"Addy, why did you-"

"Shh! Quiet." I whispered soflty. They instantly stopped. I heard what I needed to hear. Various clanks and yells screamed through the floor above us. I recongized the noise.

"We're under the castles' kitchen." I whispered. I looked above my head and pointed towards the trap door that blended in with the rest of the wooden floor.

"There's a trap door in the hall where the royal paintings are. It's not far, keep up." I hissed and they all nodded as they began to follow me again.

Suddenly, the wooden old planks of floor, became hard stone tiles. The floor transformed into the familiar white stone tiles I used to fall on as a child.

"Here we are." I whispered as I found the outlining of the trap door. I slowly lifted it up and looked around for people. Nobody was there, so I fully pushed it open.

"Crap, I can't pull myself out." I groaned. I heard three pairs of laughs behind me and I scowled. I squealed as I feel a pair of strong arms around my waist. They hoisted me up and I landed on the tiles. I looked down to see Troy smirking up at me. I rolled my eyes and stuck out my hand to help him up.

"Close the trap door." I commanded when we were all out of the secret tunnels. I examined my surroundings and nodded when I saw no one around.

"We're not far from my room. We just need to stay hidden." I whispered. They all nodded and we began to lurk around the empty halls of the castle.

~

"I will never understand royals..." Jack Hill said as soon as we entered my room. He looked around, scrunching his face as he examined all the expensive stuff lying around.

"Why would you even need a diamond encrested bottle opener?" He asked as he examined the opener that was on my vanity.

"It was a gift from Jack, the King of Arendelle." I informed and yanked it out of his hands and placed it back where it was.

"Wicked..." Troy said with an awe as he saw the multiple weapons I had arranged on the wall.

I heard a sudden crash. I snapped my head towards Al who had a guilty expression on his face. He had dropped a glass perfume bottle.

"Al, that stuff was expensive!" I snapped and waved my hand. Nothing happened and I remembered my magic was gone. I groaned. I couldn't fix my broken perfume with my magic. I had none left.

"Just leave it alone." I said as Al began to try and clean it up. I shooed him away, insisting he didn't have to get me a new one.

"Shut up! Shut up! Listen..." I suddenly scolded as I heard multiple yells in the castle.

"Prisoners in the castle! Prisoners have escaped the dungeon! Traitors are among us! Inform the Queen! Find them!" I turned to Jack and my eyes widened.

"We need to get out of here!" I whispered as grabbed a couple of weapons.

"What about your mother?" Jack questioned in a panicked voice as I grabbed two swords from the wall of weapons and threw one at Jack.

"Did you not hear what they just said?! They know we're gone, they believe Troy and Al are traitors for just helping out! If they find us, we won't just go back to the dungeon, we will be hanged." I said harshly as I also grabbed a bow I had never used and a bag filled with sharp arrows. Troy and Al looked sick to their stomachs and I gave them an apologic look.

"I won't let any of them hurt you. you all helped me, a princess and a royal. If they do hurt you, they will be treasoning the princess and betraying her wishes. That is an instant call for death." I said and for once, I thanked the governess that had yanked her hairs out for me to learn all about the tricks, rules, requirements of a royal that I would need when I took over the crown in place of my mother.

"What if they kill you instead?"

"It's also considered treason for killing the princess." I said plainly as I filled a bag with multiple knives. I grabbed a jug of water and threw it in also. I also grabbed a change of clothes. I shoved it into Jack's arms. I tied the sword to my waist and threw the bag of arrows onto my back and grabbed the bow, holding it tight, ready to strike. I looked towards the twins who were preparing themselves for attack as well.

"Come on, let's get out of here. This whole trip was pointless." I said with no emotion. We peeked out the door and once we sae that the coast was clear, we rushed towards the trap door that we had come out of in the first place. As I glanced around the corner, I gasped softly when I saw multiple guards standing around the open trap door. I frowned and turned to the idiot boys that were peeking over my shoulder.

"I thought I told you to close the fucking trap door?!" I spit out and they all looked to the ground. I don't use bad language unless I was absolutely furious. In this case, I was.

"We're sorry-"

"Bloody hell, how are we going to get out of here alive now?!" I snap in a hushed voice.

"We could go-"

"This entire castle is crawling with guards and servants, how are we going to get out without being caught!?" I growled back. None of us have time to react, none of us even thought of the loudness of our voices, none of us even noticed the guards creeping up on us.

"Halt! In the name of the crown!" I gasped as a strong arm gripped onto my skinny one. I turned to elbow the bastard in his face. Blood starts to pour out of his nose and he immediately let his grip go.

"No! You halt! That's a command from the princess of Oz, the only breathing niece of her majesty, the queen, and the only blood offspring King Robin Hood has to bloody offer!" I said in a firm command statement. My green eyes filled with fury as the captain of the guards watched me.

"Arrest her! Hang them! Take the traitors as well!" He said as he eyes Troy and Al, who were staring at the floor instead of making eye contact.

"Bloody hell, over my dead body." I growled and kicked the guard who was about to grab hold of me.

"RUN!" I screamed. The four of us took off down the opposite direction in the halls. I ripped out my sword, preparing for someone to strike. We passed multiple guards in a rush and various clanks of metal are heard as we fought the guards. It was four against eight, the numbers weren't good. I actually was succeeding in sword fighting, and I mentally thanked Felix for at least teaching me something useful while I was on Neverland.

The guard I fought managed to kick the sword out of my hand. I frowned and wisped an arrow out of the bag and fixed it on my bow. I aimed at the guard's leg and let the arrow go. I wasn't completely cruel, I wasn't going to kill them. I couldn't say the same for Jack though. The twins managed to only hurt them as we finally fought off enough guards for us to run again.

"There's the door!" I yeed as we ran towards it, the door being wide open. I began to smile victoriously, for I was sure we were going to make it. But the door slammed closed, and it was locked instantly. I gasped and pulled on it harshly but it didn't budge.

"So close." I groaned and let go of the knob.

I suddenly gasped as a powerful force began to cut off my breathing. Someone was choking me with magic and I felt myself being lifted into the air, my feet off the ground. I looked out of the corner of my eye and saw Troy, Al, and Jack being tied up with magical vines.

"What do we have here? Some pathetic peasants that have lost their way and two traitors of the kingdom? My, my, today is a busy day." I'd recognize that voice anywhere.

Regina Mills.

✴