Dedicated to FrancescaArtis, thanks for the follow😊

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"You dragged me to a bell tower?"

The prince shrugs. "It's almost nine. You'll hear the tunes."

From where we're sat, I can see the palace grounds, the stables, the gardens and the Gates.

Secretly, I've always listened to the bell ring each night, but hearing it up so close will be an experience to never forget.

But, the prince doesn't have to know he's fulfilling a secret longing of mine.

"Do you come here often?" I ask, shifting my focus to the boy.

"Yeah. but it's always lonely, so I haven't come here for weeks."

"What made you come back then?"

He gazes down at the ground many feet below us. "Well, you seem to love a good adventure, so I decided to bring you here."

Something warm crosses my heart but I chase the feeling away.

"How many other girls have you said that to?" I ask, immediately regretting why I asked that.

"It's just you-"

I almost scream when the metallic tunes echo into the air.

Prince Finnegan chuckles and holds my arm so I don't fall from the shock. Hearing the bell up so close is electrifying, each tune beats against my ear drums.

"Scared?" I manage to hear his voice above the peals.

"Just startled."

He smirks, disbelieving me. "You can admit your fears, Alanna. Nobody's here to judge you."

"Are you saying you're a nobody, Your Highness?"

He sighs. "You know what? Just shut up."

Chuckling, I listen to the peals until they fade into nothing.

"I've heard a lot of stories about you, Alanna." The prince exposes.

But why is he telling me?

"You better believe them." I mumble.

"Tell you what? Want to sneak out with me next week?"

My gaze flies to him. "It's a trap right? So you can have an excuse to send me home."

The prince exhales, running a hand though his hair. "I'm offended you think so low of me."

"I barely know you, Your Highness."

A brief moment of silence settles over us until the prince abruptly rises and takes off his jacket, leaving a plain white button-down shirt. His action surprises me.

"What are you doing?"

He laughs. "Not what you're thinking, Alanna. Come on."

And he disappears down the stairs leading to the base. I follow helplessly wondering what I had gotten myself into.

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I curse at my gown for getting in the way multiple times but the prince is only amused by my plight while sneaking me off to-

"The stables?" I ask, skidding to a halt and almost colliding with the prince as he abruptly stops running.

He places a hand over his lips, gesturing at the guards stationed at the front.

It makes sense why they're guarding the stables. I've heard of a couple of horse accidents and even if I'm not sure if the kingdom has enemies anything could happen.

"We'll sneak in through the back."

Without my consent, he takes my hand and this time, I react by kicking him in the knee.

His grunt drags attention to us.

Oh, shit.

I pull him behind a tree to prevent the guards from spotting us.

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you so jumpy?" He asks, rubbing his knees.

It's a long story. An unpleasant one.

"Nothing. Just give me a warning next time." I take off into the darkness, not turning back for one to look at the prince.

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Saturday: games and competitions

Madam Alicia punishes me for sneaking out by sentencing me to the palace kitchen to wash the plates and pots.

Well, it was better than spending my day with gossiping brats.

Hushed discussions enter my ears but I try to focus on my job, ignoring the eyes of the kitchen workers.

"Want some?" A plate of cinnamon rolls is shoved at my face.

I glance at the young girl, remembering her from the last time I came here.

"Oh, thanks."I say, drying my hands on the napkin hanging above the sink before devouring the rolls.

"My name is Ruth." She says, watching me closely.

"Ruth? That's a nice name." I say, genuinely thankful for the food. I've been working since morning and it's noon.

She smiles, bright smile that complements her startling red hair.

"You have a lovely hair."

She shrugs. "You think? I took after my mother's hair. Too bad she left me to die when I was a baby."

Some mothers do not deserve to be mothers.

"Why?"

While really, there was absolutely no reason to leave your child to die, I just needed to know.

"Because of my eyes."

I hadn't noticed before but up close, I see the swirl of colours in her eyes, like the rainbow.

My jaws hang open. Ruth rolls her eyes. "Yeah. I know. I'm a freak."

"You're unique." I word, still awestruck by the beauty in her eyes.

"Tell that to the villagers that tried to stone me."

They did what now?

"They are stupid."

Which is the truth. People that judge others based on their looks are stupid. And to try to kill her because she had special eyes, that is quite extreme.

Our discussion is interrupted by the Master Chef who sends me out to fetch more vegetables from the palace farm.

Isaiah of course is outside to escort me. "Having a good time?" There's a ghost of a smile on his lips that makes me scoff.

"Yes, thank you."

He brushes off my acidic tone with so much ease. "Where do you need to go?"

"The palace farms-" He chuckles not so discretely. "-what's so funny?" I growl, longing to chuck the basket I'm holding at his head.

Smiling at some inside joke, he wordlessly tilts to a left corridor that leads aheads into an open space of land conveniently covered with choice plants.

The farm.

Quite a number of persons are scattered all around the large farm, either weeding or tending to the plants.

Isaiah leaves me to talk with some girl. Her eyes strays to me and the basket. Gleeful, she skips over, grabs my basket and fills it with the things I needed.

"That good?" Isaiah gestured downwards, leading me away from the numerous eyes trailing us.

"Yes."

"I noticed you were absent from breakfast. Tell me about what happened."

Slipping him an ugly eye, I narrate my plight.

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I was only allowed to leave the kitchen after sunset, way past dinner.

My bones creaked and cracked like the metal yard doors back home after a heavy downpour.

Cursing, I managed to finish my dinner alone in the dining hall. Every inch of my body hurt.

"You look well."

That voice unmistakably familar. Calm and collected, flowing in smooth lines like a brook.

"Buzz off." I growl, setting down my fork.

He pulls out the nearest chair to me and relaxes in it. He smells clean like grapes and apples, and although his eyes have small, dark crescents under them, they still bear that mischief.

"You ran off last night."

"Yes."

"Why?"

I stare at the fork, hoping I don't get charged with murder soon.

"You're not talking." He speaks again, provoking me into walking out of the dining room.

But like I predicted, he followed me, choosing to ignore the girls who were still lingering in the area.

"Leave me alone." I say firmly, brushing off his hand that curled around my wrist.

"What do I need to apologise for?"

Somehow, I hate the way he's following me like a rejected lover. With his constant trailing, I won't be able to see Judith like I promised Symphony today.

The poor girl.

Despite their little arguments some times, I realised Judith meant so much to Symphony. I doubt she has had a proper meal in days.

If only the Prince would stop bothering me.

"Alanna."

The sound of a harmonica in motion bounced in and out of my ears in a pleasurable queue.

Disregarding the Prince, I pick a door and push it open with a bang, startling the fair-haired girl behind the instrument.

Her hands fall and through narrowed eyes, she glares at me and then at the Prince.

"You."

Well, shit.

⇨⇨⇨

what could Alanna have gotten herself into this time? any guesses?

black or white?