He was in his study room when a thought of Audrey popped into his head, he clearly remembers what he did to her or how horrible he was with her last night. He kept denying her on her face and say that she is nothing but a sister to him but then at the same time he can't ignore his body. There was a certain pull when it comes to her, he just finds himself going to her as if there was something bounding him to her. Even if he kept on denying her, his heart can't! The feelings were so strong that they confuses him. He loves Acine, he has been specifically in love with her this whole time and now there are new feelings developing inside his heart for Audrey.
Her crying face was still vivid in his head, he of all people made his favorite cousin cry! After kissing her, I kissed her? He couldn't believe himself anymore. "Did I hurt her that much?" He mumbled to himself with knitted eyebrows, guilty. He wanted to go to her right now and patch things up with her, she was still important to him no matter what.
*****
The two has finally got out of the castle and were currently in the forest, the downtown villages and the castle was separated by the Moon forest in which they were now trying their best to pass. Such a big forest with long trees, one had to tilt their neck all the way back to see how long the trees were. Annie could feel her nape aching as she stared up. The fallen dried leaves, the crackling sound of it from the blowing breeze was creating a certain eerie environment. Annie was walking closer to Audrey, she was having this feeling that something would eventually happen, she was anxious recalling their encounter with the beasts. "Finally!" Said Audrey, snapping the scared lady to reality, they were finally there, they could see the houses from afar. Annie let out a breath "Whew! Thank you heaven" she prayed silently, glad that they had passed the forest safe and sound, at least they would be around the crowds. It was a bit safer here than back to the forest where they were alone, now she only prayed that their identities wouldn't be exposed.
Unlike her worried self Audrey was all witted, she was excited like never, you could see how her face was beaming, she ran ahead like a little girl leaving her behind. "Hey! You can't just ran off like that!" She yelled and slapped her own mouth later for not using honorific and just addressed her casually. Well she doesn't use her royal tittle to address her while they were outside the castle but she at least used to call her 'my lady'. It wouldn't have been a big problem if they were back in Dillonia but not here, just not when her mother Zara has given her an earful to not address Audrey casually. But she can't blame her behavior, she was used to her this way. "My lady slow down!" She ran after her.
Audrey spread her arms wide like a butterfly and closed her eyes, she smelled in and then a smile curved under her mask. "Mmm, it feels nice to be out here, so refreshing" she really felt good to be here more than staying in that dark castle with dark souls everywhere. Annie tsked "Tsk tsk tsk, yeah yeah and I sniff trouble everywhere" she just can't stop the restlessness of her heart. Audrey moved feeding her eyes with her surroundings, the houses, shops and the hectic people who were moving from here to there like flies. "You should stop worrying too much, I'm here" she left her behind again, Annie had to jog to reach her and walk besides her. "And that is exactly why I feel trouble larking near us, you being here" Audrey didn't miss the change of her tone, just like her mother, worried about everything.
"Look, you can still go back, Annie" she understands that she was concerned about her, it is normal but then the whispers aren't. They kept annoying her in her sleep and now even when she was awake and she knows better than anybody else that they wouldn't stop, Just not until she sort it out. She have to sort it out for her peace, there was Acine and that stupid King to worry about and she won't let another thing add up to her list, enough was enough or else her mind would burst. "Unbelievable! Who do you think I have there except you?" Her eyebrows knitted, feeling very awkward when the people was staring at them, she must've spoken out loud or then their outfits, she thought to herself. "Exactly, now just trust me in this one too, we'll be fine I promise" she said facing her. "I trust you Rey" she was, genuinely.
Audrey knows that she was honest with her reply because she addressed her in a friendly way. "I'm afraid you should stop using my name or any title for our safety" her eyes caught on something, she quickly went ahead there leaving her behind again! "Oh God, that girl! I know that better and I also can tell that there is no safety wherever you go" she mumbled going after her, she was determined to stick to her this time, she might lose her in this manner. Audrey picked up a bracelet made of silver of course, gold just never meets her taste, every adornment that she has were of silver, everything specifically she doesn't even use jades or pearls. The bracelet had a moon shaped little bells hanging, she found herself charmed by it and was grateful that she took some coins with her. "It is one of my own handcrafts, my lady, '' said the shopkeeper. Annie rolled her eyes, sure sure, he was just trying to make her buy it! Every shopkeeper does that. "Well, it's beautiful, '' uttered Audrey, handing it to him so he could tie it on her wrist. "Thank you, my lady, '' he tied her and fitted it as if it was waiting for her at the shop.
"How much?" She questioned, bringing her hand up to look at how wonderful l it looked on her milk skin. "Since you are my first customer, I'm going to discount it from five coins to three" explained the shopkeeper, his curious eyes were trying to dig behind her mask to see who she was. Audrey smiled under mask, so there was still good people out here, she thought taking out the coins from her pocket. Annie felt guilty "Good heaven, I should stop judging people from their looks" she murmured, feeling guilty to compare the poor man to the rest of the greedy shopkeepers. But she couldn't help her behavior, she was the personal assistance of the Queen so she was bound to be judgemental. Audrey handed the payment "Thank you. Um…may I ask you something?" Now Annie's ears stood up wanting to hear what she was up to next. "Yes, please go ahead my lady" he replied quickly, his mind told him that the lady was not a normal person, there was just something about her that he found himself so pleased with.
"Um…where is the direction to the dark forest?" She hopefully asked. The shopkeeper stiffened a bit and his expression changed at the mentioning of that place. Annie's eyes squeezed, she knew there was trouble. The man was quite for a short while before he spoke "Well, it is just a few meters away from the magistrate office but…." She saw the man shooking his head with worry "I would advise you not to go there my lady, it's too risky" his words made Annie even more worried than she already was 'I knew it! Ugh my lady!' She screamed within her, her instincts were right after all. Audrey was uo to no good, just what the hell was she going to do there? Curiosity and worry eated her up. "Mmm okay, thank you sir" said Audrey and then started to walk away from the shop "Let's go" she held Annie's hand walking with her. "Excuse me, where to? You absolutely heard what the man said and still?" She was starting to get pissed off by this whole idea of stepping out of the castle.
"Oh honey, you know me better. I'm everything but a cowardice" she retorted, heading exactly where she was told not to. Annie felt her head spinning, she felt like screaming and dragging her back to the castle. "Yeah, you are way too stubborn to persue so how about we just go and fucking die together!" Her voice contained so much anger but Audrey laughed instead. "Finally! My Annie is back! Darling you know how much i love this side of you" she mocked her but it was the truth, this type of Annie was the best to her. Annie rolled her mouth not adding any more words, it would only hurt her jaws and brain to argue with Audrey. It's not like she wasn't concerned about the so-called dark forest, she expected this much from the stupid whispers in her head. And still her inner self said she could manage, her fighting skills weren't there for nothing after all.
They walked past the magistrate office, there was a crowd and a woman crying, "Oh my baby, My Ree!" She fell down unconscious, probably from crying so much and thank god a man was there to catch her just in time before her body could hit the ground. "Audrey pitied the woman wondering what happened to her, but she passed heading to the unknown. The people around stared at them, curious where the two young ladies were going, are they guests this town or then just insane?. "People must be thinking were crazy" said Annie from her little observation. "I don't mind, when did we ever stopped being crazy, Annie" Annie sighed, bracing herself as the woods came into their view. "Here comes trouble" she uttered to have Audrey chuckle, finding her so amusing, She was scared but was till not turning back.
Even in this dire situation they were getting to, her Queen was still laughing and chuckling from now and then. People of Ximpton, this is how much your Queen is, she shook her head. The two walked in the forest and it was indeed dark, it was surprising that it was still morning from where they came from but the forest looked like it was late evening. The atmosphere was just so different there, the trees were too long than they should be, they locked themselves at the ends so that no light could penetrate inside, the way the trees were shaped was creepy. "For heaven sake Rey! Where are we going?" She whispered, scared. She feared that her voice would trigger something from the creepy surroundings.
"Shh….I'm sure it's gonna be fun" she whispered back, Annie was tired of answering. Fun? What fun because she sees none! There was something about the forest that compels you to walk in silence and hear its own eerie sounds instead. Annie gripped on her sword which was held by the belt around her waist, she was in ready steady mode to attack whatever comes her way while Audrey walked normally but carefully. The two were fully armed when they stepped out of the castle but still Annie thought no weapon was enough to use inside this scary forest, they disappeared deeper into the forest.