"*gasps*" Zhanna jolted from her sleep and sat upright instantly. "I'm still alive? I'm still alive!" Zhanna said as she pinched herself.
"But how?" She asked herself. The events that happened this morning felt too real to be a dream, but if it was a dream it was warning her that Boris would do something dreadful to her in the future. She had to confront him about his attitude at the ballroom.
"Annette" Zhanna called as she stood up from the bed. She didn't know why she called for Annette but she probably needed a confirmation that everything was alright, since she woke up the air felt different, the bed was softer and also she hasn't heard a single noise in the castle probably because it was early in the morning but even at that, the castle is usually bubbly at that time.
"Annette" Zhanna called for the second time. It was quite strange that Annette had not answered her name so Zhanna got up to check on Annette, she hoped Tatianka's maids weren't bullying the girl. It was as Zhanna stood that she noticed the room was very familiar, so familiar 'cause it looked a lot like her old room back in her hometown (Koldunova). She began to walk to the door when she passed a mirror and screamed in shock. She stood at the mirror and examined herself, she looked younger, her hair that she had cut to please Boris had grown back overnight. It was at this moment the door opened. Zhanna guessed it was Annette and said "Annette where have you been" but the voice responded instead "If the princess permits me to talk".
Zhanna turned sharply to face the owner of the voice. The voice reminded her of Vika who was brutally murdered by Tatianka for allegedly stealing her purse. Zhanna gasped as she turned "Vika!" She screamed and ran to hug her. Vika just woke up that morning so when Zhanna hugged her, she and Zhanna fell to the ground and Zhanna started laughing. Vika got worried about Zhanna who had just started to behave weirdly, first it was waking up early, then a scream and now she's acting as if this was the first time she had seen her in months.
"Vika! How did you survive?" Zhanna asked. "Please permit me to leave i will be right back" Vika stood up, bowed and left the room. Zhanna kept smiling to herself, if this was Boris' way of saying he was sorry she forgives him instantly, on second thought she won't 'cause what he did at the ballroom was not something that the kingdom would easily forget. Zhanna got up and walked to a chair next to the mirror, it was then she remembered that her hair had mysteriously grown and the room she was staying looked like her room in her hometown. It even had the exact faded paint and creaking bed. Zhanna eyes brightened when she noticed a door that looked like the one she had in her hometown room where she hid her training armour while secretly learning martial arts. Zhanna walked to the door "What in the name of...." She stared in shock. The training suits and armour was there. "What is going on here?" Zhanna said. It was at that moment the door was opened and three individuals walked in, Vika, her stepmother and a doctor?
Totally ignoring her stepmother, Zhanna turned to Vika and asked "Vika what day is this?". Vika was about to respond when her stepmother butted in.
"She seems pretty fine to me dumb maid...but, the physician would still take a look at her. I don't want her behaving absurd when her wedding is in two days" Her stepmother left after saying that. Zhanna analyzed her situation in her head. First she woke up in a room similar to her room in koldunova, next she saw her secret door that only her knew about and it had her secret stuffs inside and now she was to be married in two days!
"Aaaah!" Zhanna screamed suddenly, scaring both Vika and the physician. "Vika what day is this and who am I getting married to?"
"Today is 3rd October 1826 and you are getting married to Prince Boris of Volkorod. He was chosen by you my princess" Vika bowed and said. Zhanna pinched herself as Vika said that so as to confirm that she was not dreaming. She was getting married to Boris! and She's in 1826!
"Physician you can leave us" Zhanna said. The physician wanted to remind her that it was the queen's instructions but the glare from Zhanna shut him up.
********
"Vika I have something to tell you. I think I transmigrated" Zhanna said.
"Pfft hahahaha" Vika laughed hard. The seriousness in Zhanna's voice was golden. Vika remembered herself when she saw the look on Zhanna's face, she paused. Zhanna had a blank stare with a hint of a smile, it was her first time seeing Vika feeling so free around her and she loved it.
Vika cleared her throat "I'm very sorry about that my princess". Vika prayed in her heart that Zhanna accepted her apology and won't report her to the queen. She had seen how other royals treated her mother or other maids who overstepped their boundaries, Zhanna may seem nice but she doesn't know her real thoughts...like her mother always said 'Trust no one'.
Zhanna explained her story. How she was married to Boris and what it was like. Of course Vika didn't believe her but who was she to disagree with a royal.
"If there's anything I regret, it's marrying Boris. My marriage is in two days. That gives us enough time"
"Permit me to ask your highness (Zhanna's gives a nod) Two days gives us enough time for what exactly?"
"It gives us enough time to run Vika. We need to run away"
"..." Vika stared blankly at Zhanna. 'This is becoming serious' Vika wondered. The look on Vika's face was bold enough to tell Zhanna that Vika didn't believe. Zhanna briefly described Boris "He's average in height about 5'9, has jet black hair and gives off these dangerous vibes". Vika slowly believed Zhanna because Zhanna had not seen him in person before and for Zhanna to get the exact description correct....it means Zhanna was not lying.
VIka analyzed the situation in her head. If Zhanna ran away from the palace she and Zhanna's bodyguard would be killed, besides, she always wanted to leave the castle and there was nothing to loose.
"Very well my princess, tell me what to do" Vika said.