Chasing the Night

I followed Oliver down to the great hall for breakfast. I endured the stares and veiled whispers as I sat in between Oliver and my mother. After eating I furtively made my way back upstairs. I stopped at the first door, which was about halfway up the tower. I pulled the black metal latch on the door and entered the dim room. I removed the small piece of wood that was indolently placed in front on the window to bar rain and wind from entering the room at night. With the wood’s removal, pale yellow sunshine penetrated the small room.

Centered in the room stood a sewing mannequin wearing a long pastel blue dress. My wedding dress was almost finished. All that was left was to sew the finishing embroidery on. The blue dress glowed in the noon sunlight. The train was twice as long as the dress itself and trimmed in white thread. I stood silent as I let a piece of the cold cloth run through my fingers. I could picture myself wearing it while I stood next to Oliver on our wedding day. The thought brought a thin tear to my eye that fell slowly down my cheek. I wasn’t sure if the tear was due to fear or excitement. It was probably a mixture of both. I replaced the piece of wood and shut the door behind me as I stepped back into the stairwell.

I returned to my room a few minutes later. The room was empty of everyone except me. Elena and my mother were probably off arranging last minute wedding details. My mother was enjoying this whole wedding ordeal a little too much in my opinion. I wondered what she would do after I was married and nothing else needed to be arranged. I went quietly to the chest placed at the end of my bed. I lifted the leather-covered lid and started pushing numerous dresses and blanket aside as I dug deeper. Almost at the bottom, hidden inside a red folded blanket, was a small bundle of clothes. I pulled it out and neatly laid everything back in its place before closed the lid.

I unfolded the bundle which simply consisted of a tunic with a hood, ankle length pants and black shoes. The tunic and pants were a muddy color and worn in the elbows and knees. I quickly slipped out my tight fitting grown and threw on the loose clothing. The clothes hid any curves and hid any evidence that was a woman. I pulled my expensive jewelry and pulled on a pair of long tan socks before slipping into the shoes. The lifted the hood onto my head to hid my braided red hair. To everyone you didn’t know better would see a boy of maybe twelve, not a 17-year-old girl of noble birth on the eve of her wedding day. I hid my dress in the chest before exiting the room and running down the stairs to the great hall.

Getting out of the castle without being caught was the hard part. Even through I had done it a thousand times I was still paranoid about getting out. I kept my head down as I moved through the castle. No one paid my any attention as I walked out of the courtyard and into the public market place. Still no one bothered me as I went into the stables, which were located adjacent to the main gate that lead out into town. I walked through the stable while trying not to breath through my nose for the air smelled like combination manure and possibly a dead animal or two. I calmly walked into the second to last stable, which housed the smallest of my family’s horses.

He was a rouncey horse, used mainly riding or transportation. All of the horses my family owned were too large of me or too conspicuous for me to ride in public, except for this one. His black coat had a hint of blue due to the sunlight. His big browns eyes stared as me as started to place the saddle on his back. He nudged me with his nose when I adjusted the saddle to fit more comfortably. When I was done I lifted myself up and into the saddle. I fixed my hood so it still hid my long hair. I snapped the reins lightly and the horse gently trotted out of the stable and through the front gate.