The next day I woke up before the first light. I couldn't sleep more. I waited patiently until the day began to shine so that I didn't have to light a candle, and its light betrayed me.
I came out of the chamber still wearing my nightgown barefoot, holding the wooden box tightly with the jewelry. I walked into the shadows with gentle, silent steps. Luckily for me, no one was around in the castle. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I was starting to sweat. I tried to ignore them and concentrated all my attention on my hearing.
I kept going wall-to-wall. I went down the stairs and headed to the maids' room at the back of the castle. Although a few years had passed, fortunately, I still remembered the room that belonged to Brielle.
It was at the end of the corridor with the characteristic semicircular wide door. I approached and knocked. The door opened immediately, and I went inside.
"Are you ready to go?" Brielle asked me softly.
"Yes," I replied.
"Good. I have the clothes ready. Let me help you take off your nightgown."
"Okay. We have to take this one with us too, we can't leave it here in your room. Soldiers of my stepfather will find it soon or later."
"Come first to help you get dressed and then I will arrange the nightgown. You don't have to worry."
Brielle helped me wore a white linen shirt and a long blue skirt. "Now, sit on the bed," she told me and put on my feet a pair of boots.
She took a step back to inspect the result.
"Get up to see you," she told me, and I obeyed. "Make an about-turn." Brielle told me again, and I attended.
"The clothes match perfectly on you. You are filling much better the shirt than me." She told me, raising one eyebrow and smiling playfully. "I will have your hair done later, when we leave the castle."
"Okay." I agreed.
She picked up the nightgown and arranged it along with my other things.
"Now you have to get to the bottom of the cart," she told me and looked at me anxiously. "I hope you are not afraid of small spaces."
"I am willing to endure everything in exchange for my freedom," I told her and approached the cart.
Brielle pulled out the bottom of the cart, and a second secret space that existed was revealed.
I looked at Brielle questioningly. "Why did your mother need such a cart?" Did she want to hide something? "
She shrugged. "I don't know. She never revealed it to me. I will probably never know. Come on hurry up, we don't have extra time to lose. Get inside and lie down."
I gathered my skirt near to my body and stepped in the cart. Then I knelt, and with careful movements, I lay down.
"Don't worry, it is a strong making despite its years." Brielle told me and smiled at me. "Are you okay? Are you comfortable?" she teased me.
"More comfortable than my bed," I reciprocated the teasing. But the reality was different.
The bottom of the cart may have been challenging and uncomfortable, but my heart felt like it was fluttering with joy, and looking forward to being out of here, away from everything that hurt me.
"Here, you can have this." said Brielle, offering me a small pillow.
"Oh! Thank you!"
After getting as comfortable as I could, Brielle filled as much space around me with the bundle that contained my things.
When she finished, she placed back the original bottom of the cart. She secured it well and put her things on the newly created bottom. Suddenly I felt the air running out from my lungs, but I had to be patient. Luckily there were some scattered cracks for air and some light coming in. I felt relieved that I would not have to be in complete darkness. "Ready?" Brielle asked me from outside.
"Yes."
"Okay then, here you go."
I heard the door open, and after a few moments, I felt the cart lifted and moving. After a while, I felt it rest on the ground again; I heard footsteps and a door closing. The steps approached the cart once again, and I felt it rise and sliding again.
I had my head turned in one of these crevices, trying to peek at what was happening outside, but I couldn't see much.
We proceeded until we came out into the yard. The images that I could distinguish from the crevice had become more visible under the abundant sunlight.
I also occasionally heard speeches from soldiers and knights who remained vigilant castle guards in shifts.
The voices were gradually getting louder and louder, and I realized that we were approaching the door.
"What do you want girl?" I heard a strident male voice saying to Brielle.
"I have permission from the king to be absent for a few days," she replied in a steady voice, and I admired her courage.
"Do you have paper?" the same man asked her again.
"Yes of course."
From my narrow crevice, I could see some movement. Brielle probably took the paper out and showed it to the man.
"Okay, girl. But first I have to investigate your cart."
At his words, my heart pounded in my chest and began to increase in speed.
"Yes, of course, no problem. But please let me open my bundles. I don't want you to soil my clean clothes with your dirty hands. I'm sorry for my rudeness. "
I heard him laughing. "Okay, girl," he told her, and I listened to his footsteps getting even closer to the cart.
I closed my eyes tightly and began to say my prayer within me.
I could only hear the soft sounds of Brielle's hands on the bogs opening them and then tie them up again and put them in their place in the cart.
"Okay girl. You can go," I finally heard him saying.
"Take down the bridge," he shouted while he was still next to the cart torturing my ears.
The next sound I heard that made my heart flutter with joy was the metallic sound of the chain turning on its pulley, accompanied by the heavy sound of the door opening.
I felt the cart rise again, and I couldn't hold back a smile. Finally!
Thank you, god!
Brielle was moving fast.
She was walking and walking; I didn't dare speak first if she did not talk to me first. At one point, I felt the cart turn sharply.
After a while, it stopped, and I felt the cart rest on the ground again.
"Kira, are you okay?" she asked me as she approached the side where my head was.
"Yes, I am fine. Where are we?"
"Just outside the port town in a clump of trees, behind from some bushes."
"Is anyone around?"
"No. I don't see anyone. "
"Fine, then, get me out of here."
"Okay."
Within minutes I was able to breathe normally again. I wiped my forehead from the sweat, taking a deep breath of freedom.
"Thank you, Brielle," I said and hugged her.
"My pleasure, Kira. But we must hurry. I have to change clothes and make our hair done.
I laughed softly. "Yes, of course," I said and left her out of my arms. I helped her carry my belongings from the secret space, except the jewelry.
I chose for Brielle a simple light blue silk dress and a pair of brown leather boots that were comfortable to walk on.
I helped her get dressed. The boots tightened a bit, but they would suit her in time.
"Come, sit here in the cart to have your hair done," I told her, and she obeyed. I started to untangle her simple braids.
"You know you have to get rid of the ribbons from your hair, right? It is not possible for a widow to wear ribbons in her hair."
She sighed in disappointment. I knew how much she loved ribbons.
"We will not throw them away. You just won't wear them," I pointed out.
"Fine, you will wear them then. I will be able to see them on your head and I will be comforted."
I was not too fond of the ribbons, but I agreed to do her a favor. She had done so much for me. Did she ask much? Just wearing ribbons on my hair. After all, I wouldn't even see them.
I made for her a fancy braid that suits a noblewoman, and she got up to sit so that she could make my hair braids with the ribbons.
"Am I going to use your normal name? Kira?" she asked me innocently at one point and made me jumped from my seat, upset, "Oh my God, but how did we forget that? No, of course you will not call me by my real name. I have to think of another name. "
"Come back, Kira, to your place so I can finish your hair sometime," she demanded, and I went and sat down again.
By the time she was over, I was in deep contemplation, looking for my new name until I came up with one!
"You will call me Serena," I announced to her after I made my final decision. I think it's a name that suits a maid.
"Serena," Brielle repeated thoughtfully. "Yes, I like it, and I think it suits you. Will I keep my name? "
"Yes, I don't think there will be a problem. It's a very beautiful name and I think it suits to a noble woman."
"Okay, better that way because I'm afraid we'll get confused at some point and reveal ourselves in the end," she let out a sigh of relief.
"Okay then. I think we are now fully prepared."
"Good. The braids are ready. Let me see you." She said happily and came in front of me to see me from a better sight angle.
"Aw! So beautiful! The green ribbons match perfectly with your blonde hair and your gray eyes!" She said excitedly with a wide smile.
"It is good to know. Will you give me a maid-cap to wear? To hide my hair and face as much as possible."
"Yes, I have it here," she replied.
She put it on my head carefully and tied its laces under my chin. It was a bit uncomfortable, and I felt like I was choking, but it was something I had to endure, so I would be patient.
All this was nothing compared to the freedom that awaited me.
"Fine, let's continue our way to the harbor." I said and started walking forward.
Brielle cleared her throat to attract my attention, so I turned to look at her. "What happened?" I asked.
"Do you forget something?" she told me, raising her eyebrow, as she always did when she wanted to tease me, and a playful sneer flickered on her lips.
"What?" I repeated, annoyed.
With her gaze on me, she gave me a nod to the cart's side.
My mouth opened wide "Should I carry it?"
"I am afraid so. Aren't you my maid, Serena? Would you like to see me drag the cart?" she raised her eyebrows. She struggled to keep away from laughing, and I kept myself away from trying to kill her with my own hands.
On the other hand, I was glad she was having fun.
"Yes, my Lady" I bowed and started walking towards the cart.
"What? It will be Just Lady?" Brielle asked, kind of disappointed.
"Yes, I have thought of it and I decided it is the safest title of nobility you can have. Usually the barons, the counts and all the rest of them are known among the people. So, there is a good chance that they will understand our lie. But to please you, my dear Lady, your dead husband, Lord Jason, belonged to a family of Counts. But you will say that only if somebody ask you."
"Okay. I understand".
We continued on our way; I slid the cart, and Brielle was walking next to me.
Opposite the port, there was a small town. It was mainly various shops and large markets selling fresh produce such as fish, meat, fruits, and vegetables. But some residents had their houses and their jobs. Their jobs had nothing to do with cultivating the land.
We entered the town, and I walked as much as possible with my head bowed.
It took a while to reach the harbor finally.