Rose nodded. "That man out there. Fed. He is from Lakyle. The lower classes too, I am willing to bet on it. His accent gave him away. I am guessing that is why Ingrid reported to the king even though she was not there. Father would have heard the men's accent and become suspicious right away."
The princess only really witnessed the tangled mess that the common folk of Lakyle often spoke a few times. It was why she had difficulty placing it immediately.
But Rhodri had visited the land across the border many times in his youth. As a party trick, he would sometimes mimic it to make those around him chuckle. If the king had not flaunted his talent so often, then it was likely Rose would not have picked up on Fed at all.
Rose brushed herself off as she stood from the ground. Caitlyn had indeed pulled very hard to keep her from flying out the window.
The princess began to pace.
"We have to warn the king. There are still more Birlian soldiers here than the enemy. If we get to him in time, we can still stop this."
"How do you plan to get word?" Caitlyn jumped as someone banged on the door.
"Yer takin' too long!" Fed screamed through the door.
He grunted as Ingrid's voice took over. "We need to be on our way with the message. We do not want to keep His Majesty waiting."
"Of course..." Rose called back. "I am getting him tucked away safe and sound."
"I thought you weren't going to give over the bird." Caitlyn was surprised by the princess's words.
"Of course I am not. I am buying as much time as I can." Ross tapped her head as she bit her lip. "Close your eyes for a second."
"What?" Caitlyn thought maybe she had heard wrong. Close her eyes? What good would that do?
"I don't think it works if someone else is looking. Look away." Rose ordered more forcefully.
When the lady-in-waiting complied, Rose took a deep breath and held out the pendant at her neck. "I wish you would show me the way to escape this room."
The fairy made a beeline to the spot and circled around a it before returning to the princess's neck. "That...that could work." An idea formed in her mind.
"What could work?" Caitlyn opened her eyes to see the princess tying her blanket to the curtains. "You don't mean...?"
"How are your climbing skills?" Rose giggled.
"Please tell me you aren't serious..." Caitlyn visibly paled.
"What? It worked before." Rose could hear Ingrid and Fed beginning to argue outside. The man was growing impatient.
"I'm coming in Your Highness. Unbar the door!" Fed banged.
"I am indisposed," the princess answered vaguely.
But that was not the right answer. Fed slammed his shoulder into the door. The man was quite large, and the bolted door was not as well made as it should have been. The wooden crossbeam gave slightly.
"You won't get out the window fast enough. They will catch you as you descend and bring you back... or drop you!" Caitlyn gasped.
The fall would look like an accident from a determined princess. No one would be the wiser except the lady-in-waiting, and she could easily be silenced with a blade and made to disappear.
"Don't worry," Rose hid the cord she was building by sweeping it under the curtain. "I'll handle it."
"Open up, Your Highness, we are concerned that something has happened to you!" Ingrid called.
Grabbing the cage, Rose braced herself for what was about to happen. As she expected, the next hit was the final one. The door burst open as Fed came flying through.
Rose screamed and dropped the cage. "Oh no!" The princess yelped and dropped to her knees.
The little bird came out of the door before she could stop him. Flying to the rafters, it looked down quizzically at the people below. All of the crashing and screaming had it flustered, unsure how to react.
Rose looked up, agonizing over the tiny creature that had been in her care. "You scared me!" she told Fed. "I told you I was coming."
Fed scowled. He started to give a biting reply when Ingrid hit him in the arm. The dark-haired soldier pulled at the curtains to halt the bird escaping outside. While picking up the cage, Rose nudged her escape rope to follow the curtains' lead. Ingrid was so distracted by the situation that she didn't seem to notice the extra weight of the fabric as she sealed off the bird's path.
The female soldier looked up with a grim expression.
"The poor bird. You must help him." Rose stood and held up the cage as if the bird would magically go inside.
"We will get a stool to get him down, Your Highness. Don't worry. It will only be a moment." Ingrid turned to her companion, anger clear on her face. "Wait at the door."
Realizing the the fault was his for the bird's escape, Fed reluctantly stood outside the door. Rose began to shut the entrance to her bedroom, but Fed put his hand on the door.
"I don't want him to fly out into the main area." Rose explained.
"I won't let 'em out." He looked up at the bird and shook his fist. "Somebody outta keep an eye on 'em…"
The princess pursed her lips. "I must insist…"
"No," Fed was emboldened by Ingrid's absence. When the soldier glanced at Rose, a chill went down her spine. She crossed her arms across her chest defiantly.
"Well then, can you at least get some nuts off of the table in the sitting room? Perhaps we can lure it down with treats."
Rose pointed into the main room. Fed looked over his shoulder. It wasn't a bad idea.
He wanted to order the princess to get it herself, but that meant letting one of the women out of the bedroom. He didn't like that idea at all.
"Stay here, if it pleases Yer Highness. Allow me." While the words sounded polite, Fed made it quite clear that he knew he was in control of the situation.
Wandering over to the table, Fed pushed around the odds and ends looking for the bird's treats. He furrowed his brow.
"I don't see 'em," he called back gruffly.
"I can come help," Caitlyn offered from the doorway.
Fed stopped her immediately. "Don't move. Just tell me where 'ta look."
Caitlyn backed up. "Behind the flowers on the other table."
Fed looked. There were four other tables: all of which had varying degrees of wilting flowers. "Blasted royals keeping dead plants around," he muttered angrily.
He rifled through the contents of every table determined to retrieve the food for the tiny messenger. He fantasized about how he would wring its little neck when he finally got it down.
"Which table did you say it was?" Fed looked over his shoulder. He got no answer. His patience gone, he marched to the doorway to demand a response.
His jaw dropped. The curtains were flung open and one of them was thrown out the window tied to another cloth.
The bird had flown the coup. But more importantly...so had the ladies.
The bedroom was empty.