Thirty minutes until the train is scheduled to leave and I have about fifteen to get down there. I've packed a bag of clothes and I've placed armor inside a briefcase. Everyone's already left so I should be able to sneak out with ease. I've also got the best disguise of all time.
Well, not really. It's just me, in a hood and scarf. I tip-toe out of my room and downstairs to the main dining hall. A few members of the staff stare as I struggle to drag the briefcase down the steps. I didn't think it'd be this heavy.
"What are you doing, Alyssa?" I hear a familiar voice from behind me. I almost don't believe it because he should be gone. I turn around and it's who I had expected, David! "Uh, I am…moving to a different room," I say."My room is too hot during the summer."
"Funny, it hasn't been too hot the past sixteen summers," he says. "Those look awfully heavy." He continues, pointing to the briefcase and bag. "One would assume there'd be just clothes in there, right?"
"Yes, but also, there are a lot of books in this briefcase. They are...just so precious to me. It had to be the first thing I moved. I better get back to it," I say turning my back. "I don't want to be up all night!"
"Just stop. Did you think I wouldn't notice what you're doing? It's my job to look after you, even when I'm not here."
Ugh. I drop my bags and turn back to face him. "So, you're watching me all the time? Thanks for ruining my parade."
"Not all the time," he says with a scrunched face. "And who said anything about ruining it? It turns out as I watch you, Ms. Patricia watches over everyone else inside this house. I just ran into her, she told me even If I don't understand why you want to put yourself in danger so badly—and fight these multi-seals, to just go along with it."
"Thanks, David," I say. I'm so relieved he didn't use those other words to refer to them. I'm also thankful for gram. "But, I've had enough heart-to-heart conversations for today and we're running out of time. If you're letting me go, then let's go," I say with a smile. He smiles and politely grabs my bags for me.
We leave the mansion, take one of the cars and drive into the city. Any time I come into the city I feel sick. I hate what it is and what it's become. Aesthetically, it's pleasing. The streets are in pristine condition, and every building, small store, large shopping center looks as if it was just built yesterday. Uboni is hundreds of years old.
The apartment homes are all luxurious, the stores are stocked with premium goods. It's pretty, but the people who live here? I hate them. Yet I'm striving to become their queen. The other states, and cities, were stripped of their name when my family took the land. They're now referred to as Districts, and Uboni is essentially gated off from them. And by gated off, I mean in terms of money. A train ticket here costs thousands. It's my home though—I sigh.
We arrive at the train station and walk to the ticketing window after parking. At the window, a girl is seated behind a thin piece of glass. She looks at David angrily. "No one is traveling right now," she says. "I only came into work today for you. The least you could do is be on time!"
"Uh, sorry." David nervously laughs.
"Yeah, you are," she says. Her attention shifts to me "Who's the girl with a scarf on in eighty-degree weather?" I was so annoyed driving through the city that I didn't even realize I still had this on.
"Princess Alyssa!?" She gasps upon me removing it. "I'm so sorry. I was only referring to David."
"That's nice," David smiles.
"But….I thought it was just David. The princess wasn't on the list handed to me by Lauriel," the girl says. I can't believe I'm going to actually see Lauriel on a real mission. She's the captain of the knight squad, and next in line to become General. Just like me, David has someone in the way of his dream.
"She's a last-minute addition. I'll smooth things over," David says.
"Alright," She replies. "I don't care either way. I hate this job." She opens the gate for us and we walk to the train platform and it hits me, I've never been on a train before! I remember watching the workers build the tracks and layout from the top floor of the mansion with a telescope when I was about seven.
I was so fascinated by the idea, standing here in front of it now is actually terrifying. "Are these…safe?" I ask Elijah.
"It's safe, relax," David says with a chuckle. His smile gives me some reassurance and we board a regular car in the middle. Everyone else should be in the first two cars. Those are reserved for royals and the Valentine army. They immediately close behind us. Some timing.
We start walking to the reserved section when we suddenly run into Rose, the third member of the knight squad. The combat medic. She exudes this energy of the 'most popular girl no matter where she is. "David!" She yells. "I've been just waiting for the day when you tried to take her on a mission. I knew it was only a matter of time. Here I am worried about you, we were about to just leave you behind.
"Hi, Rose!" I smile and wave.
"Alyssa," she says in a dry tone. "Can't wait to see what Brianna says about this. Let's go." We follow her through the train cars until we get to where everyone is. As we enter, everyone looks puzzled. I don't see Lauriel seated amongst them though. And as expected: "Absolutely not," Brianna says immediately upon seeing me. "Are you out of your minds?"
"What is she doing here, David?" General Thomas asks. Glad to see I'm so welcomed. Rose shrugs and takes a seat next to Elijah. "If it's alright, she'll be joining us. I promise to look after her," David says.
"Like hell she is," Brianna says standing up from her seat. She walks over to me. "I can't believe you're so reckless. You're getting off at the next stop in District 9." She says.
"Relax." Elijah sighs. "Who the hell cares, look at who we have with us already. This will be a standard in-and-out mission. Plus she needs some more experience, she's always cooped up in the mansion like a sad wandering spirit."
"Hey, thanks, Elijah!" I say enthusiastically.
"No," Thomas interjects. "We're taking this mission seriously. Only two multi-seals were able to not only take out our soldiers but destroy the first two districts." He turns to me. "And what did I just say to you earlier, princess?"
"I'm not sure if you're aware, but you don't make my decisions, general. If this is a bad idea, let it be. I'm still choosing it," I say.
"What's going on?" Lauriel groans coming in from the bunk area. Her inky black hair shines in the light. I've always loved that about her. "Apparently Alyssa is joining," Brianna says as she goes back to her seat.
"Alyssa?!" She says fixing the glasses on her face. "Look at you! You're so pretty, still skinny as a tree branch though."
She comes over and gives me a hug. "Yeah," I say awkwardly chuckling. "It's nice to see you too." She's always stationed in other districts, I think this is the first time we've seen each other in a year.
"So, why are you here again?" She asks.
"To prove that I belong," I say. She smiles. "Good answer, kid. Well, it's late. I'm going back to sleep."
"That's it?" General Thomas asks.
"Yeah, I don't have a problem with her being here," Lauriel replies.
"Alright, you're the lead on this mission. What you say goes." Thomas says.
"Tomorrow morning we go over our strategy." Lauriel turns back to me. "If you're going to be here, we're treating you like a veteran this time. None of that training wheels bullshit."
"Yes ma'am," I reply.
She waves goodnight and heads back to the bunk area. David and I take a seat in one of the booths. This car is designed like a fancy bar. Small tables nailed into the floor spread about, and lounge areas with tables in between. The window draws my attention, I've never seen outside of Uboni and I have to say, it's…disappointing. "It's just vacant land?" I ask David.
"There's a twenty-mile gap between Uboni and district nine," he says. "From what I've been told, it's for Uboni to feel more exclusive. Makes it harder for anyone to just wander in." It's like every damn day I find a new reason to hate that city. No longer interested in looking outside, I look around at everyone in the train car. Elijah and Rose are snuggled up with a bottle. Brianna is reading a book and the general is asleep. This is very exciting.
"I'm pretty tired. I'm gonna get some sleep," I tell David. He tells me goodnight and I walk to the bunks. There are five on each side. They're built into the side of the wall, almost like a coffin size bed in the wall. I choose a random one on the right. I climb into it and shut the curtain provided.
As I get in, It's a little more spacious than a coffin. I don't know what a coffin is like but I'm also small. All 5'5 of me fits comfortably. It feels good just to let my body sink into the mattress. What a day this has been. Now that I'm actually here, I feel a little nervous. Maybe I bit off more than I can chew. No use in thinking like this.
I close my eyes and focus on sleep instead. As I begin to drift off…."magic," I hear the woman's voice whisper again. I try to ignore it and block it out. When I'm successful in that, an image pops into my head. The Valentine crest? But it's the old pink design.
"Magic….darling," The voice says clearer this time. A hand reaches out from the crest and I jump awake. I sit up from the mattress, nearly hitting my head on the wood above me. I swing open my curtain. The first thing I notice is that there are rays of sunlight coming from the seating area. No, no, no! Not again. I walk into the seated area to see the sun shining through the windows.