Estevan
I went down to my bedroom window, which was dark and empty. Charlotte appeared a few seconds later with a shocked expression on her face, a little out of breath.
I frowned and looked at her.
"Did something happen, Charlotte?" I asked worriedly.
"No" She shook her head quickly "Why do you think that?"
"You're panting and you look like you've seen a ghost."
"I scared the shit out of you."
I nodded, but I still wasn't convinced.
"Where were you?"
"I had to go somewhere."
Charlotte shook her head.
"Were you bored?"
"No, I slept all afternoon."
I approached her and kissed her forehead.
"I'm going to take a shower so we can go downstairs for dinner. For now, no eating in the bedroom or my parents would go crazy, until we find the person responsible."
"Yes, the person responsible," she repeated and sat down, looking distant.
It was nice to know that Charlotte cared about me, but I didn't want that to go to her head.
After bathing and dressing, we went downstairs to the great hall where a banquet was being served to the courtiers.
I sat with my family and watched Charlotte who seemed distant, she was quiet most of the time while we ate and when we went to bed she also seemed distant.
At around 1am Charlotte got up and wandered around the room, opened the window and held up a precious little piece of paper on a string, read it, tore it into pieces and threw them into the wind.
-----------\\\\\\-----------
Alexia
As I had said, between the third and fourth day a note would arrive at my window confirming the place and time I was to meet Charlotte and George on the seventh day, so I didn't look up until I saw the shadow of the small folded paper on the window, I had already left the curtains open so that I could better see when it would arrive.
I looked up and didn't see anyone, the person who was surely at the top window worked with George and Charlotte, as they had said that infiltrating the castle through someone to get to me wouldn't be difficult.
In the note, she stressed the importance of me being impeccable and that she would come to pick me up in the forest, on the north side between the border of Zaim and Olimper, I couldn't be late, I couldn't be weak or stay in Olimper, if I did I would be jeopardizing not only my life but that of the true princess of Torrem and in the note she made it clear that if I did that, I wouldn't last long in Olimper, my death would be quick and without a trace.
I swallowed down the fear I felt and looked at Estevan lying on the bed feeling a deep sadness knowing that our days were numbered, but what was I thinking? It was all just a fairy tale, but I could still have my happy ending.
I just needed to survive, once I was away my freedom should make up for missing Estevan, the attachment I had for him was instantaneous, I could imagine myself growing old alongside him and that was the problem, this make-believe would only last another four days.
The next morning breakfast felt like a funeral, a silence settled over the table between me and Estevan, I didn't know why he was distant, but perhaps he noticed how immersed I had been in my thoughts the day before.
The day was cool and the sky was clear, eating outdoors was supposed to be pleasant, but not even nature had improved my mood.
"My friend is due to arrive this morning, let's meet him at the docks."
I looked at Estevan, it was the first time he had spoken to me.
"Shall we?"
"I thought you might want to get out of the castle for a bit."
"Yes," I shook my head excitedly, "that'll be great."
He nodded and wiped his mouth with his napkin.
"Horse or carriage?"
"Carriage" I said without thinking, I'd never ridden a horse before.
"Really, you don't like horses" He looked me in the eye "Is there a particular reason?"
"Reason?" I was taken aback by his question.
"Yes, you told me you didn't like riding, but I never asked why."
"I fell off, my horse got out of control and I haven't ridden since."
Estevan nodded.
"It's a shame that happened."
I nodded and felt bad for lying so blatantly.
We got into the carriage and the gates opened. I gazed longingly at the city stretching out before us, at the streets, the shops, paying attention to every detail.
The houses, the people who waved, who followed the carriage a little to attract the attention of the Prince of Olimper.
"People seem to love you."
"Yes."
"They're shouting the word protector, is that because of your bond with the dragons?" I asked and Estevan nodded.
"I've done many things to protect my kingdom, they recognize that. The stories you've heard... Most of them are true."
I touched his hand and Estevan looked into my eyes.
"You did what you had to, you don't have to blame yourself!"
Estevan put our hands together and kept looking at them.
"Take off your glove."
"What?" I blinked twice and looked down at my hand.
"It's very hot, let your hands breathe."
"There's no need, I'm used to wearing them" I said with a smile, trying to speak in a relaxed manner.
The bruises had healed, but there were still marks. It had only been three days since I'd dropped my hand on the shards and because of the products I'd used, bandages, ointment, gloves and the fact that I didn't have to work or handle strong products, my hands had recovered, there were no more wounds, only the marks that were still very visible.
"I never see you without gloves."
"How can I not? I sleep without them."
"But before I wake up you're already wearing them." Estevan smoothed the back of my hand and looked me in the eye again, then quickly pulled the glove off.
I tried to grab his hands, but it was no use.
"Estevan, what are you doing?" I asked him angrily, "You gave me my glove!"
"What's up?" He held up the glove in front of me. "Turn it palm up and I'll put it on your hand."
I looked at him seriously and mute, he knew.
Estevan kept staring at me, waiting for an answer I didn't want to give, my breathing became labored, the carriage seemed too small for me.
I didn't want to speak, I wasn't ready to speak and nor could I, what would I say? That the real Charlotte had made me fall into pieces W couldn't speak.
I cleared my throat and looked into her eyes.
"Since when did you know?" I asked.