Sneaking out again

Erica had hidden in her garden all day while her father thought she was in the village with Haley. She was waiting for nightfall so she could sneak to Madella and meet Will agian.

sonja ran as fast as she could several men had taken a liking to her and wanted her for ther fun but she wasn't about to hang around. Reaching a wall she quickly climbed over it dropping into a garden on the other side. Quickly she moved to hide in a bush out of breath from all the running, she heard voices from over the wall and held her breath waiting to see if they would follow, it was then she felt the throb from her ankle as she sat quite still.

"What the! Who are you? What are you doing here?" Erica asked the woman.

Sonja looked at the young girl who had spoke "please don't give me away those men want to do... lets just say its not for a young girls ears" she said her eyes pleading with her to keep quiet.

"I'll have you know i'm 16. I"m not so young." Eri said a bit offended. She was even tall for her age. "I will not tell them, but I need to leave."

Sonja nodded "I'm sorry for calling you a girl I hope i didn't offend you" she said hunching further into the bush "I wish they would just leave" she said softly

"Do not worry, I'll get them away." Erica said and sighed. "You there. What are you doing on my father's grounds?" Erica asked.

The biggest one gasped and bowed. "Princess Erica, we are sorry. We thought we saw...something of our's come close to here."

The other's bowed and where trying not to look nervous.

Erica glared at all of them. "Get off the lands and my father will not know, if I ever see you after another woman like you where today I will have you in Jail or worse, now go."

They all ran.

"Pathetic how easy it is to scare them." she said and looked at the girl. "What is your name? How old are you?"

Sonja slipped out from the bush after checking they had gone "My names sonja and I'm 19" she said "forgive me for asking but why did they seem scared of you?"

Erica sighed. "Because, I am Princess Erica Marie Ristina of Aderra. They entered castle grounds without permission. If it slipped to my father, they could all die."

"forgive me " she said bowing "I didn't know , I'm new to these lands and must seem to you a bit of a stupid person" she looked up at the young girl "I will leave your garden immediately"

"Wait! You can...stay if you wish. My father may be cruel, but I am not. And if you like, or need you can get a job here at the castle. It gives you a roof over your head and food."

Sonja looked at her "though it sounds tempting I'm not sure I'm suited to waiting on people hand and foot all i know is fighting " she said standing to show her , her armour and her sword

"I'm in need of a new fighting instructor. Besides, I wasn't going to put you as a maid anyway." Erica said.

"Eri! There you are, please take me to Madella with you, I can't stay here today! Father is angry with me." Juliana said after sneaking out while everyone was in their lesson.

"Juliana. Fine, come one. Sonja, please think on it. You can stay the night if you wish but if anyone asks for us, you didn't see us." Erica said and jumped out of the hole in the wall.

Adaleen stepped from out of the shadows. "Do you honestly think that father will be pleased with you lot sneaking out?" she hissed from underneath her hood.

"He'd rather us dead anyway Adaleen." Juliana said and followed Erica.

Adaleen frowned. "I wouldn't say that, but he most definitely wouldn't want his children sneaking out. You know the punishment," she said, smirking.

Erica came back through. "Of course we do. And If i'm correct, you have also escaped this reached place once or twice."

Adaleen pursed her lips. "This isn't about me; this is about you. But, if you hate this place so much, go ahead and break the rules," she said coolly.

"It hasn't done anything for us since Mother's death. Why should we stay here?" Erica asked sadly.

Juliana sighed. "Come on Eri, we have to go." She got on her horse, Star, and waited for Eri to get on Starflare.

"Tell on us if you wish, father is still away. If you hate us that much that you'd love for us to get...punished then so be it. Good day, sister." Erica said coldly and got on her horse Starflare. "Come on."

Adaleen snapped her hands behind her back as she watched the two of them ride off. "We'll see," she muttered to herself.

Juliana followed Erica not looking back at the castle they where leaving for the day.