the cursed prince
When Lady Liz visited her later that morning, Rowena pretended that she was feeling unwell and could not proceed with the lessons and schedules for that day. She wished to avoid all of the teachers that King Draco provided for her so she could make her escape.
Rowena stayed in bed and refused to move, fortunately, it seemed the event of her father nearly killing her meant that King Draco didn't force her to attend her classes. It was only Lady Liz who talked with her and cared about her health.
Although the older woman was a bit perceptive.
"You… you don't look particularly sick." Lady Liz softly said.
"I'm really sick, Lady Liz," Rowena replied.
She was sick of this royal palace.
Rowena was sick of her life here.
The older lady smiled sadly at the young woman. "...I understand, Your Highness. Forgive me for my cowardice yesterday, I should have stayed but His Majesty…"
"Please do not take it the wrong way, this is not because of incompetence or your actions yesterday but… Lady Liz, I want you to present your resignation," Rowena looked her seriously in the eye.
"Your Highness!"
"Do not be trapped here within this palace's walls," Rowena said. "For the past years, you've remained by my side… but perhaps it is time for you to also be happy. Pursue your own desires."
"How could I leave you here?" Lady Liz said. "I… I cannot be selfish. Serving you has been my joy for the past years, I've seen you grow into a remarkable woman."
"And that is why I wish for you to leave." Rowena smiled. "Your job here is done. It's time for us to take our separate paths."
"Your Highness…"
"Thank you."
Those would be one of the final exchanges Rowena had in the royal palace before she made her escape. Since she already disguised herself as a maid once, she decided to do it again.
***
There were a couple of things that Rowena prepared before she left the palace. With her door locked behind her and with Lady Liz gone, she quietly listed down the items and things that she needed and wanted to bring with her.
"Money is the most important thing," Rowena said. "Other stuff is rather unnecessary."
Most of her clothes were too bulky, too eye-catching, and would quickly indicate that she was from royalty because of their material and fabric. More than that, it would be an additional burden to bring and she couldn't bring heavy things.
She needed to escape undetected and if she carried too many items, the risk of being discovered was really high.
"Is there anything else important to me?" Rowena asked herself as she gazed around the beautiful room she dwelled in. The room was fit for a princess like herself, but she didn't find any lingering attachment to anything at all.
She paused for a moment, pulled her drawer open, and placed the small brown pouch on the desk. Since it was returned to her by Lady Liz and it came from her trip outside of the palace, she wanted to bring it.
"This came from that beggar… that didn't seem like a beggar," Rowena muttered. "Does it mean that it's special? I'm not sure, but I still want to see how it grows."
That was another thing that she chose to bring and it wasn't too heavy.
"Now it's time to gather vital information." Rowena pulled out several books she had taken from the royal library. Most assumed that she was reading to alleviate her boredom because she was 'sick' but it was knowledge accumulation.
Most of the knowledge Rowena acquired was related to what it meant to be an erudite and charming princess, but it also meant that when it came to some other real-life matters, she was severely lacking.
She flipped a beautiful red book's cover open.
"The available map of not only the kingdom… but of the entire continent." Rowena eyed the pages with every full intent of memorizing them. However, she suddenly paused and pursed her lips.
Her fingers touched the painstakingly made pages.
"While I can't exactly carry too many books, it will get heavy… there's something else I can do." Rowena smiled hesitantly before the sound of paper ripping echoed in the room.
She quickly tore off the important pages she wanted to bring.
There was no doubt that the royal librarian would cry when they realized that the castle's treasures were ruined, but Rowena thought about her father. The king was going to be upset that she'd done such a thing.
Maybe she was being a bit too petty and ruined a good book, but it was still practical.
It was impossible to carry all of the books.
Rowena collected various information from different books pages and then compiled them together into one little comprehensive journal. Whether it was the best route to leave Ashland, the prices of ordinary goods and vital herbs and medicine, she placed them together.
This was her way to interact better with the world.
"I've only been able to understand the world of the commoners through what has been instructed to me by various teachers… but they still fail to fully divulge the reality of their lives." Rowena covered her face. "I really was naive."
When Rowena met Julian, she thought that the older boy was terrible because he conned people out of their money, that he stole from the rich even though he was capable of working with honest hands.
"The world's system doesn't run for the benefit of the whole, but for those in power." Rowena smiled bitterly.
Rowena thought that living a just and honest life meant that anyone would be able to reap the rightful benefits of their actions. Hard work and determination equaled good things happening to you as long as there was perseverance.
But similar to how Rowena strove so much to be the perfect daughter and never amounted to anything to her father besides as a trophy and asset to be used, those in lesser positions than her also faced the exact problem.
"Why… why does it have to be this way?" Rowena smiled frustratedly as she remembered Leia, the family of Julian, and many others. "Good people die and the wicked live long lives. Where's the justice? Where are the gods?"
Rowena shook her head and took a deep breath. There was no time for her to waste in complaining about the cruelty and circumstances of the world… It was finally time to act and depart by tomorrow.
***
The night came and she barely managed to get a wink of sleep.
Anxiety and worry filled her mind as well as a caution that perhaps her father, King Draco, might realize her plans and put an end to them even before she realized her goals.
Luckily, the man never came despite the excuse of Rowena being sick. After hours and hours were awake in anticipation, she could finally heave a sigh of relief.
When the first rays of the morning sun barely peeked out from the mountains and hills, Rowena moved fast.
Her plan was to go at the brink of dawn.