Chapter 3 - The Goodbye

“There we are, my dear. But, please, remember, feather steps. It could be the end of both of us, if they catch you here.”

Deborah smiled when she heard the kindness in that voice, despite the fear and apprehension. Every time she and her aunt sneaked through the narrow passages hidden between the castle walls, Anastasia was terrified, looking everywhere, as if expecting a guard to emerge from the shadows to chop off their heads at any moment.

But even so, she never refused to help Deborah.

“It’s okay. You can go back now, Aunt Ana. Even though all the soldiers are a little less alert now because of the change of patrol to accompany the King to the borders, I will be careful, I promise. And fast, too.” She promised, reaching for Anastasia's hand, her heart aching to realize that her aunt's bones seemed more protruding with each passing day “I... I just want to have a quick chat. That’s what always calms me down.”

“Oh, my poor girl...” Anastasia sniffed, moving closer so she could hold Deborah's face, her black eyes full of tears and her white hair looking almost gray, as if she were older than she really was “Are you sure you're okay? Listen, I heard Evangeline talking about the King ordering you to become her servant, but, I promise I'll talk to her about it, okay? She... She's just a little nervous about not getting pregnant as quickly as she would have liked...” her aunt swallowed hard “But, I'm sure that, once she calms down a little more, she'll realize that it's not It's worth taking her frustration out on you. I know the last few times I couldn't convince her, but I promise that this time...”

Anastasia’s words came to an abrupt end when Deborah hugged her, wanting to remember that warmth from the only member of her family who truly cared about her.

“It’s okay, aunt. I don't need you to wear yourself out talking to Evangeline again. All I care about is that you always try to defend me, no matter how much it makes your own daughter upset with you.” Deborah murmured, trying to hold back her tears “Just promise me that, from now on, you will no longer expect a kindness from Evangeline that she does not possess. I'm afraid you'll hurt yourself by realizing this in the worst way possible.”

“Deborah? Why are you talking like that?” her aunt gasped “You... You're not thinking of doing something stupid, are you?! I... I know the King has been cruel, but, at some point, his irritation will pass and you will be free again...”

"Don't worry. I think I'm just a little emotional.” Deborah tried to reassure her, leaning her forehead against hers “This last year has felt like a whole century to me and I'll probably never be the same again, but... I just wanted you to know how grateful I am for you have been by my side all this time. Just as I will never forget every tear that Iron and Evangeline made me shed, I will always remember it was you who was there to wipe them away.”

“Oh, Deborah…” Anastasia sniffed, her voice cracking not just with emotion, but also with pain “I promised your father I would protect you, but I haven't been able to do that. My brother would be so disappointed with me...”

"Don't worry about that. Dad would be more than grateful that you took more care of me than yourself. So, from now on, worry a little about yourself too, okay? This includes eating better and getting back to taking your medications as regularly as before.” Deborah encouraged her, only causing her aunt's tears to continue to flow “Now, please, go back to your room. I'm going to mine soon.” She lied, seeing her aunt flinch a little when the sound of footsteps from the other side of the room sounded, although the door handle remained still “Please, don't press your nerves any further because of me.”

“I... I'm just going to have some tea before I go talk to Evangeline, okay?” Anastasia insisted, clearly fearful “So... Don't do anything until tomorrow. I’ll fix everything, I promise.”

“Goodbye, aunt.” Deborah murmured with a smile on her face, although her heart was heavy as Anastasia went back inside the wall, pulling back the door until it fit into the wall, making it seem like there wasn't a single crack in that stone.

Only then did Deborah allow the sadness she was feeling to overcome her, as she turned to face her best friend, stretched out on the huge bed, pale and inert like a corpse.

“Hello, Hannah.” She murmured, moving closer so she could stroke her best friend’s forehead “I’m sorry it’s been so long since my last visit. Many things have happened, but, believe it or not, for the first time in so long, I finally have good news to tell you. I'm Pregnant." Deborah murmured, not having the courage to reveal it out loud, not even to the walls.

“I know that, if you could, you would call me a fool for being happy about this, after everything your brother did to me. But, I no longer have illusions about Iron. Now I know that he decided to turn my life into a nightmare because he thinks I was responsible for the lion attack. I could stay here and try to gather proof of my innocence, but I don't want my baby to go through this, being hated by her own father and mistreated by Evangeline, when she finds out that I got pregnant before her. That’s why I came here today… To say goodbye.”

“I discovered, exploring the passages in the walls that Aunt Ana showed me, that one of them leads to the castle's sewers. The passage was closed when I discovered this, but I've been moving each of the stones little by little over the last month. It was difficult, but now the passage has enough space for me to get out and I'll do it tonight. The guards are busy escorting Iron, so there won't be a better day. Remember when we were kids and planned to take a trip to the land of humans, when we reached adulthood? Well, that's where I'm going. It will be easier for me to blend in without having an inner wolf and it will be much harder for Iron to find me.”

Deborah would love it if Hannah could open her mouth to give her advice, a scolding or even a laugh... But, as always, nothing happened.

“I didn't want to leave you and Aunt Ana, but... I cannot allow them to do to my child what they do to me...” she couldn't hold back a sob, kneeling down next to the bed to rest her forehead against Hannah's “I spent an entire year feeling like my life was worthless, but now I've found my reason to continue existing. It's to allow this little wolf to be born healthy and have a happy childhood."

"The only thing I can ask the Goddess is that she helps me, even far from here, to prove my innocence. So,  one day, I can return to our kingdom with my head held high. And that your nephew or niece can meet you. Not static on that bed, but awake and brilliant, like you always were..." Deborah cried, kissing Hannah's temple "I know the Goddess never listened to me, but... If only once in my life she could Grant me one wish... I wish we could have you back...”

Her tears probably wet Hannah’s face, but Deborah didn’t care. It was, perhaps, the last time she would see her best friend before starting a new life in the human world and, even if just for a few moments, she wanted to allow herself to mourn all her dreams that had died in that same place. The only man she loved, the aunt who had become her second mother, the friend who was the only sister she ever had...

All Deborah wanted most was to believe that her life was not destined to be a misery forever.

“Don’t worry, my child.” A female voice murmured in her ear, sweet and calm, while one rested on Deborah’s hand, too soft and ethereal, almost as if it wasn’t really “I’m here now. Together, we will heal them.”

Startled, Deborah raised her head suddenly, expecting to find some servant or guard who had found her there. However, around her, there was no one, much less a woman who could have a voice like that, which seemed to have reverberated inside her soul.

The only thing out of the ordinary there was Evangeline, standing in front of the door that Deborah hadn't even heard open...

With a dagger in her hand.