text: [Themes: grimdark fantasy, humor, female protagonist, war]
  
  For some reason, leaving anytime that isn't tonight just doesn't sit right with the princess. It's now or never for the young woman, and she her body and mind are already in gear for a night exit without raising any alarm of suspicion.
  
  "Juliette, I understand your concern, I certainly do, but isn't this night just perfect for the both of us to leave now?"
  
  Sophia looks for any room of argument, and Juliette does seem like she wants to raise a few points, but the look of adventure on the princess's face is almost too much for her to want to put out. In her mind, it was best to get these feelings out, than to suppress them in an unhealthy way.
  
  Juliette Forthwight would just have to do her best that Sophia didn't do too much to place herself in harm's way and find herself getting hurt by the world that was outside the palace walls.
  
  "Fine, I'll hasten the preparations, and I'll make sure there's enough provisions that we do not starve quickly. Oh! And money, yes, money is the thing that we'll need to get by as well. But how should we go about leaving? Will grabbing horses make too much noise, or should we brave leaving this place by foot?"
  
  Juliette is talking to herself now, and Sophia thinks on which choice to the two of them should be going with to make their getaway.
  
  > move out on foot
  Sophia grabs Juliette's hand and begins tugging at it earnestly. There was no time for them to be heading towards the stables, besides, the stables were probably a madhouse in its own right, and they would meet their ends there as well.
  
  "Let's just run! We can hide if need be, and then find a horse or two when we've far removed ourselves from here!"
  
  It takes all of the courage in her to muster these words, but for once it's Sophia Nevermore that leads the always capable attendant around by the hand. It isn't long before that have put some distance between themselves the palace, scaling over the large wall with only minor bruises, scrapes, and cuts to show for their effort.
  
  "You two are in a hurry."
  
  Zeska Orlov, Captain of the Royal Guard stands with her back rested on a tree. The famous sword of IronForce resting peacefully out of its sheathe. The woman doesn't make a motion of movement yet.
  
  "Finally! A friendly face." Sophia moves to walk over to the woman. "We can use your help getting out of her--" She's quickly pulled back roughly by Juliette, whom forces her behind her back.
  
  Zeska whistles at the sight, but doesn't look displeased in the slightest.
  
  "W-What... What is the meaning of thi--"
  
  "Your highness, please run at my signal."
  
  Zeska looks as if she's seeing double, that is before she begins shaking her head with a chuckle that she cuts short as she picks up her large cleaver-like sword.
  
  "How much of a distraction do you really think that you can provide here?"
  
  "Seconds if I'm lucky, perhaps?"
  
  "Juliette..?" Sophia looks back and forth between the two women, feeling more and more of an unnerving feeling that reverberates throughout her very core. Why was Zeska so suddenly menacing?
  
  "I like you, Juliette. I'll hold back, so there's sureness that there's an open casket that can be had."
  
  "Thank you." Juliette answers, her face settling into a frown as she gets into a self-defense stance. It would take every lesson of hers to even survive five seconds against such a renowned foe. She was hoping that the gods would be kind enough to even give her twenty, and thirty if they were feeling extra giving.
  
  "I'll give you the count of five." Zeska tells the attendant.
  
  "Please run, your highness."
  
  "One," Zeska heaves her sword on her shoulder and takes her first step forward.
  
  "Princess, please."
  
  "Two,"
  
  "I don't want to leave you here to die!"
  
  "Three,"
  
  "But you must live. I'll be right behind you shortly."
  
  "Do you think me a child? I know when you're lying!"
  
  "Four,"
  
  "Princess, please." Juliette stresses even more urgently to the other woman.
  
  "Five! I'm coming at you both now."
  
  Zeska immediately springs into action, her movements still fast even with the large sword she carries. It seems carrying around such a large hunk of iron didn't impede her at all, but made her even more superhuman.
  
  There is only seconds to make a decision for Sophia Nevermore.
  
  > run Away
  It takes all of her willpower to do such a thing as running away and leaving her attendant to her certain demise. It's no question that Juliette Forthwight is a resourceful woman under many scenarios that call for such a thing. This however was a mortal battle against one who a great multitude of years against them when it came to the area.
  
  "Fine! I'll run! But you better keep your word."
  
  True to her own word, Sophia Nevermore begins running as fast as her feet could carry her. Her lungs begin to burn after awhile, but the adrenaline and very real prospect of death has her push past any limits she might have had prior to the day.
  
  The feel of the wind changes as she is able to successfully emerge from outside of the castle. Tall trees offer little emotional support as the reality of the ordeal sends chills throughout her body. It's cold, and she's barely properly dressed for running away. Why was tonight of all nights an unfortunate one for her?
  
  Sophia bunches up her dress in her grasp, and begins slowing down to a slow-paced walk.
  
  --x
  
  A lopsided relationship that nobody benefits from.
  
  Any sane person would curse their fate for dying to save such a useless, utterly, foolish girl that wore the skin of a princess.
  
  Of course the untrained woman doesn't make it far when a literal monster of a solider is giving chase.
  
  A sword is thrown in the air with so much force, it whisles throughout the night, until it finds its target.
  
  Soon only a head rolls against the ground, as the body continues to try and run and flail, before hitting the ground in a prone state. It's an ending that the recipient doesn't have to suffer too much.
  
  Still, you could say it pathetic and not receive much resistance from this narrator.
  
  A fitting end for a foolish princess.
  
  Unless this is a fate that should be changed?