13. May 2025

Run away 4

Chapter 4

***

The week flew by more quickly than she expected. Time passed, and the day came when Rosette was to leave for the Kaisen Empire.

A view through the fallen leaves of the trees. A small kingdom of natural greenery and time-honored artistic architecture, the dazzling view was a source of pride for the kingdom of Hercia.

And it was at its best when viewed from the windows of the Princess Palace, located in the very center of the capital. But Rosette's expression sank low as she gazed impassively at the blessed view.

Not long after the ominous dream, she encountered it again. Her brother Elliot had broken his leg. She didn't want to believe it, but it had happened in her dreams, too. This only made Rosette more convinced.

That the dream was her future. Death was the end of the road to a distant empire. More importantly, her life would be lost, and the beautiful kingdom of Hercia, which she had fought so hard to protect, would be reduced to ashes in an instant.

For days, she agonized over her decision. The deal with the emperor was done. There was nothing she could do about it now. She felt like a moth that leapt into a fire, knowing it would burn her to a crisp. Many times she was discouraged by her bleak situation, but there was only one thing she could do to avoid a tragic future.

‘If I truly help him and make a way for myself... it's possible.’

In her dreams, she had tried to kill Theodore first, and it had ended horribly. Now that she knew her future, if she would only put her heart into his work and make him the perfect emperor......?

The scene was cut like a segment, so even Rosette didn't know the full context of why she'd tried to kill him, but she was sure of this. This was a future she could change.

And there was a woman who appeared in the dream and made Theodore laugh sincerely. It was a far cry from the way he'd put up a wall around Rosette when they first met, of the boredom in his eyes.

If she could support his love with all her heart and then leave at the right time... it would be the best possible ending, she thought to herself, her fists balled into tight fists and her expression determined.

"Princess. It is time for you to leave."

Rosette turned at the sound of the voice calling her and left the room, once again reminded of her predicament.

Her mind, once full of complicated thoughts, was now running in a single direction: she would live, and she would save them all. With that resolve, Rosette's eyes suddenly lit up with a brilliant light.

‘Yes. I'll go.’

Leaving her tearful family behind, Rosette climbed into the carriage and began the long journey to the Kaisen Empire.

On the surface, she was an honored guest, but in reality, she was merely a servant. No one who had watched the war between the two nations knew it, but only she knew that if she made the slightest move, her head would be chopped off, just as it had been in her dream. A chill ran down her spine as she remembered the dream again.

Forcing herself to shake the thought away, Rosette admired the view out the window. The beautiful landscapes of the kingdom she was so determined to protect flashed before her eyes. She would not see it for a very long time, perhaps never again, and so she captured it in her clear silver eyes.

After what seemed like days of traveling, the landscape outside the carriage had changed from a village of small buildings to a desert plain of vast sandy expanses.

The sun was setting quickly, and the desert sky was beginning to darken. The group, who had been staying in lodgings and inns, would have to camp out in the desert, so they stopped to unload the wagons of their simple barracks and food for the evening.

After a brief nap in the carriage, Rosette was awakened by the commotion and stretched to get out and turn to the bustling soldier with a question.

"Will we be staying here tonight?"

"Yes, Princess. We are building barracks now, so please be patient."

"Okay. Before that…. Is there a place near here where we can get water?”

"If it's water, here it is."

The soldier pulled out a canteen from his pocket and handed it to Rosette.

"No, no. I just want to drink some water and wash my face, I haven't washed in days......."

"There is an oasis if you keep going east, but it's very far away. I'd rather give you more water......."

"I don't mind sharing, but I'm going for a walk and I'll be back soon."

"Hey, hey... Princess......!"

"Don't worry, I'll be right back."

With that, Rosette left the worried soldier behind and started heading towards the oasis. Rosette walked in the direction the soldier had pointed, her body unexpectedly reeking of unwashed flesh from days of living out in the desert. Of course, it was just her, but after being clean every day and then suddenly not washing, it was time to get in some clean water, wash the sand out of her hair, and wash her face.

She hadn't gone far when her legs started to ache a little, and she saw a large oasis in the distance, surrounded by trees both large and small. Impatient, Rosette hurried toward it, and when she came to the front of the multi-branched oasis, she was overwhelmed by its size.

"Wow......."

It was more like a large lake than a small spring. The mirror-like surface of the water was beautifully reflected in the crescent moon and the stars of the night sky, and Rosette slowly looked up at the night sky, which she hadn't seen in the last few days due to her busy schedule.

"It's beautiful......."

Brilliant stars dotted the dark sky, and as she lay on her back on the comfortable stone beak, she began to take in the beauty of the scene.

It was the night sky of the kingdom of Hercia, one of the few she would ever see.

"I used to go see it so much when I was younger."

She used to love to sit in the garden behind the palace and watch the stars. But then the responsibilities of being a princess overwhelmed her, and she had long since forgotten the view. Rosette reached up to the sky, as if she could touch the stars in the vast distance. Thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of stars seemed to shine down upon her.

After gazing at the scene for a while, Rosette pushed herself to her feet and approached the water's edge. The viewing was over, and she had to think about what lay ahead. As if to distract herself, she slipped her hand into the mirror-clear water, which was cooler than she expected. Rosette splashed around in the water alone and dipped her sandy face into it.

"Phew... cool."

The water felt so refreshing and cool that the thoughts in her head flew away. After rinsing her face, Rosette then soaked all of her silver hair and began to rinse her hair and scalp thoroughly. After rinsing her hair and scalp, she thought.......

‘Why don't I just take a short dip while there's no one around......?’

She hadn't bathed in days while traveling across the desert, and she was desperate.

And while the old Rosette would have been hesitant, perhaps because of her passive attitude and dignity, the new Rosette had learned of her tragic future. She had vowed to be more proactive in her future life, so there was no reason to hesitate.

The soldiers would be busy building barracks or preparing dinner by now anyway. With that thought in mind, Rosette quickly began to remove her dress and undergarments, layer by layer, since no one was expected at this hour.

Her naked body was soon bathed in the moonlight, giving it a transparent glow. The chill of the night air made her stiffen and chill for a moment, but then she made up her mind and began to go deeper, step by step.

The blue waters near Hercia's royal castle were her other playground. Rosette envisioned it as a jewel-like sea of blue emeralds. She felt cool to the bone and braced herself for coming in. As she swam lazily, head-deep in the water, she was really enjoying herself.

A strange sense of liberation washed over her as she realized how surreal it was to be outdoors, naked, and having so much fun. For now, she felt like a fairy in the woods.

She wondered how much time had passed, and she was beginning to feel cold. Realizing that she had lost more time than she realized, she began to head back to the water.

But there was one problem. In the distance, she could hear the sounds of soldiers pacing and talking.

"I see we're going home sooner than I thought."

"Yeah, well, who knew the war would end this way."

At the same time, Rosette's mind began to go as white as a sheet of paper.

What if she ran into them like this......? Her whole body was instantly tinged with nervousness. She was, at best, a commoner from a small kingdom. If the soldiers had their way, they could do anything to her.

Moreover, her appearance, called the Flower of Hercia, was said to be the best in the kingdom. Any man with a decent excuse would want her. Startled by the suddenness of the situation, she began to make her way behind a large rock in the distance to hide.

Her limbs floundered in the water, not listening to their master, perhaps from panic at the unexpectedness of the situation, or perhaps from being in the cold water too long. The loud voices of the soldiers were getting closer and closer. At this rate, she'd be seen before she could hide. Her instincts screamed danger. They had just reached the entrance to the forest.

Rosette's eyes squeezed shut as a strong hand tugged at her wrist, a force so immense that her body overcame the buoyancy of the water and she was pulled along at breakneck speed.