The men quickly took bricks from inside and outside the shed and piled them in front of the door we had just exited from. With that, it would be nearly impossible to open the doorway from the inside by brute force.
“So that passageway leads to the greenhouse,” I mused.
“Yes, it’s one of the escape routes,” the leader of the operatives replied.
The soldiers glanced around in surprise, murmuring, “So this is where the passageway comes out.”
Meanwhile, the operatives moved swiftly and efficiently without needing any instructions. Some scouted the greenhouse’s interior, while others went farther in to check the surroundings. A few remained nearby to guard me.
“It looks like we can move now,” one of them said.
“All right. We’re going to run. Can you manage that, Your Highness?”
“I can run,” I replied.
Although the Third Order knew I was a double, there was no guarantee the enemy hadn’t infiltrated the ranks of the soldiers who were with us. Consequently, I had to keep acting as the princess until the bitter end.
We ran at full speed. I couldn’t help but think we would be spotted with this many people. And sure enough, I heard voices ring out, “There they are!” and “Over there!”
The Third Order operatives drew their large daggers, and the soldiers unsheathed their swords. I hiked up my dress and pulled my dagger from the holster strapped to my thigh, startling one of the soldiers who saw me.
Stalling for time took precedence over maintaining my cover now that we had been discovered by a group of rebel soldiers.
There were about forty of us, and thirty rebel soldiers surrounding us. They were drenched in blood and looked frenzied. We could lose despite outnumbering them if we let our guard down.
Looks like I’ll have to go all out, I thought, steeling myself and dropping my stance.
The enemy charged, signaling the start of the battle, and the scene quickly devolved into chaos as both sides clashed violently.
The most troublesome part was that the soldiers on both sides were wearing identical uniforms, but it quickly became clear who the enemy was: the soldiers who were targeting me.
The battle raged on, bodies falling to the ground on both sides. The air grew thick with the metallic stench of blood. My dagger was now slick with fluids and flesh, quickly losing its edge. My dress was getting in the way.
I’d never experienced combat at this scale, even during my days as an operative. Every nerve was on edge as I fought with my knife.
We were just gaining the upper hand when a mixture of sounds reached our ears—shouts, the pounding of hooves, and the clatter of armor.
Reinforcements!
The kingdom’s army had returned, just in the nick of time!
Faced with the overwhelming numbers of the kingdom’s forces, the remaining twenty or so rebels dropped their swords and raised their hands in surrender.
It was an abrupt end to the fierce battle.
“Princess Delphine! I’m so relieved you’re safe!” the commander of the kingdom’s army exclaimed, dropping to one knee before me.
I straightened my posture, lifted my chin, and smiled. The soldiers were all bowing, so no one noticed my brown eyes.
I raised my voice to give them a command. “Take these men to the dungeon. Now, let us return to the palace.”
And so, I made my way back, surrounded by hundreds of soldiers. The front gates were wide-open, and the soldiers stood guard through the interior of the castle. The atmosphere was tense as we reached the grand hall.
His Majesty the king, the crown prince, the two royal princes, Lord Cedric, Lady Beatrice, and, for some reason, Gunther were all waiting for us. The queen, who was rumored to be in poor health, was absent. But where were Princess Delphine and Nonna?
“Delphine!” Crown Prince Conrad rushed over to me and embraced me.
Is this an act? Or does he truly not know? I wondered. But I couldn’t very well declare, “I’m a double!” in front of so many onlookers, so I just let him hug me.
“I was so worried! Thank goodness you’re all right!” But then he pulled back to look at my face, and his face froze.
I leaned in and whispered to him, “So you’ve finally noticed, Your Highness. But please…pretend you haven’t.”
“Where is Delphine?” he whispered back.
“Still hiding somewhere on the castle grounds. There may still be enemies lurking nearby.”
“Is she safe?”
“I think so. I’m about to search for her.”
Our whispered exchange would’ve looked like a tender embrace between a loving married couple to anyone watching.
The prince pulled away and led me toward the king and the others. When we were close enough to reach out and touch him, I murmured, “Your Majesty, I am the princess’s double, Kate.”
The king gave a slow, dignified nod befitting his status and raised his voice. “Delphine, you must be exhausted. Go to your chambers at once and rest. The rebellion has been quelled.”
I dipped into a graceful bow and left the hall, accompanied by the leader of the operatives and about ten soldiers.
Once inside the princess’s quarters, I instructed the soldiers to stand watch at the door. Now that I was alone with the leader of the operatives, I finally let my guard down.
“Where are Princess Delphine and my daughter?”
“We don’t know yet. They’re in one of three hiding places. We can’t openly go to retrieve them, as we have to retain our cover. Our comrades should be confirming their location as we speak. I’ll escort you to her once we know where the princess is.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“I’ll allow it. The rebellion won’t stop until we safely escort the king and the crown prince. Now, let’s hurry.”
I stepped into my room, changed into a maid’s uniform, draped fabric over my arm so I could conceal my dagger, and left with the leader of the operatives.
“Come to think of it, isn’t it the First Order’s duty to protect the royal family? What have they been doing up until now?”
“They’ve been protecting them, of course. Guarding the royal family by dispersing them is a basic security measure, so the king, the queen, the crown prince, Lord Cedric, Prince Oscar, and Prince Lucas are all under their care.”