(Thanks to AJ Kit for choosing this draft, #4! It was a lot of fun finishing this one!)

———

Della only had one thought in her mind. Run.

Allaver had a great defense system. Guards at every entrance and exit. They were skilled in combat. How did this attack even happen?

Hearing the clash of metal, the cries of people she knew, every step brought tears to her eyes. Each step got harder and harder to take.

But she had to. For her duty was to the crown like every soldier and guard. Except hers made her go further from the ballroom and the fight instead of towards it.

Gallia. That was her assigned destination according to the escape plan that her parents ingrained in Della and her siblings.

She turned the corner and her breath caught in her throat. At the end of the hallway, three soldiers with different weapons ran in her direction.

Della dove out of the way of an arrow shot at her shoulder. Whipping her sword out of its sheath, she deflected the next arrow. A fight is so much easier when not in a dress.

Thank you Louisa for pushing the Royal children to learn how to fight. Even with the extensive training, she was no Hale or Amerie, so against three armed attackers, she struggled.

One of the burlier men, who had his sword high up to swing at her, cried out in sudden pain. Della knocked out and incapacitated the other two. Turning around, she witnessed Hale pulling her blade out of the man’s chest.

“Thanks,” Della breathed out as the man’s body slumped to the ground.

She grabbed Hale in for an embrace, hugging her sister, trying to memorize this moment.

Boots on the tile made her let go. Rules were rules. They had to go on separate paths, even if their endpoints were the same.

It betrayed every part of her to leave her little sister. “Stay safe, Hale.”

Hale held her gaze for a second before nodding. “You too.”

More running.

Running away from everything she ever knew.