Chapter 54


    Chapter 54 You‘ve opened my eyes.


    She could be free here. For the first time in five years she could be free. D She could start over in a


    ce where the pce wasn’t able to control her. She could live among those that fought to be free and


    lived peacefully away from the terror of the pce and the corruption that dwelled there. No more politics


    or being pushed around. No more wondering if she was going to be screamed at that day or not. No


    more Melody trying to embarrass her and make her regret the day she was bom. 1 Here, they offered her


    somewhere to live free with no restraints… they didn’t realize how much that meant to her. How many


    nights she dreamed of running far from the kingdom where they would never be able to reach here. This


    was… all she ever wanted. But But-Beth. “Would you excuse me? I just need some air.” Doris stood


    quickly and almost knocked over the stool in front of her.


    You’ve opened my eyes “Of course, are you alright-” “Thank you.” Doris quickly hurried out the door and


    into the cold to take a deep breath of fresh air. She felt suffocated and dizzy from her thoughts. She


    crunched across the snow and seated herself on a fallen log-far from the eyes of anyone nearby. How


    could she forget Beth? If Doris ran away, Beth would be forced to stay there forever. There would be no


    freedom for her under William’s say. Doris would never be able to live with herself if she knew that Beth


    was suffering. Her friend would never do that to her-ever. She always had Doris’s back and was there to


    take care of her when she couldn’t take care of herself. She stayed with her throughout her most awful


    nights and never onceined. Beth-Beth was her best friend Doris brought her legs up to her chest


    and hugged them tightly. It was strange wearing pants, she never owned a pair at the pce since it was


    proper and was always used to wearing dresses. Not that she minded, she liked dresses too. But it felt


    so good to have a pair of pants for whether like this. Sheid her forehead against her knees and closed


    her eyes tightly—the only thing she saw was


    You’ve opened my eyes Beth’s face. How could she even think to trust these people after a day? They


    could be showing her some type of utopia on the surface to lure her in. Once she did, she would be at


    risk of their cruelty and betrayal. But… it was getting harder to convince herself of that. Enzo seemed too


    kind to be acting. Sir Anthony was kind to her in the cell and healed her wounds not knowing that one


    day she would be in the north. Their kindness was too bright to be false. Wasn’t it? If she returned, there


    was always a chance that she wouldn’t be granted her own freedom. William could speak against it and


    keep her there, or the king could cancel it altogether and she would never get to feel the fresh air on her


    skin again. She would never get to travel and see the world and live free. She would only be known as a


    maid and treated like one. But what kind of monster would she be if she stayed? “Doris?” Doris turned


    her head to see Enzo standing behind her. He was alone with his hands deep in his pockets and concern


    on his face. “May I join you? Or


    You’ve opened my eyes if you’d rather be alone, I can leave.” She lowered her feet to the ground again


    and shook her head. “You can join me.” Enzo seated himself next to her and looked out at the frozen


    lake in front of them. The air was still and quiet, though in the distance she heard a bit ofughter. “Have


    you ever skated on ice before?” He asked without looking at her. “Oh! No, I would probably fall.” Doris


    said, she pulled at the hem of her sleeve.” During the winter, the smallke at the pce freezes over.


    No one goes near it except the children. Sometimes they like to skate around it if it’s thick enough.” “It’s


    quite fun. I could show you to if you’d like.” Doris offered a weak smile but didn’t respond. He finally


    looked over at her, but she wouldn’t meet his gaze. “Staying troubles you. Is it the prince you’re worried


    about?” Enzo asked. “No-well, sort of. It’s more of my friend at the pce.” Doris said. “A lover?” Enzo


    asked with raised brows. Dorisughed and shook her head. “Oh, no. I don’t have a lover.” Enzo tilted


    his head a little. “My best friend, Beth. She was to be on the amnesty that’s


    You’ve opened my eyes. being signed to free her. I was too, actually. We were going to leave together


    and get as far as we could away from there but-” Doris paused. Enzo spoke lightly, “But what?” “But I


    was sent on this journey with Prince William. If I don’t return, she’s not allowed to ever be free.” A mix of


    understanding and a new confusion fell across his face. “Why would it depend on your return?” “They


    wanted to make sure I wouldn’t have run off somewhere… exactly as I’m considering doing now. They


    know we’re close and they know I would never leave her to that fate.” “I see.” Enzo let out a sigh and


    crossed his leg over the other. “It’s not easy having people to care about. Our minds make us think of


    them before ourselves and we’re forced to be unselfish.” “Exactly.” Doris said. “All I’ve dreamed about for


    the past five years of my life is being free. I went to bed every night pretending I was somewhere far from


    there where I wouldn’t be punished if I dropped a te or yelled at to clean someone’sundry. I would


    be free to live how I wanted. So much of my time


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    You’ve opened my eyes has been stolen, but I don’t think I could allow Beth to grow old there because of


    me. She deserves to be free, too.” Enzo hummed in agreement. He scratched his jaw in thought. “I could


    kidnap her and bring her here. Then she could live free with you.” He tossed her a grin, Dorisughed a


    little. “I don’t think the pce would appreciate you taking two of their servants. I wouldn’t want a war


    started over this.” “If you return home and they allow you both free, would you choose to live somewhere


    like here?” Enzo asked quietly. Doris thought for a moment. She looked around at all the snow and took


    in the sounds ofughter. “I don’t know. I don’t think I would want to stay in one ce so soon. I think I


    would travel first and see more of the world before I decided where to stay. Who knows, perhaps this


    would end up being my favorite ce and I woulde right back here.” There was also the darker side


    of the rogues that concerned her. Sure, most of them seemed nice enough. But she experienced what


    darkness was in this pack and she didn’t want to meet more


    You’ve opened my eyes of them. She didn’t want to live in a ce where she would be afraid to look over


    her shoulder. The men at the tavern sent chills down her spine. Were they just as bad as the ones that


    took her? “I think you’re brave for wanting to return to the pce for your friend. Many people would run


    the first chance they got and never look back, no matter who it hurt. Your heart is too good for that. Your


    friend is lucky to have you.” Enzo lightly bumped his shoulder against her own. Doris offered a small, sad


    smile. “You’ve opened my eyes, Enzo. I feared the north for so long but now I know what it’s like.


    Perhaps others like me would find their ce here once they were free, too.” “We would wee


    anyone like you, Doris. Count on that.” Enzo stood and held out his hand to help her up. Doris stood and


    smoothed out her sweater. “We’ve lost sighting on where your prince is, but I’m sure he will show up


    sooner orter. He wasn’t very happy with my pack thest time he saw them.” Enzo said as they


    walked. “If he hasn’t forgotten about me, that is.” “Oh, I don’t think he’s forgotten about you. As you


    recall, he was pretty


    You’ve opened my eyes. desperate in his search for your wellbeing.” Doris snorted and then blushed at


    her own sound. That wasn’t very proper for her to do, but Enzo onlyughed. William must have felt


    guilty she was captured


    since he was the one that made here on this journey. At times, she felt they had some what of a


    bond but other times she wasn’t sure. Enzo broke off from her to walk with Elena down another path.


    Doris tried to remember the one that led back to her room and got a bit turned around when she found


    herself lost in thought. “Ay, you!” A deep, gruff voice called from behind her. Doris hesitated before she


    turned to see a tall man at the end of the road. “Get over here, I’m talking to you.”