I like the scenario. The monastery sounds like a good idea. I also do not want fuss. I would not want anyone to see us leaving. And what is the most important part – I do not want Kaithria or Lorna to see that we are going. I do not want to see the smiles on their faces when they realize that they have won.
'Let's start gathering the luggage, then,' I say, taking a deep breath.
Our luggage is not much. We have only several clothes. And the luggage is not heavy. We can carry it and walk at the same time. One of us will take the luggage at first, and then, when she gets tired, the other will take it, until we reach the nearest monastery.
'We can take some food from the kitchen, too,' Elsie says. 'We may get hungry on the way.'
I nod. 'You go and get the food, while I get the luggage ready.'
Elsie is gone in a second. She returns in ten minutes, a small basket in her hands. The basket is filled with food that we can have in case we get hungry on the way.
'Two maids saw me taking food from the kitchen,' she says. 'They asked me what I was doing. I told them that we just needed some food in our room, but one of them looked at the travel basket and then back at me with suspicion. They did not ask any more questions, but they got suspicious,' she adds.
'Well, let's hurry up then,' I say. 'Let's go now. I do not want anyone to know about it.'
Elsie nods. She takes the food basket, I take the luggage, and we leave her bedroom. A couple of maids are walking along the hallway. They see us with the luggage and stop short.
'Oh, are you leaving?' One of them says.
'What a pity, Megan, Elsie, we liked you a lot,' the other one adds.
I merely shrug, not wanting to say anything. The maids go away, whispering together.
We walk down the semi-dark corridors, our footsteps echoing in the emptiness of the corridors. We do not speak a word. I am tense, and Elsie knows it. She is also uneasy – I can feel it from her face, her walking style and her breathing.
Soon we reach the main doors of the castle. There are many people there – almost the entire clan is there. I stop short. I cannot believe that all of them are here. Why?
Elsie also stops and looks at me. Now what? Everyone is looking at us. Kaithria bursts into a happy smile when she sees the luggage in my hands. Sloan is also here. I didn't notice him at first, and now, when I see him, my heart almost stops. He comes forward towards me.
'Megan, what are you doing?' He asks, and his voice is heard loudly and clearly. Everyone is silent; wanting to know what is going on. 'What are you doing?' He asks again, this time in a demanding voice.
'Leaving,' I say, surprised at how my voice sounds – brave and calm.
'Why? No, wait, stop,' he says, getting confused for a second. 'You are not leaving, Megan.'
'Sloan, I am leaving, and you cannot stop me,' I say, my voice full of determination. 'I cannot and I will not stay in your castle an hour more. I cannot do that. I am sure that you know what I am talking about.'
'Listen, Megan,' he starts saying, but I do not want to hear anything.
'No!' The word escapes my mouth in rage. I cannot keep my rage to me anymore. It is too big to be held inside. And I do not care that everyone hears what I am saying. 'Sloan, you spent the night with this girl! After being with me and making me believe you! You are a two-faced person, and I do not respect that kind of people! I would rather die than stay here any longer.'
'I have not spent the night with her, Megan, please, listen to me,' he also raises his voice. 'If you will just listen to me for a second!'
'She made you believe that incident yesterday that she and her mother had made up!' I cannot stop talking, and a couple of tears form in my eyes, though I am not going to cry, no matter what. 'How could you believe her? And now, yes, of course, you are going to marry her, even though you know what everyone thinks of her.'
'Megan, please, I know that you are innocent,' Sloan says, getting on his knees in front of me, while everyone is watching. 'Please, forgive me for hesitating yesterday after that incident that happened to you. And please be sure that I have never touched Kaithria. There has been nothing between us. Megan, I love you and only you…'