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When Birdie bustled in an hour later, it was to find a very despondent-looking young lady gazing out the window in one of the palace robes. She turned around just as Birdie was closing the door. Their eyes met.
For a moment neither of them spoke. Both were surprised to find the other there.
"Gail?" Violet whispered disbelievingly.
"Vi!" Birdie replied excitedly. "How on earth-"
"It's a long story," Violet explained. "But why-"
"It's a long story," her friend repeated.
The two women stood there for two seconds, still shocked at having found one another at last, then happily embraced, shedding a few tears in the process.
"I thought you escaped!" Violet said incredulously when they broke apart.
"And I thought you went for reinforcements," Gail replied with the same disbelieving tone.
"I did, but I was caught," Violet said ruefully. "But how did you end up here?"
"I'll tell you while you dress- here, this will do." Gail pulled out a simple light green gown from the wardrobe. "I'm supposed to bring you down to see him."
"Oh," Violet said with disgust shaking her head.
She paused, then looked up with an odd look on her face.
"Actually," she added, "do you know why he wants to see me so badly? I escaped once already, but he caught me again after only three days!" She shimmied into the bodice of the dress.
"I'm not quite sure, but he's been talking about some prophecy about something or other. Do you need help lacing up?"
"Yes, please; I still don't know how great ladies can stand all these buttons and ribbons and such- it seems too much trouble for anyone."
Gail smiled at her friend's frank opinion. It was almost like old times, before any of this had happened.
"Did you wash?"
"I was about to when you came in."
"I see. Well, I'll just arrange your hair so he doesn't notice."
"Thank you."
Gail nodded in acknowledgement while she tied and crossed the many laces on Violet's back.
"So, tell me," her friend continued, "how did you end up here?"
Gail almost laughed; that was a very long and somewhat complicated tale.
"Well," she began, "after our attempts failed and everyone was running for it, I hid myself in a tree. I waited for hours until I was certain that everyone had gone and I was alone. My legs had cramped up as well, so that made it difficult to get down. When I heard no other sounds except for a breeze, I quietly sneaked out of the tree, donned peasant clothes from those that were left strewn on the ground, and posed as a laundress in a nearby village.
"I was washing one day when a palace guard came up and asked-no, demanded- me to wash a shirt for him. I didn't want to draw attention to myself, so I removed the stains as hastily as possible and gave it back to him when it was dry. By then I'd been living in the village for several months, nearly a year, and the village folk knew and were comfortable with my presence. I'd say we were all friendly acquaintances.
"When it came time for the guard to pay me, he only gave me half the charge, adding that I'd been lucky to receive that much from him. I was absolutely insulted by this remark, a feeling that only intensified when he snatched his now-dry garment from my hands and walked jauntily away, as if I were his servant.
"I called out for help, and the village leaders came, along with the rest of the community. They confronted the guard and forced him to pay me the proper sum, but he spat at me after depositing the coins in my hand. The next day, he came back with what seemed like a small army and demanded I come away with them. They were all very strong and imposing, and I had no choice but to go along with them. No one else would stand up to them with me this time- there were too many of them for a small village to overcome with sheer numbers.
"I felt like a prisoner- which I may as well have been- with all the guards on my right, my left, in front, and behind. The posse brought me to him, and the guard, who was like the ringleader, spoke to him, saying that I had defied him the day before and was guilty of rebellion and treason. He peered at me and asked if I could verify the guard's story. I said that I could not, only saying that there had been a slight disagreement over the price of my laundering services.
"That's when things turned a bit... strange, I suppose you would say. He seemed a little off that day, as if his mind was elsewhere. He began interrogating me as if I was applying for a post at the palace as a laundress. Hardly any questions had been asked before he declared that I was the new head laundress and thew guard was to be relocated to a place far away from where I was working. I've been here ever since."
She jerked Violet's hair as she said this and pulled it back into a rather excellent bun that was simple, but covered her unwashed roots with a few braids intertwined throughout the hairstyle. A perfect disguise.
"Wow," Violet said in awed tones. "So you've been here for how long?"
"Eight months and sixteen days."
"I'm amazed! You've pulled many stunts, Gail, but none as spectacular as this. No one has suspected you of anything?"
"I don't believe so. But you'd better start calling me 'Birdie'- just to get in the habit, you know. I've only lasted this long because no one has known anything about my true identity. I'd greatly appreciate it if you would act like you have never seen or met me before."
"Don't worry, I won't give you away," Violet promised.
"Thank you," Birdie said.
With one final tug, Birdie completed the intricate chignon with Violet's hair and stepped back to admire her work.
"Well, I'd say you're ready to see him now. Do you feel all right?"
"As well as I can feel after enjoying the effects of a concussion."
Birdie's lips tugged at a smile. She had missed Vi's dry sense of humor.
Feeling in her bag, Birdie' hand happened upon something cold and hard. She grasped it and pulled it out, presenting it to her friend.
"You might want this, then, just in case."
Violet accepted the gift. It was a dangerously sharp dagger with a silver handle and a small inset diamond that sparkled in the light like a teardrop splattering on the ground. She gazed at its deadly beauty, then placed it in one of the hidden pockets in the folds of her dress.
"I suppose I'm ready now," she affirmed.
The two friends stepped out of the chamber and began to walk down the corridor. This time Violet paid attention to her surroundings, memorizing the turns and twists of the passageways. at last the two came to a large, imposing oaken door. There were intricate carvings and designs etched into the dark wooden face, depicting centuries-old coronations, landscapes, and monarchs. Though she had been here before, Violet still found the decorations quite striking.
Birdie whispered in one of the guard's ears, and he went in to announce the arrival of the two women. Violet and Birdie waited only a few seconds before being ushered into the great throne room.
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