Chapter 7: Gianna

Gianna looked at the clock on the night table beside her bed and saw that it was almost 11:30 PM. Time to go see if Keres has anyone watching their rooms. Sophia should be asleep pretty deeply by now Gianna thought as she slowly slid out of her bed trying not to make too much noise. Tiptoeing over to her sister’s bed, Gianna was greeted by the sounds of her sister's soft snores. With a smile she pulled the blanket back up to Sophia’s shoulders and then slowly crept to the door of their bedroom to slip out into their living room. 

She pulled the door softly closed behind her and made her way over to the simple dress that she had worn earlier today. Normally, Gianna would have been happy to have worn leggings and t-shirt, but Keres did not allow casual clothing to be worn around him. Women had to wear dresses and men had to wear dress slacks and a button down shirt at minimum. Putting her dress back on from earlier could help her say that she had just accidentally stayed up too late watching tv and was heading to the kitchens for a late night snack. 

Gently opening the door that led out their rooms, Gianna looked around and scented carefully to see if their rooms were being watched. Weird, she thought to herself. There were no signs of anyone being in the hall for several hours. Quietly, Gianna crept down the hall that would take her to the kitchens, but also just happened to pass by Keres office. If it was unlocked she might chance looking in to see what else he had planned. Something about the plan that he presented today still was not sitting right with her. He must have a reason for wanting to expand borders and take resources from other kingdoms. 

Just before she turned the corner to the hall that Keres’s office was located on she heard voices. Pausing, Gianna listened to see if the voices were moving. After a few seconds it became apparent that the voices were not moving and were likely coming from Keres’s office. I wonder who he is meeting with this late at night, Gianna thought to herself as she slowly made her way to the end of the hallway. Quietly, Gianna rounded the corner and crept closer to Keres’s office so she could hear what was being said. 

“What do you mean that it will take you three days to be ready,” Keres demanded, slamming his fist on the desk. “You agreed that she would be gone tomorrow night.” 

“I’m sorry,” another voice said. “My Lord Itachi has been delayed with an issue back in our kingdom.” 

“What issues? This is unacceptable,” Keres practically growled. “We had a deal. I promised Itachi a lot of money to make sure that the brat would be gone.”

Once again the other voice replied evenly. “Once again, I am sorry. Lord Itachi has petitioned our king for the honor of choosing a child bride. He has decided to take Sophia as his wife, but was not immediately granted permission. Lord Itachi stayed because he is set to plead his case with our king in the morning. Once he has met with the king, he will make his way here,” the voice finished calmly. 

Gianna could hardly contain her cry of disgust. She put a hand over her mouth to make sure that no sound slipped out. She had to make sure that her wolf was pushed back to stop her from growling as well. 

“His wife, hmmm,” Keres said, in a slightly happier tone. “Yes, I think that would be perfect for my dear cousin. Fine. Tell Lord Itachi that I accept the new terms. I will not even charge him for the extra few days since I love the fact that he is going to make her his wife so much,” Keres finished practically gleefully. 

“What about the sister,” the voice asked. 

“Gianna? What about her,” Keres asked. 

“Lord Itachi would not mind taking her as well if you would like her gone,” the voice offered eagerly. “She is quite beautiful and would fetch a good price.”

Oh my gosh, Gianna thought to herself trying not to make a sound but completely disguised and ready to kill everyone in Keres’s office. Is Keres really going to try to sell her? Is this why Sophia was told to learn a protection charm? Gianna was brought back from her racing thoughts by the slamming of keres’s fist on his desk. 

“No,” he barely ground out through clenched teeth. “Gianna is mine.”

“I’m sorry, sir,” the voice trembled slightly. “We were not aware. We did not mean any insult.” 

Gianna heard the desk chair creak as Keres sat back. “It’s okay,” he said, much calmer. “I had actually planned on making the announcement the day after tomorrow that we will be married. Since Sophia will still be here, I can use her as leverage to get her sister to agree to anything that I say,” he said with a grin. “Tell Lord Itachi I await his arrival,” Keres said as he rose to his feet and walked around his desk. 

“Yes, sir,” the voice said standing as well. 

“I will show you out,” Keres said as they began walking toward the door to his office. Gianna quickly hurried back and rounded the corner just as the messenger for Lord Itachi stepped into the hallway. “You are not staying outside of town, right,” Keres asked as they began walking down the hall. 

“Yes,” the man replied with a nod of his head. “I know not to be seen coming or going from here.”

Gianna could not hear what else was said as they made their way further away from her. Turning she quickly made her way back to her and Sophia’s rooms. Once she reached the door she quickly ran inside, closed the door, and learned back against it while gasping for breath. How dare that jerk think that he could sell her sister to make sure that he can keep the crown, and what in the world would ever make him think of marrying her, Gianna thought, trying to suppress a shudder. 

Stepping away from the door, Gianna began to pace in front of the sofa in their living room. She needed a plan. Was there anyone in the castle that she could turn to? No. There are still a few servants here that might help her or at least turn a blind eye, but for the most part Keres has everyone too scared to go against him. Could she and Sophia run away? Yes. Yes, they could do that easily, Gianna thought. All of the nights that they had snuck out for her to shift and Sophia to practice magic and never got caught should make this a breeze. Yes. They could make a run for it tomorrow night. That would give them at least a twelve hour head start before anyone notices that they are gone. Once they reach their normal spot in the woods, Gianna could shift and carry Sophia on her back. No one would suspect them of being able to cover as much ground as Gianna would be able to cover as a wolf.  

Perfect, but where could they go that Keres would not try to find them? Almost immediately Gianna knew where they had to go. They would travel to the northwest to the shifter kingdom. Her father was originally from there, and her mother had once told her that if something ever happened to her, that Gianna should go there if she ever felt like she was in danger. Well mom, Gianna thought, trying to contain a bitter laugh. I think this counts as being in danger.

Gianna sat in the living room for at least another hour planning how she and Sophia would make their escape. She had everything planned. All she had to do now was wait for Sophia to wake up, tell her what was happening and the plan, getting them packed, and then waiting for the time to make their run. Gianna yawned again as she looked over her notes one last time. As wired as she was, she was struggling to keep her eyes open. Standing from the sofa Gianna stretched from sitting hunched over writing for so long. 

She pulled the sheet with her plan and notes from the notepad that she had been writing on along with the next few sheets to keep someone from tracing over them to see what she wrote. She crumpled the blank sheets tightly and tossed them in the small trash can that was under the desk in the living room. Probably should have sat there, she thought ruefully, as she tried stretching again. Checking the time, Gianna decided to try to sleep for a few hours. It was too late to try to make a run for it tonight, and they didn't have much of a chance if they left during the day. 

Gianna pulled her dress off and changed back into her nightgown. She quietly opened the door to their bedroom and was relieved to see that Sophia was sleeping soundly in her bed. Gianna quietly made her way over to her bed and crawled in quietly. Within moments of her head touching her pillow, Gianna was asleep. The last thing that she remembered thinking, was hoping that she and Sophia would be safe and welcomed in the shifter kingdom.