The agreement was that if her father failed in the battlefield, it would be her mother to lead the last hurrah at the castle gates. Afterall she was a strong and well respected women, the people would follow her into battle. While her parents fought for the kingdom, she was to be hidden away. The last heir to the throne. There were plans about her escaping the city, going to her fathers allies. They would fight for her, help her regain the throne. The price of course would be high, most of the treasurey would be needed to buy those mens support. They would call it money to fund the campaign and war, she called it blood money. As if she had not paid enough in blood by then.
The agreement was only made, at least on Cleo's part, because her father would not leave without the promise that she would not engage and fight the enemy. Cleo had no intention of honoring that agreement. That she would indeed fight at her mothers side. What she had not counted on was her mother holding her to that promise. She had been sure that her mother would not force her to hide away like some child, but when word came that the outer army had fallen, Cleo had been sent into hiding. Once she was sure Cleo was not about to do something stupid she had gone to lead the battle.
Cleo knew when the city and castle had fallen. That would mean her mother was either slain or held prisoner. Both of her parents lost to her. Partailly she blamed herself. Telling herself if she had been there it would not have happened. Though guilt was a wicked thing. Remembering the argument she had with her father, the day he spent convincing her to go into hiding might have been the difference between victory and death. As if that had not been bad enough she had spent precious minutes, almost an hour consuming her mothers time, trying to convince her not to hide her away. Maybe if she had simply done as her father first said, it would have made the difference.
The cool draft did nothing to ease the burning tears that streaked down her face and ran her make up. Alone. Cleo was all alone. It had been too risky to let anyone know about this plan, even truted servants were none the wiser. The air around her was cool though she did not notice, it was a small thing compared to what must have happened to her parents. Beneath her the stones were covered with thick colorful blankets. They had been meant to soften the stone and give a measurement of warmth and comfort. Another luxury. She was sitting on antoher luxury as so many others where begging for mercy that would never come. While her parents had suffered. It sickened her.
Hearing foot steps and movement she went extra still and silent. No doubt it was the invading army, no one else had a rason to be in this part ofhte castle. They were probably seraching for her, and the treasurey. Maybe just the treasurey, since she really did not amount to anything without the money. As long as she stayed silent there was no chance for them to find her. The room was far beneath the ground, a part of the dungeons. The room was hidden in a rarely used section, behind a special wall. Even if they knew about the wall in the time it would take them to demolish it enough to get in she would be gone, out the natural caves and far from the city. Actaully she should have been gone by now but she could not stand the idea of leaving her parents, of leaving her home. The plan was to return, but to what? What would remain?
After crying out all of her tears, she finally climbed to her feet. Picking up the packed bag, she started away from the wall and into the caves. Knowing there might be need she had dressed in a shade of dark gray, in order to better blend with the shadows and night. She also dressed in a long shirt and pants instead of the traditional dress she wore at court. Cleo's hands were still shaknig slightly as she started down the rock formation. Her footing was solid and sure. As a child she played here so she knew these caves well. It seemed like hours before she made her way out of the caves and from beneath the city.
The treasurey, the part that was to buy her support and the alliance of her supporters was already well on the way. Sent during the night, on the night that her fathers army had fallen. The plan had been that she would meet it at a location then they would move together to make the alliance. That meant she had a lot of ground to cover while alone. Though she had some skill with weapons, primary the bow that now hung on her back, she was hoping to avoid the enemy. Being forced to fight was not a win situation for her.