continuation...
The tunnel held an eerie feeling and the air was strangely still.
Helena held the candle high over her head as they continued on. Her usually quick-paced and light footsteps had become long and heavy but Nami couldn’t tell whether it was because of the mysteriousness of the place or out of plain suspense and fright.
Suddenly Helena murmered, “Right now, I am guessing that we are right beneath the living room.”
"How would you know that?" Nami asked in confusion.
"I've been keeping track of the directions we've been taking. I know this house like the back of my hand." she explained. Nami just shrugged.
“Is there a way out of here?” Nami asked, beginning to worry.
“There should be I’m guessing. This tunnel has to go somewhere.” Helena picked up her skirt and quickened her pace and Nami stayed in step right behind her.
They had to make many choices of where to go for the tunnel forked off in many places and when it seemed like they had been walking forever in every direction and all hope was lost they suddenly felt a cold draft of air. Helena and Nami both gasped in surprise and excitement as they hurried forward. As they neared the yellow light of the candle revealed a wooden door right in front of them. They both ran to the door, trembling with excitement.
“This is it!” Helena whispered. “The door out! I am quite sure that this door leads straight to the…” Helena stopped short.
“What? Leads to the what?” Nami asked impatiently. Helena turned to her slowly.
“This door leads to your father’s study.” She gulped. Nami tightened her jaw. She should’ve guessed that it was too good to be true. Her father never left his study except to run errands, which was least common, or when meeting guests, but even that was usually conducted within the study.
“Are you positive?” Nami asked, hoping that her habitually precise maid could for once be doubtful.
“It is without question your father’s study.” She said once again.
“But I’ve never seen a door within the study.” Nami said.
“Yes I know. There is a door, but it was covered with a tapestry.” Helena explained. “Im guessing you’ve never seen it for I doubt you ever spend long peridods of time in his study.” That’s true, Nami thought. She put her hands on her hips.
“So what do we do now then?” Nami asked in slight annoyance. “Just go back? Give up?”
“Nami calm down. We can think of something.” Helena, holding the candle with one hand, wrapped her other hand around her own waist.
“Perhaps there is another way out.” Nami suggested.
“It would be risky to try and find another door. It took us long to find this one and to find another one would just waste time and if we can’t find it we might not be able to find this one again.”
“Then should we just try and see if my father is inside?”
“If it’s a risk you’re willing to take then go ahead, but I’d advice against it. If you get caught then it’s over for both of us.” The candle was almost gone now and the flame was dangerously close to Helena’s hand which had already been burned multiple times by the hot wax.
Nami dug into her bag and took out another one. Helena thanked her and lit it with the other one before extinguishing it with her fingers. They both contemplated silently, watching the new burning flame.
“Actually,” Helena said looking up at Nami. “I think I may have an idea. If I go back on my own, I could go check on whether your father is in his study and if he is I could bring him out. If that works I will signal you out.” Suddenly her face brightned. “Wait. Do you think…” She went towards the door. “Could we hear through this door?” She placed her ear on the door and listened. There was nothing. “Hold on. Nami give me one of the largest glass vials you have.” Nami rummaged in her bag and brought one out with a base the size of her palm. Helena placed the open end of the vial on the door and closed her ear unto the other side.
“What are you doing?” Nami asked, puzzeled at Helena’s actions.
“An old trick I had learned when I was your age.” She closed her eyes and strained to listen for any noises. Suddenly she heard quiet murmurings from the other side. Illegible, but they were there. “Ah. I can hear voices from the other side. I think they belong to your father.”
“Really?” Nami asked incredulously. “Let me try.” Helena passed the vial to her and Nami copied her actions. She too could hear the low murmurings. “So what do we do now?” Nami asked when she had taken her ear from the door and put the vial back into her bag.
“I’ll go back alone. If I you hear me knock on this door, that means that you can come out.”
“Alright.” Agreed Nami. “But what if it doesn’t work?”
“Then I shall come back and get you.” she said. Nami sighed. It was risky and could end up to have been a complete waste of time but it was worth a try. Nami rummaged in her bag for another candle, once it was lit she handed it to Helena.
“Good luck, and thank you once again.” Nami said sincerely. Helena nodded and smiled, then turned away. Nami watched her go until the light from her candle could hardly be seen and she was completely alone. She slid down the dusty, cold wall, and sat down on the floor. Leaning against the door and wall, she stared at the candle, its bright yellow flame burning incessantly. It was hypnotizing to stare at the flame.
The beauty of fire was a mysterious thing, fire, something which could be so destructive, yet so abundantly helpful, something which was so powerful, yet so delicate that it could be extinguished by just a drop of water. Water. Suddenly Nami was thirsty. She had harldy drank anything all day. She licked her dry lips but even her tongue was dry. She had no water with her unfortunately, but she did have some dry food. Nami opened her bag and took out the packet of food that Helena gave her. There was some bread, and some dry deer meat along with some apples, blackberries, and gooseberries. Nami munched on the dry deer meat and it helped with her dry mouth. How long has it been, Nami wondered.
Her candle was already half gone and the wax had fallen unto her hand many times. The tunnel had become chilly and her body was cramped from sitting on a cold hard floor for so long. Where are you Helena? Nami took the vial out of her bag once again and listened on the door. She could only hear the continuous low murmurings.
Feeling tired, she rested her head on the vial and kept her ear on it. She closed her eyes and rested like that, hoping that her maid would hurry for she had no idea what time of day it was and she knew that she was being waited on.
Nami felt like hours had passed by as she drifted in and out of sleep. She had already changed the candle three times. She recalled that it had only taken one candle to walk the length of the tunnel from here back to her room. Suddenly the voice level rose in the room next to her. Nami straigned to attention and she placed a hand on the vial. She strained to hear what was being said but she could only hear loud voices.
And then there was quiet. Not a single sound could be heard; not even the low murmur of voices. Nami became impatient and restless with anxiety.
Then all of a sudden she heard two sharp knocks on the door. Nami stood up with surprising agility. She came near the door and unlatched the metal handle and pushed open the door. The door was heavier than anticipated so she had to use the full force of her body for her other hand was busy holding the candle.
Finally with one hard push the door flung open. Nami’s eyes were blinded by the bright light of her father’s study. Suddenly the noises were very loud. She could hear people running about and men shouting orders. Nami looked up and found Helena standing in front of her. She helped Nami stand up, for she had fallen unto her knees when the door gave way, and explained what was happening.
“I created a diversion. The men are now busy and this your best chance of getting away.” Nami extinguished the candle and let the wax dry before putting it back into her bag.
“What sort of a diversion?” Nami asked as she shouldered her pack and walked to the doorway of the study.
“I let loose the horses.” Helena said. Nami looked at her in shock.
“You have wrecked havoc in this household for sure now.” She said smiling now. Helena smiled back.
“I’m guessing that it will take them a good couple hours until all the horses are put back in.”
“Hours? How many did you let loose?”
“About half the barn.” Nami looked stunned.
“That’s got to be about two dozen horses!” Nami exclaimed.
“I guess so.” Helena shrugged. They were now out in the hallway and Helena was leading the way as Nami sneaked past countless maids who were all rushing about, trying to help the present disaster.
Soon Nami and Helena had successfully reached the backdoor unnoticed. Nami knew that it was either now or never so she opened the door and gave Helena one last heartfelt hug and went out.
She ran across the grass and towards the forest. Once in the safety of the foliage she looked back and saw with a smile her father and many grooms and men dashing around and trying to catch boisterous colts, mares, and high prancing stallions. She saw a horse not four feet from her and laughed as she saw it gallop past her with its new found freedom. Good job Helena, good job.
Nami soon made her way towards Goneck. She found him watching intently the chaos which had arose.
“I’m guessing that this is your doing.” Goneck said suddenly. Nami stopped dead in her tracks. How does he know that it is me? He didn’t even turn his head to look. When Nami didn’t reply he averted his gaze towards her.
“Well?”
“I guess you could say so.” she finally replied. Goneck nodded slightly.
“I’m glad you made it out. I was getting worried when you didn’t return after a couple of hours. Have you got everything you need?” Nami nodded.
“Then let’s go.” He stood up and led her through the forest. Being seen at this moment was Nami’s largest concern so they had to stay in hiding and the forest provided the best of it. When they were well away from the great white house Nami finally expressed her joy. A broad smile was plastered across her face and she couldn’t remove it. She skipped along at times and even hummed a few tunes. Goneck looked at her a bit disapprovingly at times but he decided to let her be for after all she had just Suddenly Nami stopped. Goneck looked back when he had heard no footsteps and said, “What is it?”
to be continued....
