Chapter Twenty-Two

Shadows

Four hours later I was walking in almost complete darkness besides the streetlights that lined the paths throughout the park.  My eyes kept searching left and right, back behind me, and then trying to see further up ahead as I looked at each statue I came across until I finally came to the center of the park where a great big statue that read “The Guardian” in Russian stood. The Guardian was a tall man made out of bronze that held a sword in one hand and a shield in the other.  It reminded me a lot of what a roman soldier would’ve looked like in the move Gladiator, except something about the man seemed to change as I looked at him more closely.  His facial features were more Russian looking, and I began to wonder, just who was this Guardian?

I don’t know how many minutes passed, but I felt like I was waiting forever.  My heart was beating so fast, as every noise caught my attention, every movement of the shadows of the trees or of animals made me jump slightly.  Gosh, why was I so stupid to come out here?  I should’ve listened to Mandy and Eric and just stayed back at the manor. I said to myself as I let out a sigh while thinking back to how I had successfully snuck out of the manor. 

During the entire dinner my mind was consumed with thoughts about the letter, and wondering who it was from and should I even go?  I had gotten strange looks from almost everyone at the table, and when Ros, Mr. Poloski, and Count Dubrov all asked me what was wrong, I would simply say that I was tired from today’s events, which was true.  However, it wasn’t until I told everyone that I wished to retire to my room early after dinner that Mandy and Eric caught up with me, asking me for the truth.

“Lisa, we know you a lot better than them, and sure you may be tired, but what’s really going on?” Mandy asked as she stood outside in the hallway that connected our rooms.  I looked over at Eric, who was listening intently.  Finally with a giving up sigh, I brought them in my room and shut the door, revealing the letter that I had been given.

“So, who is this from?” Mandy asked as she handed it over to Eric.

“I’m not one hundred percent sure, but I have a guess, and I must go.  I have to see him.” I said as I grabbed my jeans and a black shirt and a jacket and went into my ensuite bathroom to change.

“Lisa, you can’t be serious. I mean you are way smarter than this and haven’t you seen plenty of movies where the girl goes to meet up with a no name letter and she gets killed or kidnapped? No you aren’t going just because you think Marc sent you this letter.” Eric said as gave Mandy the letter again.

“And besides, what makes you think it is Marc, what if it’s Victor or someone else? I mean Lisa, did you even really think about all of this. And another thing, if it is Marc, which I don’t think it is, then why would you even go meet up with him?” Mandy included as Eric as finishing up his sentence.  I knew everything that they were saying…I had thought about all the possibilities, but something inside of me was saying that it was Marc, however there was a little thing that was causing me doubt.  If it was Marc, and he sent me the letter here, then did he know my secret?  How did he know that I was staying here? I thought as I looked down at the letter in my hands that Mandy and just handed back to me.

“I know yall, but I can’t explain it, I just feel like I need to go.” I said as I looked at them with honesty in my eyes.

“Well, even if you did want to go, how do you expect to get out of this place and get there? I mean this manor is well guarded.” Eric said as he looked out the window then back at me.

“I’ll figure out a way.” I said as I started to really think about how I would escape.  The time was getting closer to when I would need to leave.

“Well you have a little over an hour before you need to meet this person.  And also, what if one of us went with you and just stayed in the car, that way you wouldn’t be alone.” Mandy said as she looked from me to Eric.

“That could work.  But one of you would need to stay here.” I said as I looked back at my two best friends.  I was asking them to risk their lives for me right now, to go with me to meet up with someone who had sent me this letter, with no guarantee that it was someone who meant me no harm.

“I’ll stay; someone is going to need to be able to cover your tracks well enough.” Eric said as he looked at Mandy. Okay something is totally going on between those two, I confirmed in my mind as I had to glance away and out the window.

“Okay so it’s settled you will stay and Mandy will come with me.” I confirmed as I looked back at Eric who just nodded.

“Now the question is how do we sneek out?” Mandy asked as she came to the window and started to look around.

“I have an idea, but I’m not certain that it’ll work.” I said as I turned back around to face Mandy and Eric, and told them my devious plan.

“Hum, that’s not a bad idea actually.” Eric said as he smiled back at me after he thought through my plan.

“Okay so, let’s get going.” Mandy said as she raced back to her room to change, leaving Eric and I alone right outside my door.

“Are you sure you want to do this Lisa? I mean, what if it is a trap, are you willing to risk not only yourself but Mandy as well?” He asked me as he stared back at me with nervous eyes.

“I’m not trying to risk her, but she wanted to come with me, she’ll be fine in the car, and like I said, this is just something that I feel like I need to do.”

“Okay, well please be safe, and keep her safe also.” He said now with pleading eyes. Just as I was about to ask him what was going on between him and Mandy, she came back out dressed in dark jeans and a dark red Carolina Gamecocks tshirt and a black jacket over her arm.

“Okay I’m ready.” She said with a smile as she looped her arm with mine as we started walking downstairs towards the gardens.

“Hey where are you three going? Lisa I thought you were tired?” I heard the sound of Ros’s voice behind us as we were almost at the doors to the gardens.

“We’re just talking about some things.” I said honestly, trying to not to let him see that something else was going on.

“At eleven o’clock at night?” Ros said as he looked at me suspiciously.

“Yeah man, you’re welcome to come join us, I think we may go down towards the lake in the back and look at the stars and talk about our feelings. Ha” Eric said with a laugh.  I couldn’t help but to go along with him.

“I mean it’s not going to be that girly. It’s just a good way to see amazing things that God created and talk about our futures.” I said with a smile, as I really thought it could be a good idea for another time.

“Nah, I’m good you three go have fun.” Ros said as he looked back at me with suspicious eyes that I just tried to shrug off.

“Alright, well you’ll be missing out on all the fun.” I said, trying to pull the other two along with me.

“Well, if you insist, fine. I’ll come.” He said, which caused me to stop in my tracks, this was not part of the plan stupid smart Ros, but actually this will work out better. I thought to myself as I lead them the way to the lake. Just a few minutes later we were on our backs, by the lake and looking up to a clear night sky filled with stars and the moon.  It was actually pretty amazing looking, however my mind was consumed with making sure I leave in a few minutes.

“Hey this is actually pretty awesome.  I never really take the time to look up at the stars, but it really does make you wonder, what else is out there, and who all has looked at this moon and the same stars before.” Ros said as he quietly beside me.

“I know, just imagine that we’re looking at the same moon as everyone else in the world looks at, we’re looking at the same moon that people thousands of years before us looked at.” I said as I smiled remembering a starlight devotional that I went to back at home during a summer church camp when I was younger.

“Wow, that is pretty amazing.” Eric said softly before asking Ros some questions about what his plans were and other random questions about movies. I was thankful for the distraction, as I realized that now was the right time for Mandy and I to leave.  I looked over at Mandy, who nodded back at me.

“Hey sorry guys, but I’m going to head back, I’m getting really tired now.” I said as I started to stand up and brush off my back and legs.

“Yeah I’ll go back with you. You boys keep having fun.” Mandy said as she stood up and looked down at Ros and Eric, who were now leaning up.

“You sure? I mean we could walk yall back.” Eric said as he looked over at me then Mandy.

“Yeah, we need to talk alone anyways.” I said as I took Mandy’s arm and started to head back, leaving Eric and Ros to their conversation about the new bmw that they ironically both wanted.  And just like that, Mandy and I were walking quickly to the house, and then sneeking around to the where the driver was eating with the maids and butlers.

“Your Highness, it’s an honor for you to be in here, what can I do for you?” The driver known as Bjorn asked as he bowed his head along with the others in the room.

“May I speak with you for a moment? I have a favor to ask.”

“Yes of course.” He said as he picked up his jacket and headed out the room with me.

“I need you to drive us some place and not to ask questions, this is important.  Can I trust you?” I asked as I looked at him with curious eyes.

“Yes, my Lady, I’m but your humble servant.” He said in his thick Russian as he went quickly escorting us to the garage. As soon as we were in the car, he asked where I wanted us to go, and from then on we drove towards the park.

My heart was racing as no one said a word inside the car, even Mandy was unusually quiet.  There really wasn’t anything to say or do, but to wait and pray that I wasn’t making a huge and costly mistake.

In less than thirty minutes, I was seeing the lights of the park, and my heart began to beat hard and slow as I realized that I had to do this, I had to meet whoever had sent me this letter, that I held in my back pocket.  I got out of the car and with one final hug from Mandy and order for Bjorn to wait around the corner; I was walking alone, with only the street lights to help me see where I was going.

As my mind came back to the present, I realized that something different had changed. I let my ears stretch in the silence of the night as my eyes darted from one shadow to the next.  My heart began to pick up in pace, as all the thoughts came rushing back to me about what if this was a trap? If I see Marc am I a traitor? Just calm down and relax Lisa, I commanded myself as I took a deep breath and leaned back against the statue, just as my ears picked up the sound of a twig snapping to my right where a shadow of the statue was casted.

“Lisa, you came.” I heard a deep voice speak in Russian, as my heart kicked into fifth gear.

“You, you said that you needed to speak to me.” I said back in Russian as my eyes searched the shadows to see his face as I slowly took a step back towards the light.

“And the next heir to the throne just happens to go alone to meet a stranger that wrote her a note? Lisa, I thought you were smarter than that.” He said with concern in his voice as he stepped from out of the shadows towards me in dark jeans and a black hoddie.

“How do you? I mean, I had good reason to come, I somehow just knew it was you who wrote me the letter.  I had to see you again.” I said with happiness and fear in my eyes as I looked at Marc.  He looks so much more dangerous with him looking like that. I thought to myself as I let his appearance settle in my mind.

“Still you shouldn’t have come, what if it wasn’t me? What if it was one of my father’s men sent to try to kidnap you, you ever think of that?” He asked as he came closer and I could see concern as well as a battle going within his eyes.  He was trying to hold something back, but I couldn’t figure out what it was.

“Yes, I thought that could be a possibility, but I just knew it was you. How, how did you find out?” I asked but couldn’t somehow get the question out of my mouth as I looked up into his eyes, wondering just how he found out who I was.

“Lisa, I’ve always known who you were, I’ve known since you’ve stepped off the plane and first checked into your hotel.” He said honestly as he looked back into my eyes with guilt and fear, bringing his hand back up to my hair. I let his words sink in; he’s known who I was? He’s been following me? My heart began to ironically slow down as the fear settled in, yet I couldn’t force myself to move from where I stood.

“What, what do you mean? No one knew who I was except a few.” I stuttered out.

“Lisa, that’s why I wanted to meet with you alone, there’s a traitor in your mix, I haven’t figured out who yet, Father never speaks of him, but someone is leaking us information.  My father had ordered for you to be sought after and brought to him.  I don’t know what his plans are, but I can assure you it’s not good.” Marc said as he took a deep breath watching as I took in all the information he was telling me.

“Marc…I…” I started to say before Marc shushed me pulling me closer to him into a hug and kissed the top of my head again.

“Lisa, I don’t have much longer, I need to get back, but I just wanted to let you know to watch your back, and observe everyone.  I know you don’t have much time left here in Russia, but you must find out who is the traitor before they hand you over to my Father.” He said as he tilted my head up to look up at him.  My mind was swimming with questions, fears, and thoughts, I didn’t know what to ask or say next, until something clicked into place.

“Marc, why were you following me all this time, I mean from the time I stepped off the plane as you said until now?” I asked looking into his eyes, and seeing him flinch back a little as if I had hit the nail right on the spot.

“That’s not important anymore.” Marc said as he stepped back and let go of me.

“Marc? Why were you…” I started to ask again until Marc looked over my shoulder into the dark shadowy woods behind me, causing me to turn and look back as Marc.

“Sorry, I don’t have time to explain, just know that I’m your friend who's trying to help you.  That’s all you need to know.  I don’t know if I’ll see you again, but please Lisa, be safe.” He said as he looked down at me and leaned down to kiss my forehead and then after hesitating for a slight second kissed my cheek, before he took off running into the shadows behind me.

I placed my hand up to my cheek that was still warm from his kiss, as I looked at the direction he just ran.  Who was Marc, really? I wondered as I started walking back towards the car.  So many questions were flooding my mind, and as I got into the car, I realized three things.

The first was; I was falling for a boy who I had just met, secondly that boy that I was falling for had been stalking me since the beginning…okay a little scary, and thirdly, there was a traitor within the manor and I was going to have to figure out who it was before it was too late.  I looked at Mandy as I ordered Bjorn to drive us back, I knew she was going to ask me to spill about everything tonight, I could see it in her eyes, but we both held our tongues until we were alone.

As we got back to the manor, I thanked Bjorn and told him I would have a gift for him in the morning, and Mandy and I began to walk into the house and up to our rooms whispering briefly about tonight’s adventure. That was until I stopped in my tracks and looked up towards a blonde headed prince with his arms crossed and eyes staring back at me full of anger.

“Where the heck where you two?” Ros asked with a loud voice as we reached the top of the stairs.

“We were out, some girl time.” I said with a smile, trying to just move past him to head to our rooms.

“Lisa, you’re a horrible liar, now I ask you again as your friend but also as your prince, where the heck where you?”

“I…I…ugh, I went to go see a friend, but before you say anything, I found out that we have a traitor within this house.” I said as I looked around and whispered the last bit.

“Yeah, I would say so, You went to go see that traitor Marc, didn’t you?” He asked as he looked at me with knowing eyes.

“He’s only trying to help, he told me that his father has someone working for him within our mix, and there’s a kidnap order.”

“That’s besides the point he’s a traitor and you met with him, I told you if you allied yourself with him, then you are turning your back on your family.”

“Didn’t you just hear what she said, Marc only is trying to protect her from his own father who wants to kidnap her…That doesn’t sound like a bad guy to me.” Mandy said to him.

“Well her meeting up with god knows who, she should be kidnap, maybe it’ll teach her a lesson.” He said as he took a step back and ran a hand through his hair as he took a deep breath to try to calm down.

“Ros, I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t have gone but I’m glad, or else we wouldn’t have known that someone in here IS against us.” I said as I repeated myself.

“Lisa, I heard you the first time, and we’ll talk about this more in the morning, for now on, please just realize I am your friend, and I’m only trying to help you. So trust me when I say Marc isn’t to be trusted.” He said calmly before leaving to go to his room.

“Why?” I asked as I called out to him but he just waved his hand, and kept walking.  I looked at Mandy as we walked back to our rooms.  I had promised to tell her I would come in, in a few minutes and tell her everything, just right then I needed to get my thoughts together.

Why couldn’t Marc be trusted? Hasn’t he proven himself to me already that he could? I thought to myself as I changed into my night clothes and splashed water on my face.  It seemed like so much was adding up on my to do list, and there wasn’t hardly enough time to do it all before we were to go back to America to finish out high school. Lord, please give me more time, I prayed and begged God as I looked at my reflection in the mirror before heading to Mandy’s room. I would enjoy this last night of time with my friends, because starting tomorrow I was all about trying to complete my to do list, which not only included finding someone to bring back to see my Nunna, but finding out just who this traitor was that was acting as my ally, and just who this Marc, the guy I was starting to fall for, exactly is.

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Author's Note: Hey Yall, I hope you enjoyed Reading! Please take a moment to click the orange VOTE button that's on the left hand side of the screen. Thanks so much for all your support.

This chapter is dedicated to BigTye, who has become one of my closest friends, and someone that I hold dear in my heart.  Thanks for giving me inspiration to my stories.  Thanks for always being amazing in all that you do.