Goodbye

start of the tail

The snow was blistering cold outside, the music inside the grand palace sounding like it could have gone on all night. The lights as bright and dazzling as they could be, the music stopped and a rower of applause began as the king and queen descended the stairs. Followed by their two eldest daughters and there dates, then came there next oldest son and his date, finally followed by the favorite of them the entire youngest daughter Isabel. She along with her friend Japito gracefully descended the stairs and went to the middle of the room. The music started up again and everyone began to dance, Isabel's yellow and blue dress flowed around her as she and Japito danced. Her curly auburn hair pulled back in a bun.

Everything was going perfectly until a gun shot rang out followed by screams of fear as Isabel's oldest sister fell to the ground. Gun shots continued to ring out her other sister fell, Isabel and Japito were paralyzed in place. Isabel’s brother raced towards them and ushered them towards a wall near the stairs he moved part of it and a tunnel appeared "go," he said to the two of them "I’ll be rate behind." Isabel and Japito crawled through the dark cold tunnel unable to see even what was right in front of them, then the sound of the wind outside followed by light. Isabel and Japito dug through the snow out of the tunnel and into the cold night. Snow fell almost in slow motion as the two little kids stood there and waited not really sure of what to do next.
Screams now flooded outside the palace, Japito took Isabel’s hand "we have to go," he quickly said grabbing her arm and pulling her into the woods behind them.

Isabel fully absorbing all that just happened tears started to stream down her face she crumbled to the snowy ground. Japito took her by the arms and said "we have to keep going," Isabel stood up and followed close behind still sobbing with tears. The two kids hurtled through the snowy forest until they got to the nearest train station. "Wait here," Japito said heading towards the nearest ticket booth, "do you have any money," Isabel pulled out her little coin purse and handed him a few coins. Japito ran to go and get tickets, and Isabel just stood there shivering in the cold. When he came back he held two tickets in his hand and said "the next train will be here in 10 minutes."
"What about my brother?" Isabel asked even though in the back of her mind she all ready knew he wasn't coming.
Japito raped his cloak around her to hide her face as they moved towards the central station to wait for the train. “Were going to France hopefully my mom can figure out what to do. Until then I know of a place where you can be safe."
 "How do you all ready have all this planed out, like you knew it was going to happen," Isabel said puzzled looking down at the ground. He fell silent like everything else around them, but it didn't stay like that for long as the train came blasting towards them and to a stop.

They boarded the train and found an empty seat. The train jerked forward and chugged on; Isabel just sat there and stared at her shoes trying her best not to cry. "There were rumors," Japito started out and Isabel picked up her head, "rumors that some men were going to come and kill your family. I guess I should have thought of them as true since the rumors spread all the way to Paris."
Isabel just looked at him in shock, "and you didn't care to warn us about these rumors about our possible death."
"It's there possible death not yours," Japito responded back.
 "What do you mean?" Isabel asked looking terrified.
"Well..." he started "...the whole thing was there was no royalty or that you were queen. They hated your dad because he didn't do anything or when he did it was to hurt the people. They also didn't want your brother to rule because they thought he was just like your father. Then your sisters were evil to the people, and your mom was from France so they didn't she should even be royalty. The only one the people liked was you."
 "But... I don't want to be queen," Isabel stuttered.
 “I know, that’s why I'm helping you get out of here before they notice your missing." Isabel stared at her shoes again and began to count to ten, to avoid thinking about all that happened that night.

The days on the train past by quickly. Both Isabel and Japito would try and not think about that night. When they talked to each other they would try and avoid speaking of it, but the conversation always came back to that night.

When the train finally came to a stop in Paris the dark coldness of winter was apparent. Isabel scanned through the streets as they walked not knowing a single soul making her feel terrified and relieved. She prayed to herself hoping no one would recognize her, and no one did.

Screams of joy rang through like canon fire as they approached Japito's house causing Isabel to jump. Japito's mother and two sisters raced out of the house and held him tight. Japito's mother said "we prayed every night that you'd return to us safely." then she looked up and turned pale and looked as though she was looking at a ghost when she saw Isabel. Japito's mother stood up and walked towards Isabel, then placed a hand upon Isabel’s cheek to see if she was truly there. When she was fully sure she dropped to her knees held Isabel tight and repetitively said "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."