_Run_.

The word repeated in Lynn’s mind, over and over, filling every corner. She watched as other girls rushed past her to clean up her mess. She almost fell in line with them out of habit, but turned the other way.

Picking up her pace, she walked turned to a run as she rushed outside. Her brown hair flew behind her with no way of tying it back. The wind hit her face as she finally reached the outside, though she didn’t slow.

_Run_. _Run from all your problems._

The housing of the elites passed, the gardens passed, and she only stopped when she reached the gates. The very same gates the were forever sealed shut, the only barrier between her and the outside world.

After the riots became too violent, the royals sealed off the grounds, only allowing their elites and helpers on the grounds.

No one in, no one out, all while projecting perfection to those outside. While the people inside were trapped.

Lynn reached out the the stone wall, as though maybe she could do something, despite her powerless state.

The stone was cold beneath her toutch. Light colored ivy ran down the wall, emerging from the few cracks. The sky above her was infused with colors, and the sun dipped closer to the horizon.

She ran here often, putting distance between her and her problems, which god knows she had many of those. Yet she could run until she was tired or the day ended or until she finally reached the edge, and nothing would work. Her problems were quite inescapable, just like the recent events plaguing her mind at the moment. She tried to push them back, but the stayed ever present.

Lynn drew her hand back, and fingered her pendant, a nervous habit of hers. Though the maids in the palace weren’t allowed much individuality, they were allowed jewelry.

_Always pretty for the male gaze_, she thought bitterly. She would be lying if she said they didn’t select the girls at least partially for beauty.

When Nyvara finally emerged from the shadows, the corners of her lips tugged upwards.

“You’re late” she blandly stated.

“I know, I know,” Nyvara’s smiled, “For good reason though, look what I got.”

They both leaned over a scroll covered in cursive script.

“You know I can’t read cursive.”

She laughed, then began to summarize it, “Ten years ago, during the final battle of the revolt, Karris almost won. These are records from the morgue showing that whatever poison they used, was quite effective. Each person infected didn’t show symptoms until in battle, almost as though it only activated or took affect once they moved out of the castle.”

She wrestled with that thought. _If they could somehow get ahold of that… _

“Cool”-was all she managed to say, deep in thought. _Looting the records room may help us gain more…._

“You’ll make sure you get on the team?”

“Yes.”

Lynn left first. Nyvara would leave ten minutes after, to avoid suspicion. Moving as walking pace, her uniform white dress was blown to the left by the breeze.

The walk back was long, though nothing she wasn’t used to. When she finally passed through the oak door to her room, the other girls were already asleep.

Too tired to fight sleep, she climber up to her bunk, and let herself succumb to the night.