'No problem, I actually really like hanging around with you.'

Darcey had invited Esme over for the evening, which she was quietly grateful for after everything going on recently, it could be fun to just have an evening with a friend.

The events at the clock tower were just 2 days before, and the town will still talking about it. Esme had no idea what she was thinking, she didn't know why she thought that was a good idea but it can't be helped. What's done is done, and at least she faced the kingdom after the news that everyone was onto Countess Raven.

Darcey led her into one of the towers, which housed her living quarters. You could tell that the room was hers, it was covered in colourful drapes, mainly pinks and purples. There was a balcony on the far side that looked out over the kingdom and to the mountains in the distance, on the right hand side was an archway that led into a glamorous bedroom. A four poster bed with lots of fluffed up cushions laid on top, a wardrobe that housed her many beautiful dresses, each one specifically tailored for her.

'Your bedroom is absolutel stunning,' Esme gasped, 'exactly what I would have dreamt of having when I was little.'

'Thank you, I decorate it myself.' Darcey replied.

'I can't help but notice the manequin over there, is that your dress?'

The ladies mannequin was wearing a purple-blue dress, sparkling in the sunlight.

'Oh that's actually one of my own.'

'You design your own dresses?' Esme asked, quite surprised.

'Well, I'm stuck in here all day, I want to do something with my time and fashion design is one of the things I enjoy. I design a lot of my clothes, but the seamstress brings them to life since I'm not exactly the best at sewing. It helps me to feel confident in what I'm wearing though.'

'I think your designs are completely stunning.'

'Thanks, you want to sit?' Darcey beckoned to the sofa towards the back left corner of the room.

Esme took a seat on the pale blue and gold chaise long, an ornate silver tea set lay in front of her on the coffee table. All of a sudden, the double doors opened and a girl the same age as them stepped in.

'Oh, I didn't realise you had company.' She said to Darcey.

'Not at all, please join us. Esme, this is Adalia, she's my assisstant technically, but she's really just my friend. She lives upstairs.'

'Hello. I think I saw you at the Annual Competition, you were incredible,' Esme said quietly, she was quite nervous to be meeting all these important people.

'Ah, thanks. I can get quite competitive, to be completely honest. I'm a perfectionist.'

Adalia sat on the identical sofa next to Esme, and Darcey on the chair opposite.

'Esme had a meeting with my father the other day, which is how we know eachother,' Darcey explained, 'but she's relatively new around here, and she's got so many interesting stories to tell. Honestly, it's just nice to have another girl our age around.'

'Where are you staying?' Adalia asked to Esme.

'Just in a small cabin in the woods about 10 minutes walk away from here.'

Darcey and Adalia asked Esme many questions about her home town, what her interests were, foods she liked and disliked. They sat chatting until the sun went down, just like they'd known each other for years.

'I should really head home,' Esme said evenually, 'it's getting dark.'

'I can't reasonably let you walk into the forest alone and unarmed at night, Esme, it's against my duty to protect the people of the kingdom.' Darcey said. 'And also, we're having fun, why don't you stay the night?'

'Oh, I can't do that, I'd be a burden.'

'Absolutely not, you're our friend now, which means you're never a burden. We have spares of everything that you'll need, and between us, this sofa is actually pretty comfortable to sleep on.' Adalia said, winking at her.

'Well, it does sound like fun, and I really like spending time with you guys. It's nice to have some girl time and hang out, I haven't seen my old friends in months, so it's really lovely to make new ones and just relax for the first time since I got here.'

'Well then, it's settled, I'll grab you some pyjamas and we'll have a sleepover,' Darcey replied.

The girls sat all night in their pyjamas, laughing and chatting. Esme was quite surprised at how laid back things were in the palace, they were able to just go to the kitchens and get snacks and drinks, she always thought it was strictly regulated.

'So, Esme,' Adalia started, 'who have you made friends with so far?'

'Well, the first person was Theo, but we're in a slightly awkward place right now, he lent me his family's cabin which I stayed in for 3 months but I moved out. And then I met Colin and his friend Gabriel, and they're lovely guys to talk to. Then, I met Darcey at the palace, and now you.'

'Theo as in Theo Buckingham?' Darcey asked.

'I don't know, his family owns quite a bit of land though.'

'That sounds like the one. His family were desparate to get into the palace after the revolt against the king and queen, they've definitely got their sights set on getting in here. What's happened with you guys?'

Esme explained what had happened with him a few weeks before.

'Oh man, that's rough,' Adalia said, 'here's the deal with them. Theo's being very pressured by his parents to find a lady so that they can have children before it's too late. He probably has his sights set on you because you don't know that sort of thing.'

'I don't want that right now, though. I don't even feel a connection to him, to be honest,' Esme responded.

'Don't worry, he'll get over it, it's not really your problem, like Colin said.'

The next morning, Esme woke up and said goodbye to her new friends, promising that she would return soon. The three of them agreed that they were now a little trio, and to be honest, Esme was glad to finally have some girl friends she could spend time with.

Later that day, Adalia bumped into Conrad in the corridor.

'M'lady.'

'M'jester,' she joked.

They looked at each other awkwardly for a second. He blocked her route forward.

'Is everything OK, Conrad?'

He looked around him and then lowered his voice,

'I have something to show you.'

He beckoned for them to go into a side room, and he unravelled a newspaper clipping.

'What am I looking at?' She asked, quite irritated now.

'It's the wanted list for all the criminals in the area. All of these people are on the run.'

'OK...and why does this concern me?'

'Because I'd like your opinion on one of them.' He pointed to the person third down on the rightmost column. 'Is this who I think it is? The new girl? the one who stayed here last night?'

Adalia's entire body froze, the girl he was pointing at was none other than her new friend, Esme. No doubt about it.

'Conrad, you're a young boy, you don't need to concern yourself with this.'

'But do you think we need to show the mayor?'

'We aren't going to be doing anything, I will take this to Mayor Atlas and ask for his honest opinion. But honestly, Conrad, it's probably nothing. We have tight security here. And the girl who stayed here last night was good, she wouldn't hurt a fly. So you have nothing to worry about.'

In Adalia's mind she was worried, but she wasn't about to show that to him, this was huge. She now had a tough decision to make, if she tells Atlas, Esme gets arrested and potentially killed. If she does nothing, she risks punishment herself. And then there was the bigger question, one that deep down she knew the answer to in that moment. Had she just found out the true identity behind Countess Raven, and could Esme really be a danger to the kingdom?