Snippet #2091989

Damali had no contest to his comment on the ridiculousness of lace and corsets-- he had her there-- though, the thought of what people wore in the future left her wide-eyed and speechless as she deliberated over the idea.

"Girls! Wearing trousers? Have you gone mad?" she blurted about a minute later. Glancing down at his legs, she added, thoughtfully, "Though, admittedly, they do look... er, comfortable."

Hearing footsteps at the end of the next hallway, she stopped almost dead in her tracks and shushed him with a finger. "We're almost there."

Damali waited until the echoing footfalls faded into silence, and then peeked around the corner.

"I think the coast is clear," she whispered back, almost excitedly.

The princess lifted the hem of her dress with her free hand and stepped out, first one foot, then the other. She sidled alongside the wall, putting one arm across his chest to keep him from leaning out. "Wait here."

"This isn't the first time I've gone sneaking about through the castle. One time, when I was little, my mother caught me and swore if she found me where I wasn't supposed to be, she would tan my hide and feed it to the gryphons. Though, after Father's guards found me trying to ride one out of the holding pens, mum hasn't spoken a word of it. They're not entirely carnivorous, you know. A little manuka honey on your fingers will do the trick."

Damali let go of his arm and inched across the hall toward the nearest oak door at their diagonal, and turned her head to inquire if they even had gryphons in the future when she heard the handle creak from the other side of the door.

"Quick, over here!" she exclaimed in a stage-whisper, waving him over.

She held her breath as the door opened outward. A statuesque, hooded figure clad in belted gray robes exited, plodding away from them into the torch-lit passageway.

"Whew," she exhaled, resting one hand on her chest, "That was close."