Evacuation - Side: Sophie

I was six years old when our seemingly ordinary family was suddenly elevated to the Royal House of Elodia overnight. And in that same month, I was to be married off to a Novemian Prince, Karl Vendreki. I know I shouldn't say this, but that's when the palace started feeling like a prison. So many other girls my age were jealous when my father was declared king. I can't deny I wasn't excited. But reality has a way of hitting you like a truck when things don't go right.

My name is Sophie, and I am the Crown Princess of Elodia. And as of 1:30PM today, perhaps the sole survivor of my family.

***

"My lady." One of the maids run up to me and bows before me. She's an elderly lady, and one who's been like a grandmother to me since I arrived at this palace. She's the only person at the palace that I've ever been able to truly connect to.
"Martha?" I'm a bit confused by this sudden change in attitude. "Is - is something wrong?"
"My lady, I'm sorry." A few other butlers and maids gather behind her, and give me bows and curtsies. "We need to evacuate you now. News has it that the Empire of Novemia has begun an invasion of Elodia three hours ago."
"An invasion? Right now?" I step back. This isn't real, this can't be real. I always knew the Novemians would try something, but I suspected their willingness to wed Karl to me meant an olive branch. Isn't that the entire reason I tolerated that for so long?
"Yes, my lady. The Prime Minister has already enacted a war plan."
"What about our people?"
"I assure you we should have evacuation plans for everyone else as well."

There are already several soldiers coming in from the door. This wouldn't be abnormal if not for the fact that they're in battle clothing. It's not the parade uniforms that blend into the background for me at this point, it's scary looking guns and helmets. They give me a small bow before looking at me.
"My lady, your car has arrived. I suggest packing your things as soon as possible and leaving."
"Leaving? Right now?"
"Princess, we'll pack everything else. I suggest grabbing only the essentials and getting onto the helicopter." Martha tells me, and the maids and butlers now charge into my room, beginning to pack everything up as I stand there, dumbfounded.
"Princess, grab only what you need and follow us to the car. We'll take you to a transport, and that will take you to Mozaka." A soldier steps forward, as if he's going to drag me away anyways. "We have everything you need at the plane."
"Huh? Wait-" I try to shake off the soldier's arms as he tries to grab me. "Wait, I can't just-" I break free and step backwards. "I need to get something. Please."

There's an old brown handkerchief that I've had since I was a child. It used to be a lot bigger - and I mean a lot bigger - back when I was little, but my parents wanted to throw it out, so out it went. I managed to save a small piece by cutting it out, and it's been my "handkerchief" ever since. It's not very good at it's job, but that's not why I keep it around anyways.

"My lady." Martha looks at me as the soldiers look from behind her. "It's time to leave. We'll be back soon, so no need to be too sad."

I take one final look at my room. Martha's lying to me. Everyone is.

***

The plane zips down the runway full force, the harsh roaring of the engines not stopping even as flak fire explodes around us.
"My lady, please remain calm!" A maid shouts, acting very un-calm-ly herself. The cockpit door is ajar, and I can hear the two pilots in front shouting amongst themselves as the lights and buttons in the cockpit flash like fireworks. I can barely overhear their conversation, but I can tell there's one thing going on - we're going faster than what this plane was reasonably designed to do.

I hate this.

I can hear the shrapnel pinging off of the airplane as it flies. I keep my head down, as if it will help, until the sound of the flak fire gradually fades away. I look up. The lights aren't flashing as hard anymore, and the sweaty pilots breathe a sigh of relief, but I know the worst isn't over yet.
"This is Pendragon Two, requesting a call for an escort! I repeat, this is Pendragon Two -"

The copilot, who had been listening to the captain radio for help, suddenly looks back at me, gives me a smile, then closes the door. And then, there is silence. The maid gets up and starts moving around, but I can tell underneath everything that they're still nervous.
"My lady."
"Huh?" There's a small cup of tea next to my chair. I look around, and the other maid is now walking around the cabin, closing windows.
"Please. Leave those open."
"My lady, I have been advised by the military to keep these windows closed."
"Military?" I can't argue with the military, so I shut up and sit back. I try to drink the tea, but I'm not in the mood for drinks right now. After sitting around in the cabin for what seems to be an eternity, I get up and enter the cockpit myself.

The two pilots are engaged in what appears to be a heated argument when I open the door. Something about landing zones. Their eyes are bloodshot, and their faces pale.

"I can't do that!"
"You'll defy my direct orders? The Prime Minister's orders? The late King's orders?" The copilot ignores the captain, and presses a few buttons, lifting his headphone microphone up.
"Mayday, mayday! This is Pendragon Two, requesting to friendly fighters, I require an escort immediately! I repeat, I am requesting a-"

They don't even notice me. I look ahead, and there's a small group of what appears to be, based on their description, friendly fighters. One of the fighters zips dangerously close to our plane, and passes by just as quickly. Taking this chance, I interrupt as they look at the fighter, dumbfounded.

"Good sirs." I give them a small curtsy, though I'm shaking from fear. "What's going on?"

The two men exchange looks.
"We might be rerouting our flight to the regional airbase, rather than heading all the way to Mozaka." The junior pilot stops. "We don't know what enemy forces lie up ahead. Any attempt to head to Mozaka inevitably will fly over territory we believe may have fallen into Novemian hands."

I'm speechless. The captain shakes his head at the copilot, and looks at me.

"My lady, I'm so sorry." The captain turns to me. "I will be frank. Your mother and father's transport was shot down on route to Mozaka. We do not know their status. We can't risk you as well. For the sake of Elodia, we are heading straight to the airbase."
"What?"
"I'm sorry, your highness." The man turns to me. "I'm sorry."

"What?" Nothing else comes out of my mouth as I fall onto the ground. "But...but..."

So I'm alone then.

I'm actually alone. I stumble backwards, and sit there on the ground. One of the maids come over to me and tries to help me up, but I shake her off.

"That can't be right. What do you mean the transport's gone?"
"We don't know if your parents are dead, my lady." The captain says. "If you would like, we take the plane to Mozaka, where we can better figure out the status of your parents." He looks back. "I can not guarantee you will like what you can find, but we do not know for sure if they are dead."

Silence befalls the cabin. I can feel the tears well up in me, but I clamp down on it hard. In truth, I think it's obvious. I'm unable to work out my emotions which threaten to pour over me like a tidal wave, because there's a loud explosion towards the left wing, and the entire aircraft shudders under the eruption.

"Shit, left engine's gone! We're losing thrust!" The aircraft starts to sway dangerously from side to side, up and down, and I quickly drop down onto the floor, trying not to tip over.

Maybe I won't be separated from my parents for too long then.

I hate this.

The plane begins to tilt downwards. I presume it won't stay in the air with only one engine. A part of me desperately hopes that it will be quick.
"Friendly fighter, what are you doing?" There's a ton of buzz in the cabin as the pilots desperately try to stabilize the plane.

"Pilot, sir! What's going on?" I am ignored. My nerves are getting frayed, and I'm at wit's end. No one ever tells me anything. My parents are dead. I'm the only person in my family left. My entire life - if I even had one to start with is crumbling apart in front of my very eyes, and no one telling me a single clue. I want to scream. I want to scream and vomit. I want to fucking scream and fucking vomit but there's some kind of invisible hand that tells me that I just need to calm down.

Despite the unstable shaking of the plane, I somehow manage to bolt out of the cockpit, head to the bathroom and lock myself inside. It's not fair. It's really not. I crumple up into a ball trying to make sense of it all, but I know there's no point.
"My lady? My lady!" A maid seems to be walking around the plane, seemingly grabbing onto the railings if her speed tells me anything, before her shoes stops at the door. "My lady? If you are relieving yourself at the current moment, you might want to stay seated. Yes, you can just...stay in there, but please hold on tight!" The woman scurries away as an intercom from the pilot starts up.

"Everyone on board, please remain in your seats! We're coming in hot!" Even as the intercom ends, there's chatter between whatever else is going on outside and the pilots, but it all fades into nothingness for me. I bury my head into my knees and try not to act undignified as the world fades away from me until there's a scream and a sudden jolt, and I am tossed around like a rag doll inside of the cabin as reality strikes.

I hate this. I hate this. I hate this, I hate this, I hate this.

***

I try to open the door to the bathroom, ignoring the fact that the handle is getting hotter and hotter. It won't open. It won't open at all.

Why won't it open?

I give the door a nice kick, just to make sure, but it won't open. My whole body grows heavy and I can't breathe. It feels like there's a delay to my movements, but I hit the door harder and harder and harder until I grow truly exhausted.

I can't open the door. I'm going to die in here. In this little cage. I'll die just like how I lived.

I just close my eyes and wait for it to be over.

***

"Hello? Hello, is anyone here?"

There's a voice. Moments passed, but it seemed like an eternity. Mustering the last bit of my strength, I yell for help.
"Here!" The world is hazy. I can barely hear what I'm saying.
"Hold on, I got you!" The voice of my savior gets closer and closer. There's some cursing, and then the door finally opens up. A cool breeze drifts into the cabin, alongside a lot of smoke, but I don't care about that.

Just before I fall onto the floor, I can see a fighter pilot of some sort standing before me. For a moment, I wonder if I'm dying and this is just a delirious dream before it all ends. He lifts me up. Despite everything, I can feel the flight suit under my skin.

I'm actually saved.