Hey Juliet!

Hey Juliet!

Prologue: A Glimpse of that Curious Mistake

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         All she knew was that she had to run. She didn’t care if anything happened. She just had to escape.

         “Dinner is served, milady.”

         The door to the cell creaked. She heard the clicks of the keys to the lock jingling from the other side as the guard fumbled with it to open her prison. She stood up with the long rope in her hand and got ready to bolt. She eyed her contraption nervously as the lock was being opened.

         The lock clicked, and the door swung open. She let go of the rope, and the thing wrapped in sheets swung forward to meet the guard who was just entering the cell. She heard a loud thud as it collided with the guard’s head, and hurriedly ran out the cell, never looking back. She sprinted barefooted through the dungeon gracefully, her knee-length baby doll gown swinging about her legs like flowers swaying in the late afternoon breeze. She soon reached the dungeon steps and climbed up into the entrance hall. She dashed to the front door, opened it, and breathed in the cold night air.

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         “Lord Montclaire.”

         The robust, brusque and stately man of about forty turned around, his wineglass in his hand. He was wearing a bronze suit with a striped blue and green necktie, in honor of the introduction party of his daughter, Eilonwy Montclaire. He shook his glass softly, and looked at the speaker with his sharp and stoic amber eyes.

         “What is it, Sebastian?”

         Sebastian Watson, the butler, looked at Lord Montclaire seriously and whispered,

         “Miss Eilonwy is missing.”

         Lord Montclaire paled at the news. But he shook his pallor off, took a sip of champagne and gave Sebastian the order.

         “Send the guards to find her. As for now, the introduction will be canceled.”

         “Yes, my Lord.”

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         “Oi! You!”

         Eilonwy Montclaire whirled around and saw another guard dashing after her. She ran down the elegant front steps quickly and sprinted through the front garden. The moment she reached the giant fountain in the center, she looked over her shoulder and saw the persistent guard still chasing after her.

         “Hey, watch it!”

         Eilonwy took her eyes off the guard and laid them on a servant girl she nearly bumped into. She was carrying a giant glass vase filled with water and stuffed with orange blossoms. Seeing it gave her an idea. She grabbed the vase from the girl and hurled it toward the guard. The servant girl screamed.

         “The eight-million-dollar vase! Catch it!”

         The guard hesitated for a moment, but threw himself on the grass to catch the precious thing.

         “Lord Ramsey could fire us if we broke that! It’s worth more than our lives put together!” the servant girl said as she ran towards the guard. Eilonwy seized that moment and made her escape.

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         “Any trace of her yet?” Lord Montclaire asked Sebastian as the latter refilled his glass of brandy. The introduction party had just broken up, and Lord Montclaire retired to his drawing room to wait for any news of his daughter.

         “Nothing is still definite, my Lord. But the police have traced her down Lord Ramsey’s manse, and are on their way there right at this moment.”

         Lord Montclaire sighed. “If this story reaches the media it would cause a scandal.”

         “Do not worry, my Lord. The police are trying to hush up this business.”

         “Did you inform the fiancée candidates of this matter?”

         “Yes, my Lord. Sir Arthur is as emotionless as ever. He just retired to his chamber.”

         “And the others?”

         “Sir Austin is quite… relaxed on this business. Sir Tommy’s nerves were wrecked, but Sir Lexiss apparently doesn’t care at all.”

         “The twin Parcells?”

         “Are in the billiard room. Mrs. Johnson, the housekeeper, is attending to them. They look as cordial as ever.”

         “All is well, then. But do contact the police and request for hourly reports.”

         Sebastian put the bottle of brandy on the sidetable on the left of his master’s armchair, made a bow, and left the room.

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         Eilonwy checked her watch. It was already half-past ten, and the introduction party at the Montclaire manse was probably already breaking up, or was probably in chaos, as the star of the night is still not at the scene of the event. She sighed again as she thought of an excuse for her father. He is probably angry by now.

         Eilonwy slowed down and finally halted at an intersection. She tapped her foot impatiently on the concrete walk as she waited for the green light to come on in order to cross. Vehicles of all kinds passed before her eyes, causing glimpses of the other side of the road. She waited dully, when a certain figure clad in all black from the other side of the road caught her attention.

         She called out to him, but he didn’t respond and just continued walking. Eilonwy hollered his name again, but he had already disappeared into the darkness of the night.

         The light turned green, and Eilonwy ran after the figure. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her and paid no heed to anything else; all that was important was that he would notice her. But in her attempt to get his attention, she failed to pay attention to that one thing which would cause everything that will follow.

         When the headlights did get her attention, it was already too late. The speeding car was just seconds away from colliding with her body.

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And it all begins here…