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  “I-I’ll see what I can do.” After that, Valentina only heard the quick steps of the maid running away.

  * * *

  Two days later, Valentina woke up to a pile of new blankets in front of her door. She smiled and jumped to her feet, ready to resume her plan. It took a lot of work, but eventually, she had made a rope that she was certain would be long enough. When night finally fell, she secured one end of the rope to the window frame and let the other end drop to the ground far below. As she looked down, Valentina noticed that it still didn’t quite reach the forest floor, but she was confident that she could jump the remaining distance and survive.

  Valentina got up on the windowsill and tested the strength of her rope one last time. It seemed safe. But then, as Valentina looked at the vast forest that surrounded the tower and stretched as far as the distant mountains, her courage failed her. The world was so big, new, and dangerous to her.

  Where would she go?

  How would she survive all on her own?

  She couldn’t, not yet. It finally dawned on her that her plan was only half-formed. Valentina had spent so much time and effort on figuring a way out of the tower that she didn’t realize there was a whole other problem after that. A whole new world of problems.

  Heart sinking, Valentina locked her blankets inside her wardrobe once more and lay down on her bed. That night, she cried like she hadn’t since she was a little kid, first locked away in a tower. Her long imprisonment had left her drained beyond words but hadn’t yet given her the courage to leave.

  Part II: Journey

  It took two years before another opportunity arrived.

  Valentina was eating her lunch when she heard it. Singing! And not just the birds singing, but the sweet voice of another girl. How many years had passed since the last time she heard someone else sing?

  She ran to the window, looking to the forest. She could hear the song echoing through the trees but still couldn’t see anyone.

  “Hey! Help! Help!” Valentina screamed. “Is someone there? Help me!”

  The singing stopped abruptly. She went silent, scared that maybe it was just one of her father’s people. But then she saw a movement. A moment later, a girl appeared through two trees. She was on horseback, wearing common traveler’s clothes, and her curly red hair shone around her head. As the girl looked around, Val couldn’t help but notice how adorable she looked.

  Valentina smiled, feeling her heart race at the prospect of rescue.

  “Hello?” the girl called as if she was trying to find the source of Valentina’s voice.

  “Up here!” Valentina screamed, leaning a little further out the window and waving her arms in the air.

  “Hey, what are you doing up there?” the girl called back.

  “I’ve been imprisoned. Can you help me?”

  The girl brought an arm up to shadow the sun from her eyes. “Imprisoned?” she asked, voice alarmed and loud. “Well, tell me how I can help.”

  “Wait a minute!”

  Valentina ran back into her room and grabbed the blankets from the wardrobe. She tried to knot them to the windowsill, but her fingers were shaking. Valentina took a few deep breaths, closing her eyes. This was no time to be scared; if she handled this right, she could be out of here in a minute, free once and for all.

  Valentina opened her eyes, secured the blankets as fast as she could, and got up on the window. This was her moment. She looked down one last time to be sure the girl was still there—which she was, looking up and waiting—before she lowered the makeshift rope to the ground below. Then she began her descent.

  The first steps were uncertain, but Valentina kept going. The open air felt strange after all this time, as did the sunshine on her skin. She stopped halfway down, feeling her hands starting to lose strength.

  “I’m still here!” the girl said. “You’re doing great.”

  Her words were encouraging; Valentina wasn’t alone in this. So she kept going down, little by little, step by step. Eventually, she ran out of rope, but there was still a little distance left to the ground.

  “Come on, you’re almost there,” urged the girl in a soft voice. “All you have to do is jump.”

  Valentina took a deep breath as she prepared herself for the moment. She could still get hurt, or the girl could be someone untrustworthy, but it was too late to go back now. Another opportunity like this may never come again. Valentina closed her eyes and then she let go of the blankets.

  Sudden terror overwhelmed her as she fell, but then she landed just as suddenly on something soft. A large pile of leaves on the forest floor, she realized, as she tried to get to her feet.

  “Nice to meet you,” said the same girl’s voice from before. Valentina turned around, seeing her rescuer smiling at her. Had she prepared the leaves as Valentina was climbing down? It was a nice gesture. The girl had short, curly red hair, beautiful blue eyes, and skin as fair as her own. But it looked fresh and soft while Valentina’s was unhealthily pale.

  “I’m Agnes,” she said, offering her hand. “What’s your name?”

  Valentina got up with her help. She hesitated to answer the question, too scared that Agnes would realize who her father was.

  So she answered, “Call me Val.”

  “What were you doing up there in that tower?” Agnes asked.

  “It’s a long story.”

  “I have time.” Agnes frowned. “You’re shaking. Have you eaten yet?”

  “I was just starting to eat when I heard you…” She was so caught up in the moment she’d barely thought about it. But now that it had passed, Val felt her stomach complaining and her limbs trembling.

  “Come on,” Agnes said. “Let’s find a place to rest, and I’ll prepare you some food.”

  Val followed her through the forest as Agnes lead the horse by her side. Every tree, plant, and animal she saw fascinated her. The world seemed so new and marvelous as she got further away from the old tower.

  “It’s so beautiful,” Val gasped as she stopped to pick a flower from a nearby bush.

  Agnes smiled gently. “It’s just a flower. Haven’t you ever seen one before?”

  “Not in many years,” Val said, so low it was almost a whisper.

  Val was afraid that she would be annoyed, but Agnes barely said anything as she continued to guide Val and the horse through the trees.

  “What’s its name?” Val asked, looking up at the horse’s dark eyes and shining mane, so different from the pictures she’d seen in her books. So alive.

  “I call her Hera.”

  “May I touch her?”

  “Of course.” Agnes moved to the side, letting Val come closer.

  Val slowly raised her right hand. The horse’s glossy coat was warm to the touch, and Val could almost feel Hera’s health and vitality with just her fingertips. Val smiled, and felt something she hadn’t in years: she was happy to be living in this moment.

  “What happened to your shoes?” Agnes asked after a little while.

  Val looked down at the rags wrapped around her feet and knotted at the ankles. “These are the only ones I have.”

  Agnes blushed, and Val felt a little uncomfortable at the questioning. At some point, she would have to tell the truth. Maybe it was naïve to trust the first person who passed by, but Val had to take risks if she wanted to gain her freedom.

  “Wait here with Hera. I’m going to look for food.” Agnes opened one of her bags and pulled from it a bow and arrow.

  Val noticed that there was also a sword packed in the bags around the horse, together with a few changes of clothing. She felt safer knowing Agnes was ready to face any danger they may encounter. But who was she and what was she doing in the forest? Val thought it would be best to ask about this another time.

  Agnes started to walk away, but then she turned back one last time. “Will you be all right on your own?”

  “Yes, thank you.”

  And then Val was alone once more. This was her first time explo
ring the world outside the tower, and she was overwhelmed. She touched the leaves of the closest trees, smelled the flowers, and brushed her fingers on the grass, then sat down close to Hera, gazing at the blue sky above her. It was so beautiful. It was all too much. She couldn’t believe this was happening.

  She was free.

  She was free to do anything she wanted, to go wherever she pleased.

  When Agnes arrived with two rabbits she’d caught, she found Val in tears.

  “What happened?” Agnes kneeled close to her.

  Val tried to calm her breathing. “These are happy tears.”

  Agnes looked concerned. “What happened to you? How did you end up in that tower?”

  “Can we talk after we’ve eaten? I promise I’ll tell you everything,” Val said, still needing a moment to gather herself.

  Agnes nodded. “You must be starving.”

  Agnes lit up a fire and prepared their rabbits. Her skinny fingers were agile, and in just a few minutes, she had cooked enough food for both of them. It was the best meal Val had in ages. She couldn’t remember the last time she ate freshly cooked food and not some old thing someone had left under her door. Agnes was smiling kindly at her, and Val felt a little tingle in her stomach that had nothing to do with hunger. She felt her cheeks heating up and looked down, clearing her throat once she was done with her food. “I’ve been inside that tower for seven years,” she said at last.

  “Seven years!” Agnes gasped. “Why?”

  Val stared back at her, finding a mix of surprise and confusion on Agnes’ face. Suddenly she struggled to put her own story into words; it all sounded so overwhelming and awful when she tried to explain. “Someone locked me up.”

  “I don’t understand,” Agnes said, shaking her head as if unable to comprehend the idea. Val wished she had come from such a place of kindness and innocence, too. “Who would do such an awful thing?”

  “My father, King Jorge of Pouso Dourado,” Val said. “He said he would come back for me when I got older to marry me off. I knew I had to leave before it was too late.”

  Agnes’ eyes turned wide. “A princess stuck in a tower? And by her own father?” she asked astonished. “I’ve heard stories of princesses who are kidnapped, but never by their family.”

  There was that naivety again, Val thought to herself. She had never met anyone before that found this behavior surprising. Sure, she knew in her heart that her father had done awful things. But until then, Val believed no one else could see how terrible his acts were.

  “That’s awful. I’m so sorry.” Agnes’ voice was so sympathetic that Val nearly sobbed. She made Val feel cared for after so long on her own. “Can I help you somehow?”

  Val played with the rest of her food, unsure if she could trust Agnes. “I just need a new place to live where people don’t know who I am.”

  “I live in Belo Vale, just a kingdom away,” Agnes said, sounding more certain than Val could imagine being about anything. “And I know for sure that the king and queen of Magalhães would accept you with open arms. Let me accompany you on your way.”

  “Would you do that?”

  “It would be my pleasure, Your Highness.”

  * * *

  Val found it hard to sleep that night. Although the tower had been her prison for years, it had been a sturdy place, safe. But her own feelings were as confusing as anything else that had happened today—how could she crave something she had previously loathed?

  “What’s wrong?” Agnes asked from her left side.

  “There’s so much noise.” Val shifted in the sleeping bag, unsure how to put her swirling emotions into words. Hours earlier, Agnes had insisted that Val should sleep on it, saying she was used to sleeping on the forest floor after so many years.

  The forest was alive even at night, and a loud growl from some animal somewhere in the distance sent shivers down Val’s back. “Do you think monsters will find us here?”

  Agnes started to laugh, but then she saw the serious expression on Val’s face. “There aren’t any monsters. These are just stories people tell kids so they will stay in bed all night.”

  “What?” Val said, indignant. “They are very real. You might upset them if you say they’re not.”

  “All right. I’m sorry.” Agnes bit her lip. “I’ll keep watch until you fall asleep. How about that? Then you can be sure no monsters or bogeymen will get you.”

  Val agreed and closed her eyes. It took a few more hours, but when she finally dozed off, she had her first good night’s sleep in years, knowing she would wake up to a whole new world.

  * * *

  The following morning, their journey began in earnest. Val was full of questions about everything she saw, and Agnes patiently answered everything she was asked. She taught Val how to find the forest’s edible plants and berries, how to hunt and trap small animals for food and how to avoid the dangerous ones. Val would get tired easily, and they had to stop a lot to let her rest, but thankfully, Hera helped them catch up on lost time.

  The first time Val saw a lake she let out a delighted shriek and ran to the edge of the water. She touched the shining surface and laughed at seeing her own reflection: a girl with messy blonde hair and green eyes looking back at her. It was a blurry image of herself, and yet she was surprised at how much older she looked.

  “Go in, you need to clean yourself,” Agnes said.

  “Are you telling me I smell?”

  “Maybe,” Agnes said teasingly.

  Val shook her head in amusement. “Turn around.”

  She waited until Agnes had turned her back before taking off her dress and testing the temperature with her fingertips. It was cold. But she was used to cold water after all those years in the tower.

  As she slowly immersed herself in the lake, the chill made her skin tingle pleasantly. Val covered her nose with one hand, remembering how her mother had told her to do in her baths when she was just a child and went underwater. When she came up again, she was smiling.

  Then she remembered she wasn’t alone when she saw Agnes sitting on a rock with her back to her. Val cleaned herself the best she could, being careful with her long hair. When she was done, she got out with her teeth chattering, grabbed her clothes and ran behind a tree.

  “You can turn around now!” she said once she was proper again. But just as she finished putting her dress on, her hair got stuck in the material. “Uhm, Agnes? Can you give me a hand?”

  She heard the soft steps coming closer and then a warm hand touching her skin. Val felt goose bumps forming on her neck and arms, and suddenly she found it hard to breathe. Agnes was so close now that she could smell the faint fragrance of sweat and leaves from the other girl. Slowly, Agnes’ fingers brought her hair free. But she didn’t step away, taking her time to style Val’s hair into a long braid.

  “There. Now you won’t get stuck anymore,” Agnes said when she finished.

  Val turned around, finding Agnes’ blue eyes staring straight at her. She was so beautiful. It was hard to think straight with her so up close.

  “I’m going to clean myself now,” said Agnes, clearing her throat suddenly.

  Val nodded and then shook her head, finally realizing she should be the one turning around now.

  * * *

  Val still found it hard to sleep on her second night away from the tower. She was too agitated and uncomfortable. Sure, her old bed hadn’t been the most comfortable, but at least she had blankets and a ceiling above her. Here, she could hear all the insects in the night and feel the cold air on her skin.

  “What’s wrong?” Agnes said.

  Val froze where she lay; she hadn’t realized Agnes was still awake. “Sorry. I’m just restless.”

  She heard Agnes turning around, and turned her head to meet her eyes. Agnes brushed her hands through her messy hair, trying to clear it out of her tired looking eyes. She looked cute with those red curls all over her face. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “Maybe.�
�� Val bit her lip before asking, “You never told me why you were in the forest that day. I just feel like I’m holding you back from something more important.”

  “Oh, slow down.” Agnes brushed her hands on her face with a groan, clearly trying to be more awake than she truly was. “No, you aren’t disturbing my journey. In fact, I was heading back this way anyway.”

  “What do you do for a living?”

  Agnes seemed to hesitate. “I’m a messenger. I was sending a message to another kingdom, and now I’m returning home.”

  There was an awkward silence for a few minutes.

  “What do you want to do now that you’re out of your tower?” Agnes asked after a while. “What is your dream, Val?”

  Val frowned. Her dream was to be free and yet, it still felt strange that she had achieved it. She hadn’t actually thought about what she’d do once she accomplished that. “I don’t know.”

  “That’s all right,” Agnes said. “You still have plenty of time to figure it out.”

  “I guess you’re right.” Val turned on her back, watching the stars. There seemed to be so many of them, and the full moon was shining brightly that night. She smiled, suddenly thinking about all the times she had read about this same scene happening in so many books before. Now it wasn’t just words on a page, it was reality.

  She hoped with all her heart that she was ready for the things she had only read about. Like romance, adventures, and all kind of journeys.

  “Agnes…. Have you ever been in love?” she asked impulsively.

  “Once or twice,” Agnes answered. “I find people fascinating and easy to love.”

  “Do you love men?”

  “I love men, women, and people who are neither or both at the same time. Why you ask?”

  “Because I think I can only love women. Is that wrong?” Val asked, thinking about how her father had been so insistent on marrying her off to a man.

  She felt careful fingers on her chin. Val looked back at Agnes, and her eyes were full of compassion and understanding. “There is nothing wrong with you. Don’t ever let anyone convince you otherwise, Val.”