As dusk settled in, Anna felt the weight of the ticking clock; she had only three days left to complete her mission. If she chose to rehearse tonight, that would drop to just two days. That's an unsettling thought, especially with the big dance looming tomorrow. Deep down, she wished for more time to perfect her plan, to rethink her strategy if her current one fell short.
Slipping away for one final practice felt just as effortless as it had the first time. She had grown comfortable with the dance routine, even without the system's support. Yet, her teammates picked up on something slightly amiss in her performance. Anna shrugged it off, blaming it on tiredness and the long hours she had been working in the farm.
But as the morning came, she found herself confronting the reality she had feared for so long. The thought of talking to her father loomed over her like a storm cloud, especially if she hoped to keep the conversation simple and drama free.
Before she could summon the courage to approach him, her father unexpectedly called her to the fish pond tucked away at the back of the farm. As Anna walked towards him, worry etched on her face because she noticed that Amy and her mother were there too. The sight made her stomach twist with apprehension; surely it couldn't be good.
"You called for me," she said, her voice steady but cautious.
"Ah, yes, Anna," her father replied, his tone surprisingly warm and almost cheerful. But she sensed the underlying tension because he didn't even glance her way.
"I need you to do something for me."
Relief washed over Anna's face for a moment. Maybe this wasn't as serious as she feared.
"What is it?" she asked, hoping for a simple errand.
"I need you to accompany Philip to the next village to buy some fish food."
"What?" Her jaw dropped in disbelief. A trip to the neighboring village could eat up most of the day, and she had barely three hours left to meet with the dancers.
"Why can't we just buy it from the market here?" she questioned, anxiety creeping into her voice.
"I have my reasons," her father replied, still staring at the pond, his demeanor unfaltering.
"I can't do that," Anna insisted, shaking her head from side to side.
"I have other plans today. Let Amy go instead..."
"She can't go alone," her father interrupted, his friendly tone unwavering.
"But Philip, whoever he is, can go with her! I have things to do today so I can't go anywhere!" Frustration bubbled within Anna as she turned to walk away, but then came her father's words which sent her over the edge.
"It is what I said you will do, Anna, and you will do it."
Anna spun on her heel, fury igniting in her chest. "What the hell?" she snapped, her voice sharp and defiant. A silence fell over the trio as she confronted him, locking eyes with her father.
"I won't be controlled by you anymore!" she declared, leaving her mother and Amy wide-eyed with shock. The lines had been drawn, and she was ready to stand her ground.
"Anna!" Her mother yanked her away from her father, a fierce determination etched on her face. "How dare you speak to him that way?"
"He can't control me!" Anna shot back, her voice steady with a mix of frustration and confidence. "For crying out loud, Mom, I'm an adult! He should give me some space."
"Over my dead body will I let you dance at the Palace!" her father's voice boomed, the fury unmistakable. He stood firm, arms crossed and unwilling to budge. It was painfully clear to Anna that his sudden errand was solely to keep her from going.
"You knew," Anna scoffed, not even slightly surprised.
"I don't care how you found out. You can't stop me."
"Anna!" Rossi interjected, exasperated.
"There are better ways to communicate with your father. What has gotten into you?"
"Men," Anna replied curtly, shaking her head. "They're just so selfish! As long as it suits them, they couldn't care less about the people they hurt. I swear, in this life and the next, no man will control my choices or prevent me from following my dreams."
"He's not just any man, Anna. He's your father."
"If you step out of this house today, don't you dare think about coming back…"
"A threat?" Anna interjected with a smirk.
"Fine by me," she declared, then stormed out of the backyard, refusing to look back or give them a chance to stop her.
In that moment, Anna felt a thrill of indifference wash over her. She was fueled by the realization that these people were merely supporting characters in Emma Broadway's narrative, placeholders meant to set the stage for the real story that awaited her.
So why should she care about their opinions? Whether they approved or not, she was determined to forge her own path and move on from this home when the time came. Their expectations had no hold over her.
Anna flung the door to her bedroom open, and started to pick up a few things that she would take along with her, from the sandals to the dress she intended to wear for the dance. She was done in less than ten minutes, when suddenly, Amy came into the room.
She stood at the door for a while and said,
"He knew from the first night that you snuck out."
"And I've begged him not to talk about it and let you just do it since you won't have to live within the castle walls, mother tried as well but you know father… he doesn't listen to anyone."
"Thank you for trying," Anna acknowledged her effort,
"I truly appreciate it. But if I don't stand up to him, he won't give me a chance to live my life."
"So you are leaving?"
"Not right now, but yes." Anna replied,
"And I don't think I'll be coming back home either. I'm so sorry, Amy"