Chapter 3: Rustic Wasties

♪~ "Catch me Romeo!" ~♪

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"You shouldn't have done that!" Lia who had been accompanying me for training today kept scolding.

"That's rich coming from you," I said as I aimed the arrow at the target. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" 

"It means," I took my shot and it hit right in the center, "that you completely 'forgot' to tell me about the purpose those princes were coming." 

"That's not the point!" 

"That's the whole point Lia!" I yelled, the anger from yesterday bubbling up the surface. "I AM THE ONE GETTING MARRIED! NOT YOU! NOT AVELON! NOT ERICA! ME!" 

"Reena, just listen to me-" 

"NO!" I shouted at her face. "I DIDN'T ASK FOR ANY OF THIS! IT'S NOT FAIR!" 

"I am sorry Mareena, I truly am," my sister said but I was too angry to forgive. 

"Throw your apology to the ground, it has no use here!" I stormed back to the palace, clutching my bow so tightly my knuckles were turning red. 

I was nearing my room when a female servant ran up to me and said, "Princess Mareena, His Royal Highness is asking if you would humbly grace him with your presence? The King is in his study." 

I stared at the maiden, which she might have noticed that I was angry since she refused to look at my face. "Is that so?" I asked silkily. "What is your name?" 

The servant jumped upon hearing this and timidly answered. "Jacob...Elise Jacob, My Princess." 

"Well, Ms. Jacob tell that coward man that he is 19 years too late. And repeat everything word for word." 

She nodded shakily and quickly walked away. I watched her go before retiring to my own room. Turning the door knob open I noticed that

someone was inside it. Clutching my bow closely I banged it open and saw Zeke inside. He was in the middle of investigating half the things from my table and turned to look at me with wide eyes, like a deer caught in headlights. 

"I am seriously going to kill you one of these days," I muttered and shut the door behind me. 

"Sorry but I didn't get to talk to you yesterday since you disappeared and I had to check on the Princes." 

"Right, the Princes. How are they settling in?" 

"They're okay I think, though Prince Carlton did asked if we had any hard mattresses." I pursed my lips deep in thought, Zeke however recognized my look and walked over to me. 

"Hey, I know you're having a hard time accepting it but you will be fine," he tried reassuring me.

"Besides they're just a few measly Princes is all." 

"Just a measly Prince I have to marry," I murmured solemnly. Hezekiel stared at me sympathetically but I didn't want his pity. "But that is not my decision, now I came here to rest and you Zeke are interrupting me." 

"Reena I don't think you should be alo-" I was already pushing him out the door and slammed it before he could say another word. 

I sighed, my head throbbing. In truth I didn't came here to rest, I just came here as a cover up. Making sure I locked my room door, I went over to the window and looked out, searching for the head of a person I needed. Aha! Over there, talking to some other servant girl, he stood dressed as a

commoner but he is anything but that. I pulled out the pouch that contained stones that I picked from the courtyard, I took one, aimed and threw the stone in his direction, hitting the tall figure right at his back. 

He looked down on the stone and raised his eyes in the direction of my room window, his smile turning into a smirk. Bidding his goodbye to the girl, he then walked directly below my window, gazing up at me. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Princess?" he called. 

Rolling my eyes at his formal tone, I stepped on the threshold and called, "Catch me Romeo!" before falling, and before I could hit the ground, the man's long arms swiftly caught me. 

"You are getting heavier," he remarked, gently setting me down. 

"I am not! Honestly Gabriel call me fat one more time and I will have you beheaded," I threatened. 

"No please, Your Majesty spare this poor soul of mine. I am but an ant in the sight of the mighty goddess," he cried. 

"Fine I will forgive you this time for I am so merciful, the angels above will be so very envious of me."

And just like that we burst out laughing, no longer able to keep up the act. "So, by you throwing yourself of the window I assume that this is not a little food errand." 

"Of course not, I am tired of being cooped up in the palace," I said. 

"Ah, I understand," his eyes twinkling. "It's been so long." 

"Indeed it has, and I long for a glass of anything other than wine."

"We must get disguised, well more like you do since I already am." 

"Oh, I know. I stashed my pair somewhere else since Lia was here yesterday and I don't think she would approve with the clothes we got." Gabriel nodded, knowing fully well how controlling and a worrywart Allelia is of me. 

"Then let's hurry and grab it then."

"You meet me at the place where we always do," he nodded and headed towards the exit.

I ran back into the palace careful to not be spotted by the guards or servants. Stealthing easily through the place, I finally arrived at the broom cupboard where I had hid the commoner clothes and boots. Then I quickly went inside changed and dumped my own dress behind some shelves. I wiped my face clean of any trace of powder and smeared it as well as my clothes with a bit of dirt. I slowly stepped out of the cupboard and cautiously started walking near the exit. 

I had not gone far when a gruff voice shouted "where do you think you're going?"

I turned to see that one of the palace guards had spotted me. Luckily I had my face smeared if not he would've recognized me. The guard came closer, staring at me the whole time and roughly took ahold of my arm. 

"How did a filthy rat like you came in?" he demanded and the grip on my tightened. I tried shaking him off, but as expected he didn't budge. "Answer me." 

I did not answer him at all, and that infuriated him. Pulling me with him, the guard turned and marched to a direction that led to the dungeons. I was just contemplating on how to escape when another guard marched right up to us, and stopped. 

"Might I ask where are you taking the girl, Rehan?" I raised my head, and my heart started beating faster, it was Lazaro, one of my guard friends and ally, I sometimes had him spy Erica or Avelon for me, just for the fun of it. 

And like that my chances of escaping just increased. 

"To the dungeon of course, that's what we do to every trespassers, do we not sir?" 

"Yes, but this is a child from the looks of it she must have came in out of hunger. The Princess Mareena has asked us to escort the children out safely and with food in their hands on their way." 

"But sir, the law-"

"I know what the law is Rehan, but as a member of the royal family and the princess, Princess Mareena have as much power to give a request and we must obey it," he spoke sternly. "Now give me the girl and you go carry on your duty."

"Yes sir," the guard named Rehan obeyed, rather reluctantly and released the hold he had on me. 

"Thank you." Lazaro then motioned for me to go to him and we began walking away from Rehan. 

We walked in silence a little more, playing the part of silent stony guard escorting the hungry poor girl who wandered in a place so big searching nothing but food.

We played the part well. 

"You really should find other ways to sneak out Princess," Lazaro whispered softly.

"I'm working on it though I don't know how he saw me I was very careful," I whispered back. 

"Rehan is a new guard and, of course those newbies take their job seriously at first."

"Right," I nodded. As we both neared the exit, I murmured my thanks in a timid way, after all there are other guards and departed from the palace. 

 In my haste I failed to notice the shadow of a man following me from a great distance back. 

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The tavern had a big board above the building that read, 'The Rustic Waste' with the letter 'i' missing in 'Rustic'. Pushing open the door I found myself staring at a fight that's already happening, smirking I pushed through the crowd, to the front where the barkeeper was having a hard time keeping the whole bar without being shredded. 

I slid on one of the stools and felt someone slide in next to me, I didn't need to look up to know that it's Gabriel. "Oi! Two beers please!" I yelled at Oliver the barkeeper, he nodded at me briefly before turning back to stop the fight. 

I glanced over to the man Oliver was talking to and saw a man dressed like a noble and heavily drunk. He was swinging his sword back and forth at another man who was more grubby with ragged clothing and matted hair. The other man was standing tall, as if ready for a fight but his eyes stared at the noble's sword, fear evident in his face. 

"I know that look," Gabriel said with mirth. 

"You always do. Besides it's taking too long for our beers to get here, might as well help our friend."

Gabriel smiled at me, giving a thumbs up. 

I stood and walked over to the raging men, standing in between them. "Ollie want to tell me, what's this about?" 

"Oh the usual, the noble insulted the common," he said. 

"Well then, the noble is at fault." 

"A common woman like you, judge us?" the drunk noble sneered. Hearing this, I stared and recognized him as the son of the Baron of Vansil 

"Don't you know the term, don't judge a book by it's cover?" I asked him, my fist already itching to punch this nobleman. 

"What do you know about it?" 

"That, you are going to know the real meaning behind it" 

"Uneducated flee! Move your pesky little arse out of my way!" he shouted.

I sighed, "You lot are never going to learn are you?" Without warning, I swung a punch in his direction, landing it right at his face. Then I promptly kicked at his hip which made him flung himself at the counter spilling drinks everywhere. In anger the Baron's son swung his sword at me, I avoided it and kicked the sword away from his hands. 

The soon-to-be-Baron took one look at the sword that was now out of his reach, eyes rounding in fear and fled out of the door. 

I gave a bow in Ollie's direction and he smiled at me in gratitude. "Drinks on the house for everyone!" he shouted and everyone filled with glee chanted 'Hurrah.' 

Oliver personally delivered our drinks to us, after I had taken my seat beside Gab. "You always know what to do, Re. Without you I was sure a murder would have taken place at my bar tonight." I smiled brightly at him. 

Oliver doesn't know that I'm a princess, he doesn't really know where I'm from at all. He just assumed that I am a cousin of Gabriel's and we played along with it. To be honest Oliver didn't ask too many questions and I'm grateful for it. 

"Oh I would have murdered the coward myself if he didn't take off. I hate those hypocrites." 

"Oh we know," Gab chimed in. "And we also know that you wouldn't resist to pass up a heroic moment." 

"What can I say, the opportunity just presents itself, I can't do nothing about it." 

"Yeah right," he murmured taking a sip of his beer when I elbowed his ribs painfully. 

Oliver chuckled. "Children, there's no need to fight." 

"Who are you calling children?" I questioned begrudgingly. "Just because you're married doesn't mean you are older." 

"I am going to back myself out now, enjoy your drinks," he saluted, giving me a sarcastic smile and turned away from us addressing other customers.

"Speaking of marriages, how's yours going?" Gab asked. 

I groaned, thumping my head on the table. "That's precisely the reason I wanted to run." 

"I must say those Princes are quite charming especially the Ryde guy." 

"Oh Lord, not him, especially him." 

"Then a brute like Carlton." 

"Eww! Gab!" 

"Or Nesorth, his redheaded and tall." 

"I mean he is pretty handsome," I voiced out, seeing the look on his face I rolled my eyes. "I was just considering!" 

"Ahh, but that's what we call attraction." 

"I don't want to talk about it no more." 

"As her Majesty wishes," he said but looking at the expression on his face I know he is never going to let this go. 

I sighed, wondering is this whole thing could possibly just disappear.