2 The Princess In The Tower

Before I knew it, lunch had arrived. I looked to where Alice was supposed to be sitting, but oddly enough, she wasn't there. As I got up from my seat to start looking around the room for her, someone suddenly rested their hand on my shoulder, "Hey, we should save Alice and give her a chance to eat, well, that is if we can get to her."

 Nate says. I give him a confused look "What are you talking about? Where is she?" Nate points toward the corner of the classroom. There she stood, surrounded by what seemed like every girl in the school, and still bombarding her with questions i'm sure she doesn't want to answer. I look over to Nate and say, "We gotta get her out of that mess." Nate looks at me with a dull look on his face "Got any ideas?" 

I shake my head and start walking towards Alice and all the other girls. As I'm walking I start ingeniously forming a plan in my head. I walk up behind Alice and all the girls stop talking. I turn her around to face me so she knows its me "Mrs. Abbe needs Alice to come to her office, it seems important." Then one girl spoke out of the crowd "I can take her to her office!" I quickly respond with "N-No that's okay. Mrs. Abbe told me to do it, thanks though." I grab Alice's hand and quickly walk her out the classroom.

I walk her to mine and Nate's favorite spot to eat our lunch. It's behind the school, it's nothing fancy but me and Nate always go there when we want to get away from everyone and everything. As we're about to get there Alice spoke.

"Ummm, Mrs. Abbes office is all the way over here?" She said with a confused face. "No silly, that was just an excuse to get you away from that mess. You didn't wanna spend your lunch break answering a bunch of lame questions now did you?" I say giving her a smirk, "Oh thank you..." she says as she still looks concerned. 

As were getting closer to the spot, I see Nate there, I didn't realize he wasn't in the classroom when we left. As I'm about to call out to him I feel a sudden jerk on my arm that's leading Alice. I look back at her now also concerned. 

"Alice... is something wrong?" She looks at the ground then back up at me "William, I've only just met you this morning, but you've already been so kind to me. Both you and Nate walked me to school, then you save me from a bunch of girls, and lead me to what I assume is a place where Nate and yourself eat together, so what can I expect next? Tomorrow are you going to save me from a tower?" 

She giggles at the remark she made, but I didn't. I was too in shock to laugh at her joke.  She was opening up to me little by little and I couldn't wait to see what more of herself she had in store. As Alice realizes I'm not laughing with her, she immediately stopped. "I'm so sorry for that remark I-" I quickly stop her, "No no no no no it's fine, you're totally fine, it just caught me off guard, that's all." A sigh of relief comes from Alice and an awkward smile suddenly arises. "Oh well I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done for me today, i really do appreciate it."

 i give her a smile back as i look into her eyes. "Alice, you don't have to thank me anymore. we're friends now so there's no need for that." "Friends? Friends?!" Alice says with the hugest smile on her face. "Uh yeah friends." I say a bit confused. she suddenly starts jumping and dancing around so happily, "William! You're the first friend I've ever had. i'm so glad to have a friend like you!" "And i'm glad to have a friend like you. Now lets go, Nate's waiting on us."

Me and Alice walk over to Nate and sit beside him. "When'd you get here, I didn't notice you had left the classroom." Nate looks up from eating his lunch and says "Right when you walked up to Alice I knew you didn't need my help so I just headed to our usual spot, I hope that wasn't a problem." "No, we got out of there fine but i'm sure those girls are gonna bug her again so we gotta think of another plan." I say before stuffing my face with the sandwich my mom had packed for me. 

After that things fell silent, until Alice spoke. "Nate, I wanted to thank you for this morning, it was really kind of you to offer to show me the way to school." Nate looks at Alice with a smile on his face. "Sure, its no problem. we can walk together everyday if you'd like." Alice says with the mist bright smile  "Thank you, i'd love that." 

 Nate smiles at her once again and continues eating, that's when I look over at Alice and realize she doesn't have anything to eat. I reach in my bag and hand her the extra sandwich my mom always makes. "Here, you can have this." she takes the sandwich from me and gives me a warm gentle smile. "Thank you once again, William."

After that we all just joke around and plan what we're gonna do after school. Once we get back into the school Mrs. Abbe confronts me, "I'd like to see you in my office before class starts." then walks away before giving me a chance to reply. 

Well that's weird. I thought to myself.  Why would she call me into her office? I've never done anything bad, i'm always the good kid. A bunch of thoughts run through my and as i'm making my way to her office. once I get to the doors of her office, I freeze. What could she possibly want me for? I ask myself. Well i guess i should hurry and get this over with. I open the doors to her office and sit down in front of her desk. "Umm... am I in trouble?"

 She looks at me with a smile on her face. "No, of course not. You're a good kid William. I brought you in here to talk about Alice. I saw you too walking to school together." "Yeah?" I say a bit confused and shocked about the whole situation. "Nate and I were on our way to school when we saw her. She looked lost so we offered to help." 

"I see." she says while thinking. "If you aren't already, i'd like you to be friends with Alice. She's new here and she needs real friends and help guide her and show her around town, and not those girls that only like to gossip and harass her with every step she takes." 

"Sure! I'm already friends with her actually. I invited her to eat lunch with me and Nate,  and we discussed plans to do after school." I said now realizing what this whole conversion in about. "Great! I guess this whole meeting was pointless then haha. Let's get back to class." 

Once I walked into the classroom, I see Nate and Alice talking "Hey guys, what're y'all talking about?" I say eager to get in on the conversion. "We were just discussing the plans after school and how you should show Alice your Dad's workshop." Nate said as he raised his head up to look at me. "Yeah, that's actually a great idea. My dad-" 

"Okay, everyone in their seats. Lunch is over and class is starting." As I was about to explain my dad's workshop and how he's the greatest blacksmith in the kingdom, I get cut off by Mrs.Abbe. "I'll tell you after school." I quietly say to Alice as I walk to my desk. 

After school i meet up with Alice and Nate to do the plans we discussed earlier. "We should definitely go to your Dad's workshop first." Nate says with a huge smile on his face. "Umm...yeah okay, if Alice is fine with it." Me and Nate both turn to Alice waiting for her reply. "Yes, of course! I'd love to go see your Dad's workshop. I've heard so much about it" she says with a smile on her face. 

Once we got to the workshop, Nate hurries and runs inside. Alice and I look at each other than run after Nate. Once we get inside Alice stops in her place and looks around in awe. "It's so cool!" She says as she lays her eyes on every little thing that was in the vast blacksmiths room. Alice looked at a shining gold and red dagger, with a bright red ruby gem. It looks as she had never seen anything like it before. I take the dagger from the shelf and hold it out for her to take. 

"Here, it's yours" i say as she looks confused. "Are you sure William? It looks quite expensive" I take her hand and put the dagger in it. "Just something for you to remember me by." I say giving her a smile. She gives me a smile back and looks grateful for it.

Soon after Nate runs up to us holding a sword. "Hey guys look at-" he cuts himself off and looks at what Alice is holding. "Awwwe what? you gave her that for free?!" Nate say looking a bit sad. "It's just a welcome gift!" I say in a hurry so Nate doesn't feel like he's left out, but right after i say that I hear a familiar voice coming from behind me.

"A welcome gift?!" I turn around to see my dad coming out from behind the counter of his workshop. I run up to my dad in a hurry and tell him that I wanted to give it to Alice as a welcome gift. He looks at me long and hard then at Alice, its clear from his face that he's really thinking about this. I don't blame him though, the dagger was a one of a kind, it even had the kingdoms crescent on the holder.

After what seemed like forever he finally said "Fine. but it'll come at a price."