Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven;

“May you be lucky and become a maggotous sniveling b*****d who pukes on the oozing aboriginal abortionist and the mindless bat out of hell.” Lissie said in one breath. The prince’s eyes became wide. He threw his head back and laughed.

“Go drool on somebody else, you bungling imperialist bung who dances with the raving bureaucrat and the slime spewing dew rag.” He replied, still laughing. Aubren then turned away from Lissie, and walked as quickly as he could without looking like he was trying to escape. He needed to see his father�"right now.

Aubren always thought the palace was too big for any convenience, and this situation just proved his theory. I’ve found her, he though. Everyone thought she was dead but I found her.

“Father!” He burst through the doors. “Father I have good news.”

“What is it, boy?” His father squinted his eyes through his glasses. “Spit it out, now.”

“Princess Felicity, I’ve found her! She’s here, at the palace! But I don’t think she knows she’s a Princess…” Aubren chocked.

“Princess Felicity? Where is she then, boy? Don’t play with me.”

“She’s trying out for the League’s right now; you wouldn’t believe how strong she is. The man who kidnapped her all those years ago must have been a thief lord.”

“A thief lord, eh? He would have to be, if he was stealthy enough to steal a Princess. If you speak the truth, Daland will be happy to hear their Princess lives.”

“She’s so rough now. She’s not gentle like she used to be. She’s harsh.”

“I propose this; we shall make her your personal guard, if she’s as strong as you say. Gain her trust, hell; maybe even make her fall for you; anything that will keep her from being discovered.”

“What? Why?” Aubren narrowed his eyes.

“Daland is an enemy of Denrim. If they find their Princess was in Denrim, wont they think we kidnapped her?” Aubren knew he had a point.

“I-I suppose you’re right.”

“Of coarse I am, boy. Now as for Felicity, I’ll see her myself come time for assignment.” Aubren bowed, and left. He thought his father might actually be proud of something he’s done, for once. But he acted as he normally did; like he had seen it before.

When assignment day came, the six First League guards walked in a single file line into the King’s sitting chambers. When the King saw the girl, he knew there was no mistaking it. It was Felicity. She had kept her curly mahogany hair long, even though she didn’t brush it anymore. Her lanky figure still the same, and her eyes the only color of hazel the king had ever seen. Her peachy cheeks still bright and her perfect skin was cut and worn from being over worked. Daland was devastated at her disappearance, they knew she would have been the prettiest Queen they would have ever had, by the looks of it, they were right.

As a little girl, Felicity was shy to do anything. She wouldn’t greet someone unless they greeted her. She would blush if she found anyone looking at her. She felt guilty having everyone do things for her, and she was the sweetest little girl ever. Oh, how things have changed… The king smiled at her, and she looked away. He couldn’t imagine what her kidnapper was trying to pull by sending her here.

When assignment was over, Lissie was sent with Aubren to his chambers; against her will, I might add. She would get revenge on her father for this one day, she swore it. When they reached the last level, the sixth floor, they finally turned into his room.

“So, Lissie, is that your real name?” Aubren turned and asked her once they were both in his room.

“What are you trying to ask? Why is it no one will believe my name?” Lissie sighed with annoyance.

“Lissie isn’t just your nickname, is it?”

“Lissie is my full name. Always has been, always will be.”

“Right…” Aubren walked away from her into his bathe room. He returned, and instead of wearing his navy blue-golden lined tunic, he wore a simple, loose, cotton shirt. It had wide sleeves and a low V cut neck. Lissie crossed her arms and tapped her foot.

“So what do I do as this ‘First League Guard,’ exactly?” Lissie popped her lips.

“Since you’re my guard… You entertain me.” Aubren eyed her body.

“Burn in hell.” Lissie turned to leave, but Aubren’s laugh caught her steps.

“Not what I meant.” He smiled. Lissie grunted.

“Yes, your highness.” Lissie said, mockingly.

“Want to go down to the fighting grounds? Since we’re evenly matched?” He raised his eyebrows. Lissie lowered hers.

“I don’t, really.” She shook her head. Aubren sighed.

“So, your father…”

“Don’t you speak of him!” Lissie threatened. Aubren knew she didn’t like him, then.

“Why’d he send you?”

“How do you know I didn’t come under my own will?” Lissie questioned.

“Just asking.” Aubren shrugged.

“That doesn’t concern you, pretty boy. Go brush your hair or something. I’m going to walk the grounds.”

“What if a masked bandit beats me to death, then what will you do?”

“Before or after I finish laughing?” Lissie didn’t get a reply from Aubren, so she left. She memorized the way to Aubrey’s room, and set off to the garden and the stables. The Palace was beautiful and some what nostalgic for Lissie. She felt like she had been some place like this, a long time ago.

She sat on the edge of the fountain and played with the water. The ripples bounced up and down again, creating rings in the water. Lissie looked at her deformed reflection through the rippling water. She didn’t understand why people found her so easy on the eyes. Her head was too round and her lips too flat. That on top of her sour personality didn’t make beauty, for sure. Lissie wanted to be innocent and sweet, but she found out that doing that makes people want to use you. It makes people want to control you, and push you around. So Lissie simply changed; a special thanks to her father, of course.

Lissie looked up to see a young girl walking in the garden. She looked younger then Lissie, but only by a year or two. She was crying; Lissie could see. Lissie stood up and started towards the girl. When she got closer, Lissie called out to her.

“Are you alright?” The girl’s head popped up and looked at Lissie.

“Oh! I’m sorry�"“ The girl recomposed her face, and faked a smile.

“Are you Marie Ann?” Lissie asked. The girl nodded shortly, and let the smile fade from her face. “What’s the matter?”

“I’m sure you don’t want to hear about my problems.” Marie Ann assured.

“Tell me.” Lissie demanded. Marie Ann wasn’t expecting such harshness, so she went along with it.

“My new guard, ‘Bullet,’ or so he claims, is evil! He’s been here for one hour and already he’s tried to touch me.” Marie looked down at her feet, and one last tear fell from her eyes. “So I ran here, because I was scared. I was looking for Aubren.”

“Why would you intentionally look for him?” Lissie crinkled her nose. Marie Ann smiled.

“He’s my favorite sibling, actually. He can be so nice, if you catch him on a good day.”

“Then I assume today is a bad day for him.” Lissie shrugged.

“So who are you, exactly?” Marie Ann asked. “You must be his First League, if you know so much about him…”

“I’m Lissie�"and yes.” Lissie smiled weakly at the girl.

“A girl in the First Leagues? That’s amazing, truly.”

“Thank you.” Lissie smiled back. “Now take me too this Bullet.” Marie Ann went back the way she came, with Lissie trailing behind her this time. Her room was on the fourth floor. Marie Ann’s room was brighter then Aubren’s, even though it was nearing noon. Bullet stood there, leaning against the wall. He looked up and saw Marie Ann, and smirked. He looked over and saw Lissie, and his smirk disappeared.

“Listen here, Bullet.” Lissie walked in ahead of Marie Ann. “You may be alone in just this room, but don’t you forget that I’m always here in the Palace too. I was just talking here to this girl, Marie, and she’s really sweet. She’s completely innocent, and if you lay a finger on her, don’t you forget that I’ll hear about it.” Lissie squinted her eyes at him. His eyes were wide; like eggs. “And let’s not forget what went down in the Commons last week.” Bullet rubbed his shoulder.

“Yes Ma’am.” Bullet stood up straight, and walked towards the door.

“Marie?” It was Aubren, he shoved past Bullet. “Are you alright?” He ignored Lissie for the moment. Marie Ann nodded at him, and warm tears swelled in her eyes again. She was sixteen, yet as cute as a little girl, and as sweet as one, too. Aubren hugged her shortly and tightly, and released her.

“Thank you, Lissie. Thank goodness I let you go.”

“Hm?” Lissie asked. “’Let me go,’ what does that mean?”

“Let you leave my room�"even though I followed you and heard everything anyway. I’m disappointed; I missed the part where you talked sense into him.” Lissie held back a smirk. Maybe he wasn’t so bad.

“It was something like this; ‘even though you’re alone in this room, I’m always in the Palace…. Always.’” Marie Ann squinted her eyes like Lissie had and Aubren threw his head back and laughed. Bullet was in the corner now, complaining. There was a long silence between the three of them.

“…Lissie?” Marie broke the silence.

“Yes, girl?” Lissie turned her body towards her.

“What went down in the commons, exactly?”

“Why don’t you ask Bullet that?” Lissie smirked. Bullet turned red.

“She asked you, b***h-of-a-girl.” Bullet directed at Lissie.

“Maybe so, but I asked you.” Lissie glared at him.

“She… she beat me at League auditions. So what? She nearly beat Mister High-and-mighty over there.”

“It was a draw.” Lissie made clear. Bullet kept quiet, for his own good. Aubren and Lissie walked silently back to the sixth floor. They had to walk through the garden, and back into the castle, since the castle was split into to parts; the part where Marie Ann’s room was only went up to floor four, on the other side of the garden, the floors went up to six. It was confusing, but eventually Lissie understood it. When they were halfway across the garden, Lissie decided it best to start the next step in her fathers plan.

“What do you know of the Tyughel Sword?” Lissie asked.

“Only that many false rumors follow it. Why do you ask?” Aubren turned his head and looked at her. She shrugged.

“Curiosity, I suppose.” She said nothing after that. How had her father imagined she’d get any information about the Tyughel Sword when the Prince himself knew nothing?

Author's Note

Note: This chapter recaps before going back into the story.