Chapter twelve

Chapter twelve;

      Mercedes, Aubren and Lissie waited outside of the massive Sterling City. It was surrounded by green, grassy hills, but built on flat land. The gate to the city was a door way; huge, and open.

      “We can’t just march into Sterling City and claim to be Royalty.” Lissie said.

      “But we are!” Aubren stated, throwing his arms to the side. “Why won’t people believe us? We’re both comely looking.”

      “Modest, now, are we?” Lissie raised her eyebrows. Mercedes stood awkwardly to the side, waiting for them to figure out something to do. The three had reached Sterling City, in order to get people to join them in a war against Denrim. Aubren wasn’t thrilled about this, but he agreed.

      “So you’re really Princess Felicity, then?” Mercedes asked.

      “BLASPHOMY! You shall call me no such thing!” Lissie turned her whole body towards Mercedes, and pointed her finger into her face.

      “Yes, your highness.” Mercedes trembled.

      “That isn’t acceptable, either!” Lissie yelled.

      “Oh, Lissie. Be nice to the girl, for the maker’s sake.”

      “Don’t you tell me what to do, pretty boy.” Lissie turned towards him now.

      “People just aren’t doing you any good right now, are they, Lissie-girl?” Aubren half smiled and raised his eyebrows.

      “They really aren’t! And you aren’t helping, Aubren.” Lissie said.

      “Okay, whatever. We need a plan.” Aubren subject-changed.

      “We could go speak to their king and tell them our story.” Lissie suggested.

      “That might just work. When is their Festival, do you know?” Aubren looked over at Lissie and Mercedes.

      “I don’t even know the date, so…” Lissie trialed off.

      “It’s exactly a week from today.” Mercedes said, without command. Lissie glared over at Mercedes jealously.

      “Great. Some people in town go to the king asking for his blessing; it wouldn’t look weird that way… So in a week, we go to the king.” Aubren nodded.

      “Sounds like a plan!” Lissie grinned.

      “Mmhm!” Mercedes smiled, too.

      “Should we find some place to stay in town, then?” Aubren looked over at the two girls. Lissie nodded, and Mercedes shrugged. “So, yes, then?” They both nodded this time.

      So the three of them marched into Sterling City, getting odd glances from all of the paupers who lived on the street.

      “You know, this sounded like an excellent idea…” Lissie said, as the three exchanged the glances given by the commoners.

      “Do we really stand out that much?” Aubren said loud enough that even they could hear.

      “Well we do now.” Lissie glared at Aubren.

      “Maybe they are slow to accept outsiders.” Mercedes said.           

      “Yea, maybe.”

      “The inn is this way!” Aubren declared, leading them east of the entrance. To Lissie, the city was all that it was made out to be. Covered ceiling, brick road, glass buildings; it all was truly stunning.

      “We’d like a room, please.” Aubren said to the man standing at the counter.

      “For three?” He said, looking back at Lissie and Mercedes. Aubren nodded. “Sorry, sir, the only room we have only fits a two-person couple.”

      “That’ll do. There are still at least two beds though, right?”

      “Uhm, no…Couple means one big bed.”

      “Drat!” Aubren stomped. He turned back to Mercedes and Lissie. “Should we still get it?”

      “We’ll take it!” Lissie said, laying down the money.

      “I guess that’s a yes.” Aubren said, grabbing Lissie by the elbow after he received the key to their room.

      “I mean, where else are we going to stay? There’s not another inn in this town.” Lissie explained, as Aubren dragged her upstairs.

      “This isn’t a town Lissie, this is a city.” Aubren explained.

      “Oh, whatever!” Lissie said, taking that he had made an unneeded correction.

      “You two don’t get along, do you?” Mercedes said, as Lissie and Aubren argued about how to unlock the door.

      “Oh, of course we do. We’re best friends.” Aubren stretched his lips into a smile and put his arm around Lissie’s waist.

      “Don’t touch me you pig.” Lissie jerked away from him.

      “It’s a one sided relationship, of course.”  Aubren explained to Mercedes. Mercedes giggled, and Aubren smiled. He loved making people laugh. Lissie didn’t give in easily, though. It was a miracle if he made her smile, let alone laugh.

      The room was all it was supposed to be. It had one big bed, and a dresser. Next to the night stand there was a door. Aubren was the only one who was curious about it.

      “Where do you think this leads?” Aubren perked his eyebrows.

      “Who cares?” Lissie said, spreading herself out on the bed.

      “I’m going to go see. Lissie come with me, it might be scary.” Aubren looked over to where she was laying.

      “Take Mercedes. I’m busy.”

      “But I want you to come.” Aubren frowned. “Please?”

      “Oh fine, pretty boy. You owe me.” Lissie unwillingly let herself fall off the bed and caught herself with her feet. “Let’s get this over with.” Lissie picked the lock, she was a professional, after all. Mercedes ended up following them into the door, anyway.

      It wasn’t scary, like Aubren had falsely advertized. It was just an old storage room for the inn. Luckily, though, they found three worn mattresses that could be used by whichever two of them didn’t sleep in the bed.

      Mercedes insisted that Aubren and Lissie take turns on the bed, since they were royalty. Aubren thought that Mercedes should at least try it, and Lissie was all for Aubren and Mercedes sleeping on the floor. It was decided that they would each take turns, switching off every night. Mercedes wasn’t comfortable with this, though.

      “We have no food.” Lissie said then, since they had rented horses to get here, and paid nearly one-hundred fifty sovereigns to do so.

      “How many sovereigns do we have left?” Aubren said, turning away from Mercedes and towards Lissie.

      “Three. That won’t even feed all of us for one night.” Lissie smirked. “I think we’ll need my assistance with this.”

      “No, we won’t do that.” Aubren said, not considering it. Lissie dropped her shoulders.

      “You’re not fun at all.” Lissie vibrated her lips by letting air escape her lungs. Aubren was quiet for a moment.

      “You won’t get caught?” He looked suspiciously over at Lissie. She grinned, and Aubren looked away again, red faced.

      “Haven’t been caught yet!” Lissie stepped into her boots and quickly slid out the door.

      “She’s a handful.” Aubren sighed and sat on the bed.

      “Have you seen her sleeping face? She looks like a little girl. Princess Felicity is so pretty!” Mercedes squeaked.

      “Her face, maybe. But her personality is rotten.”

      “Oh, don’t lie, you’re highness, I know you get along with her better than most. I mean, who else would stand up to Princess Felicity, you actually argue back.”

      “Yea, I guess.”

      “Everyone has their flaws and good points. Princess Felicity’s might be a little more bold then others, but she isn’t any more rotten then you and I.” Aubren looked up at Mercedes.

      “I suppose you’re right.” Aubren smiled. “That was awfully profound, Mercedes.”

      “Thank you, you’re highness.” Mercedes curtsied.

      “Lissie’s right, stop being so formal. We’re friends, right? Just call me Aubren.”

      “Yes, you’re hi�"Aubren!” Mercedes smiled.

      Lissie got the food, didn’t get caught, and fed the three’s bellies. Aubren thanked Lissie, and she smiled at him. Aubren blushed. He wasn’t used to Lissie smiling so much.

      “Lissie.” Aubren said, sitting up in the bed. It was his turn in it tonight. Lissie turned her head from her pillow on the mattress on the floor.

      “What do you want?” Lissie said, in time to hear Mercedes snore.

      “I don’t know anything about your past.”

      “Why do you need to know about it? I’m here now, you know that.”

      “How did you get here?”

      “I told you about the Tyughel Sword already.”

      “I want to know the whole story.” Lissie sighed, and sat up on her mattress. She sat crisscross and faced the bed.

      “I was in town one day, doing chores for my Father. The crowed was really bad, I was being pushed around. Of course, you know me, I made good use of my elbows, but I wasn’t strong enough to fight off all those people. I got pushed into the feet of a mage. His name was Quince; he asked me a series of questions because he refused the crowed to let me simply pass. If he had let me go none of this would have happened…”

      “Why? What happened?” Aubren climbed off of his bed and sat on the floor next to Lissie.

      “When I got home I asked my Dad about him. Quince was a mind reader, so this meant he knew I was a thief. He could�"I don’t know�"tell someone, and my father and I would be doomed. Later that night, my father came up to my room. He told me something that I could have never been prepared for.”

      “What? What did he tell you?” Aubren leaned in.

      “You’re like a little kid at story time.” Lissie laughed.

      “Just continue!”

      “He told me Quince was my brother, and that I should have never talked to him. He also told me my mother, whom this whole time I thought was killed at my birth, was alive, and was raising this ‘Quince.’ So as you can probably imagine, I avoided Quince to all costs. It wasn’t good enough, though. Quince knew something was wrong, since he could read my mind. I had to tell him, he wouldn’t leave me alone. So as you can imagine, my father found out that I told him and banished me and Quince to the shed for three weeks. After only three days, he called me out and gave a mission. I was supposed to go to the palace and gain your trust blah blah blah. I’ve already told you this part.”

      “That’s terrible.” Aubren said, eyebrows together. Lissie shrugged. “Was Quince your mom’s son?”

      “Quince was only my father’s son. He’s a b*****d, my father was drunk, and some mage girl just happened to aid his temptation. He had to bring Quince home, and my mother was furious with my Father. She left, taking Quince along. She loved him more then she loved me, because she knew I wasn’t really her daughter, I imagine.” Lissie sighed. Lissie heart hurt at the thought of her ‘mother.’

      “Lissie.” Aubren said shortly and quietly.

      “Hum?” Lissie brought her sad eyes up to Aubren face.

      “Have… have your parents ever told you they loved you?”

      “My father told me once he didn’t hate me. But never that he loved me. I don’t care, though. Nothing good ever comes from people, they all just want to use you, it’s pathe-“ Aubren wrapped his arms around Lissie, catching her by surprise. “Wha, what are you doing?” Lissie said.

      “Just cry, then.” Aubren said, resting his chin on Lissie’s shoulder.

      “Why would I cry?”

      “Why wouldn’t you cry?” Aubren gaped, still not releasing her.

      “I used to cry when my father beat me when I was younger. But nothing good came of it, so I stopped.” Lissie said, voice becoming shaky. Aubren let his arms fall at last, now a little closer to Lissie.

      “You’re incredibly tough.” Aubren remarked at Lissie’s still-dry eyes.

      “Thanks.” Lissie looked down at her lap again, avoiding his sharp ice colored glance. “I try.” Lissie let out a shaky breath. “Can I go to sleep now?”

      “Of course.” Aubren said, getting back into the bed. “Good night, Lissie.” Aubren said, before he closed his eyes. He smirked; so Lissie did have a soft side.