The Royal Thief

Chapter Sixty: The Princess Alone

If the prediction I made in the author's note of chapter 30 comes true, this book will be complete in just 5 more chapters. Who thinks that's gonna happen? Not me...

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"Why does he feel the need to do this?" I demanded, having gotten out most of my anger in a few loud, succinct curses.

The princess only backed up, shrugging helplessly, a rather dangerous gesture considering the dagger that dangled from her fingers. It was very strange to see her dressed in a rough tunic and leggings with bare feet, her wildly-curly hair barely contained by a leather cord wrapping it into a horse tail. There wasn't a single glint of gold or jewels sewn into the fabric or wrapped around her slender wrists or neck, or even gloves to protect her soft hands from callouses. 

But the strangest part wasn't her, it was the absence of anyone else. For the first time in my entire life, I saw the princess completely alone. No guards standing rigid in the corners or servants flitting about with trays, no Abram keeping close watch over her or Caer rambling on over a dusty book. 

Slowly, I moved from the doorway and stepped methodically around the perimeter of the room. The princess took quick, stumbling footsteps backwards, trying to keep a greater distance between us as I surveyed the space.

It was a noble practice court, reserved for her lesson-- if it could be called a lesson, without a teacher. Lines carved into the stone floor split the room into smaller courts, unobtrusive enough to be ignored when one preferred to use the whole chamber. A small mountain of rolled up rugs was stacked against one wall, to be layed on the floor for protection against the hard stone. Another wall was fitted with many wooden brackets for holding weapons of different lengths. For a normal day's use of the room it would have been stocked with practice swords and such; for today, they were empty.

Against the third wall there were three dummies lined up. I recognized them from the training yards, though the ones the guards used were stuffed with straw and covered in scratchy burlap, only the rough size and shape of a person. These looked much less crude, and they were even vaguely human-shaped. 

I stopped directly across from the middle one. I could see the princess in the corner of my eye, lingering against the wall, her head stooped under the wooden brackets. What was I still doing here?

"Why he can't he let it go?" I sighed.

I didn't expect her to answer, but she mumbled, "Caer? I suppose he thinks it's his duty."

"Wonderful," I said, because I had nothing else to say. "Shouldn't you have some guards with you, or something?"

She was quiet for a moment. "Yes."

"So where are they?"

"I sent them away."

Even I knew guards were not supposed to leave the Heir alone where anyone, a Thief, for example, could just wander in and find her. It would probably mean losing their job to do so, at the very least. "Really."

"Yes."

"Why?"

Flustered, she glanced at the door and bit her lip. "I wanted to practice alone."

"Why?"

This was when she was supposed to snap at me not to question a royal, if she'd had any royal backbone at all. 

She didn't answer, but she did edge closer, until we were standing at what could have been called a polite distance. She dipped her head, then turned to the dummies, their blank heads staring dully at us across the room. With fumbling hands, she turned the dagger around until she could hold it with some semblance of control, and pulled it back. Threw it.