Castle Thief {A Momojiro Tale}

Chapter 10

     "Eat dinner with me tonight Kyouka." the princess said out of the blue,
"Pardon your highness?"
The rest of the day I'd spent doing small tasks for her, I'd already helped her into evening clothes—I hadn't even know such a thing existed until now—and tidying up her room from the disaster that was "studying".
     "Eat dinner with me tonight." she repeated,
     "I," I stopped, "I don't think that's appropriate your highness."
"Who cares?" she asked, "I don't, so won't you please?"
I lowered my head, trying to cover up a blush I wasn't sure why was there, "Of course your highness."
     She seemed to brighten, "I'll send for you once it's here," she told me, "I'm afraid I need to see my father first." I faltered for a second, she noticed. "Is something the matter Kyouka?" she asked,
     "Well your highness," I proceeded carefully, "I'm not sure if this is something I should be commenting on."
     "Just tell me." she said stonily, I had never seen her this serious other than when she saved me from what would have been a life sentence. It was moments like these when I knew she would be a good ruler is she were ever allowed.
     "Just after supper I didn't have anything to attend to so I was trying to find my way around the castle." I would have to tell her I eavesdropped on the king, "I overheard the king and an advisor saying they got a letter," I stopped again looking at the princess, hoping she wouldn't react angrily, she waved me on to keep talking. I took a breath, "They said there would be a prince coming in a few weeks." she froze, "Shoto Todoroki is his name."
She stiffened, "Stay here Kyouka," she said, "I'll be back in a minute. I need to talk to my father." She swept out of the room, a hard determined expression on her face.

—

I waited a long time, she told me to stay, so I did. But I wasn't sure what to do, I tried not to seem like I was snooping around and just sat on a stool for a while before I decided I might as well make myself useful. I had already pretty much tidied the room up after we went to the library, so I went through the shelves again. I cleaned the room again, at this point it was just nervous cleaning. It didn't seem she would be coming back any time soon.

Just when I made my mind up to leave she door slammed open, hitting the stone wall and making dust shower down around her. Her lips were pursed and her face was flushed. She didn't say a word just angrily paced the room, not even seeming to notice me,
     "Y-your highness?" I stammered, "is something wrong?" she didn't answer me. Just kept pacing the room, running her hands through her hair pulling out long black strand. "Your highness!" my brows furrowed when, once again she didn't answer. "Your highness!" I grabbed her wrist just to stop her from pacing, "Please sit down!"
     She sighed and dropped down on the bed resting her face in her hands, "I'm sorry," she said shakily, "I didn't mean to scare you."
     I sat down next to her, "It's okay," I said gently, "it's fine, tell me what's wrong."
     Momo lifted her head from her hands, eyelashes wet with tears. "It's just," she hesitated, and instinctively I took her hands in my own and she continued talking, "my dad, he's so insistent on having me marry off," she leaned her head on my shoulder, "I mean," she sniffed, "I don't even know who he is and I'm expected to marry him the same weeks I meet him."

I removed a hand from where they were intertwined in my lap to wrap it around her back. I ran it through her hair, "It's okay," I murmured, "we'll find a way to help you." I told her, not even knowing if that was possible, or even legal. And, who was I to stand up to the king? He didn't even want me in this castle in the first place.
She looked up from my shoulder already soaked with her tears, "You would really do that?" she asked,
"I'm in your service your highness." I answered not faltering for even a second.

"Would you take me out of the castle?" she asked,
"What?" Out of the castle?
She lifted her head off my shoulder, "I've never been out of these walls before," she lowered her eyes from mine, "I can't stay here forever." she stood and took my hands, "only for the night. We'll be back before anyone even knows we're gone."
"Your highness," I paused,
"Please?" she begged,
I stood pulling her hands to my chest, "Of course Princess." And right now, I would do anything for her.