The Princess Needs A Prince

[Chapter Seventeen]

Once again, I find myself hand in hand with Aala. "Princes?!" Ian calls. He follows us with a trail of guards. We dart into the castle as fast as we can. Our steps are squeaky. Then, we climb the stairs to the second level and turn left. I don't dare to look back.

"This way!" I say. We rush into a storage room and we bother lean against the door as it closes. A second passes before we here rapid footsteps. I take a deep breath and hold. A hand covers my mouth while the other squeezes Aala's hand. He squeezes back.

"Princess?" Ian calls. His voice disperses as the footsteps do. We wait a full minute before letting out exasperated breaths.

Beneath us is a growing pool of water. I slide down onto my knees. My legs are weak from all the running. Aala slides down too. "Should we rest for as bit?" Aala asks. I nod.

As I take a good look at the storage closet, it's huge and very very dark. A shimmer of light pokes from beneath the door. It defines the small, floating dust particles.

Chairs and boxes are stacked between other objects. Dust blankets the place in a grey sheet.

"Aala?"

"Yes?"

"This really isn't how I planned this date," I say.

He chuckles. "It's quite alright. I can't remember the last time I ran this much. Great exercise actually," he says. I nudge his shoulder with mine.

"Nice try," I snicker.

"Worth a shot, right?" he shrugs.

"I guess so," I laugh and he smiles. A cough erupts from me.

"We should get going or you'll catch a cold," he warns.

"Alright," I reply. I stand up and open the door. The sudden brightness blinds me. I put my hands up to cover my eyes. After a couple of blinks, my eyes finally adjust. "I guess I'll see you around," I say.

"Yes, thank you. It was fun," Aala says. I smile as I look into his eyes. He grins.

"I'm very happy to hear that," I say. He gives me a nod. "Guards take him."

"But I'm sure I can find my way around," Aala says, confused.

I smile. "Don't worry, that's not the problem."

Now, time to deal with the real problem.

***

"Princess, you have to be careful. The reporters could have easily caught you and Prince Aalaahdith looking...out of place," Ian scolds.

"By the way Ian, that tie looks good on you." I say that as a joke. I swear, he's worn the same black tie ever since I met him.

"Princess, are you listening to me?"

"Yes yes, but I have much larger problems than being caught playing in the sprinklers. So, where is Trent?" I ask.

Ian sighs. "He's locked in a room. Two guards are at his door."

"Is everything ready? Everyone's been evacuated?" I ask seriously.

"Yes Princess."

"Thank you Ian. Now why don't you come along." I pat his shoulder and smile at him.

"Yes Princess."

"Good, now lead the way."

We walk through the halls and turn left twice and right once. "This time, try to less Violent, Princess." I thank Ian before entering the room. He had insisted that a guard should a accompany me, but I denied his request. With yesterday's act, I think I'll be able to handle myself quite well.

When I enter the room. I notice that Trent is quietly sitting at a desk. If he was surprised by my presence, he didn't show it. "Good afternoon darling," he says. I scoff unladylike before seating myself across his desk.

"What do you want?" I interrogate.

"Just you, my dear." I don't react.

"What are you planning?"

"I don't know what you're talking," he replies innocently.

"Yes. You. Do. Trent." After a second of silence, he spoke.

"Fine, what I want is this. You turn off those cameras in the corner, and take your guards away from the door so they can't hear us."

I glared at him. I need to do this. I need him to say what I want to hear. "Fine. Ian, turn it off."

The speaker from the corner camera spoke. "Are you sure Princess?"

"Yes, and order the guards away."

"Yes Princess." The red blinking button shut of and I heard footsteps fade away. Trent played with a piece of loose thread from his shirt.

"We're alone," I say. He smirks.

"You're going to act like none of this happened." He blinks. "Your going to forget you ever met any of those boys. Then you're going to marry me and hand over the crown," his voice is deep and his smile is dark.

"What make you think I'll do that?" I ask. Just say it.

His grin grows wider. "Why, you ask? Because it's ready."

"It? What's ready?" I keep my voice steady.

"We've had a...delay. The bomb was accidentally set off in the ocean. But we managed to get ahold of another. It's planted in your father's room right now. I have the trigger." He holds out a black square. "A terrorist attack, we'd say." He grins. I gulp. Stay calm.

Bomb. They needed to get the king off the throne and the fastest way was to kill him. And when I would mourn, Trent would approach me. The people would be without a king and I would accept his proposal in the thought that it was the best option.

But there was the accident. It didn't go as planned. The accident with the bomb was unplanned. They were waiting for the bomb, that was why he wasn't there at the ball. He's here now to threaten me. If I don't do what he says. He'll kill him. My father. Making me have to chose him in the end.

But too bad.

I see Trent's dark grin. I smile back at him. He looked baffled for a second.

"Hear that Ian?" I say into my mike just beneath the collar of my shirt. Trent's expression goes dark. Very dark. His smirk is turned into a frown. His brows are furrowed and his face is red.

"Yes Princess. I'll send them in." At the moment Ian says that, a dozen guards burst in.

"Hands up!" The guards points their guns at Trent. He flings his hands up. The trigger in his fingers shine.

"That was dirty, Nayla," he says though gritted teeth. "Wrong choice!" He shouts. I step towards him. He presses the button and ducks for the impact.

Nothing comes.

His face is shocked when the guards pin his arms behind his back. "What?" He whimpers.

"It's already been disabled."

"H-how?"

"Let's just say, I have my ways," I say and walk right out the door.

You played this game well Trent.

But I played better.

***

Woah.

XD

Thanks for reading!