A Vagabond's Tale [COMPLETED]

A Royal's Tale - Completed!

Chapter 1

The thunder of pounding boots reverberated in the cramped space Lydia had squeezed herself into. The thrum echoed around her and buried itself into her bones, making her heart stutter. The darkness of the enclosed space folded her in making her believe she could stay hidden. Except for the slice of light from the cabinet's edge, the blackness was complete.

Shouts ricochetted behind the closed doors, pieces of voices getting trapped inside with her. Her back ached from the awkward position and her legs were sore from being bent for so long. One foot had fallen asleep, but she couldn't move. Didn't dare fidget, afraid she would be heard and discovered.

Footsteps drew closer and she snapped her eyes shut, waiting, straining to detect if they were coming for her. If they had found her hiding spot. The very walls seemed to shake with the chaos outside like the cabinet was trembling in fear. The crash of something metal resounded against the floor and Lydia tensed, her shoulders rising to her ears.

As the clatter died away, she let herself ease. Then something stopped outside her hiding spot, blocking the edge of the light. Complete darkness swallowed her and she sucked in a breath. Her heart hammered in her chest, the thudding of it so loud she knew whoever waited on the other side must be able to hear it.

Like a crack of lightning, the doors were wrenched open and light shattered the blackness.

With a squeak, Lydia tumbled from the interior and rolled over the hard ground. A spike of pain shot through her elbow on impact. When she came to a stop, she was on her back, staring up at a curved sandstone ceiling.

A resigned sigh escaped her lips, knowing her freedom was gone. She squinted against the brightness. As her eyes adjusted, a figure leaned over her, outlined by the light.

"Hiding again, Ly?" the figure asked.

The face came into focus. It was a boy in his seventeenth year with sand-colored hair, tan skin, crystal blue eyes, and a mouth that was curled into a knowing smirk. Scowling, Lydia raised herself to her elbows, wincing at the bruise forming on her skin.

"Of course I am," she said. "Have you looked around lately, Wilder? This place is a battlefield." A pause. "Also, Vienna was trying to find me."

Smile widening, Wilder lowered himself into a crouch. Like him, Lydia had the common West Isles tan skin, but that was the only commonality they shared. Her long, slightly curled hair was a dark red-gold color, like the sand when the setting sun hit it. The trait of the royal family. Her eyes were a rich seafoam green. Where he had a narrow face, her's was round ending in a pointed chin.

Wilder reached out and picked a crumb off of Lydia's loose shirt. Holding it up, he met her eyes.

"Not only did you hide without me, but you stole a cookie without me as well."

The scent of the demolished cookie still lingered on her. Lydia shrugged, the gesture awkward in her current position.

"I wasn't planning on starving in there." She listed her head to the side. "Also we both wouldn't have fit in that cabinet."

A mischievous glint entered Wilder's eyes. "We could have tried. It would have been fun figuring out what position worked."

Grinning as her face flushed, Lydia shoved his shoulder, but he barely budged. Off in the distance, there was a clang as someone knocked over a tray of silver. Lydia swiveled her head around, trying to find the source of the noise. What she found instead made her stomach knot. A man in his late forties with trim dark blonde hair wearing the uniform of the Captain of the Guard was striding for her. Her eyes widened.