Princed

Chapter 12

After her discussion with the goblin prince, Irenie had one of the best sleeps she could ever recall. His answers and gentle demeanour had really changed her opinion of the goblin prince. And if that was possible, anything was.

The ear-splitting shriek of a wealthy man in great peril suddenly pierced the castle with its sound and Irenie woke to it, sitting straight up in her bed.

What in the hell was that?

It almost seemed like a waking nightmare until she heard the same shrill scream and the princess quickly jumped to her feet and magicked some clothing onto herself before leaving in a rush.

Irenie ran as fast as she could until she reached a place in the halls where it looked like the whole castle was congregated. All the maids were peaking out of their rooms to look at the one door slightly creaked open.

Faint, whiny whimpers were coming from inside the room and guards were holding people back.

But that was Prince Froglip's room!

"I'm sorry yer 'ighness, but I can't be havin' you go in there, it's not safe," a guard said with his arms held stiffly at his side.

Irenie rolled her eyes as she pushed the man aside and after the slight imbalance, the guard's heavy armour did the rest by pulling him sideways into another.

The princess quickly rushed forward and grabbed a hold of the door as another guard shouted a warning.

"Whatever beast be in there, princess, it ain't goblin!"

Irenie threw herself through the opening and quickly shut it after her before locking it. If there was any helping Prince Froglip or if there was anything dangerous in the room, it was better that she didn't have anyone try to interfere.

The room was still orderly, although it looked as if someone had attempted to rip the bed curtains from the canopy but failed half way through. A few books had been scattered onto the floor with a vase that had been chipped.

It looked like someone had thrown a mildly inconvenient tantrum, but there was no doubt in Irenie's mind that if the goblin prince had been attacked, this wasn't his doing.

A flash in the corner of her vision caught the princess' attention as it leapt across the room and flopped behind the bed. Irenie jumped back, startled, but this dissipated quickly when she saw the thing had only half made it behind the bed and a pair of dark leather boots were still sticking out.

"Don't come one step nearer!" the voice choked.

It sounded like the high-strung, foppish demand of a noble, but what member of her father's court would be foolish enough to go into the goblin's room?

"I'm not going to hurt you," Irenie said in a tone she hoped expressed how embarrassed she was for herself and the man currently lying flat on his face half-hidden behind the bed. "But I need to know where Prince Froglip is. You know this is his room, don't you?"

The man curled his legs underneath himself slowly and shakily rose one fabulously manicured hand to the bed. Two large and beautifully brown eyes rose above the surface of the bed and peered up at her without exposing the rest of his face.

Irenie was immediately winded.

"Princess?" The man warbled out in a pathetic voice. The eyes widened. "Oh, Princess Irenie! You have to help me!"