Young Writers Society

Adrian rubbed his temples. He had a massive headache that would not go away and he had not gotten any sleep the night before because he was slumped over a desk. His back and neck ached. He felt like an old man. He sighed and turned towards her.

"Yes. I am. And as a Prince, I have a duty to my people to look out for and take care of them. Obviously, I have not done my job well enough, or you wouldn't be trying to kill me. Therefore I grant you the thing you want most: your freedom. I will do even better than that. I will give you 200 gold pieces to use to start a new life. If this is not satisfactory, I am truly sorry. It is the most I can offer. Our funds are running low, and I have thousands of starving people in my kingdom that need looking after. Please forgive my rudeness, but I am dealing with a lot right now. If you care to leave, please leave now. Other wise, you may stay until we find the man that hired you. If you choose to stay, you have free reign of the castle and all that it provides. Forgive me." He bowed to her, then returned to his desk, looking of books of numbers and letters she did not understand.

Now Davine felt bad... which was odd to her because she usually didn't feel sympathy towards anyone. Which made her job that much easier. How could she kill him... if she felt his pain? Two hundred gold and her freedom was exactly what she needed. Now she could pay off the big brute and get home. She turned to leave.
"Thank you, sire." She said, sincerely and respectively. Before walking out of the room. The halls felt empty... and heavy.

She felt a hand on her back and turned to see the king himself standing before her. She gasped and turned facing the king.
"Who are you? and what are you doing in my palace?" he asked, sounding alert. She blubbered a few words, then he turned.
"Guards, guards!" He exclaimed, in seconds she was captured again. "Throw her in the dungeon!" He said, turning to leave. Davine was confused, and frustrated, thinking the prince had set her up.

As she was tugged through the halls towards the dungeons, she tugged and yelled. To no luck. She was heading for the dungeons. She knew it was to good to be true. They descended the stairs to the dungeon, it stank of bad body odor and something dead. her eyes stung with tears as they threw her into a cell and shut the door.

Adrian heard the halls echo with many voices. He sighed.

"Sire, you need sleep." His advisor warned.

'I can't. I can't stop thinking about her." He shrugged.

The advisor nodded. At that moment, the King walked into the library. Adrian stiffened. He and his father did not get along very well. They had two different styles of dealing with people. Adrian was mostly raised by his mother, who had been a peasant on the streets, before the king noticed her beauty and married her. Adrian had been taught by Queen Catherine to love and respect everyone. However, King Gerald did not view things this way. Everyone else existed to serve him only.

Adrian glared at his father. "What do you want?"

"I wanted to know who the little street rat roaming are halls was." It was a demand, not a request.

"She was helping me and I was having her sent home."

"My spies tell me differently. The word is an assassin. Now, if I had another son, this would not matter to me much. However, you are an only child, and therefore my only heir. As such--"

"What did you do with her?"

"I was talking!"

"You were just going to give me another speech! Where have you been the past two years?! In a WAR! I have had to look after the kingdom myself and it is improving!"

"The Lords have been complaining about your 'improvements.' They say you are actually holding them to standards now."

"It needed to happen!"

"Life isn't fair, son, and you can't make it so!"

"What did you do with the girl?!"

"She's in the dungeon, awaiting her death."

Adrian growled. "Not acceptable."

"you come back here! I am still king!'

"Not for long."

Adrian stalked out of the room and headed towards the dungeon. He had a guard go to the girl's cell. He scooped her up in his arms and took her back to his own personal quarters. He asked a maid to come in and be ready to give the girl a bath. He left the window wide opened and 200 gold pieces on the wood dresser by the king size bed. He hoped she would escape before his father could do anything.

Davine awoke on a bed, soft and comfortable... she opened her eyes to see herself in a well furbished room. Had what had previously happened been a dream? No, it had been very real... she could still smell the stink of the dungeon on her skin. She coughed and got out of the bed, rubbing her eyes.
"Where am I?" she said to no one in particular. She jumped a bit when a maid entered the room.
"You are in the princes room dearie, time for a bath." She said, walking over to Davine. Davine was again confused... wondering how she had gotten in his room. Had he really meant what he said before? Had he really meant to set her free?
"How did I get here?" Davine asked, hoping the older woman knew. She saw something flash from the corner of her eye, and there, beside the bed was two hundred gold in a small bag.
"I believe the prince brought you up. He asked me to prepare you a bath." she replied. Davine smiled at the open window, then frowned, thinking of the prince. She hoped to see him again. But it was unlikely. She was street scum, and he was royalty. Kind, sincere, yet royalty.

Adrian had left something in his quarters. He felt bad having to interrupt the girl, but he had no choice. He sighed. He didn't even know her name, and yet he didn't want her to leave. He entered his room, and was thankful not to see anyone there. But the gold was still on the table. He grabbed his notebook, and as he did, the girl came out in one of his sisters dresses. It looked fabulous on her. So different from what she was wearing. He did not know what to say. He just gaped at her.

"M...mmmm...Milady." He stuttered, feeling stupid. he quickly bowed. "Forgive me the intrusion, but I had to retrieve a notebook." He kept his eyes down, as if she was his superior, and he was a servant to a queen.

Davine gasped, seeing the young prince bow to her again. She was ecstatic she was able to see him before she left.
"Your majesty!" She said, sounding a little to excited as she curtsied to him. Butterflies twisted in her stomach, it felt as if they were doubling in number.
"Thank you... for saving me. Again. Why would you save someone who has attempted to kill you and has disrespected you multiple times?" She asked, just happy her wish came true.

Adrian smiled. She seemed more bubbly than he remembered. "Because, you are just a person of misfortune and circumstance. Besides, I...Something about you captivates me. I don't know why, but I am drawn to you." He looks away. "I would ask you to stay...but I don't think you want to. My window is always open for you, milady." He looked back at her. He took her hand in his, and kissed the back softly. He smiled at her, charmingly.

Davine blushed, taking a heavy breath. He wanted her to stay? He actually liked her? She pulled her hand away slowly.
"Your majesty. I'm honored. I would love to stay... but." She stopped, she couldn't stay. She had her debt to pay, and the king didn't approve of her being in the palace in the first place. Her place was on the streets, among the people like herself. Not in a palace with the prince, no matter how nice he had been to her. No matter how handsome he was. No matter... how much she was beginning to like him back.

Adrian looked deeply into her eyes. He wanted to beg her to stay, but he would not force her. He sighed. "Then I guess this is goodbye." He pulled her close, hugged her deeply, and let her go. "Goodbye, milady. I will never forget you."

He didn't know what else to do. Nothing he could say would change her mind. They both knew that if the king caught her here, she would be punished. Adrian did not know what to do, or what to say. He looked at her one last time, waiting for her to disappear.

She sighed and turned her back to him, unsure what to say or do. She didn't want to leave, but she knew she couldn't. The king had already thrown her in the dungeon... and if she didn't pay off her debt soon then she would be killed the second her burly friend saw her. She sobbed silently, torn between her real world an what she now wanted.
"Is something wrong milady?" She heard the prince ask from behind her. She turned to him slightly, but not enough to let him see if any tears escaped her eyes.
"Believe me your majesty, if I could stay I would. But I have debts to pay, and a life to return to. I do not belong here." She said, turning away from him once again, and trying to find the will to force herself to leave.

Adrian nodded. "Then I will come with you." He said simply.

He saw a look of shock come over her face. He pulled her towards him gently, kissing her forehead. "There is something about you, milady. Something that draws me in so deeply. I want to know you. I want to take care of you. But if you do not want to stay, then I will simply have to go where you are going. I will pay for any debts you have. I will protect you. I refuse to let harm come to you. And no one will be aware. But I can't be gone long. Just a week or two."

Adrian looked upset. "But please let me come." He asked of her.

Davine stared at the prince in shock. He couldn't come with her, he would get hurt. What if the man who paid her to kill him saw them together? Then they would both be killed.
"Sire, it isn't safe, you could get hurt, or killed... not that I don't believe you can't take care of yourself." She said, trying not to offend him. "But I would enjoy your company." She finished. Placing a hand on his arm and smiling up at him.

Adrian sighed. "Please? I don't want to see you walk out of my door, knowing that I will never see you again." He held her close. "Please?" He begged.

He didn't want her to leave. He did not want to watch her walk out of his life to find someone else, someone better. he did not want to go through life knowing he had found the right one, and never being given a chance to be with her. He pulled away from her, his eyes pleading. "Let me come with you."

She contemplated the pros and cons of her situation. She couldn't bare to see him hurt. But she didn't want to leave him. Her heart said listen to your head and her head said listen to your heart, but what did her gut say? She looked up to him.
"Very well. But stay close, and don't talk to anyone who looks even mildly suspicious." She warned, if he actually listened to her he wouldn't be talking much. She took his hand and smiled at him, hoping nothing bad would happen to him.

Adrian let her lead him out onto the street. She lead him into deep ally ways he had never been to before. It's like he was seeing for the first time. He looked at the roads as they twisted and curved. People, even families, littered the streets. His heart broke for these people.

"Why are they out here?" He asked.

"They have no other way to make a living. THey have to live on the streets. There is nothing else for them."

He shuddered. He saw family, children, women, all on the streets. He looked away, more sure than ever that he had to help them.

He gripped Davine's hand tightly. He kissed it softly. "Where are we going?" He asked.