Royalty this Century

Chapter XII

Ainsley moaned then clutched her sounding stomach. She stayed in the nest since she got home; everyone must have been in a tangent looking for her. Or they were so used to her disappearing antics that they didn't care. The latter was completely unlikely; even if they knew with damn certainty that her highness had gone to what the staff's gossip chain was calling 'Ainsley's Vault', everyone would still be on high alert for ransom demands or any sign of their missing princess. In this particular line of work there was, quite literally, no such thing as being too cautious.

She fell asleep at the desk from doing her homework. While yawning, her highness turned herself back on. She had a concert of missed calls, a melee of messages from all of her contacts in the estate - including her brothers, uncle and cousin - and an ocean of alarms that went off. She rubbed her eyes then twisted the golden candelabra above the fireplace. She trudged down into the Secret Library, to find it still like it usually was.

She pulled the fake book 'Le Front' by A. Nonyme, which really wouldn't fool any French speaking person. 'Le Front' means facade and 'anonyme' means anonymous. The reason why the secret door's hand was so plainly obvious was because, as proven, the Secret Library was strictly for the members of the Canmore family.

The Secret Library's secret passage led into a labyrinth that led into difference parts of the estate and into boobytraps. Only someone who had great knowledge of the Canmore estate - like Ainsley - could easily manuever through the passages without triggering any surprises. The route Ainsley crept through led into her walk-in closet. To her room of circlets.

Carefully, she pried the cabinet with circlets to the side to find her closet desolate. From her closet, her highness quickly slipped into her bathroom before Peggy made her daily morning stop to Ainsley's room. There was something different about her morning shower. The whole bathroom was different; even the steam shower Ainsley never used.

After exiting her bathroom in nothing more than her towel, Ainsley went to get ready for her fabulous Friday. That night was her date with Christian! She was too excited to hide it. Her first real date. After changing into a fresh set of school uniform clothes, the princess went into the pen to give Hennessy and Haddasah some love.

Haddasah licked Ainsley's cheeks while Hennessy huffed then laid back down. Haddasah nestled her own cheek into her owner's with a purr. "Your highness," Peggy called vainly hoping for a reply.

"In here, Pirgitta," her highness responded gleefully. "I'll see you after school," she whispered to her lynxes then kissed Haddasah's crown then moved to kiss Hennessy's. "Sourpuss," she commented but still showed Hennessy the same amount of love. "Can't you be happy for me, Hen," she whispered. "My first date is tonight. Maybe even my first kiss."

Peggy came into the play room with surprise on her face. "Using my government name? You must be in a very foul mood or in a very good mood," the ladysmaid stated when she found her ward happily kneeling on her haunches. "Just what do you do when you pull your vanishing act? Sneak your boyfriend in through the secret passages in the walls and blow on his saxophone? Or just strum his guitar? Or did you straight up make music with him?"

"No. Gross," Ainsley replied humoured.

"Good because those passages are strictly used for security reasons. Also, you wouldn't want to become a mother before you're an actual adult, would you?"

Ainsley pursed her lips then stood up to leave. "Goodbye, Peggy." Peggy chuckled men6as the princess headed down for breakfast. Aunty Chef set a tower of breakfast muffins on the center of the table as Ainsley sat down. "Morning, Aunty Chef. How are you doing today?"

"Not as chipper as you," the head chef replied. "What's his name," she sang.

"Why does everyone think it's a boy?"