Dark Kingdom

Making a plan

Being the king's daughter would make you think it would be easy to talk to him. Not true, as itturns out. Most the morning we stand waiting outside his rooms for him to wakeup before a guard finally asks us what we're doing and informs us the king isalready awake but in a meeting.

 Sophine is the first to turn on her heels, walking briskly away and we have to semi run to keep up with her.

"Where's the fire?" Ivana asks and we all stop a moment, looking at her confused. 

      "It means what's the rush." Ivana explains.

 Oh.

Sophine shakes her head. "Not here."

"Then where?" I ask, already having a feeling I know where and dreading it. As if she can read my mind, she shakes her head again.

"No Miriam, you need to rest, we all do but especially you. We'll go back to your rooms and hopefully no one will be there so we can speak freely."

 With a direct statement on what we're doing, I feel less aimless as I follow her again and before I know it, we're back at my door, opening it. Just like any royal quarters, it's has adjoining rooms to it. Unfortunately when we enter and I head to my bedroom, my handmaiden accost me.

"Where have you been?"

"Enjoying the beautiful sunrise." I say. Technically not a lie.

"I know you were out last night."

I cock my head slightly. Brazen little thing. She realizes what she did a split second later as well and bows quickly.

"Apologies, Princess."

 "It is alright. Get me out of this suffocating dress and never speak to anyone about last night and I'll call us even." I tell her.

"Thank you."

I nod and turn so she has easier access to the strings on my dress. When she's done, I dismiss her, and she seems relieved as she takes off.

I head to the small parlor were the others are seated and they look up at me when I walk in.

"We're alone." I confirm.

"How are we to speak to the king?" Ivana asks, getting up and throwing the plush pillow she had on her lap off of her as she takes up pacing the room.

"I don't think we should." Sophine says softly and Ivana stops mid stride, looking at her with piercing eyes.

 Did I just hear you correctly?" Ivana asks.

Sophine looks shy but nods.

"Why do you say that?" I ask her, coming over to sit on the couch with them.

"Think about it, will they even believe us? It sounds ridiculous! Hello, your majesty, about last night, you know those crazy mini earthquakes last night? Well we snuck the princess out of her rooms and was drinking or rather eating alcoholic apples and we saw a huge giant forest guardian! Yeah, he almost killed everyone, but Princess Miriam convinced him not to!"

 "You're leaving a lot of details out, like the most important part where someone killed a troll in the forest but essentially yeah that about covers it." Ender agrees.

"But would you believe us?" Sophine repeats.

"No." Ivana admits. "I'd think we were raving mad."

 "If we were men...perhaps but women saying this?" Sophine shakes her head in exasperation.

     "Not just that but there's more we ourselves don't even know about. When was the troll killed, was it at night? Is that why the guardian came so late, or did he just choose to wait till then?" Edie asks.

"Not to mention if we were believed or they choose to at least check our story out we don't even know where in the woods it was killed or where the body is." Ivana says.

I didn't even think about that... and yet. "We can't just sit on this information though!" I disagree.

"We aren't going to figure this out right now. Let's get some sleep and we can talk about it later." Edie says and I almost protest before I realize how dead tired, I am, and Sophine is already getting up and going to the guest room. Which only technically sleeps two.

"I'll sleep on the couch." Edie offers and Ivana nods thank you to her before turning to me.

"Sleep well, princess."

 I sigh at the formality but don't say anything about it. "You to." I tell her and go to grab a blanket for Edie.

My mind still racing a mile a minute.

"Quiet your mind or you'll never get to sleep." Edie says.

"Easier said than done."

 "There's nothing to worry about thanks to you. I wouldn't stress."

"What if it happens again though?"

"A different problem for a different day." Edie says.

"If you say so." I grumble then turn to go to my rooms.

    Still Ivana's words stay in my head. We don't know where the troll's body is, without that they wouldn't have proof to believe us. As I lay down, a crazy plan starts to form in my head. What if I went searching for it?