The Young Princess

Chapter 2

"Come here you little brat!" Said one of the officers as he walked up and grabbed my arm.

"Ouch! Your hurting me!" I yelled.

"To bad!" said the officer,

"Jones, you are holding her pretty tightly, loosen up a bit. We don't want her to pass out because you held her so tightly." Said another officer. The officer holding me, who's name I guessed was Jones, grounded and loosened his grip just so that it didn't hurt, but his grip was still tight.

They walked me over to the middle of town square where there was a jail wagon waiting for me. I could see everyone staring at me in pity as the officers threw me in the wagon and locked the door. I just curled up in a little ball and started crying.

I guess I fell asleep in the wagon because the next thing I knew, I was being dragged out of the wagon and was being taken into the castle. Once I realized where I was I bolted upright and fought helplessly to get free from the officers grasp.

"No! NO!! P-Please don't m-make me g-go in h-here! Ple-ease!" I scream threw tears. The officers just looked at me, some looked at me with pity, while others looked at me with annoyance.

"Will you just shut up!" One of the officers yelled at me. I just continued to cry.

"Val! She's just a frightened young girl, take pity!" Said one of the officers. I grew a tiny bit happier when she sort of stood up for me. The other officer just slapped his hand down in the air and said "Psh! She's a thieve! Why should I take pity!?" Those two officers then stepped aside and started arguing. I couldn't help but laugh just one laugh when I heard them fight one whether or not they should take pity on me or not. Once they were out of hearing range, I was snapped back into reality and realized once again that I was going to meet Zanthis in person, but I wasn't going to meet him because I did something good, it was because I did something bad.

The officers walked me into a magnificent room that was full of huge paintings of Zanthis, but I a thought I saw slightly smaller tapestries underneath. Then I would look back and I couldn't see those tapestries anymore so I thought I was just imagining it. We walked up to a huge oak wood door that I guessed led to the thrown room or other room just as amazing like that. One of the officers then knocked three times on the door. The knock sound was huge and low, and after a few moments two knocks, with the same sound, came from the other side. The doors then slowly opened and that's when I saw him. Zanthis. I had seen him before, but not like this. When I saw him, he was in black, royal looking, riding outfits. But here, he was in black and navy blue robes and was wearing a fairly large golden crown with a blue, red, and green jewel on the point of every spike.

"Your Majesty, I bring you a young girl who was caught stealing butter from a bakery. She also has been stealing other things from that same bakery and other shops in the village you just inspected this morning." Said the officer who had knocked on the door.

"I see...." said Zanthis, who seemed to be intrigued by me, but I wasn't quite sure. "Leave her with me, alone." he said. Everyone turned to him shocked.

"Your Majesty! But she's a criminal! She could seriously harm you!" said one of the officers.

"I may do as I please! Now leave us! NOW!!!" Yelled Zanthis, clearly annoyed. Everyone hurried out of the room, leaving Zanthis and me all alone. I guess he could tell I was scared out of my mind because he smiled reassuringly.

"So, what is your name young lady?" He asked.

"M-My name i-is D-Danielle, D-Dani for sh-short..." I manage to stutter out.

"Well, Dani, why were you stealing items from shops in a village?" asked Zanthis.

"I had to to survive," I tell him honestly. "I live alone and I had barely any money left from what was left to me." I said.

"Money left to you?" asked Zanthis sitting more upright.

"Yes, I was left some money along with other supplies like food and clothing when I was left at my cottage." I told him, I had decided that I might as well tell the king everything, since he's the king.

"Do you know who left you these supplies?" asked Zanthis.

"No, but I remember the person being a woman, I don't remember her age though."

"I see. Do you know how old you where when this all happened?"

"I can guess,"

"Well?"

"I think I was about 4, yes, 4, I remember vaguely that I was about 4 because I could talk and I had an idea on how to survive."

"I see, will you come here please?" said Zanthis who sat up even more when I said how old I was when I was left at my cottage.

"Um, ok," I said, I slowly walked up to Zanthis. He grabbed my right arm, put my arm so that my hand was palm up, and pulled up my sleeve.

"IMPOSSIBLE!!!" He yelled, shoving me back after he looked at my arm.

"What! Did I do something wrong?" I asked, very scared.

"You don't know do you?" asked Zanthis, a small smile creeping up on his face.

"Know what!?" I asked in a half yell.

"Your the princess, you have the mark, on your arm." said Zanthis.

"I'm, I'm the princess? WHAT!!!???" I was shocked, how could I be a princess??