Nothing But Bad

Fourty Five

Arden
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I think I have him convinced that he was the one doing me the favor. Letting me live out my schemes and such. He was proud, so he told me. Before I would have bathed in it. Soaked in it like it was the sunlight.

   Now, it was disgusting. It made we want to squirm under his gaze. I hated it.

   "And the king?" My father asks.

   "He usually accompanies his son to the base. I don't know why today was different." That's a lie, none of them go to that base. I don't think the king has even stepped one foot into it.

   He nods, encouraging me to continue. I did, I kept telling him lies and secrets that weren't true. And he believed them, every single one of them. I look at the clock on the wall. I needed to leave, and I needed to leave soon. "Father?" I say. He lifts his gaze and meets my eyes. "Am I to go back? Stay here, what do you need me to do?" Please say go back,  please say go back.

   He thinks for a second, "How would you go back? How would you explain your absence?"

   I pretend to think, "I can say that I was lost. Taking a walk, and losing my way. They don't know I know where the base is located. The prince would believe me. He would believe anything I say." I fake a laugh.

   "Very, well." He says taking a spoonful of his soup. We had spent most of the time at the table talking. Dinner was brought up a little less than an hour ago. We had just taken so long to eat it, because my father kept asking questions and I kept having to answer them.

   "I should get going soon. Could I make go to my room to freshen up a little?" I ask, he nods. "I don't remember how to get there, could someone escort me? Skyler?" He nods again, and Skyler stands brushing off her dress.

   "Arden." He calls, we freeze right before getting to the door. "Don't freshen up too much, you don't want to give the impression that you weren't where you said you were."

    I let go a breath of relief. "Of course." I nod. Following Skyler out.

We're quiet until we arrive at my room. Quiet until Sky closes the windows, and checks the door. "He believes you." She says. I thought I saw a little relief flicker in her eyes. "It's kind of scary how convincing you were. If I hadn't known, I would've believed you as well."

I sigh in relief, "I scare myself sometimes. Do you know where it is, the stone?" I ask. I just had to grab it and leave like nothing was wrong. It should be easy.

"He keeps it in his coat pocket. He doesn't move without it."

So I was wrong, this wasn't going to be easy. An idea sparks in my head. "I could hug him," I suggest. "Slip my hands in his coat hide the stone in my pockets." I look down at what I was wearing. I curse that I picked to wear leggings, I had no pockets.

"Hand it to me." She says, "I'll take it and give it to you once we're gone. I'll leave with you."

A smile makes it way on my face. "You will?"

I could tell she was debating it. Shocked by her own words. "I..." she sighs, "I want to live. Like you and your friends."

I grab my hands in hers. "And you will." I grin. She stares at me, before nodding. We were going to do this. We were going to leave and never look back.
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