Arabella

Stowaway

Sunlight streamed in through the window, waking Arabella as it's golden light was cast about the tiny room. The princess groaned and rolled over, before sitting up with a start as her memory of the night before hit her.

After leaving the castle and her old life behind, Arabella had wandered the town, in search of a place to spend the night. She wanted to get as far from the palace as possible, to avoid being found. After descending the different levels of the village, she had found an inn close to the harbor. Too weary to care about the drunkards downstairs, she had paid the woman in charge and was led to a small poorly furnished room on the upper level. Without bothering to even take off her boots, Arabella had laid down on the hard bed and fallen asleep almost instantly.

Sitting up in the bed, Arabella wished that she had just found a tree to sleep under. Now, she was out of money and dreadfully hungry. She was reluctant to part with the ring, no matter how much she hated it.

I should save it to buy something more valuable than a breakfast.

Stretching, she climbed out of bed and walked over towards the open window. All she could see were the old wooden buildings that stood in every which direction, blocking her view of the sea. She could smell the salty scents of the nearby harbor and the fresh tang of fish as the fishermen hauled in the early morning's catch, making her stomach rumble.

Don't think about food, Arabella. We will be going without breakfast today.

She walked back to the bed and pulled the covers over it, trying to make it look somewhat neat. As she stepped back, something slipped out of the sheets and she blinked in surprise.

My necklace!

There, laying on the floor, was the pearl necklace she had been wearing the night before. In her haste to leave, she had forgotten to take it off.

It must have fallen off while I slept.

Her hands went to her neck to make sure that the sailor's locket was still there and she sighed in relief as her fingers brushed against the metal chain. She gently traced the wording on the outside.

Follow your heart.

She closed her eyes and tucked the locket back underneath her dress, stooping to pick the pearl necklace off of the floor.

Looks like I'll be having breakfast after all.

Grabbing her cloak and slinging her satchel over her shoulder, she unlocked the door to her room and descended the creaky wooden stairs, to the main level.

Given how crowded the inn was the night before, Arabella was surprised to see only a few scraggly people in the dining room. Most of them wore sailor's outfits and she guessed that they were leaving port that morning.

Arabella sat down at a lonely table in the corner, so as not to attract unwanted attention. A few moments later, the same lady as last night came bustling over, her wrinkled face pulled into a scowl. Her hair was greasy and disheveled, as if she did not care to wash or brush it. Arabella ran her fingers through her own hair self consciously.

I hope my hair doesn't look that bad.

"Well miss?" the lady asked rudely, her voice echoing loudly throughout the room. "What will it be?"

Arabella blinked, unaccustomed to being spoken to in such a manner.

After ordering a plate of biscuits, an apple and some ale, the lady bumbled off to fetch her food and Arabella's attention drifted to a group of sailors who were talking loudly nearby.