From Prisoner To Princess [amazon edition]

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Taking a bite of the fruit platter Ellisia brought in for me, I continue pulling up the files of the Maids that were confirmed to have slept with Demitrias. It been two days since announcing my intention to the Guards and only a handful of men who sided with Juden Trilavantas have pledged their loyalty to me. Without needing to be told, Sky had assigned men to keep an eye on this small group, knowing that until we are one hundred percent certain of their loyalty, we will have to be careful around them.

"Have the three ladies who are confirmed to be pregnant agreed to a DNA test?" I ask Sky as he walks over and steals a strawberry from my plate.

"Yes they have. We already obtained a sample of Demitrias' saliva and if the test confirms he is the father, we will be firing those ladies and giving them enough compensation from the Trilavantas estate to tide them over until the children are in school. The others suspected of sleeping with both Demitrias and Juden have been fired with appropriate compensation and Ellisia is in the midst of interviewing new Maids." I frown as Sky continues to steal fruit from my plate, taking a moment to move the plate to my right side and continue to enjoy my food in peace.

"Hey, I was eating those." He grumbles, trying to lean over my desk and swipe a cantaloupe. I once again move the plate, taking this chance to eat a few pieces while he glares at me.

"Go to the kitchen and get some more." I sigh out, handing him the half empty plate and watching as a smile lights up his face.

"After I eat these I will." I chuckle, returning my attention to the screen and sighing. I start thinking about the little shack I used to live in and wonder what happened to it after months of no power. Did the Police find my stash of stolen money, has anyone taken it over with it being vacant for so long.

"What's wrong Ally?" Sky asks through a mouth full of grapes.

"Do you think we can sneak away for the rest of the day?" I ask instead, getting a suspicious look from my friend.

"Why?" I smile sheepishly at him, turning my chair to look out at the window as snow falls gently outside.

"I want to visit the Shack I lived in and retrieve my items. I haven't been there in a few months." Deciding to answer his question, I tell Sky about how I found the little shack and turned it into a home. How it was the one place I felt safe while surviving in the Slums.

"If this place meant so much to you, why haven't you been there in a few months?" I sigh, running a hand through my hair as I debate whether or not I should tell Sky the truth. I mean, who would want a Prisoner for a Princess. Deciding that these last few days Sky has done nothing but helped me, I turn and face him, a sad smile on my face.

"Its hard to go anywhere when you are a prisoner." I state, watching his eyes widen in shock.

"Wait, a prisoner!" He nearly shouts, causing me to shush him. After making Sky promise not to repeat what I just told him to anyone else, I relax back into my chair and swing it turn it from side to side.

"Everyone assumes that I lived a life of luxury when I went missing or that I had died. But as I have said many times, I grew up in the slums. I had to steal to stay alive and one day I got caught. After that, I was sent to Prison." Explaining my past to someone I can trust lifts a weight from my shoulder, causing me to feel lighter than before. The struggles I faced as a child forced me to grow up faster than most children and it is why taking control of the Palace is easy for me. Years of surviving has given me an edge over the men who have underestimated me these two days.

"I have to know, was it Alcraft that you were sent to?" Sky asks, keeping his voice low so as not to alert the Guards outside my office. I shake my head no, amused as he leans back into his chair to think.

"Forgress?" Another head shake no. He stops and stares at me in disbelief. There is only one prison left.

"Not that one?"

"Yep. I was sent to Lady Pricilla's Prison for Troubled Women. Trust me when I say reforming that Prison is top of my list with how horrible we are treated there." I state, running a hand through my hair once more. Sky sighs, turning to look out the window as the room grows silent.

"You got sent there for stealing." He muses quietly after some time passes, causing me to laugh.

"Yeah. Managed to hide my stash before I got caught too." I brag, proud of myself for securing my goodies.

"Well, show me how you stole." My eyes widen as I stare at him in disbelief. When most people learned I stole to survive, they stayed away from me not wanting to be the next victim.

"Are you serious?" I can't help but ask, trying not to chuckle at this absurd request.

"Very." His eyes stare into mine, causing any amusement at thinking Sky is joking to disappear. The man must be a total nut case if he finds this amusing.

"Everyone learned the hard way not to steal from a Guard. Sorry if I have a bit of misgivings about doing it." I point out, standing from my chair and making my way pout of my office. I need to stretch and maybe find a way out of the Palace for a bit. Familiar footsteps behind me alert me to Sky following behind. It doesn't take too long for him to catch up with his long legs and I roll my eyes at him.

"I will help you out of the Palace if you can show me just how good you are." Laughing at his persistency, I turn to give Sky an amused smile as he takes my hand and leads me down a different hallway, one I have yet to explore. Here I was, thief turned Princess, and my first real friend in years wants me to steal from him. Just the absurdity of it all is really hard to take in.

"Deal. But I am going do it when you least expect it." I agree, allowing Sky to lead us towards what ever destination he has in mind.

"Fair enough. Anyways, we are here." He smirks, stopping before a plan looking door at the end of the third hallway we turned down. Confused, I turn to look at him and wonder if he is trying to prank me.

"This looks like a storage room." I state in a monotone voice, leaning against the opposite wall. If he expects me to open an unknown door, he is sourly mistaken. To my surprise, Sky lets out a deep laugh, shaking his head at me before he reaches for the handle and pushes the door open. There is nothing black darkness and this piques my interest. What sort of room is left pitch black?

"Ladies first." Sky declares, mock bowing while chuckling at me rolling my eyes at him. Deciding to humor my friend, I walk closer to the door and take a deep breath before carefully walking into the dark room. After walking ten steps, I stop and turn to face the open door where Sky's silhouette stands, his body shaking as he continues to laugh at me.

"There is nothing here." My voice echoes around the room as I voice my frustration, surprising me as I turn to look back at the blackness behind me. This room his huge. A clicking sound comes from behind me and without warning, the lights turn on row by row revealing neatly parked vehicles ranging from sports cars to practical S.U.Vs.

"Welcome to the Royal Garage. Your ride awaits you, your Highness." I hadn't heard Sky come up behind me, but suddenly his lips are close to my ear and my heart skips a beat at his deep voice. I blush at his closeness before stepping away, deciding that this is just him messing with me and focus on the vehicles in front of me.

"So I can pick any vehicle?" I ask, my eyes scanning each one until I find myself standing in front of a matt black hummer.

"Yes. As long as it is winter worthy. No need to freeze ourselves to death for a quick outing." Sky answers, slowly walking towards me.

"Then lets take the hummer." With a chuckle, Sky walks towards the passenger door and holds it open, waiting for me to climb inside. I smile, thanking him as I climb into the passenger seat.

"Just remember Alli, I need you to be navigator to your Shack." Sky adds, before closing my door. I watch as he rounds the front of the vehicle before the door opens and he climbs in. With a push of a button, the Hummer starts and Sky carefully navigates out of the Royal Garage. I am shocked to learn that the entrance is hidden in plain sight as we soon drive out of a barn that sits on the farm to the north of the Palace.

"You own the farm by the way. Its how the Palacegains its supply of fruits and vegetables." Sky informs me as we pass rows onrows of bare fruit trees. I smile, excited to learn just what other surprise myhome holds for me to discover.