The Princess' Freedom

Freedom- Chapter 2

The

Princess' Freedom

Chapter 2

Three months later.

"Liberty," her mother said, poking her head in the door. Liberty looked up from her book. "I'd like you to meet someone." Her mother opened the door all the way, letting in a young man who looked slightly older than Liberty.

"Who... Who's this?" Liberty asked, stepping back slightly from them both. She quickly bowed her head down, which caused the young man to frown.

"My name is Ashton. I'll be your guard from now on, your Highness" He told her. Liberty looked up.

"Mother... what will happen when Father gets here and sees him?" She asked her mother. The Queen smiled at her daughter.

"Don't worry, Liberty. This has been ordered by him." She said. This made a look of fear cross her daughter's face. "It's so when we go out it looks like you have more protection."

"I promise, your Highness, I wouldn't lay a hand on you." Ashton told her. Liberty smiled some.

"Please, call me Liberty." She said, her head no longer bowed but still standing a few feet away.

Ashton smiled. "Of course, I'd be happy to... Liberty." The young princess smiled at him, a real smiled.

"Now, why don't you two stay in here and get to know eachother. I'll go and tell the workers you won't be doing any work today." The Queen said, smiling as she exited the room and close the door.

Liberty walked over to where the chairs in her room faced the window.

"Come and sit. Maybe today won't be so lonely." She said, patting the chair on the other side of her. Ashton smiled and walked over to the chair besides her, sitting down quickly.

"So, how long will the King remain gone?" He asked her. Liberty smiled.

"About another week." She told him, looking out over the gardens.

"You're very happy about that, aren't you?" He asked. She nodded.

"Gives me a few days of peace. No screaming at me to do work. No threats. I have time to sit in here and read or go out to the gardens and just stroll. I never get to do much of anything except work when Father's home." She explained. Ashton nodded.

"I remember the day I first came here. You ran into one of the guards and hurried off." He said. Liberty sighed.

"That was one of those days Father just wasn't very happy with anything. I guess I should be used to it by now." She said. Ashton shook his head.

"I don't think you should. It's not right, Liberty. A father doesn't treat his daughter like that." he said. "One of the guards that brought us in said he'd be happy to have a daughter like you. He said you happened to be a sweet and kind girl."

"I don't thinks that's very true." She said. Ashton sighed.

"I'm not so sure. From what I can see is that he's right, but you just don't believe it. A father like him can very well mess with your head. I've seen it happen."

"How?" Liberty asked. "I've never heard of a father mistreating his daughter. All of the officals that work with Father are just like him."

"Well, I guess they are all just messed up. No one from my town would ever do that. The only person that was like your father was arrested and killed." Ashton said.

"I've never meet someone with a daughter that treated them any diffrently than me. My Father is just like every body else." she said. He grabbed her hand.

"I promise you, Liberty, not every one is like you Father. Most people I know would die to have a daughter like you. I know one of the guards would. You'd be treasered by almost every man and women in my town if you were their daughter." He told her. Liberty shook her head.

"Tell me about this girl. I'd like to know." She said. Ashtong nodded.

"Alright, but please, hear me out after?" He asked. Liberty nodded.

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2 years ago

A younger Ashton walked out of his home on his way to school. Like everyday, he passed by the James' house. This time, though, he heard screaming.

"You are just a little disgrace!" Mr. James growled. His daughter, Ellie, took a step back.

"Please, Father, don't..." She said. Ashton ran towards them, easily grabbed Mr. James' raised hand and forcing it back down.

"Ellie, leave. You can go to my house. My mother is there. She can take care of you." He said softly, looking over his shoulder at the young woman behind him. Ellie smiled softly.

"Thank you." she said, running out around them and out the door.

"You little..."

"Why did the neighbers report screaming coming from in here?" a voice asked from the door.

A neighber walked in at that point.

"Because I could hear him screaming and threating his daughter." the neighber said. The officer looked over at Ashton.

"What happened in here?"

"He tried to hit his daughter." Ashton said. "I came in a stopped him."

The cop walked over, taking Mr. James' hand and holding him back.

"Where's the daughter now?"

"Over at my house. I live two houses down. I sent her to my Mother."

"Good. We'll be over in about an hour."

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Present.

"Is she alright?" Liberty asked. Ashton nodded.

"She's just fine. She lives with a new family, as her Mother died about two years before. She's happy, as she should have been with her Father."

"So, her neighbors called the police? All because of him threating her?"

"Yes, Liberty. Girls and women are precious to our town. Everyone needs them, and it's our job to protect them." He said.

"And now it's your job to protect me?" She asked. He nodded.

"Yes, and I will protect you. I'll also get your Father to stop treating you as he does. It's as much of a threat to you as an assiasin." He said. Liberty smiled.

"Tell me more?" She asked. Ashton laughed.

"Of course." He said. Liberty just smiled even bigger.