The Soot Princess [Hiatus]

21-What? No!

Dean Eingall

I saw Eevon standing in the middle of the room with a small suitcase. "Why is she here?" my first thought emerged. "Is that all she brought?" a second thought joined in.

The guard from earlier started to introduce her to us. "Your High..."

"This is not who I sent you for! I said a boy! This is obviously a girl! Are you blind?" my dad yelled. His face turned red as his heart rate sped up.

"Got a problem with that?" Eevon piped up.

"Yes, now this isn't going to work."

"What is not going to work?"

"Get me a boy and dump this little girl off in whatever rat hole she came out of."

"Hey!"

"I'm sorry, but there aren't any boys over the age of eleven in the system," the guard informed him.

"Um, hello? I heard what you said Mr. High an' Mighty," she took a few steps until she was in his face looking up at him, hands on her hips, "...and I'll tell you this, tohh," she spit in his face! "I will not be pushed around that easily or disrespected so much. Even bullies, aren't as bad as you are! And I have a name, so use it." Eevon or Evan looked him right in the eye as she backed up. I admire her, I would be in so much trouble if I even spoke like that to Dad.

My dad took out a tissue and whipped off his face. "Now, who is this brat?" he asked the guard.

"Sh..."

"Thank you, but I can answer myself," she stopped the man from continuing. "My name is Evan and you picked me to beat you up," she interrupted him.

I couldn't put my finger on it, but this girl isn't the same one I saw last night, but they look identical. Is she the same person? I think I saw a small chink in her armor and I swear her name was Eevon yesterday.

"So much for punishing me," I said and tried to back out of the room.

"Wait! What?"

"Not so fast, Charles. We can make this work with Evan."

"You actually remembered my name, but pronounced it wrong!" Evan says sarcastically. She really needed to cut back on her remarks, she's gonna kill herself that way!

"Aye, you, hush!" the guard says.

"And now I'm Aye You. You palace folk sure have a lot of names for me. First girl, then brat, and now Aye You, I have a name for a reason," she says sassily.

"Are you sure this isn't a boy?"I ask my dad. She is just confusing me. I can't wrap my finger around her. Most girls aren't this complicated.

"I'm not to certain myself," he replies in a low voice, "There is only one way to find out. Please take off your shirt Evan."

What!? Just ask her!

Her eyes grow wide and she shakes her head lost for words.

My dad signals to the guard to hold her down, but she makes a run for it. She snakes out the open door and down the hall. All three of us give a chase down the hall. God she's fast! As I reach the corner she is already rounding the next. We set off the alarm and she disappears. "Hey... Dad," I say between gasping breaths, " I don't think we will catch up to her."

"Neither do I," he replies between his own pants.

"Do you know it takes less effort to breath through your nose than your mouth?" the guard said breathing heavily himself. We both gave him the stink eye.