Pirate Princess

Chapter 2

"Amelia said she would try to sneak away in a few minutes," Aria said as she reentered the room, lowering the hood of her cloak as the door shut gently behind her. It had taken Emma and her maid nearly eight hours to ride to the closest village outside of Queen Snow's and King David's kingdom. While most here knew the royal family by name, not many would recognize the princess on sight alone, especially not in her ripped cloak and bland dress. Emma felt comfortable that she could start her escape from here. "M'lady, you're-. You're absolutely sure about this?"

Emma straightened her spine, her gaze never leaving the window. She must look everything like a princess, from the perfect posture to the gentle hands resting over one another in her lap as she stared at the world on the other side of the glass. From the view of her room, Emma could see the villagers walking back and forth, completing chores and stopping every once in a while to hold a pleasant, or not so pleasant, conversation with another townsperson. She could see the tops of the white sails of the ships in the docks peeking over the roofs of the low buildings as well.

"Yes," she whispered, but Aria heard her princess loud and clear, and the servant-girl knew in her heart that this would be Emma's final answer.

"Very well," Aria replied, playing with the loose strands that frayed from her cloak's arm. Due to habit and from years of being a maid, she instinctively released the strays and wiped her palms on her skirt, a soothing and comforting task that Aria considered to almost be a stress release for her. She opened her mouth to reply but closed it when she realized she had nothing substantial to say.

The creaking of the door opening broke the sound of the silence that had conjured in the room, and both girls whipped around to see a slim female with frizzy brown hair sneaking through the small crack in the door.

"So sorry I'm late," the girl said with an airy laugh, bolting the door behind her before turning around to face the two visitors. "I got away as soon as I could."

"Oh, it's no issue at all, Mia," Aria reassured, stepping forward and taking her friend's hand in hers, squeezing lightly. She brought her forward a few steps until both were standing a few feet away from a very curious, but otherwise silent, Emma. "Amelia, this is Princess Emma of Misthaven."

Mia dropped into a low curtsy, her head bowing respectfully. "M'lady."

"Please, it's Emma now. I'm no longer a princess here."

Amelia nodded, the grin never leaving her face. Emma felt like she was normally a happy person, and she felt a flood of relief course through her knowing that this energetic girl was going to be her companion once Aria left to return to the castle.

"Mia, we need your help," Aria spoke up, the formalities done.

Mia pressed her lips together before nodding her head once, slowly, almost seeming to read the plea and utter desperation in her friend's eyes. "Let me go get us some food and drinks first. You both must be exhausted from your travels." Mia grabbed a handful of her skirts in one hand before leaving the room only to return moments later with a tray laden with bread, nuts, a full pitcher, and three empty glasses. "Here we are. I trust you like the room?" Mia asked, placing the loaded tray on a nearby stand, which she then proceeded to drag into the middle of the room so that the three women could sit around it.

"Yes, it's lovely. Thank you for finding us an empty room at the inn on such short notice," Emma responded, inclining her head politely as a form of thanks. Hesitantly, she reached across the tray and grabbed a thin slice of bread. She lifted it to her nose and sniffed lightly; it smelled fresh and warm. She closed her eyes as she felt her stomach rumble with desire. Aria and Emma had finished nearly all of the bread and cheese on the journey to the inn, and Emma was saving whatever was left of her food for an emergency.