They Call Me Princess

Chapter Twenty-Three: Princess

STILL ISABELLE'S P.O.V.

I watched the messenger flee from the space in hurried strides. "Are you sure that this will work?" Nicholas looked down at me, his eyes betraying him and showing every ounce of doubt he had.

"Of course, Alexei knows my hand writing by now..." I looked off into the distance and studied the wall opposite to me. Moments later, his hand was ruffling my hair ending all seriousness in the moment.

"Hey!" Shouting, I grabbed his arm and threw it away from me. "Hay is for horses." I growled and tugged his hair tie from around his mini-ponytail and ran away from him.

"That's not fair!" He chased after me with a large grin on his face. Of course he caught up to me and plucked it out of my fingers with a pout, fixing his hair in seconds.

"We need to head back, we've been gone for too long." Our smiles faded as quickly as they came. "I know." I muttered, not even daring to look up at him.

We walked out of the room with a few others behind us and entered the dark hallway. "It will work." I mostly said this to myself, but my sudden statement seemed to convince everyone around us.

"Of course it will Princess." One of the men said while patting my shoulder.

"Princess? When did I earn that title?" Nicky chuckled from beside me and wrapped one arm around my shoulders.

"You've been our princess from the beginning, you have strong leadership skills, you're always battle ready, and you've been outside of the Romofski territory. A feat that few have ever experienced." Nicholas looked down at me with a smile as he squeezed me closer.

"You're our light in the darkness; a true princess." I looked to the ground thinking about how much I disagreed with him, but I didn't say a thing. These people were looking up to me to lead, so lead them I shall.

"Expect a battle here in a week. During the confusion we can corner Father. We'll decide his fate then. We need to evacuate as soon as possible after that."

They stood at attention when we reached the exit. "We'll discuss the plan further tomorrow." Each of them saluted with chest swelling in pride.

I myself must admit that it was a fine feeling indeed to be leading such loyal men.

"For now rest and prepare for the days ahead." With a quick nod and a short 'Yes ma'am' each of them scurried off at a fast pace to get back to their duties.

"See, a real princess can lead their people, and you just led them without a second thought, your orders absolute.” Nicky wrapped an arm around my shoulders as we leaned on one another, keeping a steady pace.

"I am no princess, simply a person with good leadership skills." We exited the dimly lit hallway and out into the kitchens, which was bustling with workers trying to finish lunch for the hundreds of soldiers stationed here.

We didn't stop walking, not until we were outside in the slightly warm air. "If you weren't a princess, then Father would have had you executed by now. In order to keep peace in his own territory, you had to be alive. You are hope."

I had never considered myself that important. I was simply the daughter of a rebel leader in a war that had been going on for what felt like a millennia. I was just the girl that had to fight and had to win in order to keep my livelyhood. I was a somebody trying to be a nobody.

Now, after all of these years when I finally became a nobody, I'm being shoved back into my status and old lifestyle just to keep peace within our own ranks.

I was more important than Father wished to admit.

And I will be his downfall.

I will make him wish that he never married Sarah Combs. That he didn't have Nicholas and me. That he didn't force us apart in order to become a strong military leader.

I will make him wish that he never forced me to return.

Determination.

I will take him down. I will destroy him in his own fort. Just so I can make him feel all of the pain and suffering he made me go through.

"If hope is what you need, then hope I shall be. If it brings death then so be it. As long as it helps those who are in pain and suffering in any way, shape, or form. I will be the bringer of hope. I will be the princess if it is absolutely necessary."  

~~Three Days Later~~

Finally.

Gun shots rang and explosions began to go off. It was finally time for battle. I watched as half of my Father's army didn't fight, but instead wait for my command.

"Troops! This is the day you have been waiting for. Surround the main office building and don't let anybody in or out. Do you understand?"

"Yessir!" And just like that the entire building had a circle of men around it with all of their guns drawn and ready to shoot.

I watched as confused soldiers on both sides watched us enter the building and shut the door with a slam, locking it in the process. I've wanted to do this for years and I finally had the opportunity.

Finally.

Taking a deep breath, I walked forward, Nicholas, Freddie, Eric, and Lawson following behind me. No one dared to speak as we entered his office and watched the paranoid man rock back and forth in his chair muttering incoherent words under his breath, his hands desperately clutching their partner elbows.

He had finally lost it.

"Father." He didn't look up or respond. He only rocked faster, attempting to calm himself in the strangest fashion. "Sir." Nothing.

He never stopped. We stood there calling for him a full half hour. "We need to leave. If we stay any longer then our fates will be uncertain."

With no other choice we attempted to move him, but it did nothing. Every Time it seemed we got through to him he'd revert back to rocking and muttering.

"That's it!" I grabbed his arm and tried to lift him up, but instead a received a letter opener to the gut.

In surprise I jumped back and held my hand to my bloody stomach in pain. A gunshot rang out and Father fell to the ground, a bullet hole in the center of his forehead.

"I may not be a good leader, but I am a good shot." Nicholas said with a gun resting in his hand. "Thank you." Was all I could manage to say before I blacked out.