Drift [UNEDITED, FIRST DRAFT]

Chapter One: Sophia

The hall was crowded and I stood at the door, taking a deep breath and wondering how on earth I was going to battle through everyone. I started to fight my way through, trying to get to where the rest of the kids my age were huddled together near the stage at the top. The crowd started clapping and people pushed and shoved, standing on their tiptoes to see over the heads of the taller children. I sighed. There was no way I'd make it to the others. I twisted around and fought my way back to the door. The crowds were thinner back there and I found it easier to breathe.

The clapping stopped and a voice came over the crackling speakers. "....I'm delighted to be here with you all today." I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. Visitors always came here and today the visitor just so happened to be royal. That, however didn't make him any more interesting. People seemed to think that visiting the home for 'unfortunate children' made them much better people but to be honest, all it did was bore us. Well, it bored me at least.

I stood, barely listening to the prince's speech, until my feet grew sore. Glancing around, I noted that everyone was totally engrossed in the speech and so I decided that no one would notice if I slipped out for a while.

The prince was finishing up his speech and introducing another guest speaker when I cracked open the door and slid out, closing it quietly behind me.

The hallway was cold and my thin shoes did little to protect my feet from the icy floors. I immediately felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest. I'd never liked crowds.

The corridors were long and winding, but eventually I reached my favourite spot in the whole miserable building- the window seat overlooking the street below. The home was built near the palace, in the middle of town and the only way to really pass time was to watch the people walking past below. I liked to imagine their stories, make up where they were going and what they were doing. I sat on the thin cushion and pressed my face against the cool glass. A women dressed in frilly clothes hurried past and I smiled, imagining her story. She was running to a party of some kind, I guessed from her fancy attire. She was probably pretty well off, with a handsome husband. I wondered why he wasn't with her. Maybe he'd meet her at the party, maybe he was working late.

A set of footsteps coming down the hall pulled me out of my thoughts. I glanced up from the window, praying that it wasn't one of the matrons. I'd be in big trouble for skipping the speech.

"Your Highness," I said, jumping up in surprise. If there was anybody I was expecting to see out here, it wasn't the prince. I bobbed a curtsy like we had been taught when we found out he was coming and averted my gaze to the floor. "Oh. Hello." he said, running his hand through his hair and sighing. "I wasn't expecting to see anyone out here." he mumbled and something told me he hadn't wanted me to hear it. We stood in awkward silence. I had been told not to speak unless spoken to and so that was what I was doing. The prince, on the other hand, didn't seem too chatty either.

"You weren't at the speech." he commented. I shook my head. After a moment of silence, he said, "You may speak." he said it matter-of-factly, as if I should have known and finally, I broke my mannerly act. "I don't like crowds." I looked up at him. He was handsome up close and younger than I'd thought. He was probably only the same age as me, if not one or two years older. He was tall and lean and his honey coloured hair was cropped short. His eyes were a glistening green and something in them told me that he hadn't laughed in a while. His suit was tight fitting and looked uncomfortable and his stance was awkward but firm. He cocked an eyebrow. "You found it boring, didn't you?" he asked. I dropped my eyes to the ground again. I was pretty sure I wasn't meant to answer that question.

Eventually, it was clear that my silence answered it for me and he smiled grimly.

"That's what I thought."

"Sorry, sir." I replied. He chuckled softly and the natural smile revealed the dimples in his cheeks. "That's okay." He glanced at the window seat behind me.

"People watching?" he asked. I nodded and he stepped closer, making his way to the window. He leaned against the sill and looked out. "He's just been fired." he indicated to a man walking down the street. His face was solemn and his pace slow. "How do you know?" I asked, immediately forgetting who I was speaking to. "Because he used to work for me." He looked up at me, a grin on his face. I stared at him incredulously, my mouth open and my eyebrows raised. He watched my reaction, then laughed. "I'm kidding." His whole face lit up and I smiled broadly. It was obvious that this was the most relaxed he'd been in a while.

He straightened up and sighed. "I should go." he smiled grimly. I nodded. "It was nice meeting you....."

"Sophia."

"Sophia." he smiled, testing the name on his tongue. "It was nice meeting you, Sophia." He reached out to shake my hand and I accepted timidly. Then I curtsied. "You too, your highness." His face darkened when I addressed him formally and I could tell that I had just put the relaxed feeling behind us. He nodded and began to walk. He was almost out of sight when I noticed something glinting on the floor under the window sill. I went to take a closer look. It was a dagger. It must have slipped from the prince's pocket when he leaned against the window sill. I picked it up gently, almost afraid to touch it. It was expensive, encrusted with jewels that glimmered under the light that shone through the window. I could have easily pocketed it and sold it off later, but the fact that he was carrying it around with him told me it was special.

I had to run to catch up with him but I made it eventually. I stopped in front of him, out of breath, my chest heaving and my feet sore from slamming against the ground. The prince halted and eyed me warily and I suddenly noticed his lack of guards.

"You dropped this." I said, handing him the blade. His face fell. "Thank you." he said softly.

"Of course."

I decided not to address him formally this time and simply bowed my head instead. "It's beautiful." I commented. "I know." was his reply. Then, "It was my mothers. She gave it to me before she died." I was surprised that he was sharing this personal piece of information with me. We were standing outside the room where the speech was now and I heard people beginning to stir inside. "Order!" the matron's voice sounded over the bustling and I instinctively jumped.

The prince watched me curiously as worry spread over my face. I heard the door begin to open. If the matron saw me out here and not in the speech I would be in big trouble and she'd probably lock me in the attic, without supper for the rest of the day. "I have to go, your highness." I said, bobbing a quick curtsy and running, at full speed, off down the hall. "Goodbye." he called after me, his voice laced with confusion.

I was safely around the corner when I heard the crowds coming out of the hall and as I locked myself in the nearest broom cupboard, I couldn't help but feel sorry for the prince, who was now stuck in a crowd of adoring children when it was clear that all he wanted was to be left alone.