The Royals

2- A Secret

The forest rest at the edge of the village, where the poorest of the townsfolk lived in dull homes. I opened my bag that I'd brought with me, and take out a handful of gold coins.

As I reach a new home, I approach the door and knock softly. The wood is old and damp and the home reeks of mildew. I fight the urge to wrinkle my nose, and I beam inside when I succeed- I didn't want to seem stuck up when the door is answered.

I glance at the sun. It wasn't noon yet, I still had plenty of time to get to the lake.

The door is opened, and in front of me stands an extremely old woman. Her hair was pure white, the color of freshly fallen snow, and her face was covered with wrinkles. Yet I can make out crystal blue eyes and the ghost of what had once been a beautiful girl. I smile, knowing that she must've been the envy of the town.

Her thin, gray eyebrows pull together in the center. "Dear me. Is it tax time already?"

I rush to explain myself, but she turns to face the house.

"Josh! Joshuah! It's the tax collector! Do you have the coins ready to pay?"

A boy comes out, and my eyes drop down another foot from the short old lady to see someone who couldn't be older than thirteen. His hands were covered with dirt, it was coated thick under his finger nails. He sets a gentle arm on the old woman's shoulder- she must be his grandma or something. He frowns at her. "Grandma, go sit down, I'll take care of it."

"Did you put the soup on?"

The boy, Josh, grows a slightly weary look upon his face. "No. We don't have any soup, grandma. Go sit, I'll be back inside in just a second."

She nods, and turns, shuffling into the house, her torn clothing swaying in the wind. Josh shuts the door softly behind her, standing on the small stone porch with me.

"If you're here for tax, I'd like you to know that I've payed it fully, and the next tax collection date isn't for three more weeks." His voice was stern and it held a sense of maturity in it. I wonder what had forced him to grow up so fast, but the answer to my question follows immediatedly- he had to work and earn money to pay the tax.

"No." I shake my head. "I'm not here to collect tax. I'm Princess Alexa."

His expression doesn't change, it seemed as if he knew that he wouldn't be giving me any money today. "I know who you are. Why are you here?"

I reach into my bag and pull out a handful of coins. I'd filled my bag with all of the money I personalyl owned during my day of grounding, and I planned to pass it all out to the people in the town who were struggling the most with money to pay the tax. Then I would begin to give it to the others who weren't struggling quite as much.

"I'm here to give you money. I know it's not much compared to what i could be giving you, but I thought it might help you in a time that you're really in need of money to pay the tax." I say, and place a fistful of coins in his hand.

He frowns, and then look up to me. "Why are you giving us money? The royal family has never-"

"You say the royal family as if we all have one collective opinion on how to rule, but you're wrong." I say firmly. "The way my parents rule is wrong and cruel, and my eyes have been opened up to that now. I don't know everything that they do, but I know some, and I'm going to fix everything." I say, and give him a smile.

His eyes widen at the gold in his hand. "You're going to overthrow your parents then?"

I make a face. Why are people thinking that I'm going to do that? "No, I'm not. I'm going to make them come around to the right way of thinking, and in the meantime I'm going to give money to people like you and everyone else in the village that's struggling. I'm already on my way to a meeting to find out more answers. This kingdom can be a better place without overthrowing anyone."