Cats n' Dogs

Chapter 1

Sylvi sniffed the cool air of the spring evening on her balcony. She didn't feel like studying to be the next ruler of the country the whole evening again. She wanted to do something different, something to cheer her up and relieve her from her boredom.

Seeing the lights at the garage just outside the castle gave her an idea. She used to visit there when she was little, the owner being a friend of her father since they were little boys. He always had a few funny stories to tell, but she hadn't been down there since they started to groom her for the throne.

She left her room, peeked inside the maid's common room where they usually spend the evening and found two playing cards. 'If anyone's looking for me, I'll be in the library.' she said.

The maids bowed their heads. 'Very well, princess.' one of them said.

She smiled and went to the library, taking a couple of history and biology books from the many bookcases and left them open on a table at the fireplace. Satisfied it looked like she was reading them, she left the library and found a maid in the study across the hallway.

'I'm going to take a quick bath.' she said. 'My heads needs clearing from so much reading.'

The maid bowed. 'Will you need anything?'

'No, thank you. I'm just going to soak in peace and quiet for a while.' Sylvi said and smiled wider as she went into the direction of the bath, but turned to the back-garden before reaching it.

There, she unlocked a small door in the castle wall leading outside, and locked it again before walking down the quiet road to the garage.

Sylvi walked into the office of the garage, found it empty, but there were sounds of hammering coming from the workshop so she went there.

'Uncle!' she called out to her father's friend like she did as a little girl.

The sound of hammering from underneath a truck stopped for a moment. 'Sorry, the boss is out for the moment. You'll have to come back tomorrow.' said a young man's voice and the hammering continued.

She moved around the truck to see a pair of legs sticking out from under the front of the truck. Its hood was open and chains hung down from a crane to the engine.

'If it's just a moment I'll wait.' she said, not liking the idea of having to go back to the castle already.

The hammering stopped. 'It's better to come back tomorrow, we have too much work to do tonight.' he said, followed by the sound of a rattle.

'He always had time for me.' she said, thinking there was no way he wouldn't make some time for her visit after so long.

'Sorry to disappoint you, missy.' he said, continuing his work. 'But we really have no time to spare right now.'

'Missy?' she said, getting irritated from the lack of respect she received and huffed. 'I'm no missy! You're talking to the princess, so show some respect and apologise!'

The rattling stopped, several tools were shoved from under the truck and Roh rolled from underneath it. The human was a little taller than her, probably only a few years older than her, she guessed.

He wiped his sweaty face with a rag and looked at the angry face of Sylvi. 'Sorry, princess, but I really don't have time for pleasantries right now.' he said, checked the chains, grabbed the crane controls and lifted the engine block carefully from the truck.

'When royalty is present, peasants are supposed to pay attention and listen!' she said, clenching her fists while he moved the engine over a stand and set it down.