The Royal Rescue

Chapter 1 (PROLOGUE)

Serenity's POV

Awaking in a side alley isn't the best place. It's bone-achingly uncomfortable and almost fatal. Then again being homeless altogether is fatal. So many things can kill you. Dehydration, malnutrition, anorexia, hypothermia, heat stroke and dying of illnesses caused by bacteria. I've luckily been alive for a good three years. I've been through all sorts. It's been very hard but I've managed to survive. Many homeless people are likely to suffer from arthritis at such a young age. It's something that I don't want to happen to me but I know that no one gonna save me.

There was a time when people were nice, giving me food or some spare change but they just can't take in homeless people nowadays. They haven't got enough room or enough money. It's not that I blame them because who wants to be with a homeless person after all? People think that all we care about is money but we aren't, well not all of us.

My main focus is survival. Trying to stay alive and ensure I have enough to eat as well as enough warmth in the winter and looser clothing in the summer. It's really hard to have clothes especially because they're so expensive but desperate times call for desperate measures.

I also need to ensure that I am hydrated at all times and avoid all illnesses. It's hard though, if you don't have enough vitamins and minerals, your immune system becomes weak which exposes you to viruses which in my case can be lethal. I've been lucky that most of the illnesses I have, were mild colds, flu or mild heat stroke. Nothing too major but it could have been worse since I've got no medication or anything like that. Those are way too expensive for me to afford.

As for food, I've tried so hard to get food leftovers from restaurants as they throw out food left over from that day. It's not a lot of top quality but it's better than not eating at all. Of course, it's a struggle but I want to live not to die.

Today, I'm hoping that something will change. It's not easy for homeless people and the fact is, is that due to inflation, more people are becoming homeless. The worst part is that even little kids that have lost their parents are living without a home. It's horrible to see this. To see young children defending themselves is horrible and I pray that everything will get better.

Due to financial difficulties, everyone is defending themselves. I wouldn't call it selfish but is very similar to playing a game of monopoly for example. Everyone wants the best for themselves but we all know that the person with the most high-paying properties always wins. In our situation, that player is our king.

King Ricardo is very nice to everyone but when he comes to our area, I've always hidden away. I'm pretty sure the King wouldn't want to see me and I especially don't want to appear as a charity case. He's helped so many people but I don't want to appear a burden on him. That's why I wouldn't recognise him, I've never met the man. I know when he comes because of the rumours that arise before he arrived in the streets of Pembroke. To him, I probably don't even exist. I know that being present in front of the King is prioritised but I've always hidden it.

It's not like they have a list of people who live in this area. If they have then surely they would have noticed me missing and I don't think that's the case as I've missed loads of them.

Today was different, I got up from the floor of the alley and decided to see if the restaurant left anything from breakfast this morning.

My back was stiff from lying on the cold, hard, uneven floor. My knees wobbled as I held onto the wall tightly trying to get up. I feel slightly lightheaded that I almost fell on the floor all over again. I press my hand to my forehead and it was burning. That's not good. Then a wave of exhaustion hit me hard. I was so tired that I didn't even realise that I was excessively sweating. I felt my pulse run from slow to fast in a matter of seconds. What's wrong with me? I wasn't like this earlier. I must be coming down with something which is my worst nightmare. I quickly stumbled out of the alleyway hoping to find something that can help me if that was even possible.