The False Princess

Chapter 22

Edited

"No!" The piercing scream echoes through the courtyard. Gai is trying to explain to her, but she isn't listening. She turns to me-her glare so fierce that I flinch.

"How could you do this to me!" She wails-her voice breaking. I don't...I can't look her in the eye. She waits for a moment before running up the stairs.

"Give her five minutes, then tell her that we're leaving right away." Gai orders wearily.

"Lynx, go change out of those clothes and into...well, anything but that!" He turns to me. I nod silently, and flee. In actuality Kaone's reaction shook me up more then I let on. I never wanted to hurt her. But I guess that's what I do. Whenever I do something, I always end up hurting myself or my friends.

Servants try to come help me change into my dress, but I slam the door in their faces. I really don't want them. I'm not a child-I can dress myself. I select a flowing white dress with long sleeves and a gold belt around my middle. Them I retrieve my necklace with the pendant that caused me so much pain. I hid it on the window ledge. Although servants scoured the mansion for it-they didn't find it. I am a thief after all-I pride myself in my hiding abilities.

I brush my hair out of the way, and and string the necklace around my neck. I realize how much I missed the familiar weight of it around my neck. I finally feel like myself again. I then tuck the pendant into my dress. If Gai saw me wearing it then I would be a dead princess for sure. But if I'm going to face the whole court-the whole country-I need to have it on. It's part of who I am. It's all I have of my mother left.
A timid knock on the door makes me jump. Even though I ignore the knocking, the door opens anyway, revealing Briss.

"Let me help you." She says quietly. I just turn and roll my eyes. She ties the string at the back of my dress, then helps me slip the belt overtop.

"Why are you helping me?" I ask abruptly. Briss just looks at both of us in the mirror. There are bags under her blue eyes, and her red curls are tousled. The two of us look so much different then we did when we first met. The twinkle that I first noticed in her eyes has diminished completely. She looks like an entirely different person.

"I honestly don't know." She mutters. She doesn't know that I told Gai that I would only be his princess if she got to come with me.

"Thank you." I respond sombrely.
We don't speak after that. Its dead silent. After I'm ready to go, I take one last look around the room. I don't think I'm going to miss Asenhouse, but I guess you never really know until you're gone. After I finish reminiscing, I walk out of my room.

Kaone and Gai are waiting in the hallway for me.

"Ahh Lynx. Mufar is just getting the carriage together." Gai says briskly. I smile weakly. Kaone still has fire in her eyes.

"You don't have to do this." She argues with me. She doesn't want my help.

"No...I want to." I say softly. Briss looks from Kaone to myself.

"Wait....what's going on?" She asks me. I look at her.

"I want you at my side when I'm the queen. You both are coming with me to Delllea." I tell her. Briss smiles. A true, bright, happy smile. For a second, I see the old sparkle in her eye's, but it's gone as fast as it came.
She nods her thanks before averting her eyes.  Mufar pulls the carriage right outside. Kaone goes out first-stalking into the carriage, and Briss follows. I linger in the hall with Gai.

"I'm waiting for the servant that will be accompanying me." He says, the irritation evident in his voice. I only have a moment to wonder who it is, before Derrin walks into view, carrying all of Gai's bags. I have to stifle a smile. Thank goodness it's him that's coming with Gai. I had completely forgotten about him with all this madness. But I'm beyond grateful he is here. I want to tell him about who I really am before it's too late.

"You're late Derrin." Gai states icily.
Derrin bows his head.

"My apologies Master Flynn." He mutters. I catch a hint of sarcasm in his words, but luckily Gai doesn't. He walks off in a huff. I exchange a look with Derrin. He rolls his eyes and sticks out his tongue, and I bite back a laugh. I shoot him a wink, to which he smiles at, before getting into the carriage.