Courting a Prince: Book 1 (Complete)

ch. 2: Escape pt.1

For those who don't know, I am May Ziro. Right now I am a 13 year old captive of the Fire Tribe.
I am forced to work as a maid  because of my evident beauty, guess I'm just some kind of eye candy! Haha, okay yeah, this sucks.

"Get over here!" A man pulls me by the hair, and drags me across the floor. The pot of hot water I was carrying fell, but thankfully it didn't hit me.

I fight my hardest to get the man to release me but it doesn't work. I know exactly where I'm being taken, to the war chamber again. This has been happening so often because they want me to tell them everything about the earth kingdom. Yeah I know everything about every kingdom, but seriously!? Why me!!

I get thrown into the floor by the end of the war table. I keep my head down, and try to ignore all the cold gazes from all these annoying power hungry bastards. Of course I don't talk either, I'm not trying to die again!

But like, seriously it's hot as hell in here, haven't these people ever heard of an AC? You'd think I'd be used to it after being held captive for seven years... Meh.

"You can't sacrifice an entire division like that! Those soldiers love and defend our nation. How can you betray them!?"

I swallow my fear and look up to see a boy, probably no older than I, being stared down by the cold, heartless eyes of the war men.

I'm not sure if he's brave, or a fucking idiot. Actually, this seems familiar... I can't quite put my finger on it. Let's see.... War room, I'm 13.... A boy who has honor in a war room who is also 13... Crazy, power hungry fire lord....

...

I face palm. What the fuck!?
How did I not realize it earlier, that's Prince Zuko! He's grown up a lot since I seem him a few years ago! Eh, he might just die because of this little out burst... Well, doesn't matter since I'm just gonna leave today anyway.

I am dragged out of the room by guards, two of em this time.  I'm thrown back into my cell/room, just to wait for another day.

"Ugh this sucks! I've been here for 7 years already! I've kissed up to the guards, played nice with the nobles, even pretended to be feeble to fuel some fire head's ego! Fucking pricks can't keep me here forever!" I throw the one pillow I have at the wall. "The moment that child is banished will be my chance...."

"Your chance to what?"

I jump in surprise at the voice from the door. It's a guard I've gotten along with since I was brought to the palace. "Hal! You're back!" I quickly put on my cheerful act in order to fool him, he's always been easy to trick this way. "It will be my chance to visit everyone in the guard room, at les I tink that's what you call it."

He laughs and looks through the hole in the door. "Your speech has gotten better. It's 'least' not les and 'think' not tink. The others would be happy for you to visit them, but you need to be carful. If you get caught, we wouldn't be able to save you from punishment."

I nod and reach up to the hole in the door, why do I have to be such a short 13 year old ;-;. "Okay! Thank you Hal~! Oh, and what about my present, you promised remember?" Pretending to be cute has its ups and downs, an up is people don't think I'm very suspicious, a down is... It's fucking disgraceful. Like why the hell do I have to act like this just to live!? God have you forsaken me!

"I have it, but I'll have to give it to you later okay? Someone's coming now." I feel the touch of his cold glove on my finger tips. "Rest now, the fire lord's son will be fighting a general later today. You may be summoned to keep the nobles company."

A chill shoots down my spine and I feel my skin crawl. "P-please, anything but that...." I hate even being around them, disgusting beasts. Who the hell treats a child like this!?

I fall to my knees. It's time for all that ass kissing to be of use. "Hal.... I'm scared... I.. I don't want them.. to do those things to me.." I internally snicker, the nobles never actually did anything too bad..... By my standards. Idk about everyone else though.

I hear Hal swallowing his breath behind the door. "..You must have it rough.." he sighs, clearly he's taken the bait.

"H-hal..... I want.... To leave..." I do my best to whimper without laughing, it's actually really difficult.

"You can't, don't say stuff like that!" He hit the door, hard, like he's trying to come to terms with something.

Haha, got ya. All those visual novels I've read and video games I played were totally worth it.

I try to sound pitiful, hurt even. "Why!? Why can't I say those things Hal! Is it so wrong to want to be with you!" I damn near throw up saying that. In my last life, it was just me and my family, I never wanted a relationship, and I still don't want one, especially not with this guy.

He goes quiet for a while, then I hear the door creek."May..."

I start fake crying real tears, knowing he was about to open the door. I make my best pouty sad face. "Hal.. please... I don't want to.. not again."

He takes off his mask and helmet then hugs me. "I... I'll figure something out, okay? I'll help you."

I smirk to myself and hug him back, using the same pitiful voice I had earlier. "Thank you.. thank you so much..." Internally, I laugh at how ridiculous this is. I feel bad for leading him like this, but in the end, that's just how it is. If I don't want to be involved in the war, I can't be here.

This poor man, he thought he taught me how to speak, he doesn't know I'm from am earth tribe, he doesn't know that I have a devious escape plan, and he's probably the nicest guard here. I should really.... Leave him with something happy right?

Pfft, as if. Maybe if he was kind to me from the beginning! Unfortunately he wasn't, hmph!