Ragged Royal

Chapter 25

Its been a week and I've been trying to avoid Izana as much as i possibly can. Evey time i am with him i cant concentrate completely and i dont know why. His smile has somehow imprinted itself inside my mind and when im not busy i find myself thinking about it and how it would be nice to get to know him not as a Prince but as a actual person. It is driving me crazy and i have no idea why this is happening.

I am pulled from my thoughts as i hear a loud crash from the other side of the partially run down building i am leaning against. I rush around the corner only to be greeted with a sore sight.

One of the men working on the building that is to become the orphanage has just shattered one of the windows with a wooden ladder, which is hanging out the window on the second floor.

"What are you doing!" i demand loud and clear and they all freeze, turning to face my direction.

"The ladder..." i cut the guy off before he could say anything else.

"This building is to be ready by tomorrow and it only needed some new lamps, how in the world did you manage to break a window!! You don't need a ladder to change lamps that are fastened to the walls." i growl and they all back up. "FIX IT" i yell after they have been standing for a few minutes.

They take no time to get back to work. Cleaning up the broken glass and boarding up the window till i can find a replacement or simply cover the spot with brick.

The old building is located near the harbor and with some help from Izana i have convinced the shop owners nearby to let a few of the older children work with them. It took about a week to find and fix up this place. The sign above the doorway reads; A new beginning. Nagisa came up with the name and Izana agreed to it without an argument.

With the window now broken i make my way to the blacksmiths to down by the docks who specialize in metalwork on the ships that pass through the harbor everyday. They work side by side with window makers to ensure the ship portholes are sealed tight and thick enough to withstand the shear force of the raging ocean, even if some of the ships only travel up the main river that flows through this country and into the next.

After talking to the blacksmith and window makers i decided it is best to just patch up the hole in the wall where the window once stood because if i was to put a new window in it would cost me greatly.

I quickly patch up the hole making sure that it is done properly before moving in all the shabby furniture that i could find into the large rooms. Ten beds in each large room. Making room for 20 children of both genders. Two well worn tables with equally worn benches are placed into a room that is now the dining room. The kitchen was stocked with utensils and pots along with enough food for the next month.

I took one last walkthrough the new Orphanage before locking up and heading downtown to meet up with Nagisa and Kuma. I found them playing in the fountain with a few other children and couldn't stop the small smile that formed on my lips as Shep decided to join in the fun, drenching himself in water only to shake it off making the children squeal in joy, before repeating the same thing once more.

I would join in too if it weren't for the soldiers that just approached me. Both looked uncertain at first but once their eyes wandered to the fountain before returning back to me they looked more sure of what they were doing.

"Alex...?" one stays my name more like a question than anything else.

" Thats me" i almost growl at them because they just spoiled my mood.

"Heyya boys" Obis voice reaches my ears and he magically appears at my side. "I couldn't help but notice your uniforms aren't ones ive seen before" he casually says and I glance at them as well and he is right they are several shades darker and have a bad stitch job.

"What are you talking about Peasant" The same guy said grabbing a hold of Obi's shirt and pulling him up to his face. "For your information we work in the castle and the second prince" he adds smuggly.

"Wow to think that a guard who works in the castle and with Prince Zen even, doesn't recognise his Highnesses royal messenger. Now that is strange "I narrow my eyes at the two men in front of me. Shep leaving the fountain drenched in water and returns to my side. A low growl emitting from his throat.

"Shut it girl you have no idea what you are talking about" the other tries to bluff. His eyes darting between us and his companion. "Lets take em in" he growls and a sinking feeling fills my gut.

I know who these people are, and if they found me that can only mean one thing....