The Hidden Princess: Finding Hope (Book One)

Chapter Twenty: I'm Home (e)

That night I lay in bed staring up at the ceiling in my room at the Lions Den. Ally lay in the bed across the room sleeping while Andrew occupied the room across the hall. I thought back over the past two weeks. Two weeks ago, I was laying in my bed in Hillsdale preparing to celebrate my fourteenth birthday. Since then I found out I had a brother, lost the only family I ever knew, nearly drowned in a river, found a third family and now I have found a fourth family. I had barely walked out of Orion's office when the cheers rose and I was engulfed in hugs. I don't think I can count the times I heard people tell me they'd told me this would be the outcome. I sat up and looked at my uniform laying on the chair beside my bed. A uniform I had admired since I was a young child, now belonged to me. It still didn't feel real that tomorrow evening I would return to the Dragon compound and start my official apprenticeship. My eyes traveled to where Ally slept. Tomorrow I would also have to say goodbye to more family. That part I wasn't looking forward to. It would be over five months before Andrew and his family returned for the market. I heard Ally's blankets move and watched as she groggily sat up.

She yawned and looked over at me. "Are you still awake? I thought after the party your brothers threw, you'd be out the second your head hit the pillow, mine was," she said, standing up and walking over taking a seat beside me. "Although I can also see why you might be awake," she said smiling up at me.

"So much has changed. I've lost more than I could imagine, but I've gained more than I thought possible. I've felt more at home then I thought I could after losing my family. Is it weird that there is something about being in Jarrow that feels like home? I've never been before, yet it feels right to be here," I said turning to face her.

She didn't respond right away, just gazed at me. "Sam, I think you've always known that you'd do more than live in Hillsdale. I've known you hardly two weeks and I can see that there is something in you that seeks more. Jarrow is a place where that can happen. Hillsdale has prepared you for whatever it is in Jarrow that is calling you," she said, then got a goofy grin on her face. "Now that we're awake, you have to tell me how this week has been. Like the details you didn't mention in front of dad. How awkward has it been keeping your feminine side a secret? Alakay mentioned that you ran into some youth our age? Did you fall in love with one of them but can't do anything because you're a girl? I need the details, woman!" She said leaning forward.

And so I found myself recapping every close call and great moment of the past week. The sun was starting to rise before the two of us fell asleep side by side on my bed. A tear ran down my cheek. Chloe and I would do this, we would stay up after an eventful day and talk about all the details until neither of us could keep our eyes open. "I'm living for you Chole... for Papa and Mama... for our village... for my first family..." I whispered as sleep took over my body.

I groaned as there was a knock on the door. "Ally... the door," I yawned, nudging Ally who lay sleeping beside me. She didn't budge. I shook my head as I climbed over her and walked towards the door. "Who's there?" I called not opening the door yet. I wasn't bound. I didn't want to see anyone that could expose my secret.

"It's Andrew," he called from the other side. I opened the door enough for him to come in. He entered and looked to the bed where Ally was now sprawled. Andrew chuckled as he looked from Ally to me. "How long did the two of you stay up?" He asked.

I yawned, wiping my eyes. "I believe the sun was rising and the rooster crowing when we finally called it a night," I said, sliding onto the chair beside the table.

Andrew smiled in understanding. He walked over and shook Ally earning a groan from her as he pulled her to a sitting position. "Come on, time to get up," he said. "You have about fifteen minutes to get ready before meeting me downstairs for breakfast," he walked out so there was no room for argument.