Royals

2

  Kids of all ages fill the streets. Most of them are covered in dirt, even with it packed in there hair. Men stumble around, drunk. Most women are walking carrying small children. An odor lingers over the village. Horses roam freely with a few dogs. The streets are muddy with thousands of foot prints in them.

This is why the men didn't want me to go to the villages. There horrible. People are living in disgust. How could father let his people live like this?

My hands tremble at the thought and are arrival has been noticed. People stand on the sides of the street. Mr. McBee clears his throat.
" Princess Myiah"

I stroll to the other side of him. I look over all the faces, taking in each of them.

" I'm sorry to say that the King has died. The virus killed him."

People start to get on their knees and bow before me chanting " Long lived the king." I watch as the performance ends. They all stand, few with tears rolling down their faces.

They hardly knew this men, they were lucky if they ever have met him. Why are they crying?

With that I don't know what else to say, so I turn to Mr. McBee. He talks to the crowd about father and tells them everything is alright and under control. He even says it's under my control. People applaud. We roam the village for awhile. I can't believe this is how our people live. Why didn't father do anything? He just turned his cheek on his own people, who even in his death worship him.

I won't turn my cheek on you. I think to myself as we ride out of the first village. We ride for awhile, the wind blowing our hair. My knee length hair blows out behind me and I wish I would have gotten it braided before leaving. My stomach growls and I signal for everyone to stop for a snack break.

I open my bag and I have three apples, a few slices of cheese, a banana and a biscuit. I put cheese on my biscuit and chow down. We all eat in silence. I look around and take in the view of the fields with cattle grazing them. I've sat my blanket from Leo on the ground and taken a seat on it.

I can't shake the images of the village.

Was father really an honorable king? The poor people living in those conditions as I was bathed and fed with a clean bed every night. I never wondered if I was having my next meal. I never went hungry between meals. All those children. Men drinking their sorrows away while women attempted to tend to children.

A movement on the blanket pulls me from the cascade of thoughts. Keebler has taken a seat beside me. His eyes watch the cattle. Those perfectly shades blue and grey eyes. His full lips. I wonder what they feel like. We sit in silence has everyone takes a rest.

Mrs. Rita's view

The guards and the princess of been gone for a few hours now. Peter has stayed in the bay window watching the castle gates. The two younger boys play with cast iron trains in the middle of the carpet.

" Are any of you hungry." Six sad eyes linger over to me. No one answer, they just resume with their activities. Grace still hasn't made her return. That girl lives with no worries.

" I'm going to ask the guards if they've seen Grace." I stand and walk to the door. Three guards stand posted. The center one turns to the sound of the opening door.
"Any sighting of Princess Grace yet?" My accent thickens and the words run together almost.

He shakes his head and turns back to stand guard. The day seems to drag on. I've managed to fed them twice and still nothing from Grace. I'm begging to worry.