The Crimson Queen

8. Command

Ahhhh I was so overwhelmed by your sweet support⭐️❤️

I'll be posting two chapters today, since I'll be busy until next week.

Next update will come latest next Sunday ❤️

Hope you enjoy😊

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Alice had to calm her down. "Im serious, about wanting to help. My name is -Lady Alina, and I don't mean you any harm. I just wanted to talk, I guess..."

Even Alice didn't know what she was doing as she started to panic a little.

That's when she heard it. A subtle cough. The girls eyes never left Alice as she looked to the corner next to her, to where the sound had come from, from behind a few wooden boxes. She knew it.

Someone else was here, and it was the reason why the little thief hadn't run any further. Judging by the little cough it was a child.

Alice took a step towards where the sound came from, as the peasant  charged at her with the knife, trying to protect whoever was hiding.

As if sent by a god, Theodore came just in time to quickly cover Alice, making his armor clink as the knife hit him instead of the princess. In shock the girl jumped back as Theodore charged towards her, his sword in hand.

"STOP!" Alice commanded, and Theodore stood still, before almost bringing down a fatal strike on the peasant woman.

He turned his head to his side to look at Alice. "Stand down!" She said, with an authority in her voice, that Theodore hadn't heard before.

He lowered his sword slowly as he grit his teeth under his helmet. The peasant had tried to kill her and if it were up to him, she should pay with her life.

"Thank you." Alice exhaled, surprised by her commands herself. "Leave, please."

"I cannot, your highness."

Pale and shaking the woman, looked confused.

Annoyed by this, Alice waved him to step away from the young woman, who slowly slid to the floor, as her legs couldn't hold her, from shaking.

Alice carefully walked around the wooden boxes, to find not one but two children cowering behind them. Their emaciated faces and huge eyes looked up at Alice in fear.

"P-Please leave them be." She girl croaked.

They were young. Very young. Two little boys one probably 6 or 7 and the other maybe 5.

"Don't worry, little ones. I mean no harm," Alice promised.

She turned to the girl on the floor and walked towards her. "What's your name?"

Her eyes looked between Theodore and Alice.

"Bell." She whispered.

Alice bent down. "Bell, I'm going to help you. Are these your brothers?"

She shook her head no as color slowly started coming back to her face, but she was still visibly shaken.

Emeric finally caught up with everyone, cursing under his breath. Alice and Theodore looked at him shortly but ignored him.

"Don't you think they'd be better off, in the orphanage? They'd have a place to stay and-"

"I've tired, they won't take them." The woman said angrily, as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Why not?"

"They don't have anymore space, and not enough caregivers."

Alice knew what to do. "You're coming with me. I've got an idea." She explained.

The Orphanage in Parandor was not far away.

"How do I know you're not taking us to the dungeons. You've lied to me about who you are, Princess." She girl looked Alice dead in the eyes.

The girl was smart, she was observant.

She was right. Alice had lied. "Let's start over then. My name is Alice, Princess of Lyria, and I recently swore to myself to help people in need, so if you'll let me I'll do anything in my power to help the three of you."

Bell stared at the princess, who was giving her a reassuring look.

To Bell the princesses action seemed genuine, but one big question was irking her.

"Why us? You don't even know us."

Alice wasn't expecting this, so she thought about it for a moment, before answering,

"I think that reaching your hand out to a stranger is the true meaning of helping."

Alice held out her hand, and eventhough Bell's every cell told her not to trust them she took it.

"In return I'll probably need you help one day."

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Soon the princess had been brought to the head caretakers office. It was an old man, crooked man.

"What can I do for you, my Lady?" He asked, not knowing who she was.

Her knights were standing behind her along with Bell, who was carrying the younger one of the boys in her arm and holding the other ones hand.

"These boys need a home, and I'm hoping to find one for them here."

The old man squinted his eyes to look at the three of them. "I'm sorry my Lady, but as I've told them before, there is simply nothing I can do to help."

"Why is that?"

"The people of Parandor have fallen into poverty, my Lady. We just aren't receiving the donations that we used to. I can't pay my caretakers and more and more of them are quitting," He sighed shaking his head.

"Bell, would you work here?" Alice asked as she turned.

To her surprise Bell didn't even hesitate a little before nodding.

"If she starts working here could the boys stay?"

"I- I mean I'd always be happy to have a new worker, but the pay just isn't what is used to be."

"I'd even work here for free, if it meant that they could stay." The woman said.

"For- for free?" The man scratches his head before going on, "I could offer you a place to stay and food to eat, but I doubt that I can do anymore than that."

He explained.

Alice smiled, and turned to Bell, who couldn't help but smile back.

"Thank you so much." Bell beamed, bending down to hug the two boys.

Before Alice left, she'd gifted the old man a ring she was wearing. "I- I cannot possibly accept this!" The man said in disbelief.

It was a gold ring with a emerald gem, probably worth a lot.

"Let's just say it's a token of my appreciation." Alice said and soon they'd left and ridden back to the castle. The sky had turned purple from the sunset, and for the first time since Parcival had passed she felt alive again.