This is my first story peoples and i hope u like it. Critisizm is welcome and PLEASEEEE comment or whatever you want, thanks 4 taking your time to read it and I appreciate it. I really don't have anything else to say so get to readin!
PROLOGUE:
"Stop him! CATCH HIM! Don't let him go! He stole my new catch of the day! Police!" A man yelled while he was chasing Philip Walton down the main street of Lily La France.
"You can't catch me if you tried." Philip said and jumped onto the cart full of fabrics.
"Sorry madam, do you mind if I borrow one of these?" He grabbed a blanket. "Didn't think so."
The next daring minute the blanket was thrown over the policeman. The crowd walked away from the marketplace and moved to the houses on the left. They stayed to watch the chaos grow. More police were gathering.
"Fight like a man!" Philip said to the police and grabbed a fish from the bag he was holding and threw it at the Police. The next minute you heard bullet shooting and the crowds gasping when…
CHAPTER 1: The Street Rat
Amorette Melanson was sitting on her balcony on the bright, sunny morning. Amber had thick, golden blond hair that had a gentle wave with big, crystal blue eyes. Her hair went down to her waist and it complimented her heart shaped face. The men swooned over her though she had no interest in them. Her face was as pale as the moon in the darkest night. Amber was a very risky teenager and spoke up whenever she pleased. She was writing in her journal and enjoying the slight breeze blowing from the east. Her mother, Queen Maria, knocked at the door. Maria was a skinny, frail, uptight woman with a lined cheekbone and soft pink cheeks. Her hair was short and light brown that curled under her head. She had crystal blue eyes also and was very tan.
"Amber, we're going downtown today. Doing some sight-seeing. Don't look for us. Breakfast is on the table." She saw her mother talking to her form across the room. A free day!
Amber or as you would know her as Amorette, would go outside the palace walls without her security guards and be a normal person when he parents went sight-seeing. She was out after they left, and back before they could come back. She never got caught either. That was Amber in a nutshell.
She went to the downstairs kitchen to get a snack.
"Hello Amber, do you want me to make you some muffins this morning?" Miss. Frank asked her. Miss. Frank was the Melanson's cook and she was also the closest person to Amorette. She was a plump woman with grey hair that was always pulled into a simple bun. Her apron was always on with powder on her hands.
"No thanks, I think I'll take some bread from the pantry after I eat my breakfast. I'm afraid I didn't sleep well last night." She lied and sat down.
"We can push your lessons to later on in the day if you'd like." Miss. Frank said putting her hand up to Amber's forehead.
"Thank you. I think I just need a long nap." Amorette said. She vacuumed the plate up in seconds.
"I'm guessing you were hungry too?" Miss. Frank said when Amber was done.
"Yes, staying up almost half the night can give you some pains." She replied and got the bread.
"See you this afternoon." Amorette said from above the stairs.
"Good day Madam." Miss. Frank replied and went back to cleaning the new stove.
Amorette grabbed her cloak from the dresser and slipped her flats on. She put the bread in her handbag and wove the handle into her belt. A belt with your skirt was the new fashion, but when you're on the street…you need poorer looking clothes. So she took off her pearls and undid her hair. It hung loose in curls since she didn't brush it that morning. She was ready to climb down her garden wall. Before she left she grabbed her brother's knife, Edwin's knife, and stuck it in her belt too. You never know what might break out on the streets of France. Amber had learned that the hard way. She took a firm hand on one of her tree's long branches, easing herself to the wall beneath. Her skirt got cut on the prickly vines that lined the wall, but it made her look more uncleanly. Today, unclean was a good thing.
Her feet gently touched the ground and she smoothed down her skirt.
"Made it." She said to herself.
She made her way out to the marketplace. She saw the crowds of people from a block away. Amorette to her sweet time walking along the sidewalks, smelling the roses of the houses, petting a stray dog…she took the world in with all of her senses.
A man on the side of the road was lying against a tree holding his hand on his arm in pain.
"Excuse me sir, are you alright?" Amorette asked him, bending down to meet his eye level.
"I…I…They stole…my money…" He said trying to get up and point. His finger pointed in the direction of a building. A group of small boys were gathered around a taller boy with a pouch in his hand.
Not for long Amber said to herself.
"I'll get it for you, Sir." She told the man and walked towards the boys. She could hear the man say "Don't" but she didn't listen to him.
"Is that your money?" She asked the older one.
"Yes." He replied and put the pouch in the little boy's hands. He was tan and rugged, though he was young and his features showed that. His hair was black and shaggy and he had a scar on his left cheek.
"Where did you get it? You're too young to have a job." She told him and took a step towards him.
"So are you the new lawmaker, why do you think so highly of yourself?" He asked and took a step too.
"I am higher than you, a much higher class than you." She said and grabbed the money out of the boy's hand.
"You can't do…" The boy yelled at her, but she interrupted before he could finish.
"You try to steal someone's money again, you'll be hearing from my father. You might even see a dungeon cell. I'm sure it won't be your first time though." She said and ran back to the man by the tree.
"Thank you ma'am, but you could have been killed." The man said to her with his eyes thankfully wide.
"I'm armed, don't worry about me. Do you need help with anything?" She asked him helping him stand.
"No thank you. Have a good day ma'am, may God bless you." He said and picked up his hat and limped away.
Amber turned around when there was a tugging at her skirt.
"Ma'am that money was all we had. How will we eat tonight?" The little boy asked her. He was frail and hand light blond hair with green eyes. She smiled at him, trying to make him feel better, and felt what poverty was like. She was filled with compassion and picked him up. She carried him back to the shack where the boys were sitting. The oldest one was now lying against the wall probably thinking about how he was going to feed all of these children. A father at fourteen.
"Sir, I believe this one is yours."Amber said and pushed the boy into the father's arms.
"You might as well keep him, he'll die by Thursday." He said and looked at his dirty feet.
"You don't have to steal for money or food." She said and reached into her handbag, taking out the big piece of bread. The little boy's eyes widened and grabbed for each other's hand to compose themselves in Amorette's view.
"Ma'am, there is no hope for us. Not when you have no job, no food, and you have to feed all of your brothers."
"What's your name?" Amber asked him, he was still looking at his feet.
"Jonathan Narro, what's yours?" He said glumly.
"Amor..um…Amber...you have a big family." She didn't say who she was, in case someone found her.
"It can be a burden sometimes." He replied and finally looked up at his brother.
"Sir, all you have to do is ask." She said and handed him the bread, "Disperse of it wisely. I will be back tomorrow." She said and dug in her bag for any other food. When she bent down her diamond necklace of a crown fell from her dress.
"What is that, Amber?" He asked her and examined the diamond.
"Nothing." She said and stuck it under her dress.
"That was a diamond, where did you get a diamond." Jonathan asked her, trying to grab the chain.
"I have to go; I'll be back with more food tomorrow." She said and ran off to the marketplace. They wouldn't find her there.
"Where did he go?!" The angry salesman yelled at the police man.
"I don't know. It's deserted behind that house." The policeman said and walked to the salesman.
"That was my only catch today, how am I going to make any money?" The man asked.
"You'll sell some tomorrow, here's some for your trouble." The policeman said to the salesman and handed him a pouch of money.
"Thank you Sir, I'm sorry for my yelling. Have a good day." The salesman said.
The policeman nodded and drove away. Amber was walking by the sales man when he was counting the money.
"Who stole your catch?" She asked him. The man just looked at her and didn't answer; he went back to him money.
"Pardon me Sir, I asked you a question." She said again and touched the man's hand.
"Unhand me Ma'am, where are your parents? You shouldn't be walking the streets alone." He said and turned around.
"THERE YOU ARE!" The man screamed at a man walking secretly down the street, heading toward an ally.
"What's happened!?" Amorette asked the man when everyone started running in different directions.
"I'll get you this time!" The man yelled. The teenager looked at the salesman and laughed, moving his eyes to Amber, who was now over by the fabrics. His heart skipped a beat and he dropped the piece of bread he was carrying.
He was incredibly handsome with masculine features and a rugged, street look. He had dark brown, shaggy hair that was blowing in the wind. It probably hadn't been washed in a while. His eyes were a deep green like Timmy, the little boy from the shack's eyes. She stared at him too and smiled. He returned the smile and bowed. Amorette laughed and leaned on the cart.
"Is that the man?" Amorette asked the salesman before he took off running towards him.
"Don't hurt him!" She yelled and started running too. She reached the salesman right before the boy jumped over the back fence of the ally.
"That's why you don't wander the streets alone Miss." He said and turned to tend to his cart again.
"He was just hungry. Would you rather an innocent person to die than to have your days pay? You still have the rest of your life to make money." Amber said.
"Thanks for your advice, wise one. Talk to me when you're fifty-three." He said and rolled his cart away.
Attitude adjustment? Amorette thought to herself.
"Have a good day, Sir!" She yelled after him and walked back to the palace.
What a pity, I never got to use my knife Amber thought and laughed. She passed the boys again. They were playing baseball on the street. The littlest one was on the sidelines calling outs. He was so cute with his little cap on. Amber smiled again and embraced the sun.
"Out!" The little voice said and the ball was coming down on Amber's head. She caught it in mid air and threw it at the pitcher.
"Watch it Jonathan!" She said to him, he had hit the ball in the first place.
"Sorry!" He yelled at hit it again. Amorette ran into the outfield and grabbed the ball. Jonathan was rounding the first base and didn't see her. He thought he had hit a home run. She ran toward the second base and slid to Jonathan.
"Out!" The little boy yelled and laughed.
"You got beaten by a girl!" One of the other boys said.
"Shut your mouth! She's good…for a girl." Jonathan said and smiled.
"So are you…for a boy." She said and chased him around the ball park. He almost got away twice. By the time she finally touched him all the boys joined in. Jonathan and Amber were laughing and dancing around. It was her turn to chase someone, Kenneth was her last target.
Amorette had almost caught him when a car pulled in the street. Jonathan gestured the boys to go to the side of the sidewalk.
"You boys behave yourselves! Have a good day!" King Joseph Melanson said to the boys; he leaned his head out the window. Amorette gasped and turned around immediately.
"What is it? Are you too cowardly to face the king?" Jonathan asked.
"No, but I have to go." Amber said and ran as fast as she could towards her home.
"Where are you going!?" He called after her but she didn't listen. She ran until her feet hurt, and then ran some more. Her heart was pounding and her body was aching when she got to her room. Thankfully she had made it in time, they hadn't gotten home yet. Or so she thought…her mother was calling for her.
"She said she needed to take a nap, she didn't sleep well last night." Miss. Frank said from outside her door.
"Oh I'm in deep water." Amber said and ran to her dresser to slip her shoes off. She looked toward her empty bathroom.
"Nice idea Amber." She said out loud. She kicked her shoes off and turned the water on high, unlocking her cloak at the same time.
"Amorette? Amber, are you in here?" Her mother asked.
"I'm the bathroom Mother!"
"Are you feeling well? You looked fine this morning." Her mother asked.
"I'm fine, got some sleep. I'm going to take a bath and then start my lessons." She said washing her face with the rag.
"Alright, I'll be having my tea in the parlor if you want to join me." She said and Amber heard her footsteps travel down the hallway.
Amorette sighed and bent down to pick up her cat, Lumina.
Her coat was white; it was luminous…which is why Amber named her Lumina.
"You didn't have to run home in a dress." She told the cat and undressed, got in the water, and slowly relaxed.