A/N: I'm back! Hope you like the next installment. Please review!
I spent the first ten minutes of my bath scrubbing myself until I was pink and working oils into my hair. That done, I reached for a
small rack of bath salts and grabbed the largest jar. Pulling off the stopper, I took a whiff, and couldn't help but laugh. The Prince
favored roses. I smiled and poured the entire bottle into the tub, settling in for a good soak. The feeling of warmth that stole from
the crown of my head to the tips of my toes was pure ecstasy. A small groan of pleasure escaped me as the hot water worked its
magic on my sore muscles. It had been such a long day, and I was bone weary. Surely it would be alright if I closed my eyes for a
moment, just a moment. I could feel them drooping already, falling slowly under heavy weights, until at last, they closed
completely. Delicate patterns of light and color danced before my eyes. They were very beautiful. I reached out a hand to touch
them, but every time my fingertips came in reach, they twirled a little farther away. I ran after them, delighted, but could never
come quite close enough to touch them. At last, they spun away into the sky. I let my hand drop and looked around. I was in a
lovely meadow, with lush green grass spreading out in all directions beneath my bare feat, sprinkled with tiny wild flowers. The sky
above me was the perfect blue of a robin's egg, and the sun sparkled on the graceful branches of the trees. Gently sloping hills
guarded the meadow's edges, and at the crest of one stood a brilliant pear tree, shimmering with a pale, yellow light. I felt a sharp
tugging at my chest as I looked at it. I knew I should go to it. I picked up the long skirts of my gown and started for the tree. As I
grew closer, I noticed something rather strange: the pears were not the green or tawny golden color I had often seen in the market,
but pure white. They glowed with an inner radiance more beautiful than anything I had ever beheld. More than anything I wanted
to eat one. Surely they would taste even sweeter than the food of the gods. I broke into a shambling run, until suddenly, the
distance between us closed. I reached towards the tree, my whole body trembling, and was about to plunge my hands into its leafy
branches when a cry split the air like a crash in the dead of night.
"Stop!"
I spun, but could see no one. All at once, the birds stopped singing, and the gentle breeze that had stirred my hair broke into a
fierce howl. A storm of angry black clouds spilled into the sky, lightening flashing and thunder roaring loud in my ears. My head
spun, and stars exploded in front of my eyes. My knees began to buckle and...
Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! "Hello? Hello! Who's in there? Why isn't this key working?! What's going on in there?!"
The man standing outside of the door switched tactics and started kicking. The door quivered with the impact.
My eyes flashed open as I jerked awake, sending waves of perfumed bath-water spilling onto the marble floor. Schate! I was
suddenly very glad I had remembered to slip a tiny padlock of my own onto the door. I would hold as long as the door remained
intact. I figured I had approximately three minutes before he managed to break the door down. I leaped out of the tub, tripping
over the rim, and hit the marble floor with a painful smack. A warm trail of blood trickled down my leg. I'd have to worry about
that later. I ran to my bag of loot, scooping up my now sopping dress on the way. My wet feet slapped on the cold marble of the
bathroom and then sunk into the furry depths of the carpet. I clawed at the opening of the bag, nearly ripping it in my eagerness to
get at the draw-string. I finally got it open and stuffed the dripping gown inside. In a trice, I dressed myself in one of the outfits I'd
nicked from the prince. For a final touch, I sprinted back into the bathroom and grabbed a wet bar of soup from the sink. When
the prince returned to his room tonight, he would find a message waiting for him.
The cries of protest coming from outside in the hall were growing more adamant, and judging by the greater force and frequency
with which the door shuddered, and the loud grunts and curses that accompanied each resounding thud, whoever was out there
had help. The wood was beginning to splinter. If the door didn't give, the lock would. I was running out of time. My heart thumped
wildly as I scanned the room for an exit. Schate. The only exit was the door currently being beaten into submission by what
sounded like the entire palace guard. Well, there was no help for it. I'd have to take the window. I took a running start, holding my
bag in front of me to protect my face. My breath was knocked from my lungs by the impact as I collided with the window, sending
shards of glass flying in ever direction. The door finally caved in behind me, letting in a stream of very angry people, all dressed in
the palace livery. They looked towards the window, but it was too late. I had already hit the ground at a roll, soiling the prince's
silks and linens in the six inches of mud oozing up from the palace lawn. I could here the men's angry shouts drifting down to me
from the second story suite above. I dragged myself out of the cold and sticky mire and ran for all I was worth.
"Stop him!"
"He's getting way!"
I darted into a seemingly endless line of carriages, yelling as I went.
"John, Eliza! Where are you?!" At last I hear an answering call.
"Here, Rianne, quick!" I lunged for the door of a battered old carriage and yanked it open, scrambling.
"Drive!" I yelled breathlessly to Eliza, who was sitting up on the box. The carriage sprang into life and roared from the palace like
a bat out of hell. John took in my muddied finery and bloody arms and legs and let out a low whistle.
"What happened to you?" I guessed that my appearance had taken a turn for the worse after my run in with the window.
Aaron's POV:
I watched the thief scramble across the grounds in disbelief. He had been one of our guests at the ball. He had eaten our food,
drunk our wine, and then had the gall to steal from his hosts. My chest was tight with a cold rage that I had never felt before.
"Highness!" called one of the guards from the bathroom, "I think you should see this."
The bathroom floor was covered in water, and it was clear we had interrupted the thief's washing. I looked away from the large
tub and turned towards the mirror. As I peered closer, I saw that words had been rubbed onto the surface in the palace's fine
lavender soap: "Lovely bath, highness."
