Claimer: I've always wanted to write one of these... I OWN IT ALL! The entire plot is mine, no matter how horrible it may be... MINE MINE MINE MINE. Except for the fact that Gypsies actually exist... but the rest is MINE! And... yeah.
A/N: ::sniff:: You're all amazing... really... amazing...
B13ZZEDP3T41 – Thanks for reviewing, Mimi! Thank you tons, barrels, uh... boxes? Lol, I have your image done and I'm currently uploading it, but it's a bit belated. Stupid Frances. I am never naming anything I know Frances unless they are stupid and ugly. Remind me to review your work!
Arein – Luckily, her punishment is not a punishment at all. Her captor seems to have a soft spot for pretty girls . Please review this next chapter!
Malista – Lol, well you're wish is my command... literally. Here's the next chapter!
Autumn Faery – Thanks... I hope you review this chapter too!
Hope's Shahrazad – Hehehe... all I can say at the moment is that if Eszti isn't careful around this guy, she'll find herself headless. Thanks for the review!
Karli – Thanks! I feel special, lol... I'm so glad that you like the writing style, because I have developed a fondness for first-person writing now, especially for a strong-willed character. Their views are always fun to write. And I know how horrible it is to wait 5 weeks for an update on a story, so I try to update as fast as conveniently possible. I hope you don't hate me for the cliffhanger, but here's the next chapter!
Fairybells – Whoa, I kept you waiting and guessing for three days... don't hurt me! Please! But here it is now, accompanied by Eszti's "punishment". Hehehe... ::evil snicker::
Thanks for reviewing! Please don't abandon my story yet, it's not done! Here's the next awaited chapter...
PS - I Heart Reviews...
"Prince Clement, forgive us for having you brought out here to watch the capture of this bandit" – I hissed venomously at the guard talking – "but she was sneaking around the royal stables, my lord. Around Germont."
The guards – now off of their steeds – bowed low. Still in the prince's grasp, I glared at him through my long eyelashes, silently hoping he'd dissolve into dust somehow. He stared at me and regarded me contemplatively, as though wondering what to do with me. Finally, he gestured at his guards to stand straight and looked at them thoughtfully.
"Your presence is not required," he said in a rich, youthful voice. "I will take this young Gypsy lass as a prisoner in the palaces. You may all go, except for you Kenshire," he added to a quiet, lanky lad clad in a guard's mail.
My eyes widened in surprise. A prisoner in the palace? Was a horse really that valuable that a robber of the beast must stay prisoner in the royal palace? Livid, I narrowed my eyes at him, glaring daggers. All the guards exchanged glances, confused, except for the boy called Kenshire.
Prince Clement handed me to Kenshire, who led me to a horse. He grabbed my hips as though about to pull me onto the saddle, but I impatiently pushed his hands away.
"I can do it on my own, thank you," I fumed, sliding gracefully onto the horse's back. He watched me with unconcerned eyes and shrugged.
"If you insist," he said before climbing onto the seat in front of me. I held onto his waist reluctantly, lest I fall grievously while the horse gallops. The prince, who was seated onto his horse as though riding came to him naturally, watched me carefully and led his horse and the one on which I rode to the palace.
The palace was not far, but even from a mountainous distance the castle could be spotted. The front grounds were lined with exotic trees and flowers that seemed to bloom all year round. In the centre stood an elegant marble fountain from which poured waters that glistened like glass in the light midday sun. A wide cobblestone path in the form of a giant semicircle stood before the castle itself, broad enough to admit several coaches in a single line.
The castle itself was a marvel. Painted snowy white with edges of a most deep, majestic black, it seemed made of marble itself. A few sides revealed sides of gallant gold and blazing silver. Having grown up traveling and outside of luxuriant society, I had never been so close to a castle as bravura as the one of a prosperous country like Merilian, in which Arvette lies. Its many towers spiral grandly from the castle and its many courtyards are always accompanied by richly ornamented gardens.
As a young girl, I was always told stories that the king's castle in Merilian was built by many a sorcerer and sorceress of long ago. Now, in the present, I found no difficulty whatsoever in believing these stories. The white walls glistened with such an aura that felt as though they were wrought with magic.
Staring at the castle in awe, I started when I saw Kenshire waiting for me to dismount the horse. Defiantly acting as though I was in complete control of myself and could not be messed with, I slid off the horse's back and glowered angrily at Prince Clement. I didn't care that he was Prince Clement Bernard, son of Merilian's renowned King Ignatius and Queen Egeria, bearer of the authority to cut off my head at will. I would glare at him as harshly as I liked even if these moments were to be my last.
To my surprise, he smiled charmingly at me as he handed a servant his horse. I blinked in surprise. He wasn't upset that I was snooping around the royal stables? He had no plans to condemn me to a bloodied death? Was he mocking me before I faced my ultimate doom!?
"And what do you find so amusing?" I snapped impatiently. He jumped at my less-than-courteous words. He isn't used to rude insults, I thought to myself as I studied his face. Well, he'd better get used to them soon, because I have no intentions whatsoever to flower everything I say that is directed at him.
"Why, nothing, of course," he replied, his tone threatening to turns into peals of laughter.
"Am I to be a prisoner in a dark, damp dungeon where I would rot until the end of time?" I said with mock concern. But really, I did mean what I said.
"No, you are to be my royal guest," he replied, still wearing that infuriating grin.
Wretched brat.
"Come, time is pressing and I haven't much of it to find you a room in the guest's quarters."
Was he serious about this?
With my constant grumbling, he and Kenshire escorted me to the guest's wing. It was a grand old building that was lightly decorated with giant garlands of pastel-colored flowers and several dark green vines with the distinct scent of wine. Inside, we met many servants, who all bowed and curtsied for Prince Clement and stared in awe at me.
We Gypsies rarely dared to show ourselves to the occupants of the palace.
My room was a spacious, fragrant one with green-and-gold curtains and decorations. There was a single, long tapestry on one wall bearing the great Merilian crest on it: a white knight's shield showing a crown of golden laurels. There was a single canopy bed within the room with a side table and a wardrobe. The wardrobe was opened to reveal an astonishing set of queenly gowns and several pairs of delicate slippers.
I whirled around and stared at Prince Clement.
"Is this a joke?"
"A joke? Certainly, no," he said with an arrogant smile. "I just find it quite ruthless to lock up pretty Gypsy lasses like you. I never liked Germont anyway."
My jaw dropped. Surely stealing from the royal family was a felony!
"You will be my guest, and you will not reveal to anyone that you are truly a prisoner. Or would you rather sleep and eat in a dungeon cell?"
I flushed. There was nothing I could say to that.
"So while you are my guest," he went on casually, leaning on a wall. "we might as well try to get along, lest I order your head off. What is your name, Gypsy?"
I would not tell him my true name. If any word of my capture ever reached anyone at camp, it would be my neck with Nen and Da. I would pretend I owned a different name, although Mariutza, Lorant, and Jenica would probably know the Gypsy who was captured. Hopefully they wouldn't tell.
And I would not let this haughty prince have the satisfaction of spoiling my name.
"Rozenta." I answered with false reluctance, glaring defiantly at him. "Will you ever return me to my camp?"
"If you behave."
Behave? As a roguish child would when being bribed or threatened? When did I suddenly become his servant, just because I tried to steal a horse? Moreover, a horse he didn't even like?
He was still wearing that insufferable smile, watching me carefully. I met his gaze with a steady glare. If I could've had just one wish in the world at that moment, it would be that his dark wavy hair would suddenly turn into a great clump of rattlesnakes that would bite repeatedly at his face until he let me go.
"Why are you doing this?" I seethed. He shook his head, grinning at me and suddenly seeming very stuck-up.
"Do be grateful, Rozenta. I pitied you, is all."
And he promptly exited my room.
The instant he shut the door, I collapsed onto the canopy bed, pounding my pillow and then burying my face in it. My head floated with the unearthly peaceful scent of my room as I calmed down, ever so slightly.
I didn't feel like a prisoner anymore. Now I felt like his pet.
In all my rage, I fell asleep.
I don't know when I awoke, but it was early in the morning. Half-asleep, I lay in bed and stirred slightly at the sound of soft footsteps and the light rustling of curtains. I opened my bleary eyes and saw a maid quietly bustling around, pulling out a gown from the wardrobe and opening my curtains. She stopped at the sight of me and smiled.
"Good, you're up," she said, smiling and gently prodding me awake. "Prince Clement would like to see you soon, after you've been fully fed and dressed."
Reluctantly, I got out of bed, bathed, and dressed. Before heading to the royal courtyard, I spoke with the maid, Eder, who was actually quite friendly. After confiding my true circumstances with her, she smiled sympathetically.
"Prince Clement is a kind prince, no matter how haughty he can be. He's never really sent anyone to prison unless he thought they rightfully deserved it, and if they had to be his prisoner, he would treat them like a guest. Like you." she said.
"But I don't want to be his guest! I just want to return home! Is that so hard?" I ranted, pacing stiffly around my room. Eder tilted her head thoughtfully.
"He will return you home one day," she said, nodding her head, "You can be sure of that."
"He will not. He is just a conceited airhead who enjoys locking up Gypsies when they've done nothing wrong."
"He will soon see how strongly you feel about this and free you. I assure you..."
But I didn't listen. This dreamer is too soft-hearted for her own good, I thought bitterly, finally resigning myself onto my bed, sighing. I will never return home, at this rate.
I should never have stolen that horse.
A/N: Ahhh! Fluff! Ahhh! ::hides from the mob:: Sorry, but school has scrambled me like a sorry egg lately, really. And I finished this earlier, but I couldn't post it because of Hurricane Frances. I live in Florida, US, and moreover I live in Miami. Wonderful, isn't it? It's driving everyone up the wall. I might not be able to go online for a tidbit after this hurricane if I come through it okay, so forgive any future delays.
