New York Royalty

By: PrinceOfNewYork

Chapter Seventeen: Expensive Postage

Summary: In the world people are viewed in several different ways. Some are leaders, some are followers, some are somewhere in the middle, and some just get power through possessions. The concept of royalty can take on more than just one form.

Disclaimer: Most of these guys are mine, except for the few that ain't. And, if ya don't know which ones those are then you better go watch Newsies again.

A/N: Alright, this is my first shot at a Newsie fic, but I've been messin' with this character for over a year now, and it's about time she had her story put down (before I completely forget it all!) Thanks a bunch to all of ya who read this!

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Millie,

Conas atá tú? (How are you?) I hope well. I'm doing alright myself. I can't tell you too much, I just wanted to let you know that I'm doing alright for myself. I haven't left the city, but please do not tell my father that. He has yet to find me, and at this rate, I'm not sure if he will or not. I've found a place to stay with good people helping me. Don't you worry about me, I'm pretty sure that I'm going to be alright. Sorry about taking so long to write, but I wasn't sure how to get a letter to you without father finding out. But now that I've found a way, I hope it continues to work. If you'd like to get in touch with me as well just send a message back with the person who gives this to you. I asked him to stop by later when he came by again. And please don't put my name on the envelope, just put 'original sender.' All my love to you, Julia, and Adam. Slán agus beannacht leat (Goodbye and blessings with you)

Mary Ann.

"Okay, so, now I just give dis to one of the messenger boys, and give him da address, and he'll drop it off at my house, right?"

"Yeah, but you might want to pay him somethin'. He may be goin' dat way, but it's still a good idea to give the kid a nickel or somethin'."

Prince nodded and when she went selling that day, and saw a messenger boy walk by she stopped him and gave him the letter. She asked him if when he was coming back from that direction if he would swing by and pick up any other letters, and deliver them to her. She promised him pay if he would. He nodded took the nickel she offered him gladly, and went on his way to deliver the letter to Millie in Manhattan.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

A sharp knock came at the door to the Snyder house hold. Millie rushed to the door and opened it. "Hello miss. This is for you," a messenger boy said, handing Millie a letter. "G'day miss," he said and with that ran back down the walk, and onto finish his other duties.

Millie looked at the envelope in her hands and slowly closed the door. It had smudges of dirt on it, and the slightly messy hand writing read 'Millie,' on the front. "Who was it Millie?" Julia called from the kitchen.

"A boyo… with a letter… for me"

Julia peeked out of the kitchen. "A letter? Well go on dear, read it."

Millie tore open the letter as Adam came in through the back door and in through the kitchen. "Where is everyone?"

"In here!" Julia called from the living room. "Millie's received a letter." Adam came to join the two women in the living room as Millie read the letter out loud.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Miss Snyder,

Dia dhuit! (Hello!) It is so good to hear from you! Julia, Adam and I were beginning to wonder what had happened to you. We're all so happy that you are okay, and not hurt or lost. We're all very glad to hear that you've found a place to stay. We also all promise not to say a word to your father about your whereabouts. Julia would also like to know if you enjoyed the cookies she sent you. Adam would also like to tell you that so far you've seemed to have done a very fine job of hiding. Personally, I would just like to say cronaím thú (I miss you).

Also, there is something here that I think you should know about. Your father doesn't believe that you ran away. I know, it's rather strange, but it's true. It seems that the same week that you ran away a boy broke out of that awful place that your father sends children, the refuge. His name is Francis Sullivan. Mr. Snyder comes every weekend with reports saying how he chased the boy down this street, or he nearly caught him, but the boy seems to keep slipping through his fingers, and to be honest, I'm quite glad to hear it. Your father apparently thinks this Francis Sullivan boy is mad at him for putting Derek Sullivan, his father in jail, and for putting Francis in the refuge. So, that Francis boy broke out and kidnapped you to get his revenge. We all know that is not the case, but we couldn't say a word to your father about it with out it being a rather difficult situation. Please, Miss Snyder, if you know this boy, or his whereabouts you should tell him as soon as you can about what your father believes, and explain it to him, if it is in your power to do so.

I will send any and all updates as they come up. Slán go fóill (Goodbye for now)

Millie.

When the boy returned a bit later Millie sent a return letter to Prince for her to catch up on the events with her father, and the goings on at the house. She hoped the boy was able to relocate the her.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Prince had been waiting for the boy to return. She asked the boy to meet her there at 7 if he had the letter, and please deliver it to her then. When he came with Millie's letter she gave the boy a dime. It was rather expensive postage, but it was very important that she hear from her friends back at her house. The boy asked if she would have any letters for her tomorrow. After all, she was paying him to drop off and pick up a few letters, and good money at that. He would take anything he could get! Prince didn't say either way. Just to meet her at the same place the next morning, and if she had a letter she would send it then.

When she read Millie's letter she was scared. Francis Sullivan? Who was that? She felt badly for the poor boy, probably from Manhattan . She ran all the way back to the Lodging House.

"Avalanche!" she said as she came in the front door. She found her leader sitting in a chair with a book open scanning a page. "Avalanche, I need ta speak with youse."

"What do ya call what you're doin' right now?"

Prince rolled her eyes. "In private, if it's alright with youse."

"Yeah, yeah, alright," Avalanche said standing. He took Prince up into the bunk room, and out the window onto the fire escape. He led her onto the roof, and into the cool summer evening air. "Now, what's all dis about?"

"Avalanche, I wrote a lettah back to da people my faddah hired at my house. Millie, ya know da one dat taught me Gaelic. She sent me a lettah back. She told me dat my faddah don't believe dat I ran away. He thinks I was kidnapped."

"Kidnapped? Youse kidnapped? No way. No one would kidnap youse. Ya'd bet 'em up!"

"Not den I wouldn'ta."

Avalanche sighed. "Did she say who he thought it was?"

"Yeah, she said dat my faddah thinks a boy named Francis Sullivan kidnapped me."

Avalanche thought for a second and suddenly his eyes went a bit wide. "Sullivan? Francis Sullivan… aw no."

"What? Who is he?" she asked, instantly knowing that Avalanche knew.

"Uhhh… ya know da newsie in Manhattan? Wit' da Cowboy hat, and bandana. Goes by Cowboy, and Jack Kelly?"

"Shoah, I know da kid. He was da one who told me what a poker face was," she said with a shrug, remembering her first attempt at poker.

"Yeah… well… dat's him. But don't you dare tell anyone dat. It's a secret, and a rathah big one at dat."

"What? How do you know dat?"

"Because Engine, ya know da Manhatan leadah, an' I is good friends. We tell each othah lots of stuff. Like…" Avalanche stopped in mid sentence and closed his mouth, "nevah mind."

"Avalanche! What did you tell 'im!"

Avalanche had a pained look on his face. "Look, I had reason alright? Da leadahs often share stuff wit' oddah leadahs so dat da kids can stay safe no mattah where dey are. So… I told Engine dat youse was a run away goil from 'hattan, but dat's all I swear! Jus dat if you was in Manhattan someone might be lookin' for ya. Didn't say who."

"Well thank goodness," Prince said with sarcasm. She sighed. "Anyway, dat ain't da point. Avalanche, what am I gonna do?"

"About dis boy bein' chased by ya faddah?" He shrugged. "Not much ya can do Prince. Not if ya wanna stay safe. Ya could tell 'im ya story."

"What, tell 'im it's my faddah dat's been chasin' him? Oh yeah… dat'll make him real happy!"

"Hey, I said ya could, not dat ya should." Both of them sighed a little. "I say fuggedaboudit. Let it be. Dere ain't much ya can do ta fix it… might as well leave it like it is." And with that Avalanche started back down the fire escape.

Prince stood on the roof for a second. She looked across the city, and up at the sky. She felt badly for the poor boy. She wished she could apologize and explain. He was kind of a nice guy too. She put the letter in her pocket, and followed Avalanche down the fire escape. She knew he was right, in this situation to save her own head she'd just have to stay out of the boy's path. Besides, her father hasn't caught him yet, maybe he never will.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

And that's the chapter for this friday. I hoped you like it! There's a lotta information in this chapter. Explains a lotta what's been goin' on recently. I've been havin' kinda a rough time recently... so if you'd drop me a reveiw, positive or negative, I'd really appreciate it. Thank you and see you all on monday.