The next morning, I woke up and there were pieces of straw poking out of my hair. I snickered at the thought of putting all of this gross hay into somebody else's bed back as Mrs. Hamilton's, but then I realized that I was still trapped in a cell because I'd been caught thieving. I sighed and brushed off my dress.

"Is anybody out there? Hellooooo I sered my sentence!" I called through the cell bars. "Is anybody listening!?"

I was only met entwith silence. I sat back against the wall in frustration, I was ready to leave. I began braiding back my hair, wishing that I could wash it, I wondered if Mrs. Hamilton missed me. I bit my lip when I realized I was going to have to tell her that I'd been caught stealing. The thought of her frowning at me made my stomach twist.

"King JaOOOH, you caught a real howler Roden," said a young man from the stairs.

"I'm not afraid to scream!" I snapped back. I tied off my braid with the green ribbon from the night before. "Keep your tree-branch long nose out of my business, idiot."

"Now that's no way to speak to your king."

"Oh my saints," I breathed, my heart swelling as King Jaron stepped down into my dungeon.

His brown hair had been carefully styled, it swept around his face and neck in perfect waves. Even from where I stood in the cell I could see his entoxicating green eyes, they were sparkling with mischief and laughter. He wore a large cot over a blue jerkin. The coat was studded with emeralds on his sleeves, just like his eyes. His boots were streaked with mud as if he'd just gone for a run through the garden. He was just like a perfect prince, er, king like from the stories I'd been told as a child about pretty princesses in towers guarded by dragons. I wonder how many poor girls like me had called him a name before. My cheeks instantly began to blaze, and I looked down.

"Sorry, your majesty, I didn't mean it," I muttered. I hated admitting I was wrong and I... was definitely in the wrong this time.

To my surprise, Jaron wasn't mad. He laughed at me, and stood in front of my cell door, "I just had to come visit you, I knew a girl like you when I was younger. Her name was Fiona."

I almost gasped. He remembered me!

That's when I finally allowed myself to smile at him, but I shook my head. He didn't need to know my secret. He was a king and I was a pauper. His life was going in a different direction than mine. "Well, you have the wrong girl. My name is Ariabella."

"Ah, like lady Ariabella? Last I checked, she was away, but I suppose you could have the same name," Jaron said. He smirked, "But I think you're a little too dirty for a name as beautiful as Ariabella's."

"Ha! Then you will just have to guess my name, I won't tell you anything. Nope, never."

"Maybe I can bribe it out of you..."

"Nope! Wont happen, there's nothing that you have that I want." I lied. I could think of a lot of things that I would've really liked that Jaron had. A castle, nice clothes, a warm bed. I shrugged in the silence. I knew he was sizing me up, waiting to ask me for something.

"Hm, dirty girl, pretty ribbon... I think I know what somebody like you would want," Jaron said. "You'd like a job here, I'd presume?"

"I want more than just a job." I was trying to make him think of things to give me in exchange for my name. He was thinking hard, I knew that he'd do anything to know my name. Especially since we had a shared history together.

Nothing would ever get me to share my name with him. It was my secret.

"How about a new dress? Girls like dresses. How about a new dress and a new job?" Jaron tapped his chin, his green eyes were twinkling. My cheeks burned but I bit my lip.

"I'm not like other girls, your majesty," I said with a devilish smirk. "Think along the lines of something... metallic and sharp."

"A dress, tiara, and a new job?"

"Not quite..."

"Ah!" JAron broke into a smile. "How about a sword?"

"Bingo! If you give me all of those things and a sword, I will tell you my name," I said with a cheeky grin. I could feel Jaron's eyes on my face, I wonder if he thought I was pretty. All of the other boys in Drylliad thought that I was too plain or too good for them. Some of them didn't like that I wanted to be a knight when I was a child, that was why they liked Mellony. She was sweet.

Jaron tapped his chin again, "I'm very partial to not giving away too much... how about just a sword?"

"No, I will only settle for what you promised me!" I teased. I wagged my fingers in front of Jaron's face. "Are you a king of your word or not?"

"Hmmmm, I don't think you'd like to work at cleaning clothes..." He made a face. "Maybe you'd like to muck out stables."

I knew he was teasing, so I plugged my nose, "Ew! NO!'

"Then it's settled, you'll work for Roden. Go on girl, go back to whatever place you come from and come back tomorrow with your things, you'll become the first girl to join my guard."

At first, I was excited to be a knight. I'd never been good at sitting still and being quiet, so being a knight would be perfect for me... Until I realized that Roden would be training me.

"Your majesty, you cant be serious!" I exclaimed, now regretting my bargain with him. What would Mrs. Hamilton say?

"Oh I'm serious, I'll see you tomorrow then? Tell me your name then."

"Your majesty!" I yelled, but he'd already walked up the stairs.

The door to my cell swung open. Jaron must've opened it for me. I felt odd about leaving, especially since I was supposed to be a knight soon, I couldn't just.. walk away.

Except that I could. I wasn't a knight just yet, so I walked myself out, and made sure to wave to Roden before I made the walk back to Mrs. Hamilton's. When I got back, every girl was either finishing her chores or taking a break to eat lunch. Mellony rolled her eyes when she saw me, but I ignored her and went to Mrs. Hamilton's office.

I apologized for being late to Mrs. Hamilton, but she only wrapped me in a tight hug.

"I was so scared something bad had happened to you, Fiona," Mrs. Hamilton sniffed. "I thought you'd given up being a thief."

"I tried," I weakly said. "But now I'm getting another job.. I'll be able to stop thieving and send money back to help you." I then explained Jaron's offer, and Mrs. Hamilton's mouth dropped in surprise. She couldn't believe that I'd been asked by the king to begin combat training, and honestly, neither could I.

Later that night, the other girls gave me a little cake to celebrate. I felt bad eating it knowing that it would've cost a week's wages. Even Mellony told me that she'd miss me. I told her I was sorry for being mean to her, and then she threw her arms around me, and said she wished she'd been nicer to me and then she gave me one of her hair ribbons.

I didn't sleep much that night, all I could think about was how much my life had changed in the course of twenty-four hours. I'd wanted an invitation to the royal ball, but now it seemed I'd get to attend it... just not in the way I'd originally wanted. I bet that the saints were chuckling amongst themselves.

Thank you so much to bookworm for reading and reviewing! I think ill try to do a chapter every tuesday and saturday. cant wait to see you at the next chapter :)