Lost!
She was hopelessly lost. Twisting and turning, she looked desperately round the different corners. The castle seemed far away. How had she got here? How?
"Mother!" She cried. "Mother!" Footsteps clattered nearby and she turned. Did her mother hear? Had she come to rescue her?
A hand snatched her up and the little girl fought.
"You make your peace, brat," hissed a voice, "we're only takin' you t' Master Reava!" The girl froze. Reaver…he could help her! He knew her mummy! She stopped struggling and the unknown assailant breathed a sigh of relief. She stared ahead into the darkness and hoped.
Reaver swirled the wine round his chalice, sighing. Being an industrialist had its perks, undeniably, but oh, it could be so boring! One of the perks was being close to the queen, definitely. She of the short golden hair and ocean blue eyes. She used to wander around Albion dressed as a highwayman. Now she'd granted him amnesty and a good job, yet he never forgot that she was a fiend in the sack. Of course she was also married. To an ex Spire Guard. A bash on the door awoke him from his train of thought.
"Yes, gentlemen, enter." A small troop of mercenaries walked in, one of them carrying a tied bundle.
"We was finkin'," said one, "maybe you could use kids in yer factories? Cos we found this 'un wanderin' the streets 'a Bowerstone Industrial and we was wonderin' if you wanted 'er." The mercenary slung the bundle at his feet. It was a little girl, dressed in ragged clothes that were once pretty. She stood up and looked straight at him. She had long, blonde hair and beautiful brown eyes that you could get lost in. Reaver wanted to pet her. His brow raised.
"Certainly, eventually. However, this little specimen is not to be harmed." When the mercenaries glared at him, he pouted. "Look at the little thing! She's so cute, you want to put her to work? Certainly not! Leave now, before I make you." The mercenaries hurried out. He turned to see her biting the ropes off of her hands and spitting them out. Then she untied her feet and hopped into a chair beside his fireplace. His perfect brows arched in surprise, he surveyed her. She was somewhat familiar. The face, the stance, the soulful eyes…but he couldn't put his finger on it. Ah well.
"Thankyou," she said quietly.
"Not a problem, little one." He sat on a chair opposite her. "How did a pretty little thing like you end up in such rough hands?" He accentuated his r's, rolling them around in his mouth.
"I ran away from home."
"Weren't they treating you properly? From the looks of your clothes, it doesn't seem like that was the case." She blushed, then looked away. Finally she looked him straight in the eye.
"I wanted to explore Albion, like mummy!" It was an explosive confession and Reaver was bowled away at her honesty and trust. "And I know that you can help me get home, so that I can grow up and wait and then explore Albion." Reaver's brow quirked. He leaned forward, looking at her, smiling slightly.
"What makes you think I'm so trustworthy? I could dump you on the streets in a blink." She leaned forward too.
"You know mummy," she told him. "Mummy trusts you. She likes you. And if mummy trusts and likes you, so do I." Reaver grinned.
"Who is your mother?"
"She likes you, you know."
"I daresay a great deal of women like me, little one. But who is she?"
"Her name's Sparrow." Reaver's grin notched up a level.
"You're the princess! Of course! I knew I'd seen that face before! What was your name? Tallulah?"
"Tallu-Sa. Tallusa Louisa Erin Tallulah Black, princess of Albion." Reaver leant back against the chair.
"What a long name for such a small girl." Her eyes rolled. Reaver found it comedic that such a young thing would know how to do that-but then again, her mother was a stickler for it.
"I'm five, you know. I'm not so little," she berated him. Reaver inclined his head.
"Of course, of course. Not so little at all. Now then." He stood up. "First, let's get you changed out of those clothes. Then I'll get you safely home." Tallusa hopped off the chair and took the industrialist's hand. He led her to a maid and told the maid to bath her. Then he planned his entrance to the queen.
Sparrow hurried along the corridor. Tallusa hadn't come for dinner and Sparrow was seriously worried.
"Madam, Master Reaver has come to see you."
She flung open the door to the princess' chambers and looked around.
"Send him in."
Tallusa's nursemaid was asleep. There was a window open in the corner. Sparrow sprinted over to it.
"Here he is."
She looked out the window. Tallu must have climbed up from the window seat, opened the window, and looked out just as her mother was doing now.
"My dear lady. It has come to my attention that your little girl is missing."
She looked down and saw a rather flattened looking shrub. Tallu must have leapt out the window, landed on the shrub and hid.
"Get to the point, Reaver."
Sparrow vaulted out, following the path her child would have taken. Covered in mud, she would have been unrecognisable. There was a trail of muddy footprints through the castle grounds, out the castle gates and into Bowerstone Market. She ordered soldiers to find and follow the trail before it was washed away by any rain.
"Fortunately, I know exactly where she is."
The trail led to Bowerstone Industrial and stopped. There were signs of a struggle and Sparrow's heart dropped. She ordered the soldiers home and sat on the throne with a heavy heart.
"What?"
"My men found her in Bowerstone Industrial, completely lost and covered in dirt. They took her to me and I made sure she was properly dressed before I return her."
"Reaver, I don't know what to say…"
"Thankyou? Have some cash? You want a fling? There are a few ways, though I prefer them to be physical."
"Oh Reaver, I'll do anything! You don't know what this means! You absolute darling!"
Sparrow's arms were flung around the industrialist's neck and she was hugging him with a vice-like grip. She ignored Reaver's sneaky gropes and just hugged him.
"Mummy…" Sparrow looked down. Hanging onto Reaver's legs, tearful, was Tallusa. Sparrow picked up her daughter and swung her around.
"Oh sweetheart, I'm so glad you're safe! What do you want for this, Reaver? I owe you a great debt." Reaver's brow quirked.
"I can think of something…" He purred.
"Is it by any chance…oh I don't care! You've rescued my daughter and it's only fair." Reaver grinned.
"My dear, candid queen, meet me at my manor tomorrow and trust me, I'll claim my reward," he promised. Sparrow blushed. Then she smiled.
"Thankyou, Reaver." He tipped his hat, then winked at the little princess.
"Cheerio, little Tallusa Louisa Erin Tallulah. I'll enjoy watching you grow up, my dear." Tallusa waved happily at him.
"Bye! Thanks Reaver!"
From this day forth, Tallusa respected Reaver more than anyone had ever done before.