Kings and Thieves

Chapter 14

**2k IN 2 MONTHS!! Less than two months actually... thank you guys so so much!**

The older Kibetian princess- Jocelyn- was just taking her sister out into the hall, accompanied by their maids, as Aveline left, with Ari close behind. He didn't look behind him to see if Lyla would follow— he knew she would.

"What's the plan?" He muttered to his first mate, recognizing the impatient gleam in her eyes and thoughtful chewing of her bottom lip.

She nodded towards the hallway. "Let's go in first so it doesn't look as if we're following them."

Ari opened the door to let Lyla and Aveline into the corridor. It was soundless, save for the shrill sounds of the princesses as they spoke with their maids. They hushed as soon as Ari, Aveline, and Lyla approached. Ari brushed past the small group without sparing a glance in their direction, but out of the corner of his eye, he could see that the elder princess looked distressed.

The washroom lounge was just down the hall from the cafe, and Ari quickly shut the door behind them as they entered the room. Muffled voices resumed from behind the door.

"I can take it from here, thank you," Princess Jocelyn was saying over her little sister's quiet sniffles— she was only about eleven, but her voice bore the authority and intellect of one much older.

"But His Majesty said-"
"I don't care what my father said!" she snapped. "Goodness, can you not leave us alone for two seconds?!"

"Of course, Your Royal Highness." There was a brief pause as the maids probably tripped over themselves trying to apologize.

Ari grinned. Perfect.

Then there was the sound of footsteps, and Lyla and Aveline quickly pretended to primp in the mirror. Ari was just handing Aveline her purse when the door slammed open.

Lyla whirled around as if astonished by the entrance of the two princesses.

"Your Royal Highnesses!" She exclaimed, briefly surprising Ari with her acting skills as she sunk into a deep curtsy.

Princess Jocelyn eyed them shrewdly as she struggled to keep a hold on her younger sister's hand. Round, fat tears were streaming down Princess Leilani's flushed cheeks.

"Are you in need of assistance?" Lyla inquired respectfully.

"I'm fine. Leilani, let's go." Jocelyn struggled to drag her wailing sister to the sinks, but the other girl wouldn't budge, digging her heels into the polished linoleum. Jocelyn's shoulders slumped.

Without thinking about it, Ari found himself kneeling down in front of the Princess Leilani. With one hand he pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and wordlessly extended it to the littlest princess.

Her sister had stiffened. "Sir..." she trailed off as Princess Leilani's crying ceased; the child ogled Ari with enormous purple eyes, dumbstruck as if she had never seen a grown boy before.

Leilani took the handkerchief from Ari and clutched it in her brown, plump hand. Aveline produced a cloth from inside her purse and began to dampen it in the sinks.

"She's stopped crying," Princess Jocelyn remarked, still rigid as she clenched her hands in her skirts. "Finally." Then she glanced at Lyla, narrowing her eyes slightly. "I recognize you."

"I'm from Apreuna, Highness," Lyla told her. "Queen Rowena is my aunt. I was there when you and your family visited last year."

"Hm."

Aveline crouched down beside Ari with her washcloth. Leilani's big eyes turned on her. They roved back and forth between Ari and Aveline's faces.

"Pretty," she hiccupped.