Saving The Pirate (Book Two)

49. Ready, Set, Royalty!

There were more guards as we came into the actual castle; guards guarding the door, the throne room (which we were in), the bottom of the (horribly large) flight of stairs, and well, you get my point.

I was being watched.

Again.

Even if that scared me a bit, it wasn't like I was going to steal anything. I mean, if I could, I probably would've, but then again, I wasn't even sure I'd make it out the door. Either my conscience would stop me, or I would get caught just thinking about it. As many cookies, I sneaked over the years; I doubted I could get away with a diamond.

"The throne room," Jack said, gesturing to the big and overly decorated chairs against a grand wall. There were four of them, the two biggest ones between the two smaller ones.

"Wait here," Jack told us and nodded to Diane to follow him, disappearing down a hall.

Tristan set Gata down on the floor, and we all watched as she sniffed the ground some before deciding that being in Tristan's arms was better.

"Spoiled creature," Captain said, looking at the cat. "It won't even stand on its own legs. Has to be carried."

Tristan picked up Gata and held her in his arms. He scratched behind her ears. "Ah, Gata just enjoys my presence, I guess. Unlike someone, I knows."

Captain rolled his eyes. "In case we ever starve out here, I'm eating that thing first."

Tristan laughed. "I saids it once, and I'll say it again—Chrissy, yer a sour puss."

"I am not," Captain grumbled.

Tristan gave an evil smile and looked at me. "Tell 'im, Anne."

Oh, God.

I looked at Captain who's eyes were already directly on me, narrowing down, waiting for an answer. Here I was again, forced into something I had no part in.

"Uh...tell him what?" I asked, looking back at Tristan with pleaful eyes, begging him not to do this to me.

Either Tristan didn't understand my plea, or he did and ignored it, but he smiled and said, "Tell Chrissy that 'e's a sour puss."

"Uh," I turned to Captain, who was still looking at me, waiting for my answer, daring me, killing me inside. Please don't let me get fired. Please don't let THIS be the way I get fired. "Um-"

At that moment, from the corner of my eye, I spotted none other than Jack and Diane rounding the corner.

"They're back!" I said, louder than I intended to.

Jack and Diane approached us, Diane scratching Gata behind the ears as she and Jack stopped in front of us.

"His Majesty welcomes you all," Jack said. "I am to show you all to your rooms. Please, follow me."

We followed Jack and Diane up the long and tiresome flight of stairs to the next floor, me huffing and puffing, trying not to make it seem noticeable, but God was it noticeable.  Everyone looked back at me, and I blushed in the dim light.

Kill me, kill me now.

Once we were at the next floor, Jack and Diane led us down some winding halls before we came to the first room. Jack opened the door, and I felt myself gasp.

I've been in a mansion.

I've been in a manor.

Now, I've been in a castle.

You can imagine the bedroom. The size of it, the furniture, the decorations. It might as well have been a house.

"Anne, this is your bedroom," Diane said, smiling and gesturing inside. I walked inside with caution, too amazed that the room belonged to me to even say thank you. I must have stood there for a long time because when I turned around, everyone was gone.