"Miss Riley!" I hear a distant voice call.
Good God.
"Miss?" I hear the soft pattering of light feet, indicating one of the many maids are searching for me.
"Go away," I whisper out, a small growl slipping out.
'Why can't they just leave us alone!?' Aris, my tiger growls out, pacing angrily in my head.
I don't know, I respond, feeling equally annoyed, I just want peace and quiet. Can't they give us that, at the very least?
The quick footsteps draw closer, the sound of distant doors opening down the corridor, nearing my temporary hiding spot. The only reason I haven't been found yet is because most of the maids are human and can't sniff me out.
Thank God.
The book I was reading is clutched tightly in my grasp and I wish I could just escape back into the fiction world of Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games series one of my many escapes. If only I could find a spot that I could read undisturbed long enough without being found.
"Miss!?" the petite voice is closer, meaning I am moments from being discovered.
Dammit.
I shrink back into the darkness of the small laundry room, a rarely used area on the third level of the ancient castle. Too bad the maids are clever enough to search every nook and cranny in this damn place.
"Princess Maurice!" the voice is now right outside.
But no one, I mean no one calls me my full name. Except my parents.
"What part of hiding don't you people understand!" I growl, flinging open the laundry room door, barely missing a startled maid.
She flinches upon hearing my tone, but quickly lowers her short frame into a polite curtsey. "Your Highness."
I just growl at her as I storm past her, childishly stomping my feet as I march down the empty corridor. My waist length black hair flies behind me like a banner for doomsday as I make for the stairs.
I glare horridly as I pass by servants, my temper getting the better of me as I head for my parents' quarters. I can hear the young maid following me, her small legs rushing to catch up with my long ones. I'm not surprised, I am quite tall for my age. 5'9 to be exact.
I rush towards the drawing room, where my parents are often situated. I burst through the heavy doors, my hands pushing them out my way, my book still clutched in my left hand.
"Mother!" I call out, earning the attention of my parents.
They sit at a chess table, playing chess, obviously. My father, the King, sits slumped lazily in his chair, head in hand as he analyzes the board. My mother, the Queen, sits straight as a board, hands placed in her lap as she smiles triumphantly at my stumped father.
"Yes, dear?" her sweet voice answers as she turns to look at me.
"I wanted to be left alone," I say pointedly at her, placing slim hands on a petite waist.
"Were you not left alone?" she says with a delicate frown.
Everything about Judith Riley, is delicate. From her smile to the way she walks. My mother is there definition of a Queen. Elegant, well-mannered, kind, humble, delicate. Even though people say I'm the splitting image of my mother, we couldn't be more different.
"Not for very long!" I say, raising my voice slightly.
"Now now, dear," my father intervenes, "Lets not raise our voices unnecessarily."
I huff at him, "You know I need my space," I accuse, growling, "Why can't you give me that?"
"Honey," he placates, "You are royalty, we need to know where you are 24/7."
"That's not fair!" I shout, Aris agreeing with me, "I am seventeen, I need my space- Aris needs her space. You can't keep us cooped up here!"
My father sighs, slumping further in his seat, as if he has the weight of the world on his shoulders. Well, he does have a lot of people depending on him. Now I feel kinda bad for shouting at him and I feel my anger falter.
"I'm sorry, Reece," he states, rubbing his stressed forehead, "Bare with me, okay? I'll try to ease up on the hovering-"
"Yes!" I squeal, a smile transforming my scowl.
"But!" the smile falters, dimming a tad.
"Yes?" I say hesitantly.
"You need to be careful and not stray too far from the castle. Okay?"
"Oh, yes yes yes!" I giggle, rushing forward.
My dad chuckles lowly, opening his muscled arms to catch me as I launch myself at him. Because of our Weretiger gene, once we shift we age slowly and if you are royalty, in any way, your aging decreases even more. So my father may be about ninety-five years old but he barely looks a day over thirty. Same goes for my mom.
Royal tigers age quickly until they reach the ages of five, a survival instinct, because young royal's are target's for enemies. So they could be five, but look like a twelve year old. Then they age normally until they shift for the first time, then they age slower, depending on their ranking by blood.
I hug my father tightly his grey eyes twinkling with amusement, blonde hair ruffled messily atop his head.
"Maurice, must you wear those useless specs?" my mother asks with slight distaste coloring her velvety voice.
It's not that she hates glasses, she just doesn't understand my reasoning for wearing them. I mean, it's not like I need them, not with my heightened Were senses. They just help me feel normal, because my life is anything but normal. They're just a pair of black nerd frames, no lenses in them.
"Yes, mom," I smile slightly at my mom, we do this everyday, "They help me feel normal."
"Sorry hun, it just confuses me why you would wear something you do not have use for," she shrugs her shoulders softly.
"Sorry, Reece, you mother here doesn't understand the meaning of normal," he grins, laughing at my mother's shocked face.
"Daniel, dear, have you noticed how comfortable the couches in this castle are?" she says with with an innocent smile.
My father gulps at the hidden meaning behind his wife's words. Poor daddy, scared of a little couch. I burst out laughing at his face, he looks slightly constipated.
Oh, dear.
"Ah, what I meant was," he gulps, scratching his head, "I-I, uh, love your unique personality?"
Nice save dad.
My mother watches her flustered husband with humor in her aqua eyes, her pink lips pursed to stop her giggles at my poor father.
I could pass as her twin, were it not for the laugh lines that web out from her eyes. They're not too noticeable, but you can see the age gap in our faces. We both have long wavy hair, dark as a starless night. Bright matching blue eyes, the color of the Mediterranean sea. High cheek bones and slim bodies. The only differences would be my more athletic build and our heights. I'm almost as tall as my dad, while she is only 5'4.
"Mom?" I ask, disrupting their teasing.
"Yes, dear?"
"Could I go for a run?" Aris purrs in excitement at the possibility of being let out, "Aris is in need of some freedom."
My mom is thoughtful for a moment, "Alright. Just be back before dark and don't stray too far."
I let out a squeal and quickly hug my amused parents before running out the door. Aris is bounding around my head, as excited as o am for temporary freedom from the castle walls.
~~~
Castle up top. If you want to know, I used Neuschwanstein Castle. Don't ask me to pronounce that... It's German.
Hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Don't forget to:
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