Being dragged through the halls of the palace, although uncomfortable, was not unfamiliar. In fact, this would be the fifteenth time that I had been pulled along roughly by the buff guards. I'd even come to know a few by name.
With my hands cuffed behind my back and two men flanking me with their hands acting as vices on my arms, I let them lead me through the expensively furnished corridors with a smirk on my lips.
My crime, you ask? Well, this time it's fraud. However that was a precaution after managing to escape their prison the last time. In fact, I'd only served one of my full sentences and it was the first crime I'd been arrested for—burglary. I needed money, I broke into a house, I stole a few pieces of jewelry. I got a five month sentence. I haven't served my full time since— which would probably give the Queen reason to lock me up for life, if not kill me.
Anyway, the fraud. I'd been known by the name Melanie Richards for the past three months, a girl with blonde hair and brown eyes. But now my contacts were out and my brown locks had grown out. I'm back to being Cara West, the girl with a list of crimes by her name.
My boots stomp down the hallway in sync with the herd of guards assigned to follow me. After the last couple times I'd escaped their arrest before even making it in front of the queen's throne, they'd finally learned it took more than a few guards to contain me.
The unnecessarily large wooden doors to the throne room swing open as my group nears them and I keep my head bowed as a sign of respect for the queen. Sure, I'm a wanted criminal, but I still respect her—just not the laws.
Once we're close enough to the throne, the guards holding my arms thrust me forward, but I keep my balance this time. I give a curtesy, feigning the act of holding my dress out on the sides, despite wearing jeans.
"Good afternoon, Quee—" I begin as I lift my head to meet her eyes. Then I stop. "You are not the queen."
Instead of Queen Alexia, I'm met with a young man, spread lazily in the chair. His palm cradles his head as his elbow remains propped against the arm rest and his legs are spread in front of him like a bored kid in class. It's quite the contrast to the Queen's normally perfect posture.
"Great catch," He responds in a sarcastic tone, not adjusting his position.
I turn to the guards behind me, "Did you guys give me drugs? Am I hallucinating?" They only glare in reply. I put my weight on one leg and I would've put a hand on my hip, had they not been shackled behind me. "So who are you?"
He dodges the question. "What are you here for?"
"I'd tell you myself, but I'm afraid I'd tell you more than you already know," I shoot back, wearing the bored look I had perfected for my 'meetings' in this room. His eyes sparkle with amusement, and he opens his mouth to respond, but it is then that the queen is escorted in.
The unnamed man stands from her throne as she approaches. "Sorry I'm late," Queen Alexia begins. "I do hope my son was a fine substitute while I was away."
So that's the prince. Prince Ren. His name, a shortening in homage to the late king, Lorenzo. It takes me by surprise as I realize that I had never seen him before today, despite being in the queen's presence over a dozen times.
"Please, proceed," the Queen insists as she settles into her seat with a straight back and her legs crossed.
"We haven't actually started, Your Highness," a guard named James explains from behind me.
"Very well. Begin."
"The criminal before you, legal name Cara West, has most recently committed the crime of fraud in addition to previous crimes of..." I stop listening to the guard as I have heard the list numerous times before.
Instead, I busy myself by looking around at the luxurious room. My eyes land on the prince who I notice is trying his best not to laugh as my felonies are listed. He catches my eye and raises his eyebrows. I simply shrug. Shaking his head, he looks down and smiles.
"Your decision, Your Majesty?" The same guard prompts once he finishes speaking. With a solemn expression the Queen looks at me.
"Miss West, your crimes are numerous, but mostly small. However, we have tried and failed many times to contain you in our prisons. Your failure to cooperate forces my hand in this choice. Cara West, you are sentenced to death."
The shock that squeezes my heart for a fraction of a second is not evident on my face as I have worked incredibly hard to school my features at all times. But I notice the prince's eyes widen significantly and his jaw drop.
"Mother!" I hear him scold quietly but sternly. I'm pulled roughly out the doors before I can hear any more of the conversation.
Being dragged to the cells isn't as fun as one might imagine. The guards are rougher now that they know I'm headed toward my death. I swear they tripped me on purpose a few times.
"Bye James. This could be the last time I see you," I say with a fake frown as he throws me into the cell. He glares and punches me across the face. "What the hell was that for!"
"I've been waiting to do that for awhile now. I figure it's better to do it while you're still alive." James says with a wicked grin on his face. "You're just lucky I only punched you. There were so many more things I coulda done." He looks me up and down as he closes the door but I don't allow myself to change my expression.
He doesn't get the chance to lock my cage before I take the metal door and slam it into his face with a loud clang. I really have nothing to lose. Instead of using the moment of weakness to my advantage, I stay put in the cell like a good little criminal. Big mistake.
"You bitch," he growls as he swings the door open again and pushes me against the wall by my throat. He throws another punch at my face, but I still stare at him with a bloody smile, my split lip spilling metallic tasting blood into my mouth.
This only angers him further, just as I suspected and he draws his arm back for yet another hit. Suddenly a voice stops him. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"
James freezes at the sound of the Prince's voice. He turns to face his superior with a look of shame on his face. "I was teaching the prisoner a lesson, Sir."
The prince's brows furrow. "You don't do anything to prisoners without my mother's or my permission, understand?" James nods curtly and exits the small cell.
He locks the barred door, separating myself from the other two. I sit on the hard cot and wipe the blood from my lip with the corner of the blanket. The prince hasn't moved from his spot outside the cell.
With a bored expression, I look up at him. "You can go too," I tell him. "I don't need a 24 hour watch."
He chuckles. "Oh I think you do, considering you could be out of this cell in the next twenty minutes if you wanted to." I shrug. "But that's not why I'm here."
"Then enlighten me, why would the great Prince Ren be spending time with a soon to be dead prisoner rather than attending to his royal duties?" I lean my head against the grimy wall, not breaking eye contact.
"You can drop the formality. Just Ren is fine," he corrects me with a shrug.
"Yes, Your Majesty," I joke, eliciting a small smile from Ren.
"Anyways, I'm here because I don't think you should be killed," he says proudly like that will get me out of this mess.
"Join the club."
"No, seriously," he proceeds, the smugness falling off his face. "I'm going to get you out of here. Somehow." I cross my arms and give a short laugh.
"Well you better be quick, Ren. I'm gonna be dead in about three days."
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Hi guys! This is my first story on here and it's great that you're reading it :). If you like it, let me know! If you've got suggestions for improvement, I'd love to here it. I'm trying to post every other day if not every day.
Thanks for reading! 🖤
-J