Prisoner Princess Page 9

  Vee's lips were pursed as she tried to hold back laughter. “I'm only teasing you! Don't get so offended!”

  “I'm leaving for a few hours. I'm needed at the palace.” Harriot's gaze briefly flickered to Isabella. After Vee's teasing, he was too embarrassed to look at her. “Watch over the princess for me, and try to take it easy today.”

  “Will do, Dr. Harriot. Will do.” Vee's grin expanded as she watched him go.

  As soon as Harriot was gone, Isabella dragged her chair closer to Vee. “You have to help me!” she gasped. “I need to get out of here!”

  “Oh, honey...” Vee's head was shaking. “You're asking the wrong girl. My loyalty's with Tom. If he says you need to stay here, you need to stay here. End of story.”

  “But I don't want to leave forever,” Isabella tried to explain. “I know it's not safe out there, I just want to step out for a bit. I feel like I'm going mad in here. Mr. Harriot says I'm not a prisoner, but I certainly feel like a prisoner, cooped up in here all day. I just want to get out for a bit... not too long, mind you, just long enough to enjoy a bit of fresh air. I think it'd be nice to take a walk around town, maybe do a bit of shopping... even though I don't have any money. I just want to get out.”

  Vee's eyes narrowed as she listened to Isabella's plea.

  The princess' monologue continued. “Oh... but there's no way to get into town, is there? We have to go across in that stupid boat! I forgot about that. Why does Tom Harriot have to live in the middle of nowhere?”

  “I know.” Vee agreed with her. “I hate it out here. And he keeps a second boat in his shed, by the way. So if you really wanted to go...”

  Isabella's eyes lit up. “Does that mean you're going to take me?”

  Vee sighed deeply. As soon as Isabella started begging, she should have known how it would end. She had a weakness for pretty girls. Isabella was hardly the most beautiful woman in the world, but her charm was undeniable. And Vee was powerless against it.

  “Very well,” Vee capsized quickly. “But if we go out, you better stay close to me! Don't wander too far. And you should probably wear a hood. We wouldn't want anyone to recognize you. Tommy would probably kill me if I failed at this.”

  Seelo laid a paw on Isabella's knee, so she lightly scratched his head. At first, he seemed to relish the affection, but as soon as he realized she didn't have any more bacon to give, he abandoned her.

  “Believe me, I don't want to be recognized either,” Isabella said. “I'll be careful, I promise.”

  Meanwhile, on another side of the capital, Lettie stood in front of the looking glass and carefully adjusted her cravat. A fully-dressed Nico was sitting on the bed next to Mae, who was rifling through a box of bullets they purchased at a general store.

  “Are you sure you don't want to take the gun, Lettie? Getting to Baltmoor might be dangerous.” As she spoke, Mae opened her six shooter's chamber and loaded it.

  “No. You found the gun, Mae. You should keep it. Besides... you could use it to protect the prince. His life's more valuable than mine.”

  Nico was adamantly shaking his head. “You don't really believe that, do you?”

  “I do believe it, Your Highness. And as soon as I get to Baltmoor, I'll ask my father to send aid. I'm sure he knows what's going on in the capital, but he doesn't know the prince still lives. As soon as I tell him, I know he'll send help.”

  Mae slid from the bed and went to Lettie's side. “What if you don't make it to Baltmoor? It's dangerous by yourself.”

  “I'll be fine,” Lettie insisted. “My hometown isn't so far away.”

  Mae suddenly pulled her into a hug. Lettie was reluctant to accept it, but after a few seconds, she slid an arm around Mae's shoulders. “I'm glad I got to know you!” Mae exclaimed. “We haven't known each other that long, but we've been through a lot together. An airship crash... getting taken by pirates... bandits...”

  “Picking corpses,” Lettie added with a chuckle. “But that was mostly you, not me.”

  While observing their fond farewell, Nico said, “We were apart for a few days, Mae! All of that happened in a few days?”

  Mae and Lettie nodded simultaneously, but it was Mae who replied, “It was a crazy few days.”

  “Well then...” Before she left, Lettie double checked that her knife was in her pocket. She wasn't thrilled by the idea of being alone in a city that had descended into madness, but she had to get back home. The country's future relied on her success. “I hope to see you again. Both of you. When I return, hopefully I'll be returning with the full force of my father's fleet.”

  “That would be great.” Despite his optimistic reply, Nico was doubtful.

  “Good luck, Lettie!” Mae called to her as she headed for the door. “Are you sure you don't need more money? I could give you my share!”

  “You're sweet, Mae... but I'll be alright.” As she slipped into the hall, Lettie's heart ached. She hadn't known Mae very long, but they had bonded through their shared adversity. It didn't feel right to split up, but she couldn't ask them to go with her. The prince needed to stay hidden. He didn't need to put his life at risk.

  Lettie shoved her hands into the pockets of her coat as she headed in the direction of the skyport. The day after Eversio took over, the capital's crime rate reached a staggering high. Since then, the city had settled down at bit, and life was slowly returning to normal. Nevertheless, Lettie's eyes were wide and alert.

  She passed a singing drunk, who seemed harmless enough, even though he whistled at Lettie as she passed. When she reached the capital's main street, it was busier than she expected, but the bustle made her feel safer. She passed stores and marketplace stalls, beggars and buskers. She even passed a child, excitedly tugging his father in the direction of a sweet shop. It was good to know the capital wasn't a complete loss. Two days ago, the streets were a barren wasteland.

  Lettie passed a pair of women—one with pink hair, and one in a hood.

  “Maybe I shouldn't have forced you to go out, not when you're wounded,” the hooded woman said.

  The dark-complected, pink-haired woman was quick to reply, “Oh, please! Did you really think I'd be bedridden all day? Nothing can keep me down!”

  Lettie accidentally bumped the hooded woman as she passed, and when she did, her hood fell down. The girl quickly pulled it up, but not before Lettie got a good look at her face.

  “Excuse you!” the pink-haired vixen shouted at Lettie. “Watch where you're going next time, lady! Damn!”

  “Sorry,” she whispered a half-hearted apology and stepped aside, letting them have the entire sidewalk. The women kept walking, but Lettie was frozen in place, watching them go.

  There was no mistaking what she saw.

  Lettie had accidentally bumped into Princess Isabella of Columbigo.

  Fourteen

  Lettie had only seen Princess Isabella twice in her life: once, at the princess' sixteenth birthday ball, and again at the tournament, though she was seated far away. Isabella's face was impossible to forget, and her thick, dark eyebrows were particularly memorable. Lettie knew she wasn't wrong. Princess Isabella was alive.

  As she followed at a distance, Lettie contemplated her next move. She was torn between returning to the inn and telling Nico his sister was still alive, or continuing to follow. In the end, she opted to follow. Even though Nico would have been elated by the news, Lettie didn't want to lose sight of the princess. What if she let her go, and Isabella's whereabouts were never discovered? At the very least, Lettie wanted to find out where the princess was being held—and, if possible, she wanted to rescue her.

  When Isabella and Vee disappeared into a general store, Lettie hovered outside and pretended to browse the products featured in the store window. As she waited for them to emerge, a tiny grin twisted its way onto Lettie's lips. If she was successful, she could only imagine the accolades. Captain Letitia Rose Jordan would be a hero. Her past failure would be forgotten. If she saved a princess, no one would harp o
n the fact that she lost her airship. She would be completely redeemed.

  “You can do this, Lettie... you can do it, you can do it.” As she whispered encouragement to herself, Lettie peered into the shop. The pink-haired woman was looking at a box of cigars, while Isabella browsed a wall of confectioneries. The two women had a brief discussion before they went to the cashier. To Lettie's surprise, Princess Isabella didn't look especially nervous or upset.

  After paying for her cigars, Vee left the store with Isabella. As they exited, Lettie looked away and prayed they wouldn't recognize her face. Fortunately, they breezed past without giving her a second glance. Lettie gave them a thirty second lead, then she followed again.

  Their next destination was a pharmacy, where they bought a few feminine products of a personal nature. Lettie felt guilty for spying on them, but she knew it was necessary. If she lost sight of the princess, it would be far worse than losing an airship. Lettie had to succeed. Failure wasn't an option.

  When they finished their business in the pharmacy, Lettie followed again, leaving a considerable distance between herself and her targets. As they ventured away from the crowded parts of town, Lettie had to be extra careful. There were fewer people to hide behind, so she slipped behind buildings and peeked around them, watching which way the princess turned. She must have followed them for over a mile before they finally reached the lake.

  “That water is disgusting,” Lettie whispered to herself as her targets climbed into a boat. Since Lettie had no boat of her own, she had to summon a great deal of courage to continue her pursuit. When the boat was barely a speck on the horizon, Lettie dove into the filthy cesspool and wrinkled her nose. She was glad she could swim.

  “Ugh... this is so gross!” Lettie moaned as she brushed against a growth of algae and a pair of dead fish. Halfway across the lake, she felt a water snake coiling around her leg. Since she was in the middle of swimming, she couldn't get it off, and when it bit her, all she could do was whimper and hope it wasn't venomous.

  “Maybe it was an, uh... eel,” she tried to rationalize with herself. “Eels aren't poisonous, are they? You'll be okay, Lettie. You're going to be alright.” A few seconds later, she realized she was talking to herself, so she added, “Okay, you're not alright. You're going crazy.”

  By the time she reached the other side of the lake, Princess Isabella and her escort were long gone. Lettie stumbled ashore, right next to their boat, and struggled to catch her breath. An unnaturally large mosquito landed on her cheek, so she brushed it off with a squeal. Soon after, she felt an odd pinch on her stomach, so she lifted her shirt to see what it was. Three fat leeches had somehow found their way beneath her clothes.

  “Ugh!” Lettie groaned. She tried to peel them off, but the pain was much worse when she did, so she decided to let the last leech have its way with her. When it had satiated itself, she assumed it would fall off on its own. Pushing her shirt back down, she tried to pretend there wasn't a disgusting pest feeding on her blood.

  As she scrambled to her feet, Lettie started to wonder if she made a bad choice. She was just one woman. What if she followed Princess Isabella into a trap? What if Isabella was surrounded by guards? What was one woman supposed to do against a horde?

  Once again, Lettie whispered to herself. “At least I can find out where she is. If she's surrounded, I can always come back later...”

  Lettie soon discovered there was only one cottage on the tiny island. And since there was nowhere else to go, it had to be where Princess Isabella was located. Lettie's soggy boots squished against the muddy ground as she tiptoed to the cottage. For a minute or two, she sat beneath a window and tried to find the courage to peer inside. Her heart raced as she slowly rose up and peeked into the pane. If she spotted someone, someone could just as easily spot her.

  But she saw no one. If Isabella was inside, she must have been in another room. Either that, or Lettie's vantage point wasn't good. She crept to another window, and this time, she was a bit more bold. She stood in front of the window, unabashedly soaking in the cottage's interior. She saw no sign of Isabella or anyone.

  Finally, Lettie decided to try the door. Even if she could sneak inside, she didn't know if she would be brave enough to do it, but she needed to know if it was locked.

  It wasn't.

  As Lettie turned the doorknob, her heart was beating so hard, she wondered if it would burst. Princess Isabella needs me, she silently reminded herself. She needs me.

  All of a sudden, the cottage door flew open, and the butt of Vee's shotgun smashed into Lettie's face.

  Fifteen

  “Get to work! I want this deck spotless by the time I return!” Doon shouted the command at a very tired-looking Julian.

  “Aye aye, Captain...” Julian's response was flat and emotionless. His few days of forced labor were starting to take a toll on him. His spirits were crushed, his body ached, and he swore he looked ten years older.

  Doon suddenly seized Julian's sleeve and pulled him closer. Into the other man's ear, he whispered, “I'm taking your advice. I'm buying a gift for Kitt today.”

  After a long, sleepless night, Julian didn't have the strength to feign friendship with the man who imprisoned him. So he simply replied, “Oh.”

  “More than likely, we're going to go into town and find out her best friend's been executed. Kitt'll need a gift today. I'm hoping it'll cheer her up.”

  “Good idea. But if her friend is dead, you might want to refrain from trying to bed her today,” Julian advised him. “Give her time to heal. Even a scoundrel like me can recognize an inappropriate time to bed a woman.”

  “I know that!” Doon gruffly replied. “I'm not trying to bed her, I'm trying to... to let her know I care!”

  “Well, good luck with that,” Julian said, patting the pirate captain's shoulder. When it came to women, the poor man really was clueless. Even if Francis Doon was his captor, Julian didn't want to see him fail.

  When Kitt joined them on the deck, there were red rings around her eyes: evidence of recent tears. They already knew they were too late to stop Tobias' execution. All she could do was confirm that it happened.

  “Let's go, Doon,” Kitt sighed. “I'm ready to go.”

  “I'm sorry.” The words flew from Doon's mouth for the dozenth time that day. He had one of the fastest airships in existence. It was hardly his fault they arrived too late. Nevertheless, a feebly uttered apology was as much sympathy as he could muster.

  “It's alright, Doon.” Kitt's lips were trembling, so she briefly sucked them into her mouth. “Let's just get this over with.”

  As Kitt disembarked from the airship, Doon stayed back and whispered to Julian, “I don't know how to comfort her. I'm rubbish.”

  “Put your arm around her,” Julian suggested. “Assuming her friend was someone you knew, tell her he was a wonderful person that you'll miss with all your heart. Tell her you'll always be there for her.”

  After absorbing Julian's words, Doon chased after Kitt and slid an arm around her shoulders. “Tobias was a good lad,” he said, which didn't get him the reaction he anticipated. Kitt pushed his arm away from her shoulders.

  “Don't talk about him like he's already dead!” Kitt yelled. “We don't know that yet!”

  “I... er...” Rattled by his failure, Doon didn't speak again until they were out of the skyport. “Well... if he is gone, I'll miss him. And, uh... I'm here for you, Kitten. No matter what, I'll always be here for you.”

  When Kitt turned in Doon's direction, her eyes were wide. “That's surprisingly sentimental of you.”

  “Is it?” A smug smile twitched onto Doon's lips. Her reaction was encouraging, so he continued, “You know... I really did care about the lad. He was a bloody good pupil. That boy picked up a gun, and in a matter of days, he was a prodigy. He was--”

  “Doon,” Kitt dryly interrupted. “You're making it sound like he's dead again.”

  “Sorry.”

  Since their primary goal
was to gather information, Kitt and Doon swept into the first pub they came across. Kitt wasted no time. She marched to the first patron she saw and asked, “Do you know the fate of Tobias Robb?”

  The bearded man grunted and shifted in his chair. “Who?”

  “Tobias Robb,” Kitt said again. Doon hovered behind her with a hand on the hilt of his sword, which didn't make the man look comfortable. “He was supposedly executed several hours ago. Do you know what happened to him?”

  “Don't know nothing about that,” the man replied. “Ask someone else.”

  Kitt took his advice. She went to the nearest table, where an old man was attempting to eat stew with a fork. Every time the broth sifted through the prongs, he sputtered a curse or two. Kitt should have known he wasn't the best person to ask, but she asked him anyway. “Do you know the fate of Tobias Robb?”

  “Ahh... Lisbeth! I ain't seen you in ages!” the old man said in a raspy voice. “Do you want to sit on grandpa's lap?”

  When he tried to grab her arm, Kitt took a step backward. In a flash, Doon's sword was out of its sheath and pointed at the man's throat. With a gasp, Kitt cried, “Doon! Don't hurt anyone!”

  “Wasn't he trying to hurt you?”

  “Not really. I just think he's confused.” Kitt tugged her boyfriend away and encouraged him to sheath his weapon. “It's starting to seem like every pub has its share of senile old men, babbling nonsense.”

  “He didn't hurt you, did he?” Doon's narrowed eyes continued to follow the old man's every move.

  “No! Relax! I'd hate to see what would happen if anyone actually did hurt me in front of you.”

  “I'd kill them,” Doon calmly replied. “But I'd make them suffer first.”

  Kitt was shaking her head and tutting her tongue as she walked away from him. When would he learn that violence—and threats of violence—weren't impressive to her? As she approached a friendly-looking older woman, Kitt asked yet again, “Do you know the fate of Tobias Robb?”