Royal Disaster

Chapter 10: Fetching the Prince

Emrose

When we reached home, Alas went with me and refused to go on his way despite my brother asking him to leave a thousand times. He insisted he wanted to take me home and made sure he was forgiven by my mother for letting her worry by partly being the reason I was put in harm's way.

"It's alright, really. You can leave now. And you better hurry, so you can cross the border while it is still early. You might get lost again." I assured Alas.

"No, It's the least I can do for going after me last night. I also appreciate you not telling your family who I am." He smiled at me.

"I figured if you wanted us to know who you are, you would have already told us the moment you set foot here." I smiled back and reassured him his secret was safe with me.

By late afternoon, I woke up to some commotion outside my home. When I looked out my window, I saw unfamiliar men in armors gathered outside our doorstep. Were they soldiers? I went down and decided to find out for myself. I was approaching the door when my mother grabbed my hand. "Stop, Emmy! Stay here." Her face full of fright.

"Why mother? Who are they and what are they doing here?" I asked, confused.

"I don't know darling. Let your brother and father handle them. They will be away in a while. We just have to stay here."

I could hear them talking outside, their voices were loud. "Do not make us fools, peasant. There is nowhere the prince could have gone. Your house is the only one left we haven't searched. Let us through!" When I heard the word "prince", I broke into a run and went to Elchard's room. Alas was sleeping soundly, I slapped his face to wake him up.

"Wake up! There are men looking for you!" I cupped his face when his eyes were finally opened.

He was rubbing the part of his face where I hit him "You're going to pay me a lot for that." He then smirked, abruptly stood up and headed straight for the door. I followed him, but the moment I stepped outside the room, the knights were already inside my home. I saw my brother getting inside the door wiping off blood from his mouth. I guessed he said something he never should have said again.

"Your majesty, your father is not happy about your departure and orders you to return to the castle at once." One of the knights said. I turned to see my mother shocked, her hands on her mouth. Similar expressions were evident on my brother and father's faces.

"I will leave when I want to." Alas answered the man.

"I'm afraid that choice is no longer in your power the moment you fled the kingdom and upset the King, your highness." The same knight said, while bowing his head. He clearly was exercising his power but was not comfortable with it.

"I am the heir to the throne, Sir. You tell your King he will lose his bloodline when he forces me into this marriage!" Alas answered him raising his voice.

"And he can make another child, boy. Don't be a fool." A voice said in a distance.

"Lord Benley." Alas muttered.

"Damn right, it's me boy. Come here!" The man who Alas called Lord Benley marched inside the house and headed for Alas. All the other knights bowed down. Once he reached Alas, for a second I thought he was going to hit him, but instead he hugged Alas so tight. "I thought something happened to you. You're an ass of a prince, you know that son?" He laughed and tapped Alas's back.

"I'm sorry for letting you worry, Lord Benley." Alas's face softened and his arrogant self who declared he would not go home a few seconds ago, suddenly disappeared.

"Tell me all about your adventures the moment you stepped foot out of the palace on our way home." He ushered Alas out of the house.

"No, I told them I'm not leaving. And now I'm telling you too." Alas stopped and faced Lord Benley, his face serious.

"Son, you know you have your duties. You must marry the princess Adela. She has arrived yesterday." Lord Benley sighed, obviously his plans of calm-talking the prince did not work.

"But I can't. I'm not ready to marry the princess. I'm not ready to be King." Alas argued.

"Why don't you give him time to decide what he wants for himself?" Before I could stop myself, I blurted the question out of my mouth. I heard my name being screamed, and I had no doubt it was my mother.

"A woman speaking in the presence of a man? Who are you, little one?" Lord Benley looked up at me and motioned for me to come down the stairs. Once I reached the bottom of our wooden staircase, I curtsied and bowed down my head.

"My name is Emrose, your grace." I dared not to look up before he talked to me.

"What brave little mouth you have. I find it hard to believe peasants raised you. I am quite certain even with limited resources and funds, peasants know when to shut up." Lord Benley said, with disgust in his tone of voice.

"Enough, Lord Benley." Alas came to my rescue. "She is the reason why I am alive today. She saved my life. Show some respect to the person and her family who saved the country's future king."

Everyone kept quiet and I continued looking down. It was a mere few seconds before Lord Benley finally spoke, "Very well then young lady. Ethandun owes a debt to you, for saving the prince. Please rise."

I finally rose and tried to look at Lord Benley, "It was my pleasure, your grace. Anything for the prince." I tried my best to muster the perfect words, so they could finally leave my house and save my family from this unnecessary trouble.

"Anything, Rose?" I regret looking at Alas's direction and I regret seeing his smirking face again.

I can't believe he picked this time to get back at me for slapping him earlier. Could this day get any worse?...