Diamondlot

The Princess and the Rogue

Upon entering the lodge, they were greeted by Merchant Shawn yet again but like their second encounter, he took on a slightly different persona. “Hi welcome to Para-Docks Lodging, how may I be of service to you?” he asked. “Okay we get it, we already know you are merchant Shawn. Could you stop now?” Jiyah sighed. “Oh you must be talking about my brother Sean! Or was it my other brother Shawn? I’m Shaun by the way nice to meet you!” He said with joy. Jiyah just gave up and played along. As Reina was paying the merchant the money, Nadya saw the same two men from the theatres enter into the lodge. More confident about her hunch now, she quickly rushed Jiyah and Reina to their room to hide from the suspicious men.

She hurried them up the stairs and then once Reina and Jiyah were in the room, Nadya slammed the door and locked it tightly. She then surveyed the room, making sure nobody was spying on them before sitting down to talk.

Reina: What’s wrong Nadya?

Jiyah: Yeah you've been acting strange ever since the theatre. Well stranger than your usual self.

Nadya: Like I was trying to tell you before Jiyah, there are a couple of weirdos following us. I think they are looking for Reina.

Jiyah: What? You are overreacting!

Nadya: But what if I’m not? Look, after what happened in the arena, we can’t rule it out.

Jiyah: Okay, you do have a point. Geez, what did you do Reina to attract so much attention to yourself?

Reina: Haha… Well… That’s a bit of a long story, maybe next time...

Nadya: Reina, I know you aren’t a fan of sharing but we are your bodyguards but we can only protect you best when we know what we are dealing against. Could you please tell us anything that might help?

Reina: Sigh… Okay here goes. Are either of you familiar with the rumors about the princess of the west kingdom?

Jiyah: Oh boy, a story about a spoiled rich kid? No thank you.

Nadya: Jiyah!

Jiyah: I’m just kidding, slightly.

Nadya: I heard news about it from my hometown. Some say that the princess was captured, not by the dark forces but some deceptive rogue. Wait, you are a rogue, you couldn’t be...

Jiyah: Whoa, Reina did you kidnap the princess from the kingdom of the west?! I’m sorry I ever doubted your skills as a rogue! Respect!

Reina: No no! I didn’t apprehend the princess!

Jiyah: Oh, I take back the respect then.

Nadya: Then why are there so many royal guards and people after you?

Reina: sigh, it's because I know where the princess is.

Jiyah + Nadya: What?!?! You do?!?!

Reina: Back in the Kingdom, I was just a normal girl just playing out in the streets. One day as I was out and about in the marketplace, I noticed a girl wearing a cloak trying to conceal her face from everyone else. I didn’t think much of it at first until I heard the guards yelling and chasing after her. You both might remember them, Ranak and Aaryav, you had a run in with them back at the tavern. She began to scurry away from them but she wasn’t very quick. I felt bad for her so I decided to help her by guiding her through the alleys through our town.

Because I knew the streets and hidden pathways pretty well, we were able to elude the guards. She was very thankful and appreciative of me helping her and I had no idea who she was at the time. I made a promise to her that I wouldn’t tell anyone where she was and I began showing her around the town. We had a great time together and became great friends in a short span of time but eventually she told me that I would not be safe the longer I hung around her.

She told me that she was the princess of the Kingdom and she fled the castle because she didn’t just want to be helpless letting everyone protect her. So she told me she was going to travel out to the North where she could find help to combat against the dark forces. I wanted to go with her and she agreed.

Nadya: So then how come the princess isn’t with you now?

Reina: After we agreed, she told me to go grab her some more of her favorite food in the market place before we head out. I went to get some but when I returned to our hiding place, she vanished. All that was left was a stash of money and a note she wrote. In the letter, she thanked me for helping her and guiding her through the town but she couldn’t bear to risk my life anymore. So I was left with a bunch of money and a lost friend.

Jiyah: Sheesh, what a royal pain. It's okay Reina, you got us now!

Nadya: But that still doesn’t explain why you left the Kingdom of the West.

Reina: Nothing was the same after that day. As I began to wander around the town again I saw wanted postings with my portrait on them. I had to start wearing a cloak over my head to cover my face to avoid people from recognizing me. Whenever I had a run in with the guards again they would begin chasing me down and calling me many things, rogue seemed to be the one that stuck the most. So I eventually fled the kingdom and found myself with the both of you.

Nadya: I see, well that explains how you got so much money.

Jiyah: Yeah, and your lack of rogue skills.

(Nadya elbows Jiyah)

Reina: I’m sorry for keeping this from you this whole time! I would understand if you both didn’t want to guard me anymore.

Nadya: Well I lost the coin toss, and I do not go back on my word. So I guess we are stuck together. Jiyah?

Jiyah: I don’t like most people. But you two are bearable, so I will stay.

Reina: You two are awesome. *sniff* (holding back her tears)

Jiyah: Just for the record, I’m only staying cause I wouldn’t be able to stand you saying that Nadya was a better bodyguard than me!

As they were wrapping up their conversations, there was a knock at their front door. “Lodging service, we have your food delivered!” said a voice from outside the room. Jiyah was excited as she was hungry after a long conversation. Reina was up and ready to get her money to pay for the food but Nadya interrupted their excitement. “Wait a minute, there is no food delivery service at this lodge.” Nadya stopped Jiyah and Reina, then she slowly inched towards the door, placing her ear against it. By doing so, she was about to hear what was going on outside.

She could hear two people standing outside having a conversation with each other. Both of them were clearly male and they were talking about how they shouldn’t have knocked on the door. One was saying that the food delivery service was a dumb idea. While the other one was being defensive for having his idea being criticized.

After a while, Nadya heard all she needed to hear from them. One of them said, “Alright forget it, if they don’t answer or open the door in two minutes we are busting in and taking the rogue by force!

“We got to leave now! No time to explain!” Nadya said with urgency. Reina was confused but she knew better than to question Nadya at this point. They gathered what they needed quickly but were limited on their options of escaping. The front door could be an option but they didn’t know anything about the people on the other side of the door. A fight would not have been in their best interest. Without much of an option, Nadya and Jiyah began to plan out and strategize how they would best surprise their ‘guests’ when they enter through the door. As Reina was looking around, she saw the window in the room and spoke up, “Change of plans everyone! I have an idea!”

The two boys from the outside of the room bashed the door down with their brute strength. They were very strong and in their teenage years. One had a halberd for his weapon, while the other one was carrying two maces. They both stepped into the room expecting to find the three girls hiding but as they searched the place, but couldn’t find them.

“Where could they have gone?” One of them asked. As they were standing there thinking, they felt the cold wind blowing from the window. One of them went to close it and that was when he saw a long line of blankets and bed sheets coiled up into a rope leading all the way down to the ground.