The Thief and The Princess (Xuxa_Rene)

He listed to her. "Yeah we all miss your dad, life was a lot easier, not easy, but easier. He rubbed his neck. "Forgive me for this, but does the queen know? Like does she know that we are suffering so?" He looked at her and sighed. He would never get someone like her, he looked at her and shook his head "Well its not right" He touched her hand lightly. "Has the princess talked to her mom about how she feels and marring the wrong man?"

"She knows and she has talked to her mother but nothing, she still thinks that the princess should marry that boy" she frowned and laid back staring at the ceiling and sighed. "If only I could find someone who is at least decent then this whole thing would be over and I could sort it all out, I hate seeing people like this and the guards are greedy with their control."

"Well he still needs to be royalty for the princess to marry doesn't he? He rubbed his chin. "That is going to be tough I mean many royalty are spoiled not by their fault but they grow up always been given all their wants and so on, they just get used to it" He sighed. "Some of the guards are real bad, and just are getting worse, but I will continue doing what I need to do so the people don't starve"

"Unfortunately" she frowned "Sometime I wish I wasn't a princess" she whispered softly and hugged her knees up to her chest. "and I know they're getting really bad recently another reason I ran away... one of the other maids was killed by one yesterday because she did something wrong it's just getting stupid now" she muttered

Alem reached over and held her hand. "If you were the princess you have a chance to change this all. He looked at her sadly. "I mean it takes just one voice. but the princess has power even if she doesn't know it. She can tell the queen how it is."

He frowned at the sound of the maid. "Oh my, then it really isn't safe for you there but here too" He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "What to do what to do"

"My point exactly, another aid helped me escape and she doesn't have power yet, the queen won't listen to a caged canary after all plus it's safer out here than in there" she shivered a little as her hand was held. "and it's fine I can find a way to stay here, if anyone asks if you knew who I was just deny it, just say you didn't really see me around here ok?" she whispered to him. "After all they need you here to look after them, I'll see what I can find out about the other men as well when I head back as well, partly since I'm rather curious myself plus I doubt this would be the only place involved" she sighed and then just laid back and looked to him "Enough all that I'll see if I can help out some of the others tomorrow with the cows and other animals"

He frowned "Surely the Queen knows of all of this, " He sighed. "Good thing you are not the princess for I could lose my head for that" He watched her closily and nodded "Well I am glad you are willing to lie" He knew that it was likely wouldn't matter but he would still protect her.

He squeezed her hands and sighed. "Okay I am sure there will be lots to do, why don't you get some sleep, Ill keep watch"

"You need to rest far more than I do, Alem, you're like an over protective father" she laughed and looked up to him as he still held her hand "don't forget to sleep as well ok?" she said it was dark already and she was tired so sleep was hard to resist but also needed to make sure he slept as well. Quick to rift off she wasn't easily disturbed as she rested quietly until the morning came.

"I sleep don't worry but you just get some sleep" He shrugged "I may be like a protective father, but someone has to" He froze "Sorry I didn't mean you, I just meant the kids here, it would be great if you could find out where the others went, I mean the older boys live in fear of the guards coming for them" He rubbed her hand then sighed. he went over to her and whispered "Good thing you are not the princess" He then chuckled and lifted her up then laid her down on the matress. "You might have some company soon, with the kids but we will see"

He then covered her gently and sat in the chair by the door. Suddenly the door brust open and 5 kids came running in he greated each by name and they all laid on the bed and looked at the woman then snuggled into her. "You smell like my mom did" One whispered.

Sayuri didn't quiet notice the kids until one spoke, smiling a little she moved the blanket to rest over them as well letting them snuggle into her as they all slept that night peacefully. In the morning when she woke up she smiled noticing the kids sill asleep and snuggled up to her "Wonder where the parents are" she whispered softly and tucked back some hair from one of their faces.

Alem sighed "That little girls mommy works at the palace" He sighed. "The others I don't know" He watched her with the kids and smiled "You are good at that" He then sat down in the chair and guarded. His body was tense and alert. There was a knock on the door followed by a soft call, he opened the door and a couple women came in. "They be doing the rounds again" He frowned and jumped up. He gathered the four eldest children and opened a trap door. "He turned to Sayuri "You better get in too, the guards might come in"

He would close the door once she was in and then he would wait for the guards to come in. They would do their rounds terrorize them a little but the children left were too young to be taken as brides or to where ever they took the men so he was confident that nothing major would happen, He turned to see if she had gone into the hole or had just locked the door with the kids in there.

Sayuri looked to him and frowned "I'll be fine out here, just hide them" she said to him and locked the door with the kids in and puled her hood up "A lot of those guards are idiots anyway" she smirked and waited she heard them all coming and looked outside "they sound drunk" she muttered turning to some of the other women there as the guards began their 'rounds'. One questioned came to mind though why hadn't Alem been taken as well. Before she locked the door though she made one of the other girls get in, she looked around the right age for a bride so hid her there as well "Don't worry you'll all be safe" she nodded and hide the trapdoor as well beforehand.

After she noticed some guards looking at her she shrank back in with the other women to keep hidden one of the younger kids staying with her making ti look like she was the girls mother which soon made them loose interest thinking she was too old. Partly since these soldier looked like young men around their early maybe late twenties at the most.

Alem saw Sayuri and only hoped that she knew what she was doing. He smiled at her description of the guards that was accurate. "They normally are, why do you think we hide the older children, they take them, have their way with them then the girls are forced to marry then"

Alem stood there as the guards came in. Prepared for anything. There was no telling what mood they were in today. They could just look around, or try to take one of the women to rape them or even beat Alem again. He held his breath waiting to see what would happen.

Sayuri frowned at what she heard "That's awful" she said really wanting to say something about it right that minute but didn't. Unfortunately she was picked out motioning for the child ot go to one of the other women before she was dragged forward "Eh, what a pretty face you have" he smirked and she tried to pull away from his grip. "Let me go" she said but was simply dragged forward but then pulling back again the other guards laughed "You picked a hard one, also we haven't seen you around before"
"I'm usually out tending what few crop we have bastards" she said clearly not impressed "Now then, let me go" she said, they clearly didn't recognise her as the princess so it was going to be difficult. Slapping the young guard got his attention "You will listen now let me go" she said before her hood was pulled back, even then they didn't stop.

Alem watched the woman and sighed. He watched as she was grabbed he walked up just was the hood was ripped off he walked quickly and pulled Sayuri back. "You can see we have nothing here" He smiled. "And she is a bit too old for you, beyond the child years" He was rewarded with a slap to the face. He winced and recoiled but then stood up again. "Let her go, you can have me again just leave her alone she is sick too, you don't want to catch peasant sickness do you? Alem hopped that this would work. He would get beaten and who knows what else but he had to keep Sayuri safe.

"She doesn't look it now without her hood on" said one laughing as she was pulled back they let her go eventually when they heard she was sick and looked to him "You again, why don't we take you to where the others are that place ought to straighten you out?" said one "But then it wouldn't be any fun around here" chuckled another. Sayuri turned to him and mouthed a sorry. "Well shall we take you back for another whipping, it's fun but I doubt it sorts the likes of you out" laughed another as they went to grab Alem. Sayuri frowned and slapped one of the guards instead
"You are nothing but a disrespectful guard I wonder why the king even let you become one with that attitude for aren't you supposed to protect the people not destroy them" she said furiously to the guards. a few more appeared and Sayuri pulled her hood up "He's a senior officer he knows my face so, I have to hide" she whispered, Alem meanwhile was being pulled to the ground and being beaten by the young guards.
"What's going on here?" asked one of them, at least this one had sense but the reason she was scared was because of a different reason, the prince was with him unfortunately.
They explained and he got of his horse and went to wards Sayuri and Alem, he could tell it was her from how she acted and looked to Alem giving a slight nod. "Look after her she seems rather 'ill' and as for you guards how about you actually get back to work?" he questioned and they were quick to hurry off and left Alem on the ground to which Sayuri went over and tried to help him up.

Alem's mind was racing he needed to protect all the women here, and Suyuri even though being caught with her meant his head he didn't want any harm to come to him. He barely recovered from the last beating and now he was going to have another. He smiled at her when she mouthed sorry. "Don't worry" he whispered.

He tried again to protect her when she slapped the guard's hand but was thrown to the ground and was being beat, he protected his vital organs but his face and arms were taking a bad beating. When it stopped he stood and put himself in between the guards and the princess.

He eyed the head guard he knew when she was recognized but the guard didn't seem to think anything of it. He nodded to the order. "Of course sir" He then painfully bowed to the prince. "Your highness" He said. His face was swollen already had black eyes and his lip was bleeding and same with his nose. He watched the other guards leave then turned to the head guard again a bit nervous on what was going to happen next.

The head guard asked the prince to go off a little and spoke "I know she wasn't kidnapped so don't worry, she has always wanted to go outside and looks like she finally did, so you really better look after her, when she wants to come back bring her back ok?" he said to Alem "I'll try and sort out those guards as well, see if some of the men can come back so you're not on you're own here too" the head guard looked fairly old, he was only a few years younger than her father and was like an uncle to her so eh could understand more than others. getting back on his horse he took the prince back and then Sayuri began tending to his bruises "You are too reckless" she said to him resting her forehead against his.

Alem nodded and spoke softly. "I did not know at first, but I didn't want to force her back either, she assumed I would to get the money, not a lot of good the money would do a street rat like me" He nodded "When she is ready I will bring her back, but how about I met up with you, then you could get the reward, I don't kneed anything"

Once he left he smiled at Sayuri "You like fussing over me don't you" He winced as she touched his eye "So how bad is it?"

"I can organise a different reward instead for you when you bring her back, anything you want really" he said before leaving. Sayuri blushed a little at what he first said "I-I can't help it" she said to him and then answered his next question "It's not too bad, the bruises will clear up in due time and your vitals seem ok at least, but we need something cold to put over the swollen areas" she sighed and brushed back small bits of his hair gently.

She smiled got him to try and rest for the day while he tried to help out with other work that needed to be done keeping herself hidden until the evening and went back to where he was supposed to be resting "you feeling better?" she asked softly and sat down on the mattress beside him.

The words of the Head guard was ringing in his head. He could ask for some of the women to be able to see their children. He wouldn't ask for money though. He then smiled to her. "Well you are good at it," He said softly he chucked "Hmm made you blush"

He let her guide her to lay down his head was spinning. He felt bad for sleeping but needed some sleep. He released the other kids then laid down and let himself sleep for a bit, after that talking too the guards should leave them alone for a bit.

When she came back he brought himself up on his elbows. "I am okay, and you?" He touched her face softly. "Got the info you were looking for?

Smiling softly when he touched her face she nodded "I'm ok" she said and relaxed a little where she sat "There;s loads to do around here, I was defiantly kept busy today" she smiled before making him move a little so she could lie down as well, she was exhausted and wanted her sleep now but also told him to stay put so that he could rest properly too.

Although Alem had slept most of the day the beating had really effected him. He watched her then sighed ."I know there is a lot to do, harder being the only man here" He watched her as she lied down, he was about to get up but instead he laid back down and opened his arms to offer her some comfort and warmth.

She smiled at him "I know, maybe some will come back though" she said to him and moved into his arms quiet happily "also you're nothing but a big softy aren't you and a teddy at that" she smiled looking up to him enjoying the warmth of another person next to her. "The guard is like an uncle to me, he knew it was me but he has sense and has urged me to head outside several times, he'll try to get some of the others to come back which means they're all alive at least" she said to him

He sighed "Yes that would be good, these women deserve to have their men back and the children need their dads" He raised an eyebrow at her next comment. "A big teddy bear huh?" He sighed and couldn't help but hold her. He winced at the weight on his ribs but then sighed. "I guess it is good your uncle found you, any one else it would have been bad"

He sighed "Get some sleep you worked too hard today"