From Prisoner to Princess

Chapter 36

“How many people are we sending to prison out of the two hundred and four people?” Taking the file from Arian, I sigh as I think about the many people being kept in the Dungeons and holding cells of the City Prison. It has been two weeks since the failed attempted assassination on me at the Ball my Grandparents hosted and in those two weeks Arian and his Shadow Guards managed to find information on more Traitors. This time, these people were part of the working class and many had been employed by the Nobles that supported Juden. This brought the total number of Traitors from one-hundred and fifty-seven to the current total. The only good news to all of this mess is the fact that there will be many jobs available throughout the Kingdom.

“A good one-hundred and twelve men and women will be sent to different prisons given the severity of their crimes. After that, the rest with less severe charges will be sent to the outer Province to live out their lives under Military control and working in the fields.” Arian answers, making me sigh with relief. It seems that even though they helped Juden, most of these listed crimes were new or very minor. Many will be in prison for five years; the rest will be there between ten to fifteen years. None of them seemed to deserve death. Yet.

There is still time before the public execution for more information to be gathered before transferring these prisoners.

“So where is Mother Hen at?” Arian teases, looking around for Sky. Groaning, I lean back in my chair and run my fingers through my hair.

“I told him either he resumed his duties and training or I am sending him five hours away to serve in the Army for a month.” Arian bursts out laughing at my frustrated confession, the man hunched over clutching his stomach. Five days after the failed assassination we returned to the Palace. Like I thought, Grandmama sent Millia and Clarice with me and the two Maids took control of my everyday essentials while focusing on regaining my strength. Sky being the worrywart he is, kept getting in Clarice’s way every time she would try to check my blood pressure and temperature, making sure no lasting side effects settled in from the poison.

On more than one occasion the feisty woman cussed Sky out, her prim and proper look seeming out of place with how she called Sky every curse word under the… well… sky. At one point, she pushed him out of the room and locked the door just as Max and Alice were walking by, their laughter heard past the closed door to where I sat at my bedroom desk.

Millia and I were left both dumbfounded and amused by this and once she was sure Sky learned his lesson in getting in the way and overly worrying about me after five hours of being locked out, Clarice let him back in and made him swear he would - as she put it- sit down and shut while she does her damned job.

Later that night Sky asked me if I could fire the sisters and send them back to my Grandmama but I shut that down, stating that not only are they great Maids, but also great assistants when working. Both ladies refused to leave my side unless one of the Violet Guards was with me and it made it easier to have someone with me at all times while the other went to run an errand for me within the Palace.

Right now Clarice is sitting on the sofa reading a book about herbal medicine while Millia left to grab us lunch and Sky thankfully was not hovering around me like a mother hen as the others call him. He reluctantly agreed to train with the Violet Guards while I stayed put in my study working on finishing up plans for revitalizing the Slums and bringing the people there out of poverty. This meant the Slum Lords there would need to be arrested and sent away somehow. Just this thought alone brings me a headache.

“Start transferring the prisoners that are facing the smallest of minor charges to their respectful prisons as well as those who are to be relocated to the Outer Provinces.” Tucking the sheets of paper he gave me into a file folder, I place them into a drawer of my desk before taking out another one. This one is labeled Lady Pricilla’s Prison for Troubled Women. A few days ago I had sent Alice dressed as a wealthy Lady looking to sponsor the prison with Alec and Adam, the latter happy to be on a recon mission while Ellisia had a few days off, to learn information about the prison. I also sent two of the Shadow Guards with her knowing this would be the only way to get them in and out without being noticed.

“Do we have any more information on who runs this hell hole?” I ask, handing the folder to Arian who takes a look and groans.

“Sadly, yes. One of the men tied to Juden owned it but we seized the deed and have transferred it into your name. Kolten and I were talking about ways to take control over it and stop the mistreatment of the Ladies of the Night.” I nearly spit out the sip of cola I took when Arian used the pseudonym for a prostitute, eyeing the Guard before me with amusement. He had grown up in the Slums like me so hearing someone from there describe sex workers as Ladies of the Night is something new and amusing, and I tell him so.

“Look, that word is vulgar.” He defends himself, arms raised in mock surrender. This sends me into a laughing fit as I take in the uncomfortable look on his face.

“We can schedule an inspection and set a plan in motion for ten days from now.” I suggest, pulling up my calendar on my tablet, a new device my Grandparents thought would be great to help me with scheduling meetings. So far it has been helpful.

“From there We can remove all the Prison Guards I remember being power-hungry assholes and remove any and all of Juden’s influence from there. The concept of the prison is a good one, but it needs a lot of improvement if it is to really help women.” Arian agrees instantly and we spend another ten minutes planning before Millia returns pushing a cart in front of her. The smell of food causes my stomach to grumble and I decide right then and there to end the meeting. I need to eat and then meet with an events co-ordinator as the Spring Parade is right around the corner and as the only royal left, I need to attend on a carriage and wave to the masses.

Arian stays for lunch, and the four of us talk about the parade and how it has lost its luster over the last fourteen years. Juden was too stingy to put money into creating a fun event for the people as the Spring Parade kicked off Nimairene's farming season.

This year, I plan to make it fun and memorable for the people. I will work with vendors who wish to sponsor the event and offer fun activities for the families and children of the Capital city. I made sure they knew this would include everyone—not just the Nobility, the rich, and the upper and middle class, but also the poor and the poverty-stricken people of the Slums.

They accepted this, which made me look highly on the ten businesses that came forward two days ago when the parade planning began. Word spread that this year would include a fair for all to enjoy free of charge courtesy of the Royal Family, and honestly, it really did not make a dent in the coffers, considering the mass amounts of wealth I have taken from those associated with Juden.

After lunch, Arian leaves, and within an hour the Event planner enters my Study, a smile on her round face. Her name is Laura Ross and she was the Spring Parade planner before the Rebellion. Juden fired her and hired one of his goons to do the job over the next fourteen years and I realized that if I wanted this parade to go well, I would need Laura.

We decided on the colour scheme this year, deciding to go with lavender, white, silver, and pastel green, and focus on what would be great to add to the parade. One thing I plan to have is the farmers being part of the parade like they were before, each float a representation of what they grow and provide the Kingdom. Laura loves the idea, agreeing that having them would show our appreciation to them, something that has been lost since Juden’s control. Of course, there are some things we consider like which animal farmers could bring live animals due to public safety and if they would participate in the fair as well.

After a few hours of planning, my Grandmama appears with Lidia, Daisy, and Harper, the three ladies rushing to my side and pulling me from my chair into hugs. Laura chuckles, greeting Lidia and my Grandmama, and the planning for my role in the parade begins. I would be the last to run the parade route, dressed in a ballgown and wearing the amethyst tiara that I love so much. The carriage will be an open carriage driven by the two large Clydesdale horses, both a beautiful white with flowing manes. They belong to my Grandparents promptly named Romeo and Juliet, the play the two performed in together when they were in school and fell in love with one another. I loved these horses the moment I saw them and when the I.V. was removed, my cousin Eathen started teaching me how to ride them.

“Just so you know, the gown has to have pockets so I can sneak sugar cubes to Romeo and Juliet and have children feed them too.” I shrug as I sip on my tea, Laura chuckling as she playfully pushes the bowl of sugar cubes to me, telling me to save them for the Clydesdale pair. Lidia makes a face but agrees right away, making me promise not to ruin her gown, which I promptly agree to.

My Grandmama tells us she plans to breed the two once more, saying that I can take this foal once they are weened and can train the foal to be my partner as all princesses should own a horse. As the planning comes to an end, I walk the ladies to the Palace entrance with Clarice and Millia trailing behind us.

After everyone is gone, I look out towards the city of Zalaris and wonder what would have happened had I not been caught and moved to the countryside like I wanted. What would the people go through. Sadness settles in me at the realization that as much as I love fighting for my birthright and reclaiming my memories, I will miss the life I had planned, a life of peace and quiet that I wanted so badly growing up in the Slums.

“Are you okay Princess?” Clarice asks, her concern shining in those light brown eyes of hers.

“I am not sure.” I whisper back, giving her what I hope is a reassuring smile. I rushed into this life as Princess Allisara Nimair of the Kingdom of Nimairene without thinking twice. I was so angry at what I had lost that I did not stop to think what I would lose. Taking a deep breath, I turn to head back into the Palace and pause. Sky stands in the doorway, his emerald eyes boring into my violet ones. Without a second thought, I walk into his arms and cry.

If there is one place I know I can be safe and let out what I am feeling inside, it is in his arms.