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“Fine, I get it,” I said.
I sighed, luggage in hand as I turned toward the palace grounds ahead of me. A few dozen guests were there, all of them standing in the gardens with drinks in hands, no one saying a word.
“Nothing to see here folks. Go back to enjoying your evening.”
My commanding tone did the job, the guests returning to their conversations, if not a bit awkwardly. I glanced over my shoulder to see the two guards formed up in front of the doors, as if prepared for me to try and burst back in.
I made my way down the steps, trying to figure out my next move. The palace had been my home for decades. In a way, it was myworld. The question of deciding where to live next was something I had a hard time even trying to process.
On top of it all, more clouds were gathering overhead. We’d had a brief respite from the downpour that had suddenly arrived, but it looked like that wasn’t going to last for long. Thunder boomed, the guests outside chatting among themselves in eager tones about making their way back inside.
Then there was the matter of Ava. Being banned from the palace meant that I’d never see her again. My heart ached at the idea, and I pushed it out of my mind as best I could. I’d have all the time in the world to mourn her now that I didn’t have a job.
The sky opened up, rain pouring down. The guests outside hurried back up the stairs, the guards opening the doors to let them back in.
“Hey, handsome!” A familiar voice called out to me.
I turned, greeted with the sweetest sight I could hope for.
“Ava! What on earth are you doing?”
A big grin on her face, she held up a pair of suitcases. “Flying the coop! Same as you!”
“Flying the… what?”
“Making a run for it!”
She hurried down the stairs and I noticed that she was still in her purple dress. The guests making their way inside stopped and stared, as if not able to believe that the princess they’d met only an hour or two ago was presently soaked to the bone and running off to God knows where.
“Alright!” she said once she was by my side. “How the hell do we get out of here?”
It was a good question.
“I know!” she said. “The royal garage!”
“What?” I asked. “Are you serious?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“I believe that would be considered grand theft auto.”
She shrugged. “I’m still the princess, remember? And if my father wants to throw me in the dungeon, let him try.”
“I don’t like this idea.”
“I like it a hell of a lot better than walking all the way to… where is it we’re going, anyway?”
“Good question. And if we’re going to be stealing a car, it might be one that’s better asked when we’re not standing in the soaking rain.”
Together, we hurried around the palace and into the garage.
“There!”
She hurried over to a Green Volkswagen Bug, an original model that was over fifty years old.
“Now, this is my style.”
I paused as she hurried over to the board with the keys, my eyes on the car.
