Fan Fiction ❯ Two Sides of a Coin ❯ OutLaws ( Chapter 1 )

Two Sides of a Coin

`Chapter One - Out Laws`

Pale beams of morning light filter through the soft tresses of curtain silk. A gentle sigh filled the morning air. A woman, sitting alone at her vanity, staring blankly at the reflection she didn't seem to like. Brushing the golden tresses, over and over, in trance her deep green eyes seemed to be. The brush, once again waved through her silky locks. Setting down the onyx hairbrush, making a soft clatter in the silent air. "…So boring." She huffed, to herself crossing her arms and less than admiring the aqua gown she was wearing, least than proudly. Another voice filled her ears, causing her to sigh once more and head to her chamber door.

"Bethany!" The elder woman's call came through her now opened chamber door.

"Coming!" She called back, yes; it was time for the feast. The country was having a grand feast to welcome the prince from England. She scowled as she stared angrily down at the grayish floor tiles. Perfect, a prince, whom she would have to meet…

"Bethany, I want you to act nice to this new boy. You never seem to take on a girlish role." She came into view, the elder woman that called her name from before. She looked less than happy to see the princess approach. In her wrinkled hands was a crystal-jeweled tiara. "And you forgot your most important jewelry." She scolded, setting the piece up top her head.

"…So what, it'd not like I want to be here anyway." She mumbled, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"That is no way to act." She growled, staring down her daughter with her cold blue eyes. Soft tresses of gray and charcoal coming to rest on either sides of her withered face.

"…Sorry." She grumbled, setting her arms to her side, letting her hands fiddle with her expensive dress fabric.

"Now come along." She instructed, taking lead of the younger girl. "Remember, act like a classy lady. No daughter of mine will be like a commoner." She spat behind, but then held her head proud as they came into view of the feasting tables, and the many eyes of villagers and royal alike.

She glared at the back of her head, not caring the stares that were given as she walked behind the queen. She simply held her head low, and her arms once again grew cross. "Of course… Mother." She snarled, refusing to look up to the people of their town.

The queen dismissed her daughter's remark and took a seat next to the elder man sitting in the highest chair. And once she took seat near the left hand side, away from everyone to the dismay of the king and queen, he began to speak, "People of the village we are here to welcome, Prince Albert the Third, of England."

The court and people raised cheers, goblets, and glasses as well to the new arrival. The brunette stood, bowing gratefully to the people of this town. "I am glad to be here." He said, his tone different than what you'd expect from the thin young prince.

She rolled her eyes, a hand propping up her bored skull, 'Please, shut up, we know…' She thought, watching the palace guests with less than pleased eyes.

"Ah, but Lady Bethany is whom we are really here to congratulate, is she not?" He said silkily, sitting back into his seat. Setting the golden goblet aside and casting his steely gaze upon the woman at the far end of the oak table. She rolled her eyes notably this time, but he kept a cocky grin.

He father chimed in to this, "Ah, of course!" He raised a silver goblet as well, gathering cheers to go on. "My daughter here is to be wed to this fine Prince!"

And that's when her life crashed before her, stuttering she could barely contain her fury, "W-What?!"

"You are to be wed to me, my Princess." He replied, containing her question with a simple drink of his violet liquid.

"I-I!" She couldn't say another word as the elder queen also had words to spill. She had gotten up by now, her chair falling aside. If she were any other princess, she would wait; let this go until they weren't in public. But not, Bethany.

"Yes dear, isn't it lovely if you marry this fine boy." She said simply, finding no flaw in this plan, not even her daughter's happiness. A smirk rolled upon the lips of Albert as her mother continued, "You know your father and I are aging… We cannot beat the hands of dear father time. You are to be wed to him, by noontime tomorrow. To uphold the great justice, and peace of this kingdom." The crowd that was feasting broke in cheers once more at the sound of praise to their village. They didn't acknowledge the look upon the stunned girl's face, nor the scowl it turned into.

A normal woman would have cried, tried to re-do such a thing, but not her… "I refuse to marry that…That thing!" She pointed dramatically to him, looking as if he were a speck of dirt on a new white blouse.

"You have no choice." The king replied darkly, away from the ears of others. "No other prince wants you, and you can't refuse the life of our kingdom."

"That is right, my Princess." He said once more, his possessive manner stinging her ears.

"I am not your princess! I don't even know you…" She growled, slamming a fist upon the table, causing gasps form the 'audience'.
"You will get to know me, by noon tomorrow." He replied.

"That is correct, you will know him by then when the marriage starts." She said, glaring coldly at the poor girl.

"Mother!" She growled, instead of another slamming fist she leaped upon the oak wood table, "I will not marry him. Nor anyone else in this pathetic kingdom, this pathetic land!"

"I beg to differ!" The king growled, launching himself form his chair. The prince folded his arms upon the tabletop, looking to the princess, enraged and stomping.

"I severely doubt it." A sour and angry tone filled her voice and words. A clash of metal being unsheathed filled the now silent air. "I will not." She stated firmly once more, the sword drawn, the silver point set to the prince across the table.

"B-Bethany!" Her mother shouted, getting up, clasping her hands to her own pursed lips.

"I do nothing that you order me." She said, glaring him down. He didn't move, merely letting his grin grow colder.

"We will see." He spat to her, causing her to blink, taken aback.

"What?" The glint in his eyes, not something she ever wanted to see.

Forceful, strong hands clasped around her arms, she writhing to get free. "Take her to the dungeon, my daughter needs some solitude." She spoke coldly, watching as they yanked her from the table.

Her eyes were wide; her own parents were taking her away… To the dungeon. Her sword, taken roughly from her hand and left to linger upon the breakfast table. She watched, the prince took up her sword, waving it mockingly as a 'goodbye'. She growled, trying to get free once more, "Bastards! All of you!" She kicked, and flailed, nothing worked. She was taken from the eyes of everyone… To the darkest pit witch was the dungeon.

"Think in here." The guard replied, tossing her inside like a rag doll. She would have fell, but leapt before she fell upon her face to the cold cobblestones. "Quiet now." He ordered, slamming the door as quickly as she made it to it.

"Damn!" She growled, kicking the cold steel to no avail. She was trapped… Most likely until morning, when she was going to be married. She turned away from the onyx, laughing in her face. She walked away and slumped against the sidewall. Eyes glazed as she looked to the only barred window. It was known that the dungeon was underground. She could see the soft dirt of the market place outside. The hurried feet, everyone with there owns perfect lives, and somewhere to go. '…I hate being a princess.' She thought, but refused to let her sorrows spill from her eyes. She glared to the darkened floor now. Throwing the crystal tiara form her hair, letting it clatter upon the stone floor.

"Anyone in there?" The mocked voice called from above.

"Wha-, Yes someone is here! Who are you?" She called frantically, leaping to her feet and trying to peer out the small window.

And so the young maiden was met with eyes of pure ice. Their depths unleashing every emotion of the young boy before her own reflective optics of emerald. "Uh…I'm Trigger, and you? I wasn't really expecting a girl to be down here you see…" He mumbled.

She quirked a brow, a small smirk coming to her gentle painted lips. "Then who were you expecting. By the way, I'm Bethany." She said softly.

"Bethany? Princess Bethany?" He then remembered the other question he was asked, "Oh, my friend usually gets caught and thrown down here, I was just wondering if it may be him complaining and kicking and stuff." He immediately shut his mouth. "Not that you were out of line…Uh…Princess?"

"Don't call me that." She snapped, a heeled foot coming down upon her discarded tiara. The small shards of aqua glass flying every witch way around the dungeon room. "It's just Bethany if you like, and could you at all get me out of here?"

"Sure, it's easy, I bail Torike out all the time." He said, hands preoccupied with the bars on the window. "But, how did you get down here anyway?" He asked, casting a brief gaze to her as he yanked out two bars.

"Thanks." She smiled once again. "Long story, ends with a frog prince, you don't need to know."

"Alright, fair enough." He smirked, having pulled out all the bars. "Come to light, fair Bethany." He said in a 'high class' tone. Reaching his arms through the bars to help her through.

"Um…Trigger?" She mumbled, backing away from his outstretched arms. He propped himself to his side now, watching the streets to make sure he wouldn't get hit. He quirked a brow and nodded, issuing her to keep talking. "Could you get me a cloak, some traveling clothes as well…"

His face faulted, "…And how would I do that?" And then, a punch of money was tossed through the window. He quickly hid the full pouch of gold. "Eh!? You trust me with all this? …Fine I'll get you the clothes. I'll be back." He said after looking into her pleading eyes.

"Thank you." She said upon the wind as she watched him go. What seemed like minutes the male had returned, shoving the bundle of fabric in the open window. And so the scurried off to change.

"Everything fit?" He asked, half-interested. Looking back to the dungeon as he heard the soft pats of her feet upon the stones.

"Yeah." She said simply, coming to light to show the emerald cloak draped around her shoulders. The hood pulled to shield her face and identity. Under was a white peasant shirt as well as tan work pants, boots finishing off her petite figure. "Look like a commoner?"

"You'll blend right in…But, why do you want to leave royalty?" He asked, grabbing her at her elbows and dragging her through the open window. Setting the iron bars back in place and dusting himself off as he stood.

He shielded his own face now with his ebon cloak hood. Scruffy bangs of chocolate barely poking from the sides. "A long story I do not wish to retell."

"Well aren't you secretive." He smirked and began heading down the right path.

"Hey! Where are you going!" She shouted to him, running to catch up.

"…Hey, I got you out, that was all you wanted, right?" He said simply, shrugging and tucking his gloves hands in his pockets.

She looked down briefly, before regaining herself and hitting him hard on the back. "No! I need a comrade to get to the next town. Will you please…Accompany me, Trigger?"

"Uh…Why not?" He blinked, not expecting such a harsh blow from a 'Noble Lady'. He didn't show it, but inside that hurt him more than she'd know.

"Thank you, now will you help steal back my weapon?" She asked slyly.

"Steal back…What weapon?" He asked, quirking a brow and turning to the young mistress.

"…My sword…I'll tell you my story if I do." She smiled seductively, pleading with her bright green eyes.

"Sword?" It clicked the reasoning why she was able to harm him so well. "Where is it, exactly…?"

"In the castle." She said softly, still keeping his eyes, hoping he would crumble.

A/N:

The end! Chapter one done and more will be posted with the reviews I get… Not much of a cliffhanger but oh well. Until next time!