It was cold outside her tower. It had just rained. The cold damp grass was sticking to the bottom of her feet. Her long blond hair was lying on the ground being dragged behind her. Her hair had picked up some leaves and sticks, and she hoped that her “mother” wouldn’t notice she was gone till the next time she visited. She was wearing a long baby blue dress that had a ring at the bottom from where the dress touched the ground and got covered in mud and grass. Arianna had finally grown the guts to escape her awfle “Home”. It was about nine o-clock at night and she packed only a few things. For one she grabbed a few dresses and a couple of apples.
Arianna made it to the small village just a few miles away from her tower. She’d never been outside for the sixteen years she was locked up..or so she thought. She walked into the closest building. It had its lights on, and you could hear people talking inside. She walked in and looked around seeing the place full of people. It looked like a pub. Arianna had read plenty of books about pubs and this most definitely fit the description: Loud, smells funny, and full of people. She saw many people but the one man caught her eye, he had dark brown curly hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a white shirt and blue vest, grey jeans and boots. He also had a leather satchel over his left shoulder.
Seems like She must have caught his eye as well cause a moment later he walked up to her and smiled “ Hudson,” He said “ Hudson Ryder, most of my friends call my Ryder though,” he smiled and grabbed her hand, bent down and kissed her knuckles. Arianna stared strangely at the man as he came back up from kissing her hand. Ryder finally spoke, breaking the silence. “ You don’t look like you’re from around here? Am I right?” he asked, staring into her greyish blue eyes. She stared back but said nothing till the door closed behind her trapping her hair. “ Ouch!” She squealed tugging at her hair, trying to realise it from the doors grasp. Ryder opened the door and grabbed her hair. “ You need a haircut girl,” Ryder said laughing a little
“ I’m fine,” Arianna replied, “ I’m Arianna Everleen,” She said plucking some leaves out of her hair. Ryder stared at her with his mouth open then grabbed her arm and pulled her to the wall, making it look like they were in a deep conversation. “ Darling….Evergreen or Everleen?” He asked with his eyes full or worrie and hope.
“ I mean..I don’t know, I’ve heard Mother say my last name Evergreen for about the first ten years of my life then he changed it to Everleen,” Arianna said “ Why?”
Ryder's face lit up as a smile appeared on his face. He leaned in so close it almost felt like he was about to kiss her, but he went past her lips and went to her ear “ Princess?” he whispered
Heat rushed to her cheeks and she then smiled “ What?” She laughed “ You mean the missing princess?”
Ryder sighed and grabbed her hands “ who’s name just happens to be Arianna Hayels Evergreen?” The feeling of his hands on hers made her flinch, he then asked “ Could that just be a coincidence? I think not,” Arianna cocked her head to the ceiling trying to get some fresh air. He let go of her hands and leaned back “ Think...use your brain,” She looked into his eyes and thought for a minute. “ I don’t know?” She said “ I really should be getting back home,” She turned heading toward the door but just as she touched the door knob. Ryder grabbed her other hand and pulled her back “ Not so fast princess,” She tried breaking out of his inbreace, but his arms turned to iron around her. “ Stop calling me that!” She said just loud enough for him to hear but not too loud so she wouldn’t cause a scene. He loosened his grip so she could move but not enough for her to break out. “ Princess...calm down,”
His voice was calm, too calm that it sent a shiver down her spine. She took a few deep breaths, her breathing slowed down and she stood straight. Her feet cold on the concrete floor and a cool breath came through the open windows. “ I-I’m not a princess,” She said, lowering her head. Ryder hesitated for a moment then finally said something “ The Princess was kidnapped on the night of her third birthday, so she’s been missing for thirteen years and you look about sixteen and act like it too-,” Arianna interrupted him and added “ You’ve only known me for less than a hour,” she sighed and he let go of her. She stumbled back, quickly regaining her balance. “ Right, Well I was sixteen once,” he smiled “ Anyway, her name is Arianna Evergreen and she had or has her mother’s blond hair and her father's eyes...they ended up having another daughter, Ramona Arianna Evergreen ,” Ryder said taking a deep breath afterward.
Arianna ran her fingers through her hair, “ How old are you exactly?” she asked, trying to sound like nothing he just said made her feel gross inside. He stiffened up and then said “ Nineteen,” He sighed and took a seat at an empty table. Arianna joined him. “ Well now what...are you going to turn me in?” She asked.
He shook his head “ No...not yet at least,” his shoulders scrunched to his ears and he sighed, looking around the room. She followed his movement also looking around. She didn’t see anyone, but Ryder grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the back room. “ What-?”
Ryder Put a finger to his mouth and she quieted down. Leaned against the wall. She gathered up her hair and grabbed the remaining leaves. She started to braid her hair when Ryder peeked around the corner. She finally realised why he was hiding. Two men with rifles on their back and a tattoo on their forearm that read. “RPO001” and “RPO002”
“ Listen up people were looking for a thief,” the first one said The second one pulled a paper out of his pocket with a face, name, and bounty on it.
“ His name is Hudson Ryder,” The first one called. Everyone looked around trying to find Ryder who was sitting on the floor with his head in his hands. She walked from around the corner before Ryder could protest she asked “ What did he do?” Everyone turned their eyes on her. No one had ever spoken up before.
“ What was that-?” The second Man asked, reaching for his gun, but the other guard put up a hand, and he stopped.
“ Well...he stole a crown,” He said “ The Queens Crown,” The crowd gasped and looked at each other. Arianna nodded and looked at the ground. The eyes soon stopped staring at her, and she disappeared back behind the wall. And glared at Ryder, he looked up with an apologetic look on his face. She scanded him from head to toe, he most definitely didn’t seem like the person who would steal a crown. After what felt like an internaty she whispered “ Why?” He flashed a quick look at her before looking away. “ Money,” He replied “ I did it for the money,” She looked out the small window on the wall which Ryder was sitting against. “ Really?” She asked as her eyes kept moving from one place to another. “ Y-yes..well kinda,” he said “ It was also the princesses crown, or tiara,” She stopped, standing still she felt light headed and dizzy. She stumbled back and forth. “ Princess?” Ryder asked her to get up and walk over to her. “ I-I’m fine,” She said, feeling his hand on her back. Her breath quickened and she could feel her heart beating in her chest. All she could hear was Ryder's voice “ Stay with me princess,” He kept repeating that over and over then she straightened up and the dizziness left her. “ I-I’m fine,” She said moving away from Ryder. He nodded then opened the back door “ Lady’s first,” he smiled as Arianna walked through. Ryder and Arianna walked down the road till she finally spoke
“ Well where do we go now?” Ryder looked at her and shrugged “ I was staying at the Howlings...that bar we were just at, but now that I’m a wanted criminal I can’t go back,”
“ What did you do with it?” She asked him, he replied and sat down on the ground “ I kept it,” He said, pulling out of his satchel. It was golden with little rose-gold flowers that covered the front. “I-its gorgeous!” She exclaimed. He stood up and placed it on her head “ It’s yours,” He said. She smiled and tilted her head. The tira slid off and fell onto the damp grass. She picked it up and gave it back to Ryder who placed it in his satchel.
“ You remind me of a fairy tail,” Ryder said with a little laugh. Arianna looked at him and bit the inside of her bottom lip. “ What fairy tail?” She asked
Ryder looked at her then said “ Rapunzel,” She laughed “ Rapunzel?” Then she thought about it for a little. “ I guess...long hair, princess, thief as a friend, lives in a tower-,” Ryer cut her off with a laugh “ What? What's so funny?” She asked, placing her hands on her hips.
“ You live…,” He took a deep breath and stopped laughing “ in a tower?” She tilted her head “ Yes...what's your point?” He shook his head “ Nothing just well you live in a tower!”