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| - Logan sat at the royal breakfast table, across from a man in a white suit. "It is a bit strange to have you over at my place for once father." Logan commented as he broke into his poached egg. The man in the suit took a drink of hot tea and then smiled. "Yes, it is a bit of a downsize from my usual accommodations, but I suppose it will have to do." The two men laughed at the joke. "So, tell me my boy, what seems to be the problem? I had a distraught young man deliver my butler a rather disturbing letter this morning. It stated that you needed to speak to me immediately." "Yes. It's about your daughter." Logan swallowed the bite of egg that was in his mouth. The other man seemed to freeze at the mention of Victoria. "Logan, I have told you that I can't-" "Its not like that. She ran away again, Reaver." Logan replied. Reaver chucked and then reached for an apple from across the table. "That's my girl. Where did she go this time?" "She crashed the ball last night." The king explained. "Which you didn't even have the etiquette to invite your own father to as I recall." Reaver grinned mischievously. Logan shot him an annoyed look. "If you and Victoria had happened to run across each other last night in front of a thousand people, the outcome would have been a disaster. Not that it went all that well anyway..." "Please, do tell." Reaver leaned forward, intrigued. Logan let a heavy sigh leave his lips before continuing. "She said that she didn't want to be the princess anymore, or my sister, and she broke out of the window and left. We had her quarters searched and found her satchel missing. Her maidservant is being interrogated as we speak, in case she knows anything." Logan explained. Reaver nodded, noticeably growing concerned. "I see. So she seems to be a bit more serious this time around. But what is it that I can do for you in that regard?'" Logan took a long pause, then he bravely spoke. "Don't you think that its high time that the two of you met?" Why have you been avoiding Victoria all this time?" "It's for her own good. If she knew her father was the evil tycoon ruler of Reaver Industries, how do you think that would go over?" Reaver replied. "Is that the real reason that you never attempted to see her? I don't buy it, your her father, she would love to see you, she used to ask about you all the time you know." Logan questioned firmly. Reaver sat straight up in the chair and looked at his son. "You think that I don't want to see my own daughter? Don't you think that I feel bad about that!? I think about her everyday, but the fact is that I have to protect her from-" "-Knowing the truth? About you? About mother? Is that it?" Logan asked again. Reaver stood. "Yes." Reaver answered solemnly and motioned for the nearest maid. Logan stood as well. "Father, please. She is a grown woman, she's old enough to hear the truth, keep that in mind." Logan cried out after his father. Reaver took his coat, gloves and hat from the blushing maid. Then he turned to Logan. "I have some work down at Industrial, if your majesty would please excuse me, I'll be on my way." Reaver turned to leave, but Logan snapped his fingers and three guards advanced on Reaver and prevented his departing. Reaver glared at Logan, as a dark smile parted across his lips. "Is this any way to treat your father? Is it really that important for you to break your sister's heart?" "She needs to hear the truth. I constantly worry about her, because not only does she keep running away, but she wants to become an outlaw." Logan spoke with a serious tone. "Well, she's welcome to, she is her own person is she not? And if she's anything like your mother and I, she'd be an awesome crackshot. A highwayman perhaps?" Reaver purred. Logan frowned. "You would approve of that?" "I used to be a pirate my dear lad, I would approve of nearly anything that girl wanted to do with her life." "You need and will speak to her, or else Reaver." Logan spoke calmly. Reaver grinned at his son. "Or else, what?" The guards advanced, their swords drawn. "Or else, I am afraid that I will have to find someone else to run Bowerstone Industrial for a long, long time." Logan replied. Reaver looked around at the guards and then to his son. "Oh, alright. I suppose that I will have to oblige. But just don't blame me for the outcome." Reaver snarled. Logan lowered his hand, and the guards stepped away and sheathed their swords. "Good. I shall make the arrangements for your get together. Finding Victoria will be easy enough, I will send for you at your manor the second that she is back at the castle." Logan instructed. Reaver tipped his hat and then turned and started to exit the grand dining hall. But before he left, he sent one last grin Logan's way and added. "Thank you for the rather...interesting breakfast by the way. Toodle-loo." Logan sat back down as soon as he heard the door slam. He rubbed his sore temples, worried about his little sister, and embarrassed by the ball that she had ruined the other night. The poor boy that he had engaged Victoria to had turned down the opportunity after being punched by the princess. And the other nobles had caused an uproar and left the ballroom en masse. Now, this rather emotional visit with his father had left him drained. Suddenly a guard came in, pushing a maid along with him. "Your majesty! The maidservant was interrogated, but she refused to give any information regarding Princess Victoria's whereabouts." The guard told him, and pushed Andrea down to Logan's feet. Logan looked her over and then spoke low and firm. "I will give you one last chance. Where is Victoria?" He questioned Andrea. Andrea looked at him from her bloodshot eyes and cried. "I really don't know. She didn't tell me where she was going. Just that she wasn't coming back." Andrea replied. Logan stroked his chin and then looked up to the guard. "Escort miss Sealoski to her chambers. She doesn't know anything." The guard nodded and then dragged Andrea away. Logan looked out the castle window and sighed. "Where have you gotten off to this time?" He murmured aloud. Victoria awoke in the dirty alley where she had cried herself to sleep. She awoke next to Daisy, and moaned at the pain that still inhibited her arm from last nights daring escape. She opened her satchel and drained the last of her potions, before changing the cloth tied around the wound. Daisy sat up and yawned before scampering over to her owner. Victoria patted her good morning. "Come on, we need to get out of town quick. Maybe that bandit leader still wants to talk to me." She spoke to Daisy as she got to her feet. Without a disguise, getting out of Bowerstone was going to be difficult, if not impossible, but she had to try. The young woman decided to trace the back alleys in order to avoid guards and other people as well. With any luck, she would be out of the city by nightfall. As she slinked around the back end of the Bowerstone tavern, she noticed a young man having a drink just inside. It was the same fellow that Victoria had met yesterday, Ben Finn, and he appeared to be writing something. Victoria lightly tapped on the glass to get his attention. Ben looked up from what he was writing and jumped at the sight of the princess. He stood up and exited the back door where she was standing. Ben gave Victoria a clever smile. "Well, well, well! How are you today Victoria?" Ben asked. "Not too well actually." It was then that Ben noticed the ripped cloth covering Victoria's arm. Then he noticed the rest of her. On their first meeting, Ben Finn had thought Victoria pretty, but he had no idea just how beautiful she actually was. With her blonde hair flowing gracefully down her shoulders and the elegant blue gown, although torn in some places, she was more than pretty. She was downright breathtaking. Ben continued to marvel at her beauty. "Wow! Did you just come from a party or something? You look amazing!" He commented. "Something like that." Victoria replied. Ben could sense the sadness in her voice. "Hey, do you wanna come and have breakfast with me? I'm always up for a little company." Victoria shook her head to Ben's dismay. "I really can't. I have to get going." Ben Finn stepped back and crooked and eyebrow, smiling his usual grin the whole time. "Uh-huh, I think I see whats really going on here...Your trying to be polite about it, but to be blunt, its coming across pretty cold." "What are you talking about?" Victoria asked, remembering why she had found the young man annoying in the first place. "You keep saying that your busy and all, but what your really saying is, get lost Finn! I don't like you!" Victoria's eyes widened. "I never said that I didn't like you, I really have been busy." "Ahh! See? Now we're getting somewhere. Alright, if you really have been busy, prove it." Ben grinned and awaited her reply. Victoria sighed and then looked down. "I'm actually trying to run away from home." "Well why didn't you just say so? I know how to keep a low profile, perhaps I could help you." "That won't really be necessary. I've got it all worked out." Victoria snapped. Ben took another amused glance at the girl standing before him. "Oh I can see that. If you keep wandering around the back alleys you'll never get out of town until late next week. If your running away, don't you suppose that you ought to do it as quickly as possible?" Ben asked, a touch of sarcasm on his tone. "Why would you want to help me anyway? We've just met." "I'm just a sucker for a dame in need I suppose." "First of all, I'm no dame. Second of all, I'm not in distress, and thirdly, is that helpful attitude of yours just there because your a soldier?" "It has nothing to do with me being a soldier, because I'm not anymore." Ben replied sadly. "Then why are you dressed as one?" The princess asked. "You have your secrets and I'll have mine ok?" The usually happy Ben Finn snapped at Victoria's question. Victoria decided to step down. "Fine. If your not a soldier then I suppose I could use your help in getting to Mistpeak." "Alright, let me just grab something from inside and we can be on our way. Sure you don't want anything to eat before we go?" He asked. "I'm not really all that hungry." Victoria replied. There was a knot in her stomach after the events of last night. Try as she might, she just couldn't shake the scene at the royal ball, the look on her older brothers face when she told him that she didn't want to be a princess anymore. Daisy lept gaily up on Ben as he reemerged out the back door, while carrying a small piece of folded paper. "Hey girl! Good to see you again." He rubbed Daisy's face vigorously. Victoria cleared her throat, getting Ben's attention. "Oh yes! Shall we?" He motioned for the princess to follow and Victoria fell in behind the young man. The two walked for a while, still following the back alleys, until they reached the end of one. Victoria looked at the brick wall with disdain. "It's a dead end. You sure that you've ever helped a dame run away before?" She asked. Ben was firmly pressing at each of the bricks along the wall, and spoke with his back to her. Victoria then noticed his cutlass and riffle, both looked well used, but still shone brightly. Her hand instinctively graced the outline of her own cutlass, thicker and more barbaric-looking by comparison. "Nope, first time actually. But I have helped dames before, just not in terms of escape. Other things." Ben replied as his hands continued to press upon different bricks. "What are you doing by the way? Shouldn't we backtrack to another alley, one that doesn't have a dead end?" "This alley in fact, does not lead to a dead end, for your information." Ben spoke just as his hand pressed on the last brick. The wall rumbled and to Victoria's surprise, began to turn around on itself. A small door was then revealed. She looked at Ben who had a cocky expression on his face. "It leads in fact, to a secret passageway that we can now use to get you out of the city." Victoria smiled and followed Ben through. He really is quite clever, it's too bad that I couldn't have met him sooner. Ben pulled out a small golden Zippo and lit an old torch. He smiled at his female companion. "Are you ready to get to freedom?" He asked her. Victoria nodded. Victoria and Ben Finn continued through the dank cellar of the passage. Mice squeaked and scurried about in the dim light as the humans passed through their usually quiet domain. "So Ben? How did you know about this tunnel? You said that you would tell me." Victoria asked impatiently. Ben walked side by side with the roguish princess, with Daisy cautiously bringing up the rear. The small wolfdog disliked cavey areas, she was somewhat claustrophobic. Victoria patted her thigh lovingly for her companion, urging her on. "A little birdy told me about it. You see, I'm running away myself Victoria." He replied. "Why?" Victoria inquired. "Because I did something bad." "What did you do?" Victoria was puzzled by the vagueness of her new companions reply. "It doesn't matter really. Just something that I got in trouble for. I'm not a wanted crook or anything. So, how about you? Why is a pretty girl such as yourself running away?" "You know when we met yesterday, how you said that I had the same name as the princess of Albion?" Victoria started. "Yeah?" "That's because, I am the princess of Albion." Ben Finn stopped walking and whirled around, locking eyes with the young woman. "You are saying that YOU are Princess Victoria Remswood?!" He gasped. Victoria nodded sheepishly. Ben slapped himself upside the head. Idiot! And you wondered why she wasn't interested in you! He continued to stare at the princess. Ben had always liked feisty and lovely women, that was what had brought him into Bowerstone Industrial in the first place. It was common knowledge that tough girls and prostitutes frequented the area, and those were exactly the type women that Ben was after. He had always been under the firm impression that anyone higher up on the hierarchy was little more than a materialistic snob. Yet here before him stood the princess of his country, and she couldn't be farther from the stereotype. He finally managed to bow before her. Victoria blushed, embarrassed. "Hey! Don't do that!" She screeched. Ben got to his feet and crooked an eyebrow. "Why not? Your royalty aren't you?" "Not anymore. And even when I was, I always hated all the attention." Victoria informed. "What you mean by not anymore?" The young rogue asked her. "Last night I was forced by my brother to go to this stupid royal ball, where he tried to marry me off to this pouncy noble. I ended up punching my suitor in the face, and relinquished my title and ran." "Can you even do that? I mean, once royalty always royalty right?" Ben laughed warmly. "Its not funny! You of all people wouldn't understand anyway." "Hey, hey! I wasn't trying to poke fun, honest. Now, tell me why you are running away, and I promise I won't laugh." Ben reassured her. Victoria crossed her arms. "You have all the freedom you want right? You can go anywhere, see anything, do anything you want to do. I can't even leave the castle without an escort." Ben truly felt for the young woman before him. He hadn't thought much about the ways of the upper classes, but it made perfect sense. They would have to be confined to a life of luxury and strict rules, in order to preserve their elite role among the populous. It had to be even worse for a princess. "I can understand why you want to flee then. Belive me princess, I will do everything in my power to help you get your freedom." His warm words surprised Victoria. "Ben, I don't know how to thank you. This truly means a lot." "Aww, I'm sure you'll think of something..." He smiled suggestively. Victoria looked away. "Not a chance!" "I figured as much." Ben replied, his playful smile never leaving his lips. It seemed to Victoria that the young man liked mischief and trouble as much as she did. The way he teased her reminded the princess a bit of how she used to mess with Andrea. She had always had the upper hand in spouting witty remarks with her friend and even her brother. But this man seemed to be even quicker with jokes than she was. Victoria felt herself smile. "We'll be in Millfields shortly. This tunnel leads to an old warehouse just outside the monorail station." Ben instructed. "Great. From there, I'll take the monorail back to Mistpeak." Victoria explained. Within moments, a light flooded into the gloomy cavern. Victoria and Ben exited the passage along with Daisy, who graciously followed. The two rogues stared at each other for a moment, before the man broke the silence with a brief smile. "Well, this is it. I wish you luck on all your adventures. Here's to freedom!" Ben raised his hand in a friendly salute. "Thanks for all your help." "Pleasure's all mine m'lady." Ben smiled and winked at Victoria and gave Daisy one last tassle. "Take good care of her for me." A distant rumble signaled that the monorail had just made its way back to Mistpeak. It was time for Victoria to head back to the valley in order to talk to those bandits that she had originally wanted to join up with. Cutlass in tow, she knew that she would be a shoe-in. She watched as her newfound comrade walked back through the tunnel. Victoria felt a strange feeling inside her well up as she watched him grow smaller and smaller, until he completely disappeared into darkness. The princess changed back into her usual jeans and blouse when she was sure that he was gone. Victoria ripped the sash off of her ball gown and used it as a sort of kerchief to obscure her face and hair. She then decided that she should be going as well. As she exited the warehouse and emerged into Millfields, Victoria couldn't help but notice that the nobles were out and about, gossiping like crazy about her behavior at the ball last night. "Did you hear about Princess Victoria?" "She broke a perfectly good stained glass window, and hit a young man in the face!" "I heard that she's a murder too!" Victoria scoffed at their senseless nonsense, and continued to walk towards the monorail. She held her breath as she passed a guard, but her disguise worked to a tee. Victoria often thought that it was rather ridiculous that the guards never spotted her on account of Daisy, as her look remained the same. But then it dawned on her that very few people outside the castle even knew that Victoria had a dog. Daisy just continued to sniff the ground. Victoria smiled at her furry companion. "What are you doing girl? Sometimes your so weird..." As soon as Victoria said that, Daisy reared up like a little horse and rushed off, as fast as lightning. Victoria jumped at the sudden change in pace of her wolfdog. "Hey! Where are you going?!" Victoria cried as she rushed off after Daisy.
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