Ain't No Princess Chapter 1

I sprinted silently into the alley and pressed myself against the wall, breathing heavily. I felt along my belt for my pouch. Good, it's still there! A horse ran by, a guard planted on top of it. They were looking for me. "RYDER! RYDER WAS IN MY HOUSE!" A woman yelled, running rampid through the streets, her nightgown billowing in the wind. I chuckled.

"Sheesh, lady. It was only a loaf," I whispered, looking down at the bread in my hands. I turned, stuffed the bread into my satchel and started to climb up the wall, finding easy finger holds.

I rolled onto the top of the building and stayed on my back, clutching my satchel to my chest. I turned my head and saw a Wanted: Dead Or Alive poster with my face plastered on it, and my lip turned up into a smirk. Right next to the poster was a picture of a baby saying 'Lost Princess, Stolen When she was born.' I rolled my eyes. They are still looking for her? She's probably off, dead somewhere, rotted to the core. A little baby skeleton, maybe even less then that. Maybe she's just a couple lose bones.

Okay, getting that image out of my head now. I rolled onto my hands and knees and crawled over to the picture. The girl's eyes glinted mischievously, like a little baby devil. I grinned. If I knew her, we would probably be good friends.

"Know somethin' about the Lost Princess?" a voice behind me asked.

I leaped to my feet and spun around, raising an eyebrow and turning on my signature Ryder-smirk. "No. I know nothing. There's no harm in studying a poster, now is there?"

"No, I would expect not," the boy copied my smirk exactly. No one can do that! "Of course, I'm not sure what to expect with you, Samantha Ryder."

My smirk melted into a scowl. "Don't call me Samantha, Pretty Boy! How do you know who I am?"

The boy motioned to the picture of me. "How could I not know the most infamous face in the kingdom?"

I growled, taking a step forward, my hand going protectively over my satchel. "You make a good point, Pretty Boy."

"So, Ryder, what's in that cute satchel of yours?" the boy asked, taking a step towards me.

"What's in that cute head of yours? A brain?" I leaned forward, pretending to inspect him. "Ah, just as I though." I pulled back, plastering my smirk back on my face. "Empty."

"None of your tricks are going to work on me, Ryder," he hissed.

"What tricks, Pretty Boy?" I put on my Innocent-Sam face, the one almost as cute as my Cute-Sam face.

"Not falling for that either, Sam Ryder. Don't even try flattery, flirting, bribing, mind tricks, or cuteness."

I groaned. What other choices do I have?!

"I gave you nothing left, Ryder. I know your tricks," he snorted, reading my mind. I pointed at him.

"That was creepy."

He shrugged. "I've been trained well."

I crossed my arms. "Trained?"

He laughed. "Oh, you must not know who I am, Ryder! My name's Seth Kyogen, son of the Captain of the Royal Guard."

"Ah, a Palace Kid! I knew I recognized that ugly face! You get it from your father!"

"I'm aware that you and my father don't get along-"

"Don't get ALONG?" I interrupted. "We don't 'GET ALONG'?! We DON'T GET ALONG more than you think, Palace Boy!"

Seth rolled his eyes. "I have a name, Ryder!"

"I absolutely hate your sweet old man, Pretty Boy! Let me guess, you're a goody two shoes?"

"Goody two shoes?"

"Follow the law, report people who don't, listen to the rules, don't have any FUN!"

"Is that your argument, Ryder?" he growled. I laughed.

"Who need an argument? I got the whole kingdom in the palm of my hand!"

"If you count everyone trying to arrest you as 'in the palm of your hand'."

"Don't start with me, Pretty Boy! Why are you here, anyway?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"The question is, why are you here?"

"I'm everywhere, Palace Boy."

"That makes no sense."

"I'm Sam Ryder. I don't make sense."

"I can tell you are just using on of your tricks on me, Ryder."

I stomped my foot, pouting. "What will it take you to LEAVE?!"