The King's Crown by Gavin Johnson (reading fiction .TXT) 📖

Isabella was running. Her small, dirty feet made imperfect imprints in the dirt, and the cold air made it hard to breath. Yet she kept running, she had to. “After her, after that thief,” the head knight shouted behind her. Her blisters ripped open, and then new ones formed, as the king’s knights readied their weapons. “Ready, aim,” the head knight instructed. Isabella dared not to look back. “Fire!” WHOOSH! About a dozen arrows swished past her head. She gripped the food bags even tighter. Suddenly, as if it looked like she was about to make it, the head knight, who apparently was clad in black, threw an over sized tweed bag over her. That’s all she remembered before....

“ISABELLA!” her master exclaimed. “Pay attention!” Isabella was a servant in the kingdom of Ken-yang, and she hated it! Her clothes were torn, her hair was scraggly, and her face was black wit dirt! She always had that image in her brain, that horrible moment were her life officially turned upside down. The man in black took her here to the kingdom to become a servant, a low life servant. She hated her life, a tear trickled down her cheek. Life was going to be cruel for Isabella.

Not far from where Isabella was, another girl, a royal girl, was shunned from her family, into her room, which basically was a dark cellar, barely lit by an old candle. Her name was Claire. Unfortunately for her, she was, to her father, a mistake if you would. Well, when someone would visit the castle, they’d throw her in the dungeon, and pretend that they only had one, “Perfect” daughter. Well, She didn’t know why she was thrown in her so called “room”, but all she knew that she steamed the king pretty well. Which led to going up-or-down to her room. While moping in her room, she made a quick glance at the quite loose bars on her only bedroom window. She thought about her abusive mother, corruptive father, and show off sister, realizing that the only thing standing in her way for freedom was the bars in the window slot.

She leaped off the bed. Then ran to the window. She used her crudely carved stool to reach the window, and put her soft, fleshy hands on the cold and rusty bars. There were two of them, she readied for a challenge with breaking the bars, but was caught off guard when they gave easily, despite her weak arms and hands. They fell to the ground. Claire then returned her glance to the tiny, thin slot. Unfortunately, this would be the challenging part. She first put her hands and arms through the window. Gripping some frail grass on the outside, she squeezed her head out, (this took several minutes, yet she pushed through.) Her body was easier to get out due to her lack of meat on her bones. When she was officially out, she got up dusted herself off, and walked away, she didn’t look back once.

The kingdom, for Claire, was an amazing experience. She had never been out of the castle before. So many people. So many buildings, and food. When Claire got to the gates, she realized something, even if she could get through the gates, where would she go. Then, she saw something, it was on four legs. Had some hair and brown skin. Anyone who was blind could see that it was a horse. But since Claire was sheltered and cut off from society, she had no way of knowing that this was a horse. Yet, she had a feeling to get on the creature. Sneaking on the horse, she jumped on it, and slumped over it, which caught the horse by surprise, and freaked out. While poor Claire lay slumped over the wild beast. It crashed through the wooden gate, and made somewhat of a bee line towards the gate. One guard spotted this madness and ordered to the others, “Quick! Open the gates, and get this crazed horse out of the city!” “A horse, hmm, so that’s what these are called.” The gate doors open caused by a huge winch. The horse saw this and shook furiously to shake Claire off. Before the gates closed, a gruff voice blurted out, “Hey, that little witch stole me horse!” As the horse’s hoofs clumped through the dirt, Claire held on to the massive creature for dear life. Bumping up and down, Claire tried steering the horse, maybe even control the horse, and direct it. A lake approached them. Claire climbed, and pulled at the horse’s Maine, steering it to the lake, when they finally came up to the lake, Claire slid off, slamming into the ground, letting the beast fly off out of sight. And Claire passed out.

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
PRESENT DAY

Isabella was called into her master’s chambers. “Isabella,” her master said, “ It is almost time for my dinner, take the mule and go to the lake, I’m in the mood for a fish dinner. So Isabella was assigned to get fish for her master. So she packed the mule, and grabbed the finest fishing tools, and set out to for the two mile journey. At the lake, Isabella led the mule to the lake and unpacked the gear. The spear, bow and arrow, and he steady hands. Then, she saw Claire asleep on the edge of the lake. Piles of fish were near her, yet, only some meat was peeled off of them. Tip toeing toward Claire, Isabella gripped the spear tightly. She bent down, and lightly nudged her with the spear. Her nose twitched and breathed deeply. “She’s alive!” Isabella thought, her eyes wide in alarm. She poked her with the spear tip. Which caused Claire to snap her eyes wide open and shriek in surprise. “AIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!” she screamed.

Isabella dropped the spear, letting it clatter to the ground. “Sorry, sorry,” she said, trying to calm her down. “What are you dong out here anyway?” she asked. Claire sniffed, and meekly whispered, “I... I ran away,” “Oh,” Isabella replied. They both were silent for some time, until Isabella broke the silence by blurting out, “Can I come?” “What?” “Run away with you,” Claire was a little confused, she did not really like this girl, whoever she was, but she figured she could use someone to watch her back. So she agreed. “C’mon,” Isabella smiles, extending her hand, let’s get out of here. Claire smiled, and took it. She was helped on the mule, soon leaving their terrible lives, and the kingdom of Ken-yang far behind.

The girls soon came across the city of Beck. They needed supplies so they agreed on stopping here. Strapping the mule to a wooden post just out of the city, they both went inside. Meanwhile, Claire told her “sob” story, about everything, her corruptive father, her abusive mother, and her show off sister. She also said that she stole bags of silver pieces, two bags, which, for some reason I don’t know, are much more than they were worth. Finally, Isabella had enough of Claire stretching the truth.

“Okay, if those bags are really more then they are worth, and if you really are a secret daughter of the ruler of Ken-yang, go in that market, and buy me some food!” Isabella said, triumphantly. “Um, okay,” Claire said quietly. She shuffled into the market, she looked back, and Isabella gestured her in. Minutes later, Claire came out with four, two loafs of bread, and a pitcher of wine. Isabella’s eyes went huge! “Maybe she really was telling the truth!” Isabella thought. Suddenly, a huge smelly, greasy, man approached them, with a slender sword, pointing it right at them!

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
Isabella turned, and was puzzled at this man who stood before them, then the man exclaimed, “Isabella? Is that my little Izzy?” Isabella was confused,then blinked once, then twice, then it hit her. “Uncle? Uncle Ernesto?” She gave him a hug, squeezing him tight. Uncle Ernesto owned a blacksmith shop here, and he’d stop by the kingdom for new prodigies, and see his favorite niece of course. Even though Ernesto was sweaty, greasy, and smelled like day old poop, Isabella did not care, she was just happy to see her uncle. “Why don’t you come to my shop, get of ya feet,” Ernesto offered.

“Thanks uncle Ernesto,” Isabella smiled. Ernesto returned the smile and took the food. At the shop, Isabella and Claire sat on the dirty floor, eating the biscuits and bread, and forcing the wine down, after they ate, Isabella stared at this boy hammering away at a sword. Isabella started chewing her nails (A bad habit of hers) and continued to stare at this boy. Soon, his gaze met with her’s, and his mouth fell agape, and his toothpick fell to the ground with a ‘pink!’

Jack “the joker” was a failed jester court reduced to a blacksmith. Another boy, John, had known him his whole life. John was Ernesto’s other apprentice, Unlike Jack though, John is not shy around beautiful girls. John walked right up to them and introduced himself. “Hey, I’m John,” he said, his voice was powerful, big, and confident. “Oh, and that’s Jack over there,” he said, jabbing his thumb in the direction Jack was. John wore long, thick trousers, with metal boots, chest armor, under shirt, shoulder and shin pads, gloves, and a long torn robe, with a hood and sword. Jack wore a tank top, pants, and boots.

Jack finally worked up the courage to ask Isabella, “Hey, um, Isabella, uh, how come, uh, you don’t have any shoes? Doh!” He then slapped his forehead for asking a dumb question. Isabella giggled. But before she could answer, a robber burst through the door, and shouted, “Alright, get, your hands up, and give me all yer money, Or I’ll kill ya!” He then pointed a sword at Uncle Ernesto.