Seventy-Five

My father's housekeeper, whose name never stored in my memory, was a middle-aged male. He burst through the door, and the abductors pushed me forward.

"Look who decided to return to the nest. Princess Ashanti has graced us with her presence, though she needed a bit of... persuading," he said, his jaw slackened in shock, while the house helps behind him whispered among themselves. The housekeeper regained composure before speaking.

"The king has been quite clear about not wanting any disturbances. But this, this will certainly brighten his day. Good, take us to him, let him see the little runaway we brought home," one of the abductors instructed.

The housekeeper had the guts to smile at me and say, "Princess, we've missed you dearly, your return is—" My response was sharp. "In your miserable life, don't you ever use that term on me."

The poor guy was shocked at my response but remained quiet. Overhead, abductors laughed at my overreaction.

The closer we got to the study, the more my fe