The Princess & The Thief

Chapter 13-The Thrill Of Rule Breaking

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"All my friends say you're dangerous, but I don't fucking care,"
"'Cause there's something about it that brings me to life,"
"Yeah, I know all the consequences, I don't mind,"
"This holy redemption tears us in two,"
"But I can't turn my back to you..."
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Julie's POV

Julie ducked behind a tree, avoiding the wary glance Luke cast around the woods before pulling back a layer of vines coating the property wall. Overhead was a canopy of abundant leaves, the full moon shining through breaks in the branches, showing her the gap in the wall he'd just exposed.

Julie shouldn't have been surprised, of course Luke already knew of an exit that she didn't.

She hesitated as he slipped through the wall, fighting her instinct to call out and drag his ass back to the castle. She knew she should threaten him with his probation, report him even, but breaking the trust of what she considered to be a friend was distasteful enough to cast justice to the side. Especially when she didn't know exactly why he was breaking a major rule. What if he was in trouble?

Sneaking up to the stone structure she peered through the vines, spotting no sign of Luke on the other side. She could either return to the castle and report him, cover for him, or follow him and risk huge punishments for the both of them. If she was going to make a decision she needed to do it fast, or else she'd lose her chance.

Julie threw a glance over her shoulder, finding no one, and climbed through the wall.

Emerging from the crumbling, rocky depths, Julie dropped into a low stance, creeping along the shadow of the wall. If she simply stayed out of sight and followed Luke to make sure he was safe, then she could go back to the castle and keep quiet with a clean conscience.

Her senses were dialed up to ten as she searched for him, the calm but eery silence of the woods putting her on edge. Julie felt like there should've been something to pick up on, a noise or trail, but he'd disappeared into the shadows. And she was alone, outside the castle wall, which she'd never been before. Fear was beginning to take a hold on her chest.

"Wow," Luke stepped out from behind a tree, "you actually did leave."

Julie jumped, stifling a scream. Luke laughed, which was so goofy and startling that if Julie wasn't so indignant from being caught it would've been immediately contagious.

Discarding her curiosity of how he'd caught her, Julie pointed an accusing finger, whisper-yelling, "Don't scare me like that again! And if you knew I was following you why would you still sneak out?"

Somewhat composing himself, Luke leveled her an amused stare. "This castle is suffocating me princess, I need a night where I can be free and not have my every move watched." He crossed his arms, "and before you bother with threatening me, I also know that even if I'm breaking several rules right now you won't tell anyone. Or try to stop me for that matter."

Well wasn't someone smug. "Hah, yeah right!"

"You're not petty Julie, you're loyal, and most of all, you're curious. You'd rather come with me and see what the night life is like..." Luke sidled up behind her, turning her attention to the golden town lights in the distance, "so carefree and exciting, nobody telling you what to do."

Julie looked at him over her shoulder, an eyebrow raised. "You are a bad influence."

A broad, beautiful grin broke his face, the kind of grin that lit up the night around them. The kind that she had no chance of saying no to. When he spoke with his selling enthusiasm Julie knew it was over.