September twenty seven, fourteen twenty.

Amity didn't want to get out of bed unless it was Luz of the Noceda family taking her out. For an hour after Amity awoke, she stayed by her door, making sure to kick anyone who wasn't Luz out. And eventually, she got the person she was expecting. "Princess?"

"Better not be an illusion or I'll kill the castor." Amity hissed

Luz paused, "I've come to take you to the city, Princess. Thanks to you checking my paper, the king allowed me to do much more.." Luz entered the room, kneeling down in front of the witch. "My Princess, I'm serious, I'm forever in your debt..Please allow me to take you to the city, and help you have fun."

Amity paused, tearing up, crawling over to Luz. She hugged the human, squeezing her, "..I'll allow you to join me Luz..Just please..Don't scare me like that again.."

Luz hesitated, sitting down, pulling Amity in to her lap, hugging the witch. "I make no promises my princess, but..Do you..Need a minute Princess..?"

Amity nodded slowly, "..Your armor hurts.."

"Get off for a second, and I'll make sure it's comfortable."

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"Princess..Princess it's time for lunch.." Luz gently shook Amity.

The witch nuzzled up in to the crook of Luz's neck, her ears slanting, "Be quiet.."

Luz moved Amity's hair back, "My Princess, the king requires your presence in the dining room..You need to go for lunch.."

Amity yawned, nuzzling Luz, "I said be quiet..Orders.."

Luz rubbed Amity's back, sighing, "I have to get you down..This is going to cost me my dignity, but I'll live.."

Amity wrapped her arms around Luz's neck, the human taking this as an extra pair of hands to help Amity stay close. Luz got out of bed, adjusting how she held Amity, going towards the door. She opened it with her foot, walking out of the room and leaving.

She went downstairs, Amity whining quietly about the bed shaking too much. Luz just quietly agreed, going towards the dining room, the door being opened for her. "The princess is sorry for being late, she won't let go and if I break the princess's orders, I'll be beheaded. So please excuse me this once."

The king watched silently as Luz sat Amity down on a chair, making sure the princess looked presentable. "Are you alright Princess?"

Amity smiled tiredly up at Luz, rubbing her eyes, "Popped corn was nice..Wasn't it..?"

Luz smiled slightly, "Yes Princess, the popped corn was nice. I'll be right back okay? I need to get in to uniform before continuing my shift."

Amity grabbed Luz's sleeve, tugging at it, "Orders..Stay here and wait for me to finish..You help..Me fall asleep.. Once done.."

"It's illegal to cosset or coddle the highness, even hugging you will get me fined." Luz pat Amity's head. "Please eat Princess, I'll figure something out while you eat."

Amity yawned, picking up her fork, holding on to Luz's sleeve, the guard standing properly by the princess. Both rulers stayed quiet when they ate, and eventually the king spoke up. "We were thinking about raising the rent on the shops." Alador uttered.

"Wait-- What?" Amity looked up at her father, waking up. "The shops are barely making the rent-- You want to raise it??"

Alador nodded, "Only the best make it, dear."

Luz tensed, Amity glancing up at her guard, "Luz, you're human."

"Yes Princess." Luz nodded.

"And you're from a lower class."

Luz paused. "Yes, Princess.."

"How did you get by before working here?" Amity asked.

Luz took a shallow breath, "I had to take multiple jobs, three jobs a day, fifteen jobs a week.." Luz hummed. "I worked overtime often, at one point, I hadn't seen my mother for a month, she almost forgot what I looked like."

"Was it hard?"

Luz nodded, "Harder than training. I would go through it again rather than burning myself out."

Amity pointed to Luz, "See?? It's hard to properly meet rent and do your job! We should tone it down, then maybe the people would be more loyal to us."

The king rose a brow, "That peasant proves nothing." He muttered. "Raise the rent or kick them out.

Luz chuckled, covering her mouth slightly to quiet her- "Pfft-" Nevermind.

The human laughed, Amity hushing her quietly, "Luz-- No laughing-"

"I'm sorry Princess-- Heh- If the king thinks he can raise the rent or kick the vendors out- He won't have any money--"

He slammed his hands on the table, getting up, "What do you mean, human?"

Luz cleared her throat, chucking a bit before passing it, "Rent is forty eight snails a week, is it not?"

"It is." The king muttered.

"When I worked, which was nearly two weeks ago. Daily, we'd get up to sixty snails a day. I'd only get seven as I was the only worker- But all of my bosses worked six out of seven days of the week, which totals to 360 snails a week, hm?"

"I'm following, Human." The king waved.

Luz nodded, "I'd only be allowed to work four days of the week, getting my twenty eight snails in all of my jobs. Which leaves my bosses with 332 snails. Subtracting the cost of the stand, it's needs like crops, wool to fix the roof, keeping up with health codes on a daily which requires a cleaning almost everyday.." Luz hummed. "Food for the home, rent for said home.."

"Wait, that's one week-" Amity cut her off. "332 would suffice for the week, what about the month?"

Luz used her fingertips to count up a cost, humming quietly. "1,992 snails a month. Again, removing all the costs for the stand itself, leaves them with less then 600 snails. Rent? Subtract about 300. Cost for water from the delivery? Subtract fifteen, not bad though, right? Still left with about 340 snails, maybe a little more."

"Right.." The king agreed.

"Remove three hundred." Luz hissed. "You need to buy groceries from workers who are barely making it by, but you're desperate for food, so bye bye goes the money. Left with forty five, for what? Savings. That's what vendors are making it by with, their savings goes to emergency use. My last boss, already ran out. He's in debt, now he's in prison. Is that fair to you, your majesty?"

Amity gently tugged at Luz's sleeve, hushing her. "Don't speak against the king Luz.."

The human, bless her heart, was about to keep going. "While you're up here, trying to keep a war from happening with the other kingdoms, signing papers, looking down on us peasants..We're dying, we want to fight against you, but we can't. We're weak, on the brink of death-"

The king walked over to Luz, the human glaring at him as he approached. "Push us too far.." Luz snarled. "And your empire falls.."

"Advisor?"

A witch rushed in, holding a notepad, standing by the king, "Sir?"

"I want you to go out in to the city with the lieutenant."

"Ah- Right now your majesty?"

The king nodded, "Make sure her words are true. Ask every vendor for their costs monthly."

The advisor bowed, rushing to a room by them, "Prince Edric, the king requires me to bring you with."

The prince exited the room, adjusting his glasses before deciding to take them off. "Jerbo, get the stallion ready."

The advisor nodded, "Right away Prince."

Amity got up, linking her arm around Luz's, "Excuse me king.." Amity said softly. "I've finished my meal, I'm going to train in my room."

The king drew back, "Don't you dare get naughty with the human- Amity- Amity look in to my eyes and say you won't do anything stupid with the human--" The king scampered to catch up, about to grab her shoulder before Luz blocked her.

"Don't touch the princess."

"I'm the king, and her father, you have no right to--"

"I said don't touch the princess." Luz hissed. "No one is allowed to touch the princess while I'm on on duty, only I am. I have to take every precaution to make sure she's safe, and I'll do it my way."

Amity tugged at Luz's sleeve, "Come on, I want to rest before dinner."

Luz glanced back at the princess, glaring at the king before following Amity up. "..Don't do anything naughty though Amity!!"

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"And the wizard! Luz- The wizard-"

"I'm paying attention Princess, please continue." Luz nodded.

Amity pointed back down to the wizard in her lap, "Zapped Azura-- And then- Poof!" Amity clapped. "She fell off the tower! Then Hecate zooms in-" Amity moved her hand quickly to hold her other. "And saves Azura who was unconscious!!"

"Wow." Luz awhed quietly, though it was sarcastic. "I haven't gotten to that part yet, Princess."

"You haven't?-"

Luz shook her head, "You still have the book. It's the only one in the country Princess."

Amity frowned, getting out of Luz's lap, sliding the book over to her. "Then read it."

"It's late Princess, the sun will be gone in a few minutes, my shift will be over."

Amity whined quietly, "Why aren't you full time Luz.."

"Because I have a family to care for." Luz pinched Amity's nose. "Will you send the paper after you have read it?" Luz asked.

Amity nodded, "I'll make adjustments if needed, thank you Luz."

"Thank you Amity. Princess- My apologies, it's still very difficult to refer to you as Princess. But thanks to you, I'll be able to save up a lot more to help my family..Please allow me to return the favor soon.."

"The day you die is when I'll count that as the favor being returned Luz," Amity began. "That is, if you die protecting me."

Luz nodded, getting out of bed, "I'll die for you Princess, I'll pay off my debt one way or another for you. But I have to go now Princess, my mother expects me home tonight for dinner."

Amity nodded, "Come early? And please make it home safe."

Luz bowed, taking Amity's hand, kissing her knuckles, "Goodnight Princess, I'll see you in the morning."

"Good, I dare not doubt you that you'd like to see this gorgeous beauty every day." Amity moved her left hand under her chin.

Luz nodded, "Don't doubt what I'll do to see such a jewel." Luz walked towards the door, opening it. "Goodnight Princess."

"Night Luz."

The guard bowed again before she left, closing the door, the lock clicking in place.

Tis the adventure continues.