Bab 28: DAUGHTER OF A CONQUEROR
The people in the market watched the small group pass in awe. The news that the princess was in the market along with Orion's son had spread like bushfire and everyone had momentarily stopped their purchases in different parts of the market just to get a glimpse of the king's daughter.
They were a little disappointed when they saw that she had covered her face with her scarf but still rejoiced in their hearts for having a glimpse of her nonetheless. Even with her face covered, everybody could tell she was a beauty. Orion's son was already known by some of them so didn't garner much attention.
The guard who was disguised as a slave though (a.k.a Joda) got just as much attention as the princess.
"My, isn't he a young one?" One of the women asked another beside her.
"He sure is. Age isn't everything though. From what I hear, he's quite strong." The woman answered.
"Yes, he killed Alf." A man beside the two women informed them.
"Good riddance. That Merchant was a foul man. I won't be surprised if he tried to rape the princess in broad daylight." The second woman scoffed.
"No. He tried to punish that little boy beside the princess for pick-pocketing but things went out of hand. The Princess got involved, he tried to punish both her and the boy and that was when the guard killed him." The man explained to the women.
"Poor Alf. It's good he died, else his entire family would have been killed for his foolishness." The first woman said with a shake of her head.
Conversations such as this went on between people everywhere in the small market. Some people blamed the princess for the Merchant's death. Some hailed her for saving the little boy and getting rid of another troublesome fool but all kept their words to themselves, sometimes sharing it with the people beside them.
Joda kept mute during the walk through the market. Bello and the princess were also silent. The group passed by the meat seller who cast his eyes down when he saw who was walking by them. After what seemed like years of traveling through the small market of Hofn, the group finally made it out of the place.
A sigh of relief escaped all of their lips and Joda immediately turned to Bello with a question.
"Where are the guards?" He asked.
"They got knocked out during the brawl so I left their weak behinds at the market," Bello answered with a shrug.
"Wait, you know each other?" Princess Ivana asked Bello and Joda in surprise.
"Yh, well. What are you going to do with the boy? He doesn't look too good to me" Bello pointed at the little pickpocket who looked pale under the afternoon sun. His eyes were wide and his lips were quivering as if he had a fever.
"Hey, look at me." Princess Ivana cupped the boy's face in her hands and shifted his face to hers.
"Are you okay?" She asked him and he shook his head.
"Please, let me go. I promise I won't steal anymore. Don't take me to the king. I was j-just hungry" he burst into tears as he said the last part.
"Shush...you don't have to go anywhere if you don't want to. Here, have this." She untied the purse at her side and gave the whole thing to the boy whose eyes looked dangerously close to popping out of their sockets as he looked at the fat purse. He tried to push the purse away but Ivana stuffed the heavy purse into his hands.
"That should take good care of you for a few years. I'll try to watch out for you whenever I come to this part again. What's your name?" She asked the boy whose eyes were glued to the heavy bag. The jingling of metal coins seemed to have mesmerized him and his crying had ceased.
"Ajurn. My name is Ajurn. " He answered in a flat tone without tearing his eyes from the purse.
"Well, Ajurn. You should get going now. Keep the purse safe and stay out of trouble. We will meet again. Now go." She told him. The boy finally looked at her for the first time without being forced to. His eyes shone with gratitude even as his mouth stayed shut. He then turned his attention to Joda and gave the servant a curt nod before running off in silence.
"Well, that went well," Bello said simply.
"Yeah. He's a nice boy. I wish I could do more for him than just give him a purse full of colorful metals, but alas, I can't." Princess Ivana sighed her displeasure as the two men watched.
"Are you really the Princess?" Joda asked the question that had been plaguing him since she had shouted out her name in the market.
The princess looked at the boy in amusement. He looked simple enough but something about him screamed power and his selfless act in the market had really impressed her. He was still bruised and bleeding but his eyes were clear as he asked her that question. Her presence didn't daunt him like it did others whenever they found out her real identity and this even made her more curious about just who the boy was.
"I really am. Though I may not be anymore when my father finishes with me." Princess Ivana answered sadly.
"What do you mean by that?" Joda asked in confusion.
"I believe she's talking about the punishment King Erlick is sure to give her when he gets wind of what happened in the market today," Bello answered Joda.
"You mean her being involved in the death of a subject?"
"No. The death of a subject means nothing to my father. Me revealing my identity the way I did today is the real problem. I'm going to get in real trouble when he finds out, and trust me, he will. It's only an issue of how fast he hears today's scandal that matters now." The princess explained.
"Why is he so hellbent on hiding your identity anyway? Aren't you supposed to be free as a Princess?" Bello asked Ivana curiously.
"I honestly don't know. He doesn't tell us anything. All he ever says is that it's for our own protection. My mother also supports him so we are alone in arguments." Princess Ivana told them as they strolled in the direction of the castle.
"So how did you find yourself in the market? I thought you're not allowed outside the castle walls?" Bello cocked a brow at the Princess.
"Not everything you hear is true, Bello. I am allowed outside the castle walls. Just not too far from the walls. Today, I gave my guards the slip so I could explore a little farther from the castle. I knew they wouldn't tell on me because it would mean having to admit their incompetence to my father who wouldn't forgive them. I planned on exploring a little before going back.
Little did I know that I would be caught in the middle of such a big problem and have to blow my cover. My father would have my skin for this and the guards' heads would roll because of my behavior today. I feel like such a fool, and if I'm not mistaken, those angry men coming at us in the distance are my guards."
Joda and Bello looked into the distance and gulped hard in discomfort as they saw the four tall and burly men approaching them with equal looks of thunder on their faces.
"My oh my. They really look angry" Bello said lowly.
"Yeah. They sure do." Joda answered him in a similar voice and Princess Ivana just sighed in worry as the men got closer and closer with each step they took.
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