Bab 15: Whispers in the Night: A Stolen Adventure with the Princess
Once I got my cloak on, I slipped out of my room, locking the door behind me, but something was off. It didn't take me very long to figure out that I was not only being watched but also followed. While that alone wouldn't be that bad, and I could easily give them the slip; it was who was following me.
With a sigh, I took off my mask and turned around. I slipped my mask into my cloak and then walked over to where the princess was trying to hide from me. "This doesn't really seem like your specialty."
Marcella blinked, startled out of her not-so-subtle attempt at concealment behind a conveniently large tapestry. Her cheeks tinted pink with embarrassment.
"I... I thought you might need help," she stammered, stepping out awkwardly while trying to recover some semblance of royal dignity.
I couldn't help the gentle chide, "Secretly following someone isn't exactly helpful, Marcella. Besides, you do realize that a princess sneaking around isn't the best image, right?"
Marcella crossed her arms, her embarrassment quickly turning into defensive resolution. "I was worried, okay? You just stormed out of your room with that grim look on your face. What if you're heading into trouble?"
I sighed, knowing she wouldn't understand the darkness I was planning to plunge into—not yet at least. "Look, Marcella," I started, my tone softening as I caught the genuine concern in her crystal blue eyes. "I'm grateful that you care, but you need to trust me. Some things I need to do alone."
"Why can't you just tell me what you are doing?" She demanded, and I sighed. It was clear that I was not getting rid of her.
"Would you like to come with me?" I asked, deciding that if she was so determined to be involved, maybe I could channel that determination constructively. I'd keep her from the grittier realities while leveraging her presence as a smokescreen for my own actions.
Marcella's eyes widened, clearly not expecting the invitation. "Really? You'd let me come with you?"
"I will," I confirmed seriously, "but you must follow my lead and stay quiet. Can you agree to that?"
She nodded earnestly. "I promise."
With that settled, we slipped through the corridors. Keeping to the shadows, I took us on a less-traveled path to avoid attracting attention.
As we walked, Marcella's presence made me more cautious than usual. I was on high alert for any threats that might put her in danger. The weight of her safety felt heavy on my shoulders, but it also strengthened my resolve.
After navigating a series of dimly lit passageways, we emerged into the cool night air. I could see the curiosity mixed with apprehension in Marcella's eyes. It felt strangely reassuring to have her by my side, a reminder of what I was fighting to protect.
"Why are we sneaking out?" Marcella asked. "I don't think that the guards would stop us."
I gave her a wry smile, my cloak rustling in the night breeze. "It's not about getting stopped," I explained. "It's about going unnoticed. There is a certain... freedom in anonymity. Especially for what I have planned."
She nodded, though I could tell she didn't fully understand. But her eyes shone with the thrill of the unknown, the excitement of a clandestine adventure far from the watchful eyes of court protocol—experience beyond her station.
As we moved through the streets, Marcella's steps were quiet, her head turning to absorb the sights and sounds of the city at night. People revealed different faces under the moonlight, lives that thrived in the blanket of darkness. It was a lesson in itself: this world was far more complex than the one she'd known from within the castle walls.
I led us carefully, avoiding well-lit areas and main streets. My mind raced with the realization that her safety heightened the stakes of my nocturnal endeavors. Her trust in me placed an unspoken burden on my actions—every move had to be calculated and precise.
Finally, we reached the more rundown part of the city. The night here took on a heavier, denser quality, weighed down by whispers and watchful shadows.
I glanced at Marcella, her royal bearing out of place in this rugged environment. "Stay close," I murmured, pulling up my mask. "And remember, no matter what happens, trust me."
She nodded once more, a hint of steel underlying her apprehension.
Rather than head to the underbelly of the city, I headed to the market. The Princess would attract way too much attention, and I could learn a lot by just listening to the people around us. I also thought that the Grand Market of Gialo would be a nice little date for the two of us.
The vibrant mosaic of the Grand Market of Gialo unfolded before us, even late at night the place thrummed with activity – merchants peddling their wares by lantern light, haggling voices merging with the melodic accents of street performers. Seeing the market during the veil of nighttime was akin to witnessing a different realm come to life, one that wrapped the senses like an exotic silk.
Marcella took in her surroundings with wide eyes, equally captivated and cautious. "I had no idea," she whispered, "that the market was like this after dark."
"It's the same market by day," I remarked quietly, keeping my eyes scanning the crowd and the hidden spots where trouble might lurk, "but the night brings out different truths. Watch, listen, you'll learn a lot here."
She followed my advice, and we meandered through the stalls, occasionally stopping to look at interesting wares or sample some of the food offered. All the while, I kept an ear tuned to the veritable stream of information flowing around us. Rumors, updates on the political climate, whispers of crime – it was a gold mine.
It wasn't long before I recognized the signs of someone trying to pickpocket us – a slight figure, a little too close, a little too intent on our bags. Without drawing attention, I shifted my body subtly, bumping into the would-be thief and startling them. Their eyes met mine, a flash of understanding there, and they backed off.
Marcella looked at me questioningly, and I winked. "Just part of the market's charm," I said, downplaying the incident.
As the hours passed, the initial tension eased from Marcella's posture. She began to enjoy the outing, her laughter genuine as she haggled with a merchant or delighted in a juggler's performance.
The date – if I dared to call it that – was a success in more than one way. Not only had I given Marcella an experience she would never forget, but I had also gathered useful tidbits about the city's undercurrents. My main goal was to show the princess that what I was doing was boring, and not dangerous. I needed to make sure that she didn't follow me the next time I tried to sneak out.
With my thoughts in my head, I didn't notice the big man walking towards me until Marcella called out to me. Unfortunately, I could only look up as the man barreled into me, or something like that. What actually happened was the large man hit me, but I might as well have been a 5-foot-tall brick wall.
The impact left the large man stumbling back, more surprised than anything. He hadn't expected me, who looked but a mere boy, to be an immovable force. Marcella reached out, steadying me by the shoulder, a look of concern knitting her brows.
"Are you alright?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.
I brushed off the collision with a chuckle. "I'm fine. Didn't even feel it."
The man, meanwhile, recovered from his shock, his face turning red with embarrassment. "My apologies, young master," he grunted, a little flustered. "Didn't see ya there."
"It happens," I said, giving him a dismissive wave. I had thought that he would have tried to pick a fight with me, but he must have recognized me and the princess. It was essential I didn't draw any undue attention to my sturdiness, especially not in front of Marcella. If she began connecting dots, she might just figure out there's more to my 'late-night planning' than meets the eye.
As we continued to weave our way through the bustling market, I could feel Marcella's curious glances shooting my way every so often. The way she chewed her lip told me she sensed something was off, yet her trust prevented her from voicing her doubts out loud.
By the time we decided to leave, the moons had begun their descent, and the market's vibrancy started to wane. I guided us back to a more serene pathway to the castle, the afterimages of the night's hidden wonders reflecting in both of our eyes.
"I didn't know the world could be so different...so alive at night,"
I smiled, but this city really paled back home on Earth. This world was missing the neons, but there were far less homeless than I would have expected. Still, it seemed that Marcella really didn't get out of the castle very often.
"I will take you out more in the future, but only if you promise not to follow me anymore unless I invite you. I am not trying to do anything bad, but I come from a place that doesn't take peace lightly. If we want to be able to do this kind of thing without worry, then I need to learn more. The problem is that people don't like talking around royalty, so I have to be sneaky," I explained after thinking about things.
Marcella nodded in understanding, the reflection of the moonlight in her eyes. "I promise. I just... I just worry, you know?" Her voice was low, the vulnerability clear in her tone. "I'll trust you, Gideon. I know you have your reasons."
"You know, for someone that acts so standoffish with me, you sure do show your concern quite a bit," I said, the corner of my mouth lifting in a teasing smile. It was interesting to see this other side of her, one that wasn't always wrapped in the veil of princessly duties and appearances.
Marcella huffed at my comment, but the corners of her lips turned upward in a reluctant smile. "Well, your actions tend to be... unorthodox. It's hard not to be concerned," she admitted, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "But I suppose that's part of what... makes you, you."
Her acknowledgment of my unorthodox nature made me grin. It was nice to be seen and recognized for who I was, rather than the title that was thrust upon me when I reincarnated into this world.
"I appreciate you coming with me tonight," I said genuinely. "It meant a lot to finally show someone from this world a bit of how I see things."
As we arrived back at the castle and parted ways for the night, I felt a sense of camaraderie growing between us. It was one more step towards understanding each other beyond the roles we were meant to play in this political game we were bound by.
Back in my room, I stashed away my cloak and the mask, reflecting on the night's success. I didn't just learn valuable information about the city—I also managed to bond with Marcella. It felt like a win on both personal and strategic levels.
I lay back on my bed, hands behind my head, pondering my next move. Taking control of the underworld was no small feat, and I would need every bit of my cunning, skill, and the occasional trusted ally. As I drifted into sleep, my last thought was a hopeful one—we were, perhaps, not such an ill-matched pair after all.
Hadiah
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