บท 3: Chapter 3

They descended the great stairway to the courtyard. At the foot of the stairs, Jaelin stopped and grabbed Robyne’s arm. “There he is.”

“There who is?” Robyne looked at the people milling around the courtyard and through the open castle gates. The place was crowded, it being Market Day. The only person of rank was the Baret Wray, the palace’s castellan, reprimanding some of his insubordinate soldiers.

“Shhh!” Jaelin cautioned. “He might hear you.”

Someone did. One of the soldiers pointed towards the girls, causing the Baret to turn. Yelling at his men to return to their posts, he spun, green cape swirling dramatically about his mailed legs, and made his way through the crowd to where the Princess anxiously watched at the bottom of the steps.

“Here he comes,” Jaelin whispered. Her heart fluttered, her anger evaporated, and she straightened her posture as the Baret stopped before her.