Morgan was truly taken aback.
"Do I have my wallet with me?" Tatiana whispered to herself, "here it is."
"Princess, I really do think that coming with me is not a good idea. This place is full of thieves and thugs. The roads are not paved and mud will get on your dress."
"Sir Morgan is right, your highness," Emma agreed, "it is better to stay here for your own safety."
Emma and Morgan looked at each other and nodded. They both agree that it is not a good idea for the princess to go with him. A person who lived in luxury and walked only on marble floors is not fit to walk on a muddy path let alone be with commoners.
"Stop being so dramatic, both of you," Tatiana answered and lifted the hood of her cloak. "Morgan is here to protect me and who cares if there is mud. It's normal."
Tatiana started walking when Bjorn blocked her way and said in a low voice, "you need to listen for once, princess. You don't belong in these places. You will only make Morgan and Emma worry."
"Will you stop being so overdramatic?" she groaned.
Bjorn's eyes slightly widened and scoffed, "overdramatic? I am merely concerned about your well-being!"
"Since when did you ever care about me?" Tatiana snapped back, "you are not concerned about my well-being, you are just doing what you are told to."
Bjorn's forehead creased, "And it is my duty to keep you safe!"
"You are not the only knight here! Morgan can protect me. I know he will and unlike you, he genuinely cares for me."
Tatiana glared at Bjorn and pulled Morgan's hand and marched away, "Now let's go because I'm hungry."
Bjorn scoffed and massaged his temples. This is what he is talking about, this is why he hates the princess. He turned around to answer but the princess and Morgan were too far away. He was about to chase them when Emma spoke.
"You should leave them be," Emma said and sighed.
"But this is not her turf."
"Sir Morgan is with her," Emma answered, "Sir Morgan will not let anything bad happen to the princess. And the princess won't stay still, I know from experience."
"Then why are you tolerating that behavior? She may be a princess but she does not own the people under her."
"I am merely a servant, sir Bjorn. And it is my duty to serve the princess," she sighed and looked at the corner where the princess disappeared and smiled. "But I never felt like I was a mere servant. For the first time in my life, I was told that I am someone's 'best friend'"
"The princess is stubborn and crazy, if I say so, most of the time. But she is kind and thoughtful, clever, and even brave," she added and turned to look at Bjorn with sparks of curiosity in her eyes, "If I may ask, sir, you grew up with her and you are her fiancé, how come you, of all people, don't know that?"
Bjorn was not able to answer. He was so certain that the princess was not a good person. She was a brat that hurt and controlled people. She was a person that had a bad temper and she always wanted things to go her way.
But now, he was not so sure.
--
Morgan could not speak or even squeak a sound. The princess was tightly holding on to his arm and walked close to him that other people mistake them as lovers. He felt the princess's heat and the sides of their bodies stuck close to each other.
He was holding on to his breath all this time.
"How long until we get there?" Tatiana asks. She was busy lifting her dress so that it won't be covered in mud and she was holding on to Morgan's arm so that she won't fall to the ground. She would hate to go back to the carriage looking like she bathed in mud because she will become a laughing stock and she is sure that Bjorn will mock her saying that he was right.
"Just-just by the corner, princess," he said breathlessly.
They finally arrived at the bakery at the corner of an alleyway. It was small and varieties of bread were displayed behind a glass box. Besides, it was a small and simple home with a small garden out in the front. This part of the neighborhood was vibrant and looked like it was at the end of the capital since there was an open field a few meters away from the residential area.
Tatiana saw farmers harvesting crops and fruits out in the field. The air was cool since it was already autumn and the surroundings were colored with warm yellow red and oranges.
The smell of freshly baked bread filled the air, it was sweet and reminded her of a home. A home that she never had back then. In her previous life, she would smell this in bakeries and watch families eat and have picnics in parks.
"I like this place," she whispered and looked around in awe, "I want to live here."
She was only speaking to herself but Morgan was listening.
"Morgan?" a voice called, "Morgan, is that you?"
An old lady came waddling in her dress and a summer hat. She was carrying a tray of newly baked bread and placed it on the table and came running out of the gate.
"Mrs. Red!" Morgan greeted her with a warm embrace, "please stop running, you'll hurt yourself."
"How long has it been? I haven't seen you in ages," the woman cried. Morgan leaned down and let the woman cup his face with her wrinkly small hands. "you did not even come here to visit!"
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Red. I was busy training with the knights."
"I forgot that you were a knight! Look how dashing you are in your uniform! You've grown into a handsome young man. I heard that you were chosen to be the personal knight of the princess?"
"Yes, I was," Morgan nodded, glancing sideways at Tatiana.
"I heard that the princess is a nasty child," the old woman said, "she won't mistreat you, won't she?"
Tatiana choked on her own saliva. She coughed while patting her own chest.
"And who might this be?" the old woman asked when she saw Tatiana. Morgan immediately walked towards Tatiana and lowered his head.
"Mrs. Red, in fact, this is her highneâ" Tatiana immediately cut him off.
"Good day, Mrs. Red, I am Morgan's dear friend." Tatiana smiled. She looked at Morgan who was confused and nodded her head.
"Ah, yes, my friend." The word was difficult for him to say.
"Dear friend?" Mrs. Red asked with a tone that didn't sit right with Morgan and Tatiana like there was a meaning behind the tone. "what a lovely young girl, why are you hanging out with a thug like him?"
"A thug?" Tatiana turned deaf.
"He steals and kills people for a living when he was young before he became a knight." The old woman observed the young girl's expression.
"Mrs. Red," Morgan called, "I was young."
"Well," Tatiana nervously laughed, "we got to do things in order to survive, right?"
Morgan and Mrs. Red turned to her.
"Are you not bothered that he killed people for a living?" Mrs. Red asked, her brow raised.
"Killing is not good," Tatiana trailed off and nodded, "but I'm sure he did not want that either. The world is too harsh and we just have to do the things we need to do in order to survive."
Because that's what she did before. Tatiana, in her previous life, did not have the luxury to choose a job that she wanted. She worked as a dishwasher at a club, became a helper, gave out flyers, and even wore mascot costumes. She did what she can to survive and she shouldn't be choosy if she wanted to survive in this world. She knows what Morgan has gone through, even though it's not as heavy as being a hitman.
Morgan was at loss for words.
Mrs. Red walked towards her and cupped her cheeks. Tatiana felt that it was strangely comforting, it was warm and soft. She found herself closing her eyes and leaning onto the old woman's palm. A touch that was full of love and care, a touch that she never felt before.
"You are a sweet girl," Mrs. Red said, "I am lucky that Morgan has a dear friend like you."
"But you are too young to be a bride." She added.
Tatiana and Morgan's eyes widened.
"I am not his wife!"
"She is not my wife!"
They yelled in unison, their cheeks both flushed in embarrassment.
"Not yet" the old lady raised her brows and placed her hands on her waist. "Now, why did you come here, I'm sure you didn't come here just to visit me despite your busy schedule."
Mrs. Red looked at Morgan who was staring down his shoes. She remembered how they first met, when he attempted to steal bread from them. And looking at him now, he grew into such a fine man. Her eyes fell on the girl who was looking everywhere except her direction and smiled.
"I hope the boy will be able to build his own family one day."
--
END