When Tatiana entered the kitchen, everyone was there eating breakfast.
Emma was at the stove cleaning up after cooking when she saw Tatiana at the door.
"Your highness! You should rest some more!" Emma said, walking over to Tatiana. Morgan and Bjorn also turned around to look at her. Her face was slowly regaining color and there is a gauze placed on her forehead.
"I'm fine," she said, and sat down on the bench beside Morgan. The bread with melted butter smelled good, along with the fresh milk that Morgan bought from a milk boy this morning. The princess's eyes sparkled and she reached out for the bread when fuzzy memories flashed in her mind.
"Ow," she hissed, holding her head where the injury was.
"Princess" Emma hovered her hand around the princess, "you should rest some more."
"I'm fine" Tatiana calmed herself down, and the headache gradually faded. She finally reached for the warm toast and spread a strawberry jam on top of it. Everyone looked at her while she hummed and took a big bite out of the toast.
"This is good," she said with muffled words.
"You should not talk when your mouth is full, your highness."
Morgan silently poured milk on an empty cup and gave it to Tatiana.
"No mob came to attack us today?" she asked and Morgan shook his head, "what did my father say?"
They should hear news now. Tatiana was asleep the whole day yesterday and just woke up his morning. She feels better than how she felt yesterday, maybe she just needed enough rest. The stress and exhaustion she felt these days finally caught up so she finally gave in. It was a good thing that Emma was there to nurse her.
"The king paid no attention," Morgan said, "and I don't think you should continue this. The palace stopped the noble for now but the complaints will eventually pile up and they will hand in a formal petition to stop you."
"Why should I be scared of them?" Tatiana wiped the corner of her lips with a cloth "I'll irritate them even more as a form of revenge for throwing a stone at me--owâthat was a low move."
"That's all the more reason to stop," Bjorn insisted, his voice starting to become even more annoyed. "You got hurt and the king did not punish anyone. What else is there to understand?"
Tatiana took a quick look at Bjorn and cleared her throat. Her father does not care about her and is not willing to help her with the issue because he was against it in the first place. There is nothing she could do because the nobles will keep coming at her and the orphanage if she does not do anything.
"I'll find my people," she calmly said.
"You clearly don't have a planâ"
"Just trust me, okay?" Tatiana cut Bjorn off. "And why are you so cranky this early in the morning?"
Bjorn glared at her and stood up from his seat. He walked away and out of the kitchen being followed by everybody's eyes.
"What is his problem so early in the morning?" Tatiana whispered and took a bite from the toast. Even Morgan and Emma noticed the dark aura around Bjorn since this early morning.
Last night, when Emma came to the room where the princess was resting, she saw Bjorn walk away from the room with heavy footsteps. He did not even acknowledge her presence and marched passed by her so she thought that the captain and the princess had a fight.
Morgan stood up and followed the captain.
"Your highness," Emma asked, "did you and the captain fight last night?"
Tatiana looked up with a confused expression and shook her head, "I was asleep the whole night. I don't recall fighting with him."
"Right?" Emma agreed, "the captain stayed in your room to look after you but when I returned, he came out of your room with a sour expression. I thought both of you fought but I saw you sleeping."
"He looked after me?" Tatiana asked in disbelief and pointed at herself, "that guy?"
"Yes."
Morgan entered the kitchen again and looked like he had some news to share.
"The Iondales"
"Hmm?"
Outside the gate was a wagon full of stuff and people, no servants. There were three servants, two female and one male. They were welcomed inside after they presented a crest from the Iondale family.
"Good morning, your highness," a woman in her fifties said. "I am Nadia, and I was sent here as per the order of Duke Iondale along with my assistants."
The other female servant looked younger, and the male servant bowed their heads concerning the princess.
"These are our baggage and the things that you will be needed for the orphanage. The duke heard of your plans and sends you his congratulations"
The woman handed over a maroon-colored envelope with the stamp of the Iondale's crest. When Tatiana opened it, she found a card inside.
Your highness,
This is the Duke of the Iondale mansion. I send you the warmest congratulations and hope that you will have a successful opening. I sent people to help you manage the orphanage and some things that you might need for the operations. Please do let me know if you need anything else, we are more than willing to be of your service.
Please know that the Iondales have your back and we fully support you on your journey. My daughter will visit you soon as she wants to give you her congratulations personally.
Best regards, Iondale.
"See? I told you things could work out!" Tatiana grinned and nodded in approval.
"Oh, my," Emma gasped, her eyes glimmered with hope. "If we have the Iondales backing us, then soon the nobles will follow!"
"And things will eventually work out"
"Mrs. Red?" Morgan walked over to the gate when another wagon stopped by in front of the gate with two old people riding at the front. An old woman climbed down the wagon and was greeted by Morgan.
"Mrs. Red!" Tatiana gleamed and greeted them when they entered the gate. "I'm glad you could make it!"
"When you said that you'd order bread in bulk for every day, how could I not come here?" Mrs. Red said and grabbed onto Tatiana's arm as they made their way through the garden where the others are.
"Bulk?" Morgan asked, confused. An old man who was carrying two baskets covered with cloth, walked by Morgan and handed them over to him.
"Mr. Red?" Morgan trailed off.
"This young woman came to us the other day and asked if we could supply bread to the orphanage," Mr. Red explained and went to his wife, "it's good news to us."
Tatiana smiled and went to Morgan. She lifted the cloth draping around the basket and the smell of freshly baked bread lingering in the air. She went to visit Mrs. And Mr. Red again to ask them to supply the bread for the children's breakfast and snack. It's much more efficient and she could help the couple too.
"The children will love this," Tatiana approved, "thank you so much for taking up the offer Mrs. And Mr. Red."
"Our pleasure, you are Morgan's dear friend after all." Mrs. Red replied and winked in Morgan's direction.
Morgan stood there confused while Tatiana took out a piece of bread, tore it in half, and placed the other half in Morgan's mouth. He was too stunned to react so he just opened his mouth and munched on the bread.
"The children will be here at any moment," Tatiana said and looked over at the road.
"Princess, howâwhen did you even prepare all of this? I was not notified that the children will be coming today. We are not even done preparing yet." Emma covered her mouth with her hands with a panicked look and muttered stuff like 'there is still so much to do' over and over.
"That's why the children will come now," Tatiana said, "they will help us."
"What?" Bjorn asked in a rather surprised tone. Things happened too fast and many people arrived in such a short time.
"Everyone," Tatiana started, "I told you to trust me, did I not? I am not just playing around. I am very sincere in what I am trying to achieve. And this mansion, they should be a part of building it because this will become their new home."
Their hearts swelled with delight. Nobody has ever done this before, not even the king or queen. It is surprising that a girl, not even of legal age has so much love for children that he does not even know.
At that moment, the people there watched her with their eyes glistening with hope. The girl in front of them will surely become a sun that will light up everyone's lives. In front of the, is a future queen who is unlike any other, someone who will truly bring change to the kingdom.
--
END