Chapter 6: Escaping Edward

Chapter 6

Valen let Edward to continue to accompany her for now, since there is nothing she can do about it, but she needs to think of a way faster to escape.

She walks towards the marketplace, to the platform where Lord Thomas had his speech a while ago and Edward following her behind. Good thing the marketplace is not too busy today so there were only a few townspeople who greeted her and Valen greeted them back. However, these townspeople have swarmed around the prince greeting him. Valen thought that this is her chance to escape from him, to find her basket with herbs and medicines then peacefully go home. Thus, she walks hurriedly towards the narrow alley behind the fruit stand where she was grabbed by the knight. Valen heart sank upon arrival as the basket is no longer there!

This is not the time to be upset, she thought. She needs to find it; she only now has a couple of minutes before her hair returns to normal. She decided to ask someone; perhaps, someone has seen it or kept it for her. She walks past the fruit stand hastily, going towards the first house on sight.

Valen abruptly stops walking. She is hearing footsteps behind her going towards her, well actually, she is hearing running footsteps behind her and in front of her is a little girl familiar to her, sitting on a crate.

"Oh no." Valen whispered again that only she can hear as the footsteps a while ago belong to the man who she wanted to escape from.

"Why did you leave me? Well, sorry, I know we are on a mission to look for your basket. The townspeople just swarmed at me to greet me, so I asked them if they have seen your basket with medicines and they said they have not." Edward said.

"Valen!" The girl called as she heard someone talking near her and saw Valen and the prince. "oh..and Lord Edward." The girl curtsied.

"Hello Anna! How are you? How's your wound? Is it no longer hurting?" Valen asked the girl.

"No, it's no longer hurting, thank you for treating my wound a while ago. I was actually waiting for you! I know you'll go back here!" Anna said excitedly.

"Why are you waiting for me? Are there any other people that need to be treated? Oh, sorry, Edward this little girl is Anna." Valen suddenly remembered that they have not introduced yet.

"Good day, Ana." He kneeled and kissed the girl on her knuckles. The little girl slightly blushed but continued to tell Valen what she has to say.

"The reason why I know you'll be back here is because of that thing you both are looking for. I saw you in the small alley this morning when Lord Thomas was giving his speech and the knight grabbed you. You dropped your basket, so I took it home with me. It's important not only to you but also for us because this is where you put your medicine you use to heal us. You do not have to worry so much as no single bottle was broken."

"Thank goodness. Thank you so much Anna. Can I have it back then? I really wanted to go home."

"No worries; follow me. Our house is just a few blocks away." Valen and Edward followed as Anna leads the way.

They reach a small and simple brick house. Anna invited them to go in and offered them to seat on the wooden chairs to the left. The inside of the house is clean; the wooden floor is waxed and clean. Anna excused herself as she disappeared to the door to the left, which Valen thinks is the bedchamber.

Valen soon felt her hair began to change beneath the cloak as she feels the loose ringlets to her shoulders on the side began to smoothen and straighten. She immediately grasps the cloak tightly on her head as her mind began to panic. She now only has one thing on her mind, to be able to escape Edward and making it sure that she has the two baskets with her.

"What is taking you long Anna? Can I come in there with you?" Valen almost shouted and tried to ask Anna calmly. She needed to escape and go home immediately.

"Yes, you may Valen. Sorry for the wait. I..." Anna said but Valen immediately interrupted her.

"Alright, I'll go inside. Excuse me Edward....." With that, Valen went inside the bedchamber grasping the cloak tightly over her head. Edward just looked at her and was not able to say anything as he caught a glimpse of her emerald eyes once again. Once Valen was inside, he just sighed.

"Valen, here's your basket, it took me a while to get your basket that mother placed above the dresser." Anna said offering her basket back.

"Thank you so much Anna, for taking it and keeping it for me. Uhm..." Valen's mind is still in a panic and tried to look around then shortly, her face lit up.

"Is something wrong Valen?" Anna asked her curiously as Valen somehow acts strange.

"Anna, can I ask you a favor?

"Sure, Valen. What is it?

"I'll be honest with you, alright. The prince wanted to accompany me home, and I believe that no one knows where I live."

"Yes, I don't even know where you sleep." Anna said

"Right and I want to stay it that way which means I do not want the prince to know where I live. So what I want from you is to allow the prince to stay here for a while and keep him busy or entertained until you think I already reach home or if you think that I am already at least far away from here." Valen said in pleading look.

"How will I be able to let him stay here if I think he wanted to be with you?"

"He only wanted to accompany me because he promised his mother that he will be doing it so. Anyhow, I may need to lie a bit but you just have to agree what I will have to say later; but it will not be a total lie I promise you."

"Uhm, alright. I believe you anyway."

"Thank you." Valen said then they heard a woman's voice outside the house.

"Anna, I am home." A lady outside said and they heard the door outside opened as the lady went inside. "Oh my goodness, Your Highness, what brings you here to my humble home. It is an honor to have you here." The lady outside said sounded surprised.

"Just for a moment Valen, that's my mother." Anna said to Valen. "Mother, I am here." Anna called to her mother.

"Anna, wait, just another request. Can I open that window?" Valen asked Anna.

"Uhh..sure. I'll just go greet my mother." Then Anna went outside the room.

"Oh Anna, what is the prince doing here?" The lady asked Anna.

"Apologies my intrusions Madam. I am here accompanying Valen." Edward said as he stood up as a respect to the owner of the house.

"Please have your seat Your Highness." The lady said.

"Lord Edward, this is my mother, Agnes." Anna said introducing her mother. "Mother, Valen is here." Then Valen went outside the bedchamber.

"Nice to see you well, Mrs. Robins. I did not know that Anna is your daughter." Valen greeted her.

"Valen, thank you so much for treating my daughter's wound a while ago. She told me about it and also about your basket that she told me you dropped, so she brought it back home to keep it safe. I hope that is the only reason you are here and not because there's something wrong with my daughter."

"You do not have to worry, Mrs. Robins, your daughter is well. I am only here for the basket. I thank you for taking care of it."

"You don't have to be thanking us for that. You've been a big help to us ever since, and please call me Agnes. I hope you can at least have a tea for a while, Lord Edward and Valen."

"Thank you for the offer Agnes, but I need to go to Mrs. Lincoln for a while. I remembered I need to give her medicine for next week, so please have Edward here for a while as I visit her." Valen said, still grasping the cloak tightly to hide her hair, while she gives Anna a meaningful look which means that this is it.

"I thought you are already going home? Well, let me accompany you to Mrs. Lincoln then." Edward said.

"Oh no need." Valen replied instantly. "Please accept Agnes' offer for a tea for me."

"Yes, please stay here while you wait for Valen." Anna said to the prince.

"Alright, just make it quick Valen and you take care, I will wait here for you."

Valen did not acknowledge what Edward said and just bid farewell to him, to Anna and to Agnes.

"Thank you once again for accompanying me here Edward." Valen said as she walks toward the door and goes outside.

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(A/N: The next chapter will be Edward meeting the black-haired Valen. Thanks for reading guys! Please vote and comment :)

-to the right is a photo of the map of Cellis