Chapter 2

MIA

The sun was rising and I needed to get out early to start harvesting so that by midday I could sell all I've harvested at the market. My mother, still asleep I prepared her breakfast and placed it by her bedside. I headed outside to begin to harvest. With my gloves on I gently removed the tender fresh vegetables. I loved farm crops and their natural look when born from the ground. Their freshness is the reason why I never give up on them. After the harvest, I had little time to prepare the firewood for the evening. I took the ax from the back and felt its weight on my hand. The wood on the handle was splintering slightly and the wicked piece of metal was beginning to detach itself. Its weight alone made chopping the logs a challenge, but I was determined to cut them for the fire.

"Mia?" My mother called groggily from behind

"What are you doing outside mother? You should be resting. Have you had your breakfast? I put it by your bedside" I said panting.

The ax is heavy.

The noise of the ax slamming onto the wood must have woken her up.

She was quiet and just watched me with the ax in my hand and the almost chopped wood by my side.

"Oh Mia, isn't this too much? I mean you barely have time for yourself" she said as her old woolen coat fell to her side slightly

"Mother, I have to do it. It's just me and you." I said. "And I can't have you do anything" I added "I promised Father to take care of you. I don't regret anything. As long as you're fine. I'm okay" I smiled.

As I mentioned Father, I could see faint tears in her eyes. She missed him. We all do. Surprisingly, she didn't raise the 'husband' issue and silently returned inside. I smiled and chopped a few more logs.

After wood chopping, I had breakfast and got Taffy ready to go to the market. It was going to be a long day today. Having all vegetables tightly handled in the burlap sack. I put it in the crate behind Taffy.

"You'll be alright?" My mother asked worriedly.

"I'll be fine, mother" I smiled as I lifted myself unto Taffy's back.

I was never really comfortable leaving my mother at home but I had to make money. So I have no other choice but to.

Now ready to leave, I made my way towards the derelict dirt trail that followed toward the center of the kingdom; the village square. After the ten-mile ride to the market. I unpacked my market stall from the crate behind Taffy. As I pulled the burlap sack from the crate, it made creaking noises. The crate was old and worn out but still manageable. We couldn't afford anything new these days. But hopefully, as I make more money, I'll be able to buy a new crate and also get mother new things too. Finally, I got the sack down from the crate and arranged them on my table ready to be sold.

Sometimes as I sold, the palace guards would march through the terracotta courtyard. I just loved seeing their impenetrable armor glisten in the afternoon sun as they marched in perfect unison.

ALEX

"We're going to regret this" Clint warned for what felt like the 50th time.

After a while, I learned to ignore his badgering.

I got dressed in my disguise attire. I remember how I got this. I had to cry to Cornelius to get me one each time he went outside the palace. We had to make sure Father knew nothing about it. It was a tough one.

We're outside the palace and Clint's jittering attitude is all gone now. I wonder why he's not used to sneaking out by now. We made our way to the courtyard in the center of the market place since it was closer to the palace. Our attires were loosely fitting breeches made of an uncomfortable brown yarn like fabric, with murky colored cloaks covering most of our upper bodies.

God knows what would happen if Father were to find me wandering the kingdom even after his statement of having me get married. I would rather not have to defend myself against rebels in my kingdom. But life outside the palace is something I crave for, its beauty and tranquility always entices me to break my curfew and restrictions. This is the place where I can just be me, Alex, instead of Prince Alexander, next heir to the kingdom of Scotland. I shivered. A whole lot of times, I wished I wasn't born royal. Maybe all those adventures I want to try out I could have done them.

"Your Highness" Clint called drawing my attention to the present.

I realized we had reached the village square where most of the peasants dwell.

I frowned, realizing what Clint just called me. "Clint" I whispered harshly. "You cannot call me Your Highness. We're trying to keep a low profile remember, Just stick to Alex" I said

"I apologize, your high-"He coughed uncomfortably with my new title or lack thereof.

He never gets used to anything.

"I apologize Alex." He said and I smiled.

I seem somewhat comfortable with him calling me Alex than 'your Highness'.

"So what is it that you wanted Clint?" I asked

He smiled and brought forward a slithering serpent with green scales and a loud hiss. How did he have that in him the whole time?

I hate snakes

I began to back away from him cautiously. Fear glinting in my eyes as I spoke tersely.

"Clint, you know how I feel about these creatures! Put it away!"

He ignored my comment and crept towards me with the reptile smirking.

"It's Payback Alex, no hard feelings." He said with a sheepish grin

Wait, payback? Oh yes, I do remember what I did to him. You can't blame me, I was bored and I needed something fun. I called him to my quarters that evening with a cat in it knowing very well Clint is afraid of Cats but come on, what could those cute fluffy creatures do? So he is trapped in my room with the cat for five minutes made my day. I laughed so hard that it called the guards' attention. But in the end, we all came out of it laughing. I thought he had hopelessly forgotten about it, well until now.

Before he could make further attempts to get the reptile closer to me, I kicked up the dirt behind me and ran off, cloak flying behind me as I did. I turned to look over my shoulder and sure enough, Clint was jogging behind me, the ghastly snake still exposed and out in front of him. But before I could turn my head back around to see where I was running, I hit something – or rather, someone. I knocked the lady off balance as she tipped backward, I reached out and took her hand pulling her tight against my chest and closing the distance between us.

Her skin felt soft against mine and her body fitting perfectly against mine. But as I looked down to check on her, the purest green eyes I'd ever seen were staring back at me in shock. She knocked the wind right out of my chest. This blonde-haired angel looked like she came straight from a fairy-tale – minus the ball gown and tiara.

"Hey there" I smirked in an attempt at flirtation

She grumbled something before a small hand flew across my cheek leaving a red burning mark. The girl had strength. Jeez. The sudden change of mood left me sitting on the ground of the courtyard looking up at her dumbfounded.

"Pervert!" She said angrily

Clint had now joined the scene, I could see he was agitated to say something

"That wasn't the 'thank you' I expected to receive" I muttered as I got up from the ground, dusting off my palms onto the breeches.

"Do you have your eyes in your pocket?" She asked harshly, putting her hands defiantly on her hips

I was still staring at her with a dumbfounded look. The passion that sparked in her eye is something I only ever saw when my father was scolding me. But somehow on her, it just made her more beautiful. No one, other than my father, had ever spoken to me like this before

"Do you have any idea who you are talking to?" Clint raised his eyebrow, with a moody look on his face.

How would she know? Or can she? What if she does?

She ignored Clint, picked up her burlap sack, and turned to leave.

"I'll still get my thank you" I called after her with a determined grin on my face.

"Hmph" she replied, before storming off.

I watched her as she placed the sack behind the horse, lifted herself on it, and rode off. I smiled to myself. She was interesting.

"What a girl," I said to Clint now beside me

"That's putting it simply" Clint grumbled

I rolled my eyes and we strolled back toward the castle. I think that was enough adventure for one day.

"But what have I told you about exposing our identities Clint? Do you want to get us both in trouble?" I said remembering his forwardness

He huffed at me and walked ahead. Well, he isn't a big talker so I have no worries

MIA

"Are you okay Mia?" mother asked as I motioned through the doorway of our cottage

Honestly, I was really tired and then the drama that just happened...

"Yes, mother" I sighed tiredly. Trying to sound reassuring.

"You don't look it," she said. Unfortunately, her motherly intuition always knows how I'm feeling. No matter how hard I try to hide it.

"Nothing, just some men in the market today that tried to ruin my day," I said.

"Oh dear," she smiled and wiggled her eyebrows.

No sympathy from her at all. Great.

"Oh stop it mother" I tried not to smile.

Later after dinner, we prepared ourselves for bed. I was in my cot and my mind went back to the scene that had happened earlier. How he caught me and held me so close to him. He was indeed a very handsome young man. Although it was hard to see through the cloak, and when he fell on the ground and his hood fell off. I had a glimpse of his perfectly cut dark brown hair and astonishing blue eyes that felt like they were trying to swallow me in their depths. But it was his cheeky grin that set my heart beating. He was good looking. I do recall him saying something about getting a thank you from me. I scoffed and waved the thought away.

I hope to never see him again. I hoped.