Now, we were back on our horses. Everyone seemed to be in more of a grim mood. Maybe it was because of the recent fight against Langston. But we were also really hungry. I could even hear Galena’s stomach rumble.
“Aaron, can we please stop and get some food. I am so hungry,” Aqua begged, leaning on her horse’s back.
Yeah, sure. I’m starving as well.” Aaron answered.
Galena leaned closer to me. “You like him don’t you?”
My eyes widened. “No, are you kidding me? What would make you think that?”
Galena giggled like a small child. “I see it in your eyes. Don’t worry, sis, you can tell me. You trust me, don’t you?”
I didn’t know what to say. “Well, I like him better than before-” I admitted.
She laughed, smiling broadly. “I knew it! Once this is over, I’ll set you guys up!”
I really didn’t like that idea, even if I was starting to like Aaron, you. Only a little bit. A tiny bit. A really teeny bit. OK who am I kidding? I liked you a lot. I loved seeing you smile and give advice. You were strong and brave and… Hold on, Ericka. Don’t get boy crazy now. We’ve still got to defeat King Ward and it doesn’t matter if his eyes are dreamy… Stop, Ericka, control yourself. I held steady to my horse. “So what’re we going to eat?” I said, finally.
Aqua grinned. “I want seafood like grilled salmon straight from the waters of the stream of Cooligan.”
Safire shook her head. “I’d rather have hot and spicy noodles imported from the far north east.”
“How about steamed roots and carrots mixed with baked--”
Aaron cut Galena off. “Sorry, my princesses. I can’t afford all that. But I do know of a good pub around here.”
A good pub? Aqua mouthed to my sisters and I. You see, in Donstania, pubs were for the poor and paupers. Our father forbid us of going to any pubs because they were filled with the drunks and crazies.
“Do we have to go to a pub?” Galena asked, her nose wrinkling. She always followed the rules and did not want to disobey Father.
Aaron seemed not to notice her disgust. “Yeah, don’t worry, my majesty. It’s just around the corner.”
And sure enough, within minutes, we reached the entry way of a town pub. Across the doorway read the words Rose Way Pub. Galena gulped. Aaron guided us off our horses and chained them to the nearby fence. Then he opened the door revealing a big, dirty room with bad lighting. Tons of people were crowded around the main bar counter and sprawled on various chairs around dusty tables.
All the people looked up at us and immediately grinned. “It is Aaron Delgado, eh?” They started clapping his back and nodding. That all stopped when they notice my sister and I walking slowly behind him.
All of a sudden, a chaos broke out. “I have a good excuse for not paying my taxes this year…” one burly man blurted. “King Darius is great!” “Welcome, your majesties.” “You can have my chair.”
Aaron quickly stopped the chaotic mess. “Sit down, men! We need food!”
Before anyone could do anything, a tall man with blond hair and a scruffy beard walked up to us. He was wearing a sloppy apron and his arms were scarred. “Welcome, son.”
