Beautiful Scar

Chapter 29

He hastily stood up and pulled up a chair for her, "Oh sure no trouble at all, please". He almost left the elder lady standing there for a while.

Martha gave a small smile, "Well, I'm the one intruding on your private time, it seems, Prince". And when Dylan got back to his seat, Martha whispered with a grin, "She's a fine one, isn't it? But you have to be mindful, her father is very protective of her".

Dylan covered his gape.

He was caught flirting by the castle's head maid!

And Martha merely laughed at the young Prince in front of her.

The same young lady approached the table again, putting down Dylan's drink, then taking Martha's order.

Dylan nodded a thanks and took a sip.

He glanced over the elder lady, an old motherly smile she maintained as she conversed with the young maiden server. He tried to focus his gaze elsewhere.

Well, he did not expect to face this.

This was awkward!

When the server left them, there was silence on the table. The noise from the tavern's crowd remained.

"Well, young Prince, thank you for letting me lie down and have lunch in your presence. I understand you would rather have a good 'ol lunch with a younger pretty lady", Martha mused.

"Oh no, ma'am, the pleasure's all mine", Dylan quickly countered. He felt embarrassed to be seen but unlike all the hypocrisy of people he met, he felt strangely at ease with this elder lady sitting in front of him.

"Is everything alright, may I ask?" The question forced Dylan to look at Martha. "I hope your stay within the castle is well".

He still could feel the soreness of his arms and legs and well, every joint in him.

Honestly, if it wasn't for the Scar Captain, he could've enjoyed more of his stay in this Kingdom and maybe find more things to uncover. At this point, there was nothing worth reporting back to.

But then he stared at Martha again, perhaps this was a sign stumbling upon the elder maid.

Perhaps if he played his charm card right, he could find out from Martha, the Scar girl's weakness, or any secret of the Kingdom that could be useful to him.

"If you find us castle servants performing unsatisfactorily, you may bring it up to the Princess or to me and I will see to it they are dealt with accordingly", Martha continued.

"Oh, there's no need for such thing. The services of the castle household had been nothing short of excellence. I give my words on that, if any words from a foreign Prince such as myself can convince that", he mustered his smile which often melts the hearts of maidens and ladies.

"You flatter this old lady", Martha chuckled.

Seeing the creased smile on the elder lady made him smile. But he might not realize it. Martha noticed though. She knew the latter smile he posed was softer – kinder.

"Well, I must cherish this occasion. Since I have the honour to have my lunch break with Prince Dylan", she added, and then her small meal was served.

Dylan noticed the small portion. "Are you sure that would be enough?"

"Oh yes, dear", she didn't notice the slip of title and Dylan preferred that. "You know old age can shrink one's appetite".

"If you say so..." but Dylan raised a hand, called up the server and ordered the same dish as Martha's, and even added few others on the order.