Knight And Love

22: out in town

"your highness, where are you? Please come out, it's time for your lesson"
His history teacher said, his voice is broking in sobs, not gonna blame him though, almost all of the teachers here in the kingdom doesn't want to teach the troublemaking and prankster third prince.

"Your highness, you know you can't escape from everything and it's rude to disappear on your teacher" I scolded him, the two of us are now hiding in the ceiling, looking down to the poor middle age teacher that is searching for akio.

"Shhhh, I forgot to do my homework and it's boring anyway" he said, shushing me, I sighed helplessly.

"oh, his gone!" He said, indeed the sobbing cries started to disappear, indicating that the teacher is moving to another part of the courtyard to search for his student.

"Where are you going?" He didn't hesitated to jump down to the floor, you may be athletic and strong but that doesn't mean you'll land safely on the ground from jumping all the way from here you know!!

"Out to town" he said, escaping my sight, here we go again!.

This happens every time! He doesn't like anything and says they're 'boring'...I mean yes sitting in a room with a boring middle age man teaching you stuff that you probably already know...he maybe a playboy but he knows one or two things about books and studies.

He run away from his sword teacher because he prefers practicing all on his own, I would catch him escaping his room during the night and practicing his swordsmanship in the forest, explains why he tends to fall asleep during class and always wears fingerless gloves to hide the calluses, cuts and bruised in his palms.

But he can't hide the small smell of blood lingering around him, at first I thought that he maybe injured but after closely inspecting his actions on trying to hide it, I eventually found out about his little secret.

I also thought about helping him with it but knowing the prideful third prince, I instead choose to step back and just assist him without him knowing, like distracting or finding an excuse for him every time a maid comes in his room to check on him, I turned them away and come up with something...of Course I doubt it if he knew about what I did....and I'm fine with it.

Sometimes he fail to grip unto something or hold something because of his beaten up hand so naturally I have to help him, he got a big ego like his brothers, he doesn't want to be seen weak and helpless to anyone, especially not to the heroine.

For example like what Happened this morning.

He gripped his cup but then flinched, I can tell that he must have went too far on his training again, dropping the teacup to the floor which caused it to shatter.

The maids rushed to his aids, asking if his alright and persisting on checking his hands which he desperately tried to hide.

I picked the shattered cup then pretending to inspect it.

"The tea was too hot, it may have been too hot that his highness got surprised from the heat of the cup and accidentally dropped it...who made the tea?" I may seem heartless by pinning the blame to a maid but akio is a caring person, though he may still not lower his pride he will not allow an innocent person to take the blame for his mistake.

The maids fell to their knees, trembling in fear, as a daughter of a well know knight family they know what I'm capable of doing.

"No--no, I'm fine....I-I wasn't careful anyway...there is no need to punish anyone, amaryllis, it's just an accident...just be sure not to do it again" as expected, I gazed at the maids again, they nodded their heads rapidly then moved fast to clean the broken cup and tea off the floor.

---

I followed the prince all day long around the town, thankfully no one recognized the prince marching around the area without any disguise at all, the royal guards on patrol may recognize him but lucky for us it's the first patrol of the newly accepted castle guards so no wonder they won't recognize each royal prince at first glance.

The prince pulled me from one stall to another, forcing me to eat street foods by feeding it to me, saying 'amaryllis say ah!' it's annoying yet sweet, but he and I don't have the same taste and I don't really have much of a sweet tooth unlike him.

He made me change and model for him in different clothes he choose, he would shout 'your so cute!!' with hearts around his aura and stars in his eyes.

I never saw myself as cute though, I mean I got complimented for being mature looking, responsible, graceful, gentle and beautiful but never cute, why cute?

I was never the cute type but he likes to poke my cheek and saying I look like a cute squirrel when eating, in summary he poured all his attention to me and always say cute in everything I do, I can't say that I didn't like it though.

It was nice to have someone who can see you in a different light, in a different face, plus he also took pride in being taller than me so he likes to pat my head and say cute...again.

His smile is way too bright! His name fits him very well, I can notice the crowd the prince is pulling in especially the ladies who have blushes on their cheeks.

I guess I can't stop him from being a playboy, but still! I'm literally getting washed away by a sea of girls! I love to see him smile but please oh famous pretty prince akio stop smiling!! If this continues on I don't know how I'm going to get you back to the palace! Your father is going to kill me if he finds out that you sneaked out again and about to come home with so many potential daughter-in-laws in the palace gates!

I swear they are getting more handful as days pass.

Should I think about retiring?.

"Amaryllis this was such a fun day!" He said, skipping while holding my hand.

" Yeah.....it was" I said, a warm bubbling feeling in my heart.

"wah!!!" He suddenly shouted, I instantly because more alert, ready to draw my sword I looked around.

"What is it your highness?, Is there some trying to hurt you?" I asked, he just.... laughed?.... landing a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry....I was just... surprise" he said, Raising my eyebrows in confusion he only smiled even more...

"I always knew that you look better with a smile..."

I....smiled?