The Lost Royalty || Sana x Dahyun (SaiDa)

Chapter 2 - "The beginning of serving the forest"

I walked outside to check on the lady and opened the curtains of Sora's cabin, only to find her feeding her horse an apple.

I can't get the concept that someone like her may have an expressionless face out of my head. She looks just the opposite right now as she feeds the horse. She appears to be a child who enjoys playing with her pet.

Sora rose up and moved over to me once she fixed her sight on my direction.

"I can't believe this is peasant clothing; you make it look like it was woven by expert and personal weavers in a kingdom using the finest silk mankind could find."

I'm not sure why, but I couldn't stop myself from smiling at her words. Such flattery.

"Oh, to be praised by the forest guardian; you may be a woman, but even you cannot withstand my beauty," I boasted.

"You may have been beautiful, but you cannot put on clothes of a peasant appropriately."

"How dare you to just-"

When I felt her arms around my waist, I was taken aback. I assumed she was giving me a warm embrace, but that was quickly dispelled when I realized she was merely reattaching the belt on my dress that I had forgotten to put on.

"There. All better now, princess." My face flushed as I realized I'd misinterpreted her movements as a hug when she was actually simply adjusting my attire.

"T-thank you..."

"That's fine; just sit on that log while I finish cooking our breakfast."

Sora quickly turned back and resumed preparing our breakfast.

"What are you making?" I questioned.

"A barley porridge, a filling and nutritious breakfast that would provide you with plenty of energy, is exactly what you need for the things we needed to do for the forest."

"Can't say I've never had this dish before," I admitted, eliciting a chuckle from Sora.

"I expected that kind of response; royal breakfasts must have included expensive and prestigious meals containing meat and wheat."

"In what ways had you come to know?"

"I had a way of knowing, princess. Just sit down there. Food's ready," Sora remarked, and I sat quietly on this log, waiting for her to offer me a bowl of that so-called porridge.

She brought me the bowl after filling the coconut shell bowl with porridge and topping it with various fruits, berries, and nuts.

"Here you are. If you wish, there's also bread and cheese. I've also heated up earlier fresh cow's milk so you have nothing to worry about bacteria and such. I'm hoping that's sufficient for you, princess."

"You've already done adequately, Sora. Are you going to refrain from eating anything in particular? Why don't you share the porridge with me?" I noticed that Sora just made one bowl of porridge that might have been plenty for both of us, but she handed it all to me.

"I'm used to eating just one apple for breakfast, and I can't take my mask off right in front of you yet," the guardian replied that made me raise an eyebrow.

"You can't even show me your identity or what you appeared like behind that mask yet?"

"I'm afraid not, princess, and it's also strictly forbidden for me to show my facial features to anyone."

"That's absurd; just say you have horrible physical characteristics and I'll leave you alone," I teased her, causing her to roll her eyes.

"As much as I don't want to talk about my appearance, I can assure you that they aren't as unpleasant as you claim."