Page 103 of Quest for her Knights
We’ve been on the road for over a week now, and I haven’t ridden with him once. I was hoping he’d ask to take a turn. I miss being close to him. Not that I ever really was before, butI need to know what’s going to happen before we get back to Silverthorn.
Is he going to step back or step up? It’d be good to know so I can feel less worried. I think the weight of the head of the royal guard telling the kings and queen that I don’t want to marry any lords would carry a lot more weight.
But I’m also not sure what will happen after that. Do we… date? Or is that called courting here? I’ve tried to ask the others about it, but they’re a little vague, saying we’ll figure it out and not to worry.
But it’s hard when I don’t know this world. If it was so easy for me not to marry the lords, then why had they been fighting against it so hard for all those months?
I wasn’t sure, but I was excited for our next stop. We haven’t stopped in a single village since we left Highcrest Castle, as Ranger thought I’d be recognizable. But he assures me the village we’re stopping in today is far enough away that we should be able to blend in without anyone knowing who I am.
I’ve been starting to enjoy camping with my knights, but it doesn’t mean I’m not excited to spend a few nights in a real bed, and possibly eat something different for a change.
“There it is!” Arrow calls from up ahead.
Blaze tightens his arm around my waist as we trot after him, Ranger at our side and Draven behind us.
As the village comes into view in the valley below, I try to take it all in. Small stone buildings with a clear main street,surrounded by houses scattered amongst the countryside. It reminds me of an old-fashioned village I’ve seen in several movies.
We slow to a walk as we enter the street, and Arrow takes us to one of the larger buildings with a large sign that reads “Inn and Tavern.”
As he dismounts, a teenage boy comes out from the side of the building and greets him. “I can take your horses, sir.”
“Thank you,” Arrow says as the rest of the knights climb off their horses. Blaze helps me down, then grabs my hand and we follow Ranger inside while Draven and Arrow deal with the boy and the horses. There must be a stable behind the inn as they start to lead them in that direction.
We step inside and are greeted by a man around Ranger’s age.
“Good afternoon. Are you looking for a room?”
“Yes, for five,” Ranger says, as I look around the lobby. It’s pretty plain, but exactly what I expected. There’s a large open arched doorway at the side that leads into what looks like the tavern. The smell of something delicious hits my nose and I let out a small moan.
Blaze chuckles. “Hungry, pri—” He cuts himself off and glances at the man checking us in. “Darling?” he corrects himself, obviously remembering we don’t want anyone here to know I’m royalty. Even my knights aren’t wearing their uniforms today.
“Starving,” I tell him honestly as I lick my lips.
“Why don’t you get us a table, and I’ll help the others put our bags in our rooms,” Ranger suggests. He smiles down at me, and I smile back in thanks.
Blaze leads me into the tavern, and we find a booth big enough to seat all of us. A server comes over and he places an order for food and drinks for everyone.
It doesn’t take them long to join us, and soon we’re all eating some sort of juicy bird, mashed potatoes, peas, and corn. It’s the most delicious thing I’ve eaten in ages, and I have to keep telling myself to slow down and not eat like a gremlin.
“I heard there’s a little festival going on in the village square tonight,” Arrow tells us.
“Really? Can we go?” I ask excitedly, turning to Ranger in question.
“On one condition.”
“What?”
“You let me buy you a new dress.”
I frown, looking down at my shortened dress I altered weeks ago. “You don’t like my dress?” I ask in worry.
He reaches over and places his hand on mine as he tries to reassure me. “Elora, I love it. But it’s on the dirty side, you’ve only been wearing two dresses for weeks. I thought you might like to wear something new, something clean. You can pick it out yourself.”
Realizing he’s trying to do thisforme and nottome, I nod in agreement. The thought of getting to see a clothing store isactually quite exciting. All my dresses came out of the old Elora’s wardrobe.
When we finish eating, we head into the street after getting directions from the innkeeper to the local dress shop. Luckily, it’s only a few doors away, and when I step inside, I feel like a bit of a kid in a candy shop. It’s filled with beautiful fabrics and garments and I wish I could spend weeks here, creating my own outfits.
The shop owner is an older woman named Dorothy, and we start talking about patterns and fabric choices while my knights wait patiently by the door.
