Her feet were bleeding, she was cold, and she was aware that there were eyes on her. However, she ignored them like always and made her way to the seamstress's home. She knocked on the door and patted her hair, trying to tame it. The seamstresses opened the door with shock on her face however she quickly replaced it with a pinch expression.
"Whatever game you and the prince are playing I want no part of it." She went to close the door but was blocked by the girl's hand.
"Please Samantha, I need to use your shower."
She looked desperate and pathetic, Samantha looked at her for a while and for a second the girl thought she would let her in but instead Samantha pushed her hand. In a panic she said.
"You owe me, how many of my dresses have you copied and sold over the years. How many times have I given you medicine without payment? I have been nothing but nice to you. You owe me this." Samantha chuckled.
"I don't owe you anything, I have no idea what you mean about the dresses. They are clearly different materials and you don't own a style, secondly you treat everyone in this town and you, and I both know you don't need the money. Now move before I crush your hand. I want no part of your mess."
In a last attempt the girl said in a weak and submissive voice "could you at least give me the dress I gave you last time." Samantha closed the door without saying a word. The girl slumped against the door trying to figure out her next move. It was still early but by the time she made it to the inn the town would be packed, and everyone would see her at her second lowest point in her life. Tears slowly came down her face as she thought about the modification she was about to face. She shook back and forth and her sobs grew louder as she thought about the last public humiliation she faced.
Suddenly She could see a brown and orange dress flying in the sky and quickly heading towards a puddle. She ran-crawled trying to get to it in time but failed. It landed in the muddy water. She picked it up and could see a large mud stain, she signed but quickly put it on. She looked at her bloody feet and hoped that Samantha would throw some shoes as well, but nothing came. After a while she walked away and headed to the inn.
---
Samantha had gone back to sleep after being disturbed earlier in the day. It was now midday, and she was heading towards the bakers to get breakfast. Unlike others who would have thought about that pathetic girl at her door she took in the wonderful blue sky and tried to make shapes out of the clouds. The weather was perfect, and she was sure it would be wonderful. She made it to the baker and could see the other town girls talking amongst themselves. Celia spotted her and waved her over. She walked over to them, not really in the mood to hear their chatter,
"Ugggh why couldn't I have been around to see this!" one of the girls dramatically exclaimed
"It was priceless, she looked like a beggar" another said, Samantha quickly understood what they were talking about, and she rolled her eyes not entertained at all by the conversation.
"Serve her right, she is always walking around her like she owns the town."
"Like a princess instead of a loner living in a shabby hut in the forest." They all laughed, and Celia grabbed onto Samantha's forearm.
"Is it true that she came to you for help? I heard from the baker that she was sobbing on your doorsteps." The girls all looked at her waiting for her to talk about the whole ordeal and give them something to laugh about. Without much thought she said "yes." The girls all screeched with laughter and Celia jumping up and down, her grasp tightening around Samantha's arm. Samantha rubbed her eyebrow with her free hand, trying not to be quick tempered with them. When they finally quitted down she shook Celia off her and said, "I need to get my breakfast so if you'll excuse me." Begrudgingly the girls parted, and she made her way inside.
After getting her breakfast she took the back door to avoid the girls. She decided she would eat her breakfast at the swimming pool and enjoy the rest of the day there. She found a spot that was out of the sun but not wet from the night before. Once she was settled, she ate her muffin and drank her green tea. She hummed to herself and took in how beautiful the swimming pool was. She decided she would swim as no one in the town would be coming.
Unlike everyone else in the town Samantha was indifferent not only to this situation but also to the girl. She did not admire the girl's beauty like the men and children did. Nor was she envious or craved attention like the women in town. She was gorgeous enough and well mannered. She was content with her life. The girl offered her nothing and thus she tried to live her life as though she did not exist.
The prince had been at the cottage all day exploring the inside. Every room was a different color, but each room was well decorated and cramped. There was too much stuff everywhere as if she never threw anything out. He could not understand how she cleaned everything herself but beyond the crowding it was spotless. He walked out of the house and moved towards the garden. There he looked at all the plants she owned. They grew widely with no clear organized system. It was unsurprising as the inside of the cottage seemed to match. Although the room she used as a closet was wonderfully organized so he knew she could do so.
Thinking about the rooms made him remember the room at the end of the hallway. The one room he could not get into. Despite having the keys to every room in the house, and the key fitting into the lock it did not open. The prince was reminded of the night before when the front door did not open.
The prince was starting to realize that there was more to the girl than just looks. Or at least there were many secrets surrounding her. In fact, he thought it was strange that she lived in the town and on his land without ever hearing about her. It was clear from the things in her home that they came from abroad and the girl had said as much. That men from all over had come to propose to her and yet he had never heard of her.
The prince undid his bun and ran a hand through his hair. The sun would set soon but she still had not come back. He did not want to leave in case she was waiting somewhere she could see the house from. If that was the case, she would sneak back in preventing him from being able to enter again. However, she could have also made her way into town. It was early enough that most of the town would have been asleep. As well she seemed close to the old woman who owned the inn. She could stay there and never have to come back. Though she was quite famous in town, if even one person was awake and saw her, the rumors would be everywhere. Plus, she seemed obsessed with her garden; there was no way she would leave it unattended for long. Finally, he decided to stay the night. If she was still not back, he would go looking for her.
The sun was quite bright, and it was extra hot today. It had been a week since the girl ran out of her house. The prince had been waiting, everyday hoping that today would be the day she would come back. However, she had not shown up. The anxiety that she had slipped through his finger again increased with each minute he wasted waiting instead of looking for her.
The prince walked out the cottage and looked at the garden. Despite the intense dry and hot heat, the last couple of days the garden looked fine, in fact it seemed to be thriving. He touched the soil and picked some of it up. He rubbed the clump in between his fingers. It crumpled instantly with a bit of dust floating in the air. He knew very little about gardening, but he hunted often and knew that the soil was in terrible condition. He looked back at the garden trying to understand how it was possible that it was growing so well. He had not watered and did not plan to. On the third day he thought perhaps she had come in the night to water it but when he checked the next day the dirt was as dried as it was today. He shook his head and got up. He had already decided he would head to town and see if anyone had seen her.
It was just after midday when the prince made it into town. On the horse ride there he put together what he knew of girl, trying to figure out how to find her. Though his thoughts were jumbled and noting he knew of the girl made sense. She thought of herself as the sun, she was great at disappearing, was some sort of a healer and was incredibly dark. How could she disappear so easily when stuck out and attention followed her? How was she so well known yet he had never heard of her. Even if she was not known for her beauty her skills of a healer seemed to be unmatched. His servant did say she was adored by the town, but she lived quite far away it. While the prince had not interacted with many people in town, what he had seen shown the opposite. They seemed to be putting up with her. Nothing made sense, none of it. The feeling of strangeness once again played in his mind. Though this time it drew him closer to her instead of away.
He made his way into the baker's store as that seemed to be the social gathering spot of the town. Inside he saw a few of the town girls laughing and talking amongst themselves.
"Still she has been in that inn forever, does she think we do not know she is in there?" one of the girls said.
"I passed by the other day and saw her through the window, I waved real nice like and she frantically closed it!" another said.
"SHE'S LOST IT!" all the girls laughed at that.
"My prince!" one of the girls got up and bowed deeply to him. "I am Celia. It is an honor to finally see you in person." She walked over to him and took his hands in hers.
The prince was unfazed by her grand gestures but let her hold his hands. "Do you know where that girl is?" They said nothing but it was clear from the looks on their faces that they knew who he was talking about and where she was.
"Prince please take this as humble advice but forget her she is..." Celia did not finish unsure of how the prince would take.
"UNWELL" a girl from the table finished. Celia nodded her head.
The prince took in their words but did not care what condition the girl was in. He needed her and he would not leave without her. He would not face such embarrassment twice. As well since had been back in town his mind seemed to relax and become clear. She no longer hunted every corner of his mind. He was convinced that as long she was with him, he would be fine.
"That is very kind of you, but my order was to tell me where she was and not give me advice." There was an icy violence to his words that let the girls know not to waste his time. "I will take you then" Celia said. The prince nodded and they headed out. They walked in the direction of the inn rather slowly.
Celia could not decide whether to try her luck with the prince. Unlike that stupid girl and Samantha, the brat, Celia knew her place and would treat the prince well. She spent her whole life training to be a wonderful wife, a gift to men. Her mother was planning to have her married next year. While Celia never complained, a prince was still better than any man her mother could find.
Finally, she worked up the courage and stopped the prince from walking. She took the prince's hand once again and gently led his face towards her own. She got on her tippy toe and kissed the prince with as much conviction and passion as she had. The prince did not pull away and so she deepened the kiss. Hoping that her skills and devotion could sway him.
After a few minutes she pulled away, her face was red from embarrassment and desire. "I may not be pretty as Samantha or as attention grabbing as that girl, but I come from a good family and was trained from a young age to be a good wife. You would never have to worry about my love or loyalty." Her eyes were wide, and she had a look of innocence in them. The prince was intrigued and pleased by her words. It was his turn to kiss her and lead. They made their way to the trees surrounding the path. Once they felt covered enough, the prince unlaced her dress. Celia was plump but soft and had freckles all over her body. She was not his usual type but found himself aroused by her figure and delicate persona.
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