Anastasia dressed up with the help of the maids. When she stepped out, she was surprised to see the prince waiting.
"Let’s go," he said, taking the initiative to hold her hand.
Anastasia was taken aback by the sudden display of affection. She wanted to pull her hand away, but she realized that allowing the servants in the quarters to see them that morning would reduce the gossip that might spread. Someone would eventually clean the room and notice that they had not spent the night together.
Anastasia had grown up watching her mother and herself suffer because they lacked the Duke’s favor. She did not know if things would play out differently in the palace.
Either way, she felt more at ease minimizing the kind of gossip that would spread.
"Do you know how to ride a horse?" the prince asked as they stepped outside his courtyard. He had just realized that some noble ladies did not know how to ride and were accustomed to traveling by carriage.
"No," Anastasia shook her head. The Duchess had not even allowed her to learn music, a common craft for women, so why would she have had the chance to learn horseback riding? Although most noble ladies did not ride outside their residence, many still learned for leisure.
Prince Edward was troubled by her answer. A carriage would be much slower than a horse, and there was no time to waste.
"If it will delay you, I can accompany you to the palace gate," Anastasia offered. She recalled that the day the prince returned from the eastern border, he had been riding a horse, and his mistress had also been able to ride. She did not want to give anyone a reason to look down on her.
The prince, hearing her reply, knew he could not do that. He did not dare to disobey his father’s words.
"Then let’s ride together. As long as you lean close to me, it should be fine," Prince Edward suggested. There was nothing improper about sharing a horse with his wife. Besides, it was still early in the morning, and the roads would not be crowded.
Anastasia was surprised by his suggestion. She had thought the prince disliked getting close to her. Seeing her surprised expression, the prince smiled and stepped forward.
He carefully helped Anastasia onto the horse before mounting behind her. Walter and the other guards also mounted their horses and followed the prince.
The maids and servants were already up, tending to the palace, so this scene quickly became a topic of gossip.
Many speculated that the crown prince was getting along well with his wife for them to share a horse. They had no idea that Anastasia could not ride or that the prince was merely trying to save time.
The news spread quickly that morning and soon reached Dorothy’s courtyard.
"I really thought this lady was favored by His Highness," one maid remarked as she cleaned. She had no idea that Dorothy, inside the room, could hear her.
"I thought so too, but the crown prince’s wife is such a beauty. What man wouldn’t be moved?" the second maid replied.
"You are right, moreover she is the wife choose by the king. The prince would have to show care," the first maid added.
These maids were only responsible for cleaning the courtyard and bringing Dorothy food, so they had no idea that the prince had left his beautiful wife to comfort her.
Dorothy felt resentful upon hearing their gossip. Though she wished to keep her relationship with the prince a secret, she was still displeased by talk of his growing bond with his new wife.
She even suspected that the maids were deliberately letting her overhear them, mocking her on purpose. She considered complaining to the prince but worried it might make her seem petty. Although he cared for her, she did not want to cause him unnecessary trouble.
On the other side, Prince Edward and Anastasia arrived safely at the military camp. The prince dismounted first and helped Anastasia down.
The journey ahead would take ten days, and despite their preparations, they were not yet ready to depart when the prince arrived; after all the notice was short.
Seeing that it was past breakfast time, the prince instructed Walter to buy breakfast for the princess. He then left her to eat while he went to meet the general in charge of the royal army to discuss arrangements.
The royal army was mainly responsible for protecting the royal city and the royal family. This time, half of the army would be marching north as reinforcements.
Anastasia did not fully understand the military structure of the kingdom. She had purchased a few books on the subject but had not yet found time to study them. Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by novel{f}ire.net
Though Walter had taken her to a tent to eat, Anastasia could not bring herself to eat much.
The entire camp was bustling with activity, and no one was available to serve her. After taking only a few bites, she decided to stop eating. Curious about the commotion around her, she stepped out of the tent. It was her first time witnessing an Army getting ready for warm
She had no intention of wandering far, as she did not want the prince to have to search for her when they were ready to leave. She meant to take only a few steps, but before she realized it, she became distracted by the busy scene before her.
Failing to notice the stone in her path, she tripped forward.
A voice rang out. The man had noticed her distraction and wanted to warn her, but he was too late. Fortunately, he managed to catch her before she hit the ground.
Anastasia was surprised that she had not fallen. She had already braced herself for the pain and embarrassment of tumbling in front of so many strangers.
"Thank you," she said, as the man helped her stand.
Anastasia always closed her eyes when frightened, so when she missed her step, she had shut them in fear of falling. Only now did she see the man who had saved her.
"It’s you..." Anastasia gasped.
Standing before her was the handsome man she had bumped into a few days earlier at the grand celebration. Anastasia never forgot a face, especially one so striking.
"You remember me?" Ernest asked skeptically. They had only met briefly at the palace, and he had not expected her to recognize him.
"Of course. I bumped into you at the palace and spilled my drink on you. I am truly sorry about that incident," Anastasia said, feeling a bit embarrassed. It seemed that every time she met this man, she did something clumsy or humiliating.
"It’s okay, but I think it would be best if the lady is more careful in the future," Ernest advised. He could not understand why this young woman was always so absentminded, constantly running into things. The last time she almost got killed by a horse.