The Girl At The Market

This is truly troublesome.

The Young Prince was so captivated by the beauty of the marketplace that he got separated from the Butler before he even noticed it. His eyes was wandering from one stall to the other and a peculiar piece of an artwork caught his eyes. It was a painting of a woman with a basket in hand and it was as if the sunlight was intended to shine upon her youthful looks. She looked so bright and so beautiful that he can't take his eyes off of it. But because of his impulsiveness, he found himself in the center of nowhere with people he don't know and he is starting to feel fear creep in the back of his mind.

Meanwhile, the Butler was giving orders left and right to the guards stationed in the market to go look for the lost Prince. However, there was still no reported sightings of him. And, as he walk bumping into strangers, trying to look for the Prince himself, he accidentally bumps into a little girl.

He stops on his tracks and gently reach out his hand to the little girl who was carrying a basket that is obviously too big for her.

"I apologize, little miss.", he said in a warm tone but the little girl did not even look at him nor reach out for his hand for help as she stand up and collect the herbs that was thrown into the ground when he bumped into her.

"Don't worry, mister. Just make sure to always look ahead of you when walking into a busy place like this. You might get in trouble if you keep bumping into people like this."

"Ah, right. I apologize.", the girl smiled at him making him feel a little lighter. It was weird what he felt when he saw her smile. It was as if a ray of gentle sunshine shone upon him. And, just then he thought  about the Princess when he first saw her, that little daredevil and cheeky brat, but when she smiled at him for the very first time it was as if spring itself arrived. That is who this little girl remind him of.

"I have to go, mister. Please be careful."

The little girl with beautiful dark wavy hair, and reddish brown eyes wave goodbye as she walk towards the center of the market, in the middle of the sea of people. It seems like her face was one he will never forget.She is such a peculiar and strange little girl and she even talked like she was older than what she seems like. And, in those matter of seconds, the Butler did not notice that he was caught up in the moment, forgetting about what he was supposed to be doing.

But when a little boy with a silly smile on his face pass by him, he remembered the Young Prince he was supposed to be looking for.

'Crap! I almost forgot!' he thought to himself as he jogs down the whole marketplace again to find the Prince.

   The Young Prince put his hand on his heart in an attempt to calm himself down. It wouldn't do him any good panicking now, and getting scared.

He decided to take it on himself the duty to find a way out of the center of the marketplace and get in contact with a guard in his post so that he can return to the palace. But before that... his stomach won't stop churning from hunger and right now, in front of him is a stall selling bread.

The smell of newly cooked pastries was doing him no good in his current situation. He already feel like drooling over the savory snack in front of him. Oh, if only he had brought his pocket money to atleast buy food!

"Little boy, are you hungry? How about some bread?", asked the kind looking lady in charge of the stall of bread he had been staring at unknowingly for a long time now.

'Was it really that obvious?' he thought to himself as he clears his throat and try to maintain his noble facade in front of the tempting food in front of him, inches away from his touch and far from his growling stomach.

"I would love to buy one but sadly, I don't have the money to pay for it right now."

"Is that so? Well, I can't have a strong young man like you starving. Wait for me here, and don't go anywhere.", she instructed him and even if he is clueless as to what she means, he did what she said and waited for her. Fighting back the urge to run away and find a guard so he can go back with the Butler to the palace and eat.

The lady was smiling to herself as she go to her stall to pick a freshly baked piece of bread and to his surprise, she reach out and took his hand to put the same freshly baked piece of bread on his hand.

The Young Prince was startled.

"B-But I don't have the money to pay for this—!"

The lady pat his head and smiled sweetly at him. The deed calmed him down and his eyes was looking straight at the kind lady. He can see that the lady was genuine and she wasn't the kind of person who would trick a little boy like himself for her own entertainment. 'What beautiful clear eyes she has, looking at it felt like looking at the sky itself.' was the thoughts that run in his head at the moment. Mesmerized by the kindness of a lady he barely even know.

"A little boy like yourself should not worry about money and such. Eat well and grow up to be a good man someday."

The tone in her words were very mother-like and he felt a strange tug in his heart. A warm sensation spreading inside his chest.

"Thank you, Madam."

After that, a guard passed by and spotted him. The eyes of the guard shows that they recognize him and the Madam who was in front of him, stand aside as the guards surround him and bow both of their heads to him.

"Prince, we have been looking for you."

"Yes, I do apologize for the trouble.", he spoke in a noble manner and the lady was surely surprised at this sudden revelation unfolding before her. Who would have known that she was talking to a Prince?

The guards look at the lady, and suspiciously inspect the bread he was holding.

"Your highness, is this peasant bothering you?"

He felt a sudden irritation at the way the guard mock the kind lady who had done nothing and  without holding back, he lash out on them.

"Say that one more time, and I'll have your tongue.", his voice was deep and threatening. He may be a child but he was a Prince who can take their heads off from it's rightful place if they cross his line, and he made sure they know that right here, right at this moment.

The guards grumble and as if a cat bit their tongues they look at each other and bow their heads again in apology.

"We apologize for our rudeness, your Highness."

He nods in response and look at the worried face of the kind lady. He smiles at her.

"I am grateful for your kindness towards me. Even if I was just a stranger who passed by your stall, you helped me without hesitation. In return, I will make sure to pay you for this loaf of bread."

The lady go down on her knees and bow her head.

"Oh no, Your Majesty! If there was someone who should pay, it should be me who acted familiar with someone as noble as you.I apologize for my behavior! I hope that you will forgive me, Your Highness!"

Her hands were shaking as she clutch to her skirt and her eyes wouldn't even leave the ground. For some reason, his heart ached for her. That warm sensation of motherly love that he did not get to feel with his mother dying from childbirth, he felt from her in a matter of seconds upon meeting her. A very strange occurrence indeed.

"There's nothing to forgive. Please, stand up."

The lady look at him and stand up with eyes still refusing to meet his. And to save himself from the awkwardness of the situation he decided to bid farewell to the kind lady now.

"I will be going now, Madam. The payment will be carried out by one of my servants, I will make sure of it."

"But—"

"Please. Let me thank you properly. It is my duty to do so since you have taken kindly to me. Consider it a small token of my appreciation."

Her expression says she wouldn't accept it under normal circumstances but since he is the Prince, it would be treason to refuse him.

The lady was scared out of her wits and it painfully shows how much she fear him upon knowing he is the Prince. He smile nevertheless at her and promised that he will repay her kindness before bidding her farewell as he leave to follow the guards that will lead him to where the Butler is.

It was a very strange day with bonds of fate being made behind the scene but it was too small to be even noticed yet by the people involve themselves but as years will pass by. These bonds will only be clearer and clearer.

The Prince walk towards the fountain with the guards both at his side near the marketplace, and just like when he saw that painting of a beautiful woman with her basket filled with flowers, his eyes saw a little girl, not far from his age pass him by with a basket in hand that is obviously too big for her with herbs in it. It was only a moment.

And it only took a moment for him to feel the butterflies in his stomach when he laid eyes on this peculiar girl with a strange feeling to her. The girl with eyes glimmering like stars on a dark night.

Afterwards, he finally met with the Butler whose eyebrows were furrowed due to  his worried expression but all he can think about at the moment was 'who was that little girl?'.

And, will he get the chance to meet her again?