Rose scented trouble

"Why haven't you changed, you'll catch a cold in that." Lucy scolded when Jazz and Erik appeared, their appearance contrast each other.

Jazz was in a neat formal attire, whereas Erik was sweating buckets, and his white colored shirt was tainted with black dirt. Lucy pushed her brother away as he attempted to hug her.

Both started to argue little little kids, or perhaps a parent and child rather.

They all laugh when Jazz kept pushing Erik away until he gives up and literally walk away stomping his foot. He then fixed himself then glance at Ian, they soon stared at each other for quite awhile.

'Are they having a staring contest? And what's this tension I am feeling between them?'

Lucy got shivers while watching the two, instead of even paying them some of her attention, she asked Ophelia to seat beside her then poured her a tea. Ophelia hesitated before even giving in.

"Ah, the weather really is nice," said Lucy after taking a sip from her tea.

It was indeed a nice day since earlier, the only thing that wasn't nice was her mood. Lucy stare at jazz and Ian who seem to be busy on their staring contest. She realized that this two hadn't blink once, are they really having a staring contest?!

Both of their eyes were almost gonna come out a faint of red was also seen, their hands tremble as they were clenched.

"Sorry to interrupt your intense staring but, what do you guys say about going to the plaza?"

They then all turn to her. Lucy sheepishly smirked as she sipped the remaining tea on her cup.

The moment Erik happily returned to the garden, traces of the people who was recently here was gone, including the set of tea cups. There was like a tumble weed that passed by him.

***

The four; Ophelia, Lucy, Ian and Jazz have successfully pass the imperial guards. Lucy wore a cloak and asked Jazz to change her hair color and eye, he was after all a middle class mage. Although Jazz was surprised by the sudden favor he did it eventually.

Once they got into the carriage, Lucy lowered the hood of the cloak. It then revealed her dark bluish hair and dull green eyes.

"I'm worried about you." Commented jazz while looking at Lucy who keeps on looking at her now dark blue hair.

She looked at jazz with a smirk on her face and leaned on the seat.

"Jade."

"What?" Asked Jazz puzzled.

"Call me Jade not Lucy, " Obviously, She at least want to make an alias, and it was her real name after all. It brings her a sense of satisfaction when people call her previous name on her previous life, unlike, the name Lucy which still doesn't sit comfortably to her. "Ah! Also, Don't regard me as your highness, drop the formality I'm a just a mere commoner right now." She enthusiastically added.

The two men looked at Ophelia who seems to be calm by this as if telling them, just go with it.

"By the way, I've heard rumors that you bought a man in your palace." Jazz's both arms and legs were crossed together and looked at Lucy with a serious look.

All Lucy did was looked at him with poker face. Well, that's a bad rumor, but it didn't concern her in the slightest, However, since she is a woman engaged, bringing a man would only mean trouble.

Now that he mentioned the said man, she haven't seen him since morning.

'I almost forgot about him.'

"Ophelia," she called out "Where's Sir Vemert? I haven't seen him since this morning, did he leave?"

Ophelia shook her head as she answered, "He is currently resting in the guest room, your highness. You do not need to worry, with his condition, It'll be hard for him to even escape."

Lucy casually nodded agreeing in what Ophelia stated.

"That's good, also, didn't I say not to regard me as royalty?" She said waving her hand.

When the carriage stop, they all went out, jazz extended his hand when Lucy was about to go out, but she ignored it and hurriedly jump from the carriage.

'Oh right, I should've taken his hand- no wait, I'm disguising myself as a commoner so courtesy or whatever doesn't mean to me.'

She just smiled at Jazz and went ahead of them. Ophelia too hurried out catching up to her lady leaving the two men dumbfounded.

The sky is becoming gloomy when they arrived at the stalls. The Dark gray clouds seem to pour rain anytime soon.

While in her disguise, Lucy was comfortable to roam around the plaza, she was sure alot of people would just look at her with hatred and probably won't even allow her to buy things.

Though, Lucy noticed that the stalls seems to just be few unlike yesterday. Alot of stalls was closed, rain doesn't seem to be the reason for them to close.

"Why are the other stalls closed today?" Lucy asked to a vendor of fruits as she was buying some oranges and rambutan. She was shocked to see fruits that can be seen on her world and are present in this one.

"Oh that, you must be new here miss. There's been a thief going around and stealing at the stalls, but they seem to only steal on those jewel vendors." The vendor explain as he hand over a paper bag to Lucy.

Now that he mentioned it, only stalls related to food are open, jewel and maybe even clothing stall were closed.

Ah.

'There was also a few stalls that was closed yesterday, but it was alot fewer than today. It's almost half of the stall in the plaza are closed.'

While sitting on a wooden bench on that seem to have been recently put around the fountain, jazz approached her with drinks in his hands. It was in a glass cup, what in the fancy is this? Do stalls really tend to put drink in this fancy glass cup?

"Are cups of street vendors here really this fancy?" Lucy asked as she received the drinks when jazz has sat down next to her.

"Hmm? Of course not, the vendor usually put it in a stereo cup but she put our drinks in this glass, I too wonder why."

Ah.

It almost slip her mind that Jazz was a noble and it clearly shows, not to mention, who wouldn't recognize this man in this empire? If he were in her world, his face would probably be everywhere, in posters,in billboards, news, and commercials. In other words, he'll most likely be a celebrity!

Looking at the glass cup she was holding then to the empty cup of jazz. Lucy then abruptly stood up and went to Ophelia who was approaching them then gave the cup to her when she was now in front of them.

"Your, er, Jade?" Ophelia looked at her puzzled, but Lucy only answered it with a smile and sat back down.

She could feel jazz immense staring so she couldn't help but turn to him and whispered:

"I think you've forgotten, we're outside and I'm disguising myself as a commoner, if people saw you giving the drink you've bought to me- surely there'll be an uproar."

"I see." He bluntly answered.

"By the way, there's been a rumored thief going around, and they seem to be targeting the stalls that sells jewels and clothes, do you know any of this?" Lucy asked crossing her legs and arms as she stare at the stalls.

Jazz was about to answer when Ian butted in.

"Oh yeah, that rumor has been going around for a week now. But the thief stole alot last night than the few nights."

Lucy looked at Jazz who was already glaring at Ian.

"Didn't your parents told you that it's rude to butt into people's conversation?" Jazz said.

Ian looked at him as he raised an eye brow and smirked.

"Oh, forgive me, Young Master." He responded exaggerating the word young master together with a mocking courtesy.

With that Jazz clenched his teeth and hand.

"Ah!" Lucy stood up abruptly, as she looked at Jazz and Ian awkwardly. She could also feel Ophelia being uncomfortable with their bickering. "Ah... I forgot to buy something...haha. Also don't follow me!"

She run-walk forward, she could hear jazz say something, but she couldn't care less.

Lucy found herself out of the plaza. Sighing as she fixed her hair, and wiped her sweat using the handkerchief she had on the cloak's pocket.

"Your- Jade!"

Turning around, she saw Ophelia running towards her. Lucy waved her hand as she smiles at her lady in waiting, she was still far but she could see her expression.

Ophelia had a worried and frightened expression that made Lucy be puzzled and withdraw her hands.

"Behind you!" Ophelia yelled, but it was too late for Lucy to even turn around. A cloth began to cover her mouth and nose her hands being caught at the back.

'Rose. . . the smell of roses. . ." She thought, as a sweet fragrance emitted from behind her.

As she breathes from the cloth, she could feel her body getting numb and her consciousness fading. With that, everything went black.