16. Apple Orchard

After seeing Jane's genuine attitude with his own two eyes, Royce did not return to the palace immediately. The man was waiting near a bakery. His appearance is still the same as before. Royce was still wearing his ugly clothes and his skin was still covered with wet dirt.

Some passersby always looked at him unhappily. There have even been six people who gave him a coin in the form of currency with a small nominal. Because they all thought that Royce was a beggar.

Royce was waiting for one of his bodyguards who looked like fruit merchants. The bodyguard was looking for information about Athena and Lucy's whereabouts. Royce didn't want to go back to the palace, so he intended to just follow his sister.

After waiting for almost an hour, finally a bodyguard came to Royce. A bodyguard who also still looks like a fruit merchant.

The guard pretended to take Royce away from the area, making it look like someone was trying to help a beggar sitting alone.

"Forgive me if it took me so long, Prince." said the guard.

Royce nodded. "It doesn't matter. Why didn't you ask Frans to come pick me up?"

"I've already done that. Frans will come after you to where Princess Lucy is. And I've also asked Frans to bring you some clothes."

"Great idea. Then where is my sister?" Royce asked, feeling confused.

"While on my way to Athena's house, I met Athena in person. The girl went home to return her father's horse. He told me that you just had to head to the middle of the apple orchard. Athena will come to you there later." The guard said honestly.

Royce immediately frowned. Why did Athena tell him to come to the apple orchard? The apple orchard was closer to the palace and further from Athena's house. Was Lucy there too?

"Then why do you have a worried look on your face?" Royce asked the guard.

"Athena told you to come alone, prince. Maybe I'll ask Frans to stop in front of the apple orchard instead. I'll take your clothes to the apple orchard." said the guard.

"Hmm, fine then. Let's go to the apple orchard."

"You don't need a horse?"

"My appearance is still like this. Is there a beggar riding a horse? Come on, we should just walk. Besides, the apple orchard isn't far from here." said Royce who immediately walked past his guards.

Finally, the two of them walked to the apple orchard. The citizens did not realize that a crown prince was disguised as a beggar.

***

Royce had just arrived in front of the apple orchard area. The apple orchard looks shady and very cool. The apples look red and ready to be harvested in the near future.

"You don't have to follow me inside. After all, what I met was my own sister and Athena." Royce said after receiving the box containing his suit of clothes. The clothes were delivered by Frans.

"But prince, what if something happened to you in there?" asked Frans. The man who worked as the leader of the soldiers looked very worried if he let Royce enter the apple orchard alone.

Royce chuckled softly. "You don't have to worry. Athena couldn't possibly hurt me. You two go back to the palace and tell my mother that I am accompanying Lucy with Athena."

"Are you really asking us to leave?" Ask a guard who has always accompanied Royce.

Royce nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine here. You can pick me up when the sun is almost down. Lucy had told me this morning that she wanted to return to the palace by the time it was evening. Then I have to go inside."

Frans nodded politely. "Enjoy your time, prince. We'll pick you up in the evening."

Royce just waved his hand while still walking straight into the apple orchard. Meanwhile, Frans and a guard from earlier, the two of them immediately closed the wooden fence which was the entrance to the apple orchard. Then they both rushed back to the palace on a gallant stallion.

***

When he entered the apple orchard and reached the very center, Royce was confused. He looked left and right to find out where Athena was.

There was the sound of approaching footsteps. Then the voice of a woman who Royce knew very well immediately sounded in his ears.

"Prince Royce!" Athena called out to Royce in a slightly exclaiming tone of voice.

Royce looked up at three o'clock. Then he smiled when he saw Athena who was walking towards him. But the girl's appearance made Royce very surprised. Since when did Athena wear a suit like a cowboy? The girl was also wearing pants and boots.

No, Athena didn't look strange in Royce's eyes. It was precisely because Athena had such an appearance, that Royce was silent for a while without batting an eye.

Athena chuckled softly. "Sorry if I look like this. You'll know when you go inside." Athena said.

"Go inside? Where to?" asked a confused Royce.

Athena immediately grabbed the box that was brought by Royce. The girl had to remain in the role of a servant. "You just need to walk straight in the direction of this road, Prince."

"Where are we headed?"

"To a waterfall."

"Isn't the waterfall clear and easy to get to on the road west of this apple orchard? There's even a big bridge over there. Why do you have to go through this apple orchard if you want to go to the waterfall?"

Athena smiled. The two of them talked as they continued walking. Athena walked behind Royce. "There is a small hidden waterfall. You'll see it soon enough."

"Oh, really? Since when are there two waterfalls in this area? Even though since childhood, my father always told me the location of hidden places on this island." Royce said.

"Actually, this apple orchard belongs to my grandmother." Athena said.

That statement managed to make Royce surprised. The man stopped walking and turned to look at Athena. Royce's face was completely shocked. "What? Really?"

Athena nodded. "I'm not the grandson of my grandmother. Even my grandmother did adopt my mother. But we all love grandma and grandma love us too. Then this apple orchard was given to me, along with a hidden place which is a small waterfall behind this apple orchard."

"Wow, this is amazing. I think I know who your grandmother is." Royce said.

"Is that true? How did you know my grandmother, prince?"

"Is your grandmother's name Charlotte?" Ask Royce.

Athena immediately nodded her head. "Yes, she was a friend of Queen Ariadne during her reign. This apple orchard was a gift from Queen Ariadne. And now this apple orchard is mine."

"Why didn't you tell me from the start? If I know that you are the grandson of someone who is my grandmother's best friend, then you don't need to be a servant in the palace. My mother will also definitely make you a noble girl who will study in the palace." Royce said. Then he continued on his way again.

"I'm not her real grandson. And I feel better I don't have to get validation from so many people about who I am. The Diamond Kingdom and the diamond village only know my grandmother, not me." Athena said with a smile.

"You're hiding too much, Athena."

"We have arrived at our destination, Prince Royce." Athena said. She didn't mean to change the subject, but they just so happened to have arrived in front of a large cave entrance covered with vines that looked like curtains.

Royce immediately stared in awe at the place. He still stood staring at the vines that hung like curtains. Cover the entrance of the cave. "Wow, since when did a place like this exist?"

Athena stepped in front of Royce. "Let's go inside. Princess Lucy is in there too." The girl said kindly.

*****