Walk Together

"Come on, get on!" said Arya ordering Nalini to get on the horse's back with him. Her lips curved into a sweet, hopeful smile.

Nalini wiped her face, she didn't know what to answer. Riding a horse with Prince Arya back then was a compulsion, unlike now. People would certainly ask questions and she didn't know how to answer them.

Nalini weakly shook her head. Moreover, she saw the two soldiers escorting her exchanging suspicious glances.

"Sorry, Prince Arya. I'm going on foot," Nalini replied in the end. Her head lowered to the ground.

"Are you sure you want to walk? With those narrow and difficult clothes?" Arya asked. What she was referring to was the long net wrapped around Nalini's body. Indeed, it made it impossible for Nalini to walk fast.

Nalini was restless. She rubbed her cold hands and adjusted the bundle of cloth on her shoulder rest. "Yes, Prince. It's okay if I just walk."

Arya saw that Nalini was stubbornly refusing to obey his orders. He jumped down from his gallant horse. He gave the horse's reins to the guards.

"Guards, lead this horse. I want to walk," he said in a flat tone.

The bodyguards accepted the reins. There was confusion on their faces but they quickly nodded. "Yes, Prince."

Arya then walked over to Nalini. "Let's go," he said shortly.

"Prince, why are you...?" Nalini stopped her sentence as Arya asked her to hand over the bundle of cloth she was carrying.

"Here are your provisions. Put it on the horse's back so it won't be a burden," said the young man with shoulder-length curls.

Nalini handed over the bundle, her eyes looking at Arya more intensely. What was wrong with this man? Why was he so attentive to her this morning?

"The great healer's house is quite far from here. It would be a pity if you walked alone, so I'll carry the burden on my horse," explained Arya Dhipa, still with his charming smile.

"But Prince, why are you also walking?" asked Nalini. She studied Arya's face which looked more cheerful this morning.

"I wanted to move, that's all." Arya replied nonchalantly. He who used to walk fast now had to walk slowly to keep up with Nalini.

The girl only thanked Arya Dhipa for his answer. She then looked down more and avoided looking at Arya. She began to feel a subtle stirring in her chest again.

They continued to talk while walking. The morning atmosphere was getting crowded. Many people were passing by on the streets. Arya only raised her right hand when she met people who greeted and bowed respectfully to her.

Sweat began to pour down Nalini's face. It was also true what Prince Arya had said. The great healer's house was so far away, her legs were starting to ache.

"Is it still far?" she asked as she took a breath and exhaled forcefully. Nalini tried to increase her energy to reach her destination quickly.

Arya Dhipa's lips wore a lopsided smile. She suddenly leaned her head in front of Nalini's face until she was within an inch of each other.

Nalini was startled and hurriedly pulled back her face. Her eyes widened in anger. She felt Arya's annoyance starting to come out again.

"Didn't I tell you earlier? The great healer's house is very far from the Kaputren palace, you will get tired of walking." Arya Dhipa raised her head. In his heart, he felt happy to have the opportunity to tease the village girl.

"I didn't think it would be this far." Nalini replied as she continued to wipe the sweat from her forehead. The sun was getting hotter and stinging her skin.

"That's why I offered riding, but you refused," Arya Dhipa sighed as if disappointed.

"Mercy, Prince Arya. I really didn't know." Nalini felt guilty for making the young man walk with her. "The prince can ride the horse. Get on, it's okay for me to walk with the guards."

Arya Dhipa quickly shook his head. "No, I am used to this kind of morning walk. No problem at all," he said.

"Thank you, Prince." Nalini bowed to Arya again.

Arya Dhipa frowned as Nalini continued to be polite in front of him. He missed the beautiful girl's chaotic attitude.

"Never mind, just behave normally with me. We are friends," said Prince Arya. He looked at Nalini deeply. Her face was now pure white, her clothes and hair were neatly arranged. Very beautiful.

"Mercy, Prince. I can't, I'm afraid of being punished." Nalini remained polite and refused to act recklessly. The training in manners at the Kaputren palace was now actually practiced by her.

Arya made a face. Her mouth pursed playfully. "You've changed a lot," he said, shaking his head. "I don't like change."

"I met a young man once, he told me I should do this and that. Now that I've changed, why is he even protesting. Does Prince Arya know why he does that?" Nalini countered Arya's attitude with a simile question.

Arya's eyes widened. She looked at Nalini closely. Their steps even came to a halt.

"Oh yeah? So you changed for me?" he asked with his nose flaring. The young man was feeling a turmoil in his heart, briefly concerned, briefly displeased that the girl he once knew as innocent and honest had changed so much.

"That's not it... I'm just..." Nalini was at a loss for words. Deep down she was happy to see and joke with Arya again. However, she realized that their positions were different. She was just a palace servant, while Arya was a powerful Prince.

"Never mind, let's go. Don't keep arguing. It's already noon and it's hot, we won't get there until later," Arya said as she pulled Nalini's hand. But the girl hurriedly let go. She was both afraid and embarrassed that Prince Arya was holding her in this open and brightly lit place.

Nalini noticed that some of the girls who passed her whispered to each other and cast suspicious glances. The young healer immediately quickened her pace. She lifted the cloth slightly.

Arriving at a bend in the road, Arya stopped his steps and pointed to a building surrounded by a waist-high yellow bamboo fence.

"That's the residence of the great healer. We have arrived," he said. The prince then signaled the two bodyguards to walk ahead and asked for the regol gate to be opened.

"Prince, how is the great physician? Is he a good person?" whispered Nalini. She was getting anxious because she was about to meet someone new. Her eyebrows furrowed.

Arya glanced at Nalini with the tail of her eye. She then signaled Nalini to come closer and listen to her whisper.

Nalini came closer and put her ear to it. In a new place and meeting new people, Arya Dhipa was the only one she knew and trusted.

"The courtiers often gossip, the great physician is a fierce and temperamental man. So you be careful," Arya said.

Nalini's mouth opened slightly, but she quickly closed it. Fear and trepidation began to rise in her heart. "Prince, was I wrong to choose to study with him?"

Arya Dhipa brought his head closer and whispered. "There is nothing wrong, you are doing me a favor by coming here."

"Why is that, Prince? I don't understand yet," Nalini replied. Her eyes locked on Arya's. She wanted to get the right answer.

Arya Dhipa then smiled. "As long as I am around, you will be safe here. He won't dare to disturb you."

Nalini breathed a sigh of relief. Her hand rubbed her own chest. "Safe, safe. What should I do here, Prince?" she asked.

Now it was Arya Dhipa's turn to look deeply into Nalini's eyes. The girl looked back. Her heart felt a strange stirring again. She quickly looked down. Her cheeks were red like boiled shrimp.

Arya Dhipa could no longer contain his feelings. Out came words that Nalini had never heard before.

"Nalini, your eyes are beautiful. May I ...."