A Helping Hand

A crowd had begun to gather around the patrol guards. Nikolai was resisting arrest, asking what he had done wrong. 

"You've messed with the wrong people!" The pickpocket said smugly. 

Athena was confused. Nikolai was being punched, kicked, and taken away. She fought hard to make her way through the growing crowd. But she was constantly being pushed back. 

Someone pulled her aside. 

"Miss, I think it's best you stayed out of this…" the person said hesitantly. 

It was the merchant, whose stall she was browsing earlier. 

"What? Why? Nik- That man did nothing wrong. He just called out that pickpocket!" 

"That's no pickpocket, miss," the merchant sighed. 

He looked from side to side before leaning in closer to Athena to whisper in her ear, "That's Duke Roland, Lord Beakrill's son!" 

Athena widened her eyes in surprise. She narrowed her eyes to take a better look at the pickpocket and realized the merchant was right. This situation just got a little more complicated. 

Nobility having special treatment was well known amongst the common folk. Because of their family's status in the royal court, they often got away with things. Athena did not care, she knew she had to stand up for Nikolai. 

After all, he did nothing wrong. He only called out the pickpocket to protect her. 

She pushed through the crowd. The merchant was shouting for her not to but soon his voice was drowned out by the crowd. When Athena finally got to the front, she watched as Nikolai got punched in the face for attempting to speak. 

Her blood ran cold. 

"That's what you get for attempting to speak to a noble!" The pickpocket, now identified as Duke Roland, sneered. 

Nikolai locked eyes with Athena. His blurred vision refocused on the princess. He could see the anger raging behind her eyes, her curled fists. She was ready to defend him. 

But he shook his head, mouthing the words 'leave now' to her. Athena caught his words before he was picked up by the patrolling guards once more. She stopped dead in her tracks, unable to move.

If she saved him now, her identity would be exposed. It was likely she would have to appear before the royal court. If her father found out she had been out of the castle, both her and Nikolai would receive worse punishment. 

What could she do?

Frozen in her spot, Athena watched as Nikolai was dragged away by the patrolling guards. Duke Roland followed them with a smug look on his face. 

That smug smirk was etched into Athena's mind. She glared at him. 

"You'll pay for this," she muttered under her breath. 

At that moment, the noble young man felt a cold shiver slither down his spine. He turned to look over his shoulder but didn't see anything. He thought nothing of it and went on his way. 

Athena stood there, not knowing what to do as the crowd dissipated around her. When everyone was gone, she looked down the street and then up. It was as if nothing had happened at all. 

Just as she was wondering what she should do next, someone tapped on her shoulder. She jolted in her spot. Did someone notice who she was? She turned to see a tall gentleman dressed in a dark-colored suit. 

The shadow of his hat blocked part of his facial features, so she could not quite tell who it was. 

"Miss, my master would like to have a word with you," the man said to Athena. 

Just as she was about to protest, the man revealed a hidden dagger. Her blood ran cold as she glared up at him. 

How dare he threaten her in broad daylight?!

Who did this man think he was?

"Who's your master?" She asked calmly, trying not to show any fear in the tone of her voice. 

He signaled her to look up at a shophouse not too far from where they were. When Athena did, she noticed a well-dressed gentleman looking right in her direction. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and had a devilish smile on his face. 

He raised his porcelain cup to her. 

"Lead the way," she said, "It's not like I have any choice, anyway."

The man did not reply. He led her in silence to the shop, which turned out to be a bakery and cafe. The shopkeeper paid them no mind as they proceeded to the second floor. 

There weren't many people on the second floor, so it was a lot quieter. The closer Athena got, the more curious she was as to who the man was. She had never seen him before. 

From the way he dressed, she knew he was not from their kingdom either. The scent of coffee caught her interest when she got closer. Most people drank tea, but he was drinking coffee. 

"Please, take a seat," he signaled to her when she was close enough. 

"To what do I owe this meeting, sir?" She asked as she took a seat opposite him. 

"Sir? Do you know who-"

"Silence," he hissed at his subordinate, who immediately kept his mouth shut. 

"Are you someone I should know?" Athena asked as she arched her brow.

Now that she was seated in front of him, Athena held her breath. This man was handsome. In fact, he was a little too handsome. How could someone be this good-looking?

High cheekbones, smoky eyes, broad shoulders, and well-dressed. This man could easily swoon any woman off the streets. Perhaps even a princess or a queen.

"My identity does not matter. What's important is that I have a proposition for you," he said in a husky voice. 

Athena gulped. 

"That sounds a little sinister don't you think?" She mused as she crossed her arms. 

The man chuckled, "It's up to you. But if you want to save your little knight and have everything go back to normal, I suggest you listen carefully and make your decision quickly."

Athena tensed. She knew he must have seen what transpired from his seat by the window. He was clearly letting on that he knew more than he was speaking of. But there was one thing she could not quite understand. 

"Why are you offering to help me?" She asked. 

"Is that really important?" He asked in return, "Time is ticking…"

He leaned forward, smiling as he continued in a softer whisper, "Princess."