6 5 - Questions

"Maria." Prince Owen called and lightly touched Maria's arm in worry.

Maria flinched at the touch and slightly pulled her arm away from the prince. When she realized what she had just done and who's the person that touched her, cold sweats started forming on her forehead. She gulped down and tried as much as possible for it not to be loud. Then she forced a smile on her lips and her stiff body leaned closer to the prince sitting beside her so their shoulders will graze at each other again.

"Y-Your Highness, is there any problem?"

Maria tried so hard to look normal, not to be obvious that she was nervous and uncomfortable but it wasn't that simple. She's nervous as hell. Her body was so stiff throughout the night. She doesn't have any idea how she survived the night. The dinner just finished and she's now on her way to her home. Prince Owen is accompanying her on the way. They are riding a carriage that was being pulled by two horses.

Maria had never imagined that this day will ever come, to ride a carriage. Only the royal family or any important people had the right to ride one. She doesn't belong in the royal family nor is she an important person. Heck, she was just a daughter of a peasant so how did things suddenly turn into this?

Oh, right. The carriage isn't the only shocking thing that has ever happened since Prince Owen approached her to buy potatoes that day. She ate dinner with the king and the queen at the luxurious dining table but that isn't the most shocking one, but the fact that Prince Owen confessed that he has feelings for her. Oh, yeah, she's now accepting that confession. She's now finally convinced that that wasn't a dream. Prince Owen really does love her. But it doesn't mean that Maria had understood it already. Up until now she still hasn't understood how that exactly happened. What did the Prince see to her? Why did the Prince choose her? Unfortunately, she won't have answers to those questions for now. She was too scared and too shy to ask.

"It's just that you looked like something's bothering you. Did you perhaps didn't enjoy the food earlier? Did you eat something bad?"

Maria immediately shook her head and waved both hands in the air to clear the misunderstanding.

"N-No, Your Highness. I-It wasn't like that. I'm just- ah- tired." Maria lied and again offered a fake smile.

"Is that so? Don't worry in just a few minutes we'll already reach your house."

Maria no longer said something and just smiled. She averted her eyes from the prince and just looked outside thinking about her night. Earlier, when the prince showed up at their house and confessed to her father, she thought that her father would oppose the idea because they were just commoners and doesn't have any right to eat at one table with the royal family, or worthy enough to receive the Prince's feelings for her but her father did not. He actually looked relieved at the Prince's confession, like the Prince brought the solution for the problems he's been carrying for years. Her father agreed to the dinner and so Maria no longer has any choice but to go. It's not like she doesn't want to go neither does she like to go. She doesn't know exactly what she's feeling. She doesn't like the prince in that way, she's only seeing him as a friend or at least an acquaintance. She believed that she was still too young for these things. She's only 17 and she still needs to help her father in taking care of her little brother and sisters. She just- She just-

Maria sighed and for no particular reason, her gaze lowered to her gold-colored bracelet. She lifted her other hand and played with it as she gets her eyes back at the scenery outside the carriage. A few minutes later they finally arrived at their house. The prince didn't let her go that easily, he leaned forward and left a kiss on Maria's cheek before he allowed Maria to get inside their small wooden house. Maria, despite being confused and overwhelmed as to how her day went, just closed her eyes and wished for everything to be just a dream when she woke up tomorrow.

--

"Your Highness, what are we doing here?" Leo asked looking around the place, copying Alaia. They were in the market, it's not weird and a new thing for them to be there but they are usually leaving their palace to go to the Kingdom of Floria at least two times a week and today is already their third time this week. They didn't even check upon Ivan who's on the other side of the market selling their wines. Leo is really confused. He's been asking questions about today since they left the palace but he never gets an answer.

"Just shut your mouth, Leo." Alaia coldly replied while still busy looking around the place.

Leo just frowned and looked around too even though he doesn't have any idea of what Alaia's been looking for.

"And oh, inform me if you saw the girl who bumped into us yesterday,"

Leo arched up one of his brows, trying to remember the girl that Alaia was referring to. He didn't fully see the girl's face yesterday but he was confident that he will recognize her face if he saw her. The only thing he was sure about the girl is her long light blonde hair.

Leo's frown get even deeper now that he knew what is Alaia looking for. The reason for his frown now is the reason why Alaia is looking for that girl.

Is it perhaps connected to the bracelet that she mentioned yesterday? But why is she so interested in that bracelet? Is she planning to buy it? But she's not into accessories.

Leo's eyes when he finally realized why Alaia is looking for the girl. Just when he was about to ask something again regarding that realization, he caught a glimpse of a girl that has light blonde hair. He squinted his eyes to get a better look.

"Your Highness," Leo called while still facing the direction of the girl.

Alaia just hummed as a response.

"Isn't that the girl you were looking for?"

Alaia immediately snapped her head in the direction where her right hand, Leo, is looking. Her feet stopped when she confirmed that it was the girl they were looking for as the bracelet she was wearing shone on her wrist due to the sunlight that reflected on the bracelet. The girl is selling something; vegetables, Alaia assumed based on what she's carrying yesterday.

Alaia just stood there while staring at the girl and figuring out what she will do next. After several long seconds, Alaia started walking toward the girl without taking her eyes off her even for just a second. She heard Leo asking what are they going to do now but she didn't bother replying to his question and just continue walking. When she was about only three steps away, Maria looked in her direction, sensing someone staring at her.

Maria's eyes widened when she recognized the people standing before her. She stepped out of her vegetable stall and stopped in front of Alaia. For the third time, she lowered her head to apologize.

"I'm very sorry for bumping into you yesterday."

Alaia's eyes lowered to the bracelet first before she looked up at Maria's head. She heard Leo whisper that the bracelet looked like the bracelet that she received from the angel. She again ignored Leo because she already figured out that it was indeed her bracelet since yesterday.

"It was fine. You already apologized for what happened yesterday and you were already forgiven."

"T-Then is there something I can help you with? Do you need anything?" Maria asked when she raised her head and looked directly at Alaia's face. She felt uneasy though because she couldn't see this person's eyes but judging from the voice, she assumed that this person is a woman.

Alaia wanted to just go straight to the point and ask the girl who is she, what do her parents look like and what are they doing for a living, how old is she now, and where did she get the bracelet but the last thing that she wants for this girl or anyone, is to suspect her so she just looked back at the vegetables, and pointed her index finger on them.

"Give me 5 of those," Alaia uttered, referring to the carrots while staring directly at Maria's eyes.

Maria was surprised to hear that for a second but she immediately moved her feet when she realized the request and in no time, she was already handing out the bag of carrots.

Alaia took that from Maria's hand without breaking eye contact with Maria. Maria forced a gulp down her throat when their hands grazed at each other. She felt something travel all over her body but she isn't sure if that was because she was being intimidated by the girl's presence or it was what people called 'spark'. Alaia looked down at her hand for a split second as if she also felt the spark that Maria claimed to feel.

"Leo."

Alaia called without looking back at him. Even though Alaia just uttered his name, Leo had already understood what Alaia wants him to do. He fished out the brown little purse in his pocket and took out a few silver coins to give to Maria.

Maria shook her head and waved her hands in the air. "N-No. It was fine. You can just take it. You no longer need to pay for them." Maria nervously said and smiled.

"I insist." Alaia simply stated.

"No. It was really fine. Just consider it as compensation for my carelessness yesterday." Maria replied, still shaking her head and waving her hands in the air.

Maria heard a click sound of someone's tongue and she assumed that the girl that was wearing a white mask, standing in front of her, is the one who did it. She felt her heart skip a bit at that sound but even she doesn't have any idea why. Alaia laid out her hand in Leo, asking him to give the silver coins to her which Leo undoubtedly did.

When the silver coins are finally in her closed fist, Alaia faced Maria once again and took another step closer to her. Without uttering any word, Alaia grabbed one of Maria's wrists. She forced the palm to open and then put the silver coins in it before closing her palm again.

"I didn't come here to ask for any compensation so take it."

The flustered Maria looked down at her closed fist which still has Alaia's hand on top. She forced another gulp down her throat before she uttered, "O-Okay."

Alaia finally let go of Maria's hand and after battling herself if she will ask the questions been bugging her since yesterday, her first question finally slipped out of her mouth after several long seconds. "What's your name?"

Maria was again surprised at the question but answered it after a second. "Maria. Maria Holmes"

"What are your parents doing for a living?"

"A-Ahm my father was a farmer. He's the one who's growing the crops I'm selling here. While for my mother, she died 2 years ago after she gave birth to my youngest brother." Maria answered, smiling sadly at the mention of her mother.

"How old are you already?"

Maria doesn't have any idea what are those questions for. It's like she was being interviewed for a job or a school's application. But it's okay to answer all her questions, right?

"I'm already 17 and will turn 18 less than 5 weeks from now."

Alaia just stared directly into Maria's eyes like she just figured out something. That made Maria conscious of herself as she pushed a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. She looked away from Alaia and lightly bit her lower lip in nervousness.

"Then where did-"

The Prince interrupted Alaia's last question as he suddenly appeared out of nowhere and stood between her and Maria.

"Maria, are you done with the day already?"

Maria only looked away from Alaia for nearly three seconds but when she looked back at her and Leo, they were already gone. She looked around, looking for them while frowning and asking herself where the two had gone off to. She ignored the Prince asking her what's the problem and who is she looking for straight 7 seconds but when she really can't find them, she looked back at the prince and smiled.

"No, it was nothing. What is your question again, Your Highness?"

Alaia, on the other hand, was quick to hide behind an establishment with Leo.

"Crap. You only need to ask one question to confirm if she is that girl but the Prince intervened between you two."

Alaia leaned away from the wall and then fixed her cloak before she took a step away from Maria and the Prince.

"It's okay. I was already convinced that she was that peasant's daughter."

But why is the Prince hanging around her? Are they close? Friends? It's not making any sense though because he's a member of a royal family and being friends with a commoner, is something that isn't impossible to happen but it was rare to happen. So, why?

Alaia looked back at Maria and the Prince for the last time, she didn't notice it but she frowned.