“P-Princess Agnes!” Maxi cried, nearly screaming.
The princess giggled and darted away toward the carriage. Riftan, who was making sure the coachman was not too inebriated, turned to Maxi with an eyebrow raised in question. Maxi shook her head to tell him it was nothing and quickly climbed in after Agnes, who was already leaning against the coach wall. She burst into laughter when she saw Maxi.
“Your face is as red as a ripe plum. Are you not a tad too bashful for a married woman?”
“Please do not tease me.”
“What a difficult request,” Agnes said, her blue eyesshining with mirth. “Teasing you is simply too amusing.” Maxi broke out in a cold sweat, not knowing how to react to her playful ribbing. The princess laid a calming hand on Maxi’s, giving her a gentle, kind smile. “Thank you for coming with me. I’m glad that I was able to make such a fun memory before I left.”
Maxi’s eyes widened. “W-Will you be…leaving soon?”
“It’s about time I returned to the capital, now that it is obvious he cannot be persuaded to come,” said the princess, pointing at Riftan, who was still outside talking to Sir Elliot. Agnes’s eyes softened as she gazed at him through the window. “I have confirmed that he is doing well. I must simply be content with that.”
Maxi’s heart faltered when she heard the fondness in the princess’s voice, the suspicion that Princess Agnes did, in fact, have feelings for Riftan clawing its way to the surface. But then the princess turned and playfully winked at her, saying, “Still, if you ever find the time, you should visit Drachium Palace at least once. I would happily give you a tour of the capital.”
“Th-Thank you.”
“I mean it. I am officially extending an invitation,” said Agnes, raising her index finger to emphasize her point.
Flustered, Maxi could only nod her head in resignation. Seeing the princess’s face light up, Maxi shook off her creeping anxiety. How could the princess be so kind to her if she had feelings for Riftan?
A while later, Riftan and Sir Elliot climbed into the carriage. They took their respective seats and knocked on the panel connected to the driver’s box, signaling for the coachto roll away from the village. Maxi looked out the window at the green fields of Anatol brimming with the new life of spring. The delicate leaves rustling in the wind sounded like a dryad’s song.
She felt lighthearted and lonely at the same time.
Chapter Fifteen
Early the next day,the princess and her royal retinue began preparations for their return to Drachium. Maxi pored over the ledger for hours with Rodrigo to ensure that the delegation had all the necessary supplies for the trip. She also supervised the servants as they packed the baggage. Although it was customary to prepare parting gifts for the royal family, she and Riftan had agreed to stop at four tapestries and six ruby-embellished gold goblets. The princess already had a hefty load of wyvern bones and hides to take back.
“H-Have you finished…inspecting the wagons?”
“Yes, my lady. The wheels have been replaced, and the horses have been fed well to last the journey. The blacksmith has checked the horseshoes as well.” As she listened to the steward’s report, Maxi went over the ledger twice more to check that everything was in order. Rodrigo, who had been watching her, continued warily, “My lady, are you not overexerting yourself when you have only recently recovered? You can leave such tasks to us….”
Maxi’s lips twisted into a bitter smile. Riftan’soverprotectiveness had apparently spread to the servants. Everyone now showed concern whenever they saw her doing literally anything. She looked down at her slender frame draped in a light green dress and wondered if she really was that frail. She was well aware that she did not look strong, but neither was she scrawny enough to warrant all this fear of her snapping in half at any moment.
Maxi raised her chin in a dignified tilt. “I am…not ill. I have had plenty of rest…so I am p-perfectly fine now.”
“I am happy to hear that, my lady, but…please do not tax yourself.”
“I shall keep that in mind,” Maxi said halfheartedly. She spun around, striding across the hall with wider steps than usual. If the servants saw her moving about the castle with renewed energy, then it might alleviate their worries. She did not wish to be treated like an infirm old lady forever.
Outside the great hall, the princess and her knights were carefully inspecting their weapons, magical devices, and other travel equipment. They had to be fully prepared for battle, as traveling through the Anatolium Mountains was dangerous. They had strapped armor on their horses and mounted sharp blades atop the wagons to prevent monsters from climbing on top of them. Even the princess’s personal retinue carried short swords and light shields. They looked more like a party heading off to war than people traveling back home.
“Maximilian!” Agnes waved happily at Maxi when she saw her coming out of the great hall. “Thank you for helping us pack.”
“It was my p-pleasure. Is there…anything else I can offer you?”
“We only need enough food and water to last us until we reach the Barony of Louvain. Bringing any more than that would slow us down.” Agnes skimmed through the ledger that Maxi handed to her and nodded, looking satisfied. “This should be just right.”
“H-How many…herbs shall I prepare?”
“Thirty shekels of detoxicants and twenty shekels of restorative herbs should be more than enough.”
After jotting down the princess’s request, Maxi instructed a nearby servant to deliver the message to Rodrigo. Agnes gave her a rueful smile. “I apologize for keeping you so busy this early in the morning. I originally intended to stay a few more days so that we wouldn’t have to rush our departure, but I received an urgent message from the royal court….”
The princess sighed and pointed to a small hawk perched atop one of the wagons. It appeared to be a messenger bird.
Maxi’s eyes widened. “Has…something happened in the capital?”
