It was safe to say that this was the most awkward lunch Alvin have had in his entire life and he knew for a fact that he was going to get seriously constipated. It was difficult disgesting everything whether literally or figuratively. The sight of Harold not just dancing but doing so in public was something he could not shake out of his head. Never in the 15 years since he had known him had he seen him do something like that. He really could not underestimate this lady. In only a few days, she had been able to affect his life greatly like this.
"Are you married, Alvin?" She asked.
He was about to take a bite from his bread when she asked so he stopped and answered, "No."
He was just about to take a bite again when she asked another question.
"Why?"
"Uhm... no reason?" He said uncertainly. No one had ever asked him about his private life before and he didn't see any reason to share it with anyone. He wanted to bite the bread when she asked again so he simply tossed it down, giving up on eating.
"Are you interested in anyone?"
"Enough!" Harold said, eyeing her unpleasantly. "Are you interested in him?" He asked Alicia in a bitter tone that made Alvin want to disappear from there. He didn't want to be caught in a cross fire between this two.
"SIT!" Harold said in a commanding voice that made him sit down immediately. If anyone saw him right now, they would feel bad for him, thinking he was a weak kid being bullied. Not knowing that he was anything but that. In the whole kingdom, he was probably the only one capable of sparing against Harold almost equally.
"Why are you upset? I was only curious. He is handsome and single. And judging by his build, he probably can fight. His clothes also look expensive," she said while looking him up and down.
"I'm... not any of that... milady," Alvin said meekly while waving his hands in an 'I have no idea what you are talking about' gesture.
"So?" Harold asked, directing his question at Alicia.
"So... I am wondering if you are interested in Paulina," she said to Alvin, smiling brightly. She had to have a plan B in case her plan to escape with Paulina was not going to work. Alvin was a close childhood friend cum bodyguard to Harold which meant Paulina would be safe with him. But she had to confirm from Paulina if she was interested before setting up a date for the two of them. Smiling at her brilliant plan, she returned to her senses and turned to Alvin, only to be surprised when she didn't find him there.
"Uh? Where did he go to?" She asked Harold who was giving her an unpleasant look while wondering why she was trying to set Alvin up with Paulina? By chance... had she changed her mind about leaving? The thought surprisingly made him feel a little lighter.
"Finish up. We need to return to the palace before dinner," he said while looking down at her plate.
She gave up when she saw no sign of Alvin anywhere and began to eat.
After she finished her food, they walked out of the shop, Harold turned to her, "We have to return to the palace now. If we stay longer than this, we will meet curfew." He reminded her.
Alicia sighed. She couldn't help feeling sad that it was evening already. This was the most fun she has had since she woke up and found herself in this body. Now that she had experienced this, she wasn't looking forward to returning to the palace only to be locked up like she was in a prison.
"Can we..."
"No."
"No what?" Alicia asked with a frown.
"No to whatever you wanted to ask."
"How can you say no when you don't even know what I wanted to say," Alicia pointed out in annoyance.
"I don't need to know what you wanted to say. We are returning to the palace now," Harold said, not wanting to hear out her request. He couldn't understand when he became so weak that he was giving in to too many of her requests.
"Thanks anyway. I had fun," Alicia mumbled and Harold could tell that she wasn't happy to return. What he couldn't tell was why he was feeling guilty that she wasn't happy.
"Let's go," Harold said, and they returned in the direction they had come from.
They walked in silence for a while before Harold stopped abruptly when he remembered something.
"We need to change out of these clothes," he said, looking down at what he was wearing before looking around them. Most of the shops were closing, with everyone going to the main marketsquare where the night fun was happening.
"Maybe we can return to the shop where we got the clothes," Alicia suggested, and Harold nodded as they returned in that direction.
As they walked together, Harold realized that this was the first time he had spent this much time in the market, and he had actually enjoyed every moment of his time with her. As the realization struck him, he turned to spare her a glance. He was going to have to stop spending so much time in her company and put some distance between them if he didn't want to end up getting too attached to her. The last thing he needed right now was someone who was going to turn into a weakness of his and ruin everything...
He snapped out of his thoughts when he saw something flying towards them from the corner of his eyes, and he quickly pulled Alicia to the side before catching the colorful ball which had almost hit her.
Two young boys who had been playing inside a shop and had mistakenly thrown their ball out, ran out of the shop and ran up to them, "We are sorry. It was a mistake," they apologized in unison, hoping that Harold would return the ball to them, but Harold simply stood there glaring at them as his hold on the ball tightened.
Alicia stepped in front of them and looked down at the twin boys who were probably around 9 or 10 years old. "You shouldn't play such games around the market place. Someone could easily get hurt," she chided them, and both boys looked at her with wide eyes when they realized who she was. Of course they had heard the rumors flying around the market about the cursed Prince and his bride who was wearing male clothes. Or maybe saying it was a rumor was not the right word since some people had confirmed they heard it directly from the merchant who sold the clothes to them.
They looked at Harold fearfully and fell to their knees immediately, "We are sorry," both boys cried.
Realizing the boys seemed to recognize Harold, she tugged his sleeve and spoke softly, "Just return the ball to the kids and let's leave. It's getting late," Alicia reminded him.
Harold's gaze shifted to her, and she raised a brow when he looked as if he was not going to return the ball. "The kids did nothing wrong to you. It was a harmless mistake," Alicia said impatiently when the cry of the kids drew more attention to them.
The mother of the kids who had been out to get something, ran over to them when she saw her sons bawling, "What is wrong?" She asked looking at her children who were on their knee before looking at the couple standing there.
Her eyes widened in fear when she realized who they were, and she fell on her knees immediately, crying even louder. "Please have mercy on my sons, my lord," she cried even though she had no idea what her kids had done.
Alicia realized returning to this part of the market was a big mistake. They should have just walked into a random store and changed there, now they had to deal with this.
"Why?" Harold asked as he looked down at the three people crying on their knees with their foreheads touching the ground.
The people who didn't know it was Harold watched the scene curiously while those who knew had long fled the area before they would be dragged into this.
"Your... highness?" The woman asked, confused as she looked up at Harold, wondering what he was asking. She could barely see him since her eyes were filled with tears and he was wearing a hat.
"Why should I forgive them?"
"It's... it's my fault... your highness." the woman stuttered in between tears.
"Then, you agree to be punished instead?" He asked calmly.
The boys began to cry even louder while the others who had been watching the scene and had heard the woman call him 'your highness' began to run away. Because his build looked nothing like Prince Ivan. And if that wasn't Ivan, then it was the white-haired, hot-tempered prince, Harold.
Alicia, who had had enough of his bullying, put her hand up in the air as she yelled, "STOP!"
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