warm smiles

" We don’t want this to get any uglier. Please, surrender yourselves, thieves. " one of the guards barked.

A fifth guard stepped forward, his sword is heavy yet cuts paper with ease. He looked at us with disgust .

" Would you listen?  To clarify things, we didn’t steal anything. Your princess gave it to—"

"Watch your filthy mouths, morons. Surrender!" The guard shouted, cutting me off.

Before I could respond, his sword swiped across my forehead. did not feel the cut  just enough to sting, not deep, but it left a thin trail of blood.

What a great day.

The unforgettable voice from earlier pierced the air, louder this time.

" Stop! They didn’t do anything! " the princess cried out.

" Oh heavens, how could you, Alfred?! They didn’t steal anything! And that hat was a gift from me to Butch. That’s unforgivable, Alfred. Bad Alfred, bad! "

With that, she raised her hand and slapped the guard across the face, leaving a stunned silence in the middle of the crowded merchant center.

Apparently, the yellow-haired guard was in shock, frozen in place, his confusion clear as he stared at the princess. I couldn’t blame him, though. If it weren’t for Butch’s clumsiness, none of this would’ve happened.

The princess turned toward us, her gaze softening as she knelt down in front of me.

"Sorry, I didn’t catch your name," she said, her smile warm and genuine.

"Nice to meet you!" she whispered, her smile warm and inviting.

"What’s happening? You know them, princess?!" the yellow-haired guard yelled, his voice full of confusion.

The princess ignored him, taking my hand and helping both me and Butch to our feet. Without another word to the guard, she began walking away, guiding us with her.

As we walked, I quickly spoke up, " Could you let go of my hand? It sweats easily, and I don’t want to dirty your royal hands. Besides, I can walk on my own. " I gave her a nervous smile, hoping I wasn’t being too awkward.

" Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to discomfort you, " she said, her hand pulling back quickly to her chest, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Butch was enjoying himself, still holding her hand like it was the most natural thing in the world, and wearing the hat on his head as if nothing happened at all.

We reached a golden-green carriage, and the princess motioned for us to get in.

"Mind you, where are we going?" I asked, still unsure of what was happening.

" To the royal castle, " she replied, her face kind. " You’re hurt, and it must be treated urgently."

" Ya-hoo! To the castle! How exciting! " Butch shouted, clearly thrilled.

His enthusiasm nearly blew my eardrums. I glanced at the princess with an apologetic look. "Sorry, please don’t mind his manners," I said, nervously.

She smiled warmly, her laugh soft and genuine. " It’s completely fine. I find no problem in excitement, Butch Willson . "

"Yes, ma’am," Butch replied, grinning like a child.

I sat there, feeling increasingly uneasy as the carriage rocked back and forth. The princess’s proximity only made me sweat more, and I found myself searching outside the window for anything, nature, the vast construction of the castle walls, anything, to distract me from the uncomfortable situation. I closed my eyes, hoping to quiet my racing thoughts.

Before I knew it, we passed through the royal castle gates, and they closed behind us with a heavy thud. Swallowing my pride, I gingerly stepped out of the carriage.

"From here, please follow me," the princess said, her voice still soft and gentle. "We’ll get your wound treated."

We continued walking through the long, high halls of the castle. The further we went, the more it felt like the castle was an endless maze. My legs ached with every step, Eventually, we reached a long staircase.

"Does the place we’re going require these stairs?" I asked without thinking, my voice heavy with fatigue. " I'm tired, and I don’t think my legs can hold me any longer. " I quickly looked down, embarrassed for speaking without realizing.

" Well, just stay strong a little longer, and we’ll rest with a nice cup of tea. Kay? " she replied, smiling warmly.

Her pure kindness gave me the strength to keep going, pushing me forward despite my exhaustion.

We finally reached the top of the stairs and passed by several massive wooden doors until we reached the end of the hallway.

Standing in front of the tallest set of doors , she pushed them open gently.

As the doors creaked, a sweet scent filled the air, carried by the breeze from wide open windows. I was taken aback by the beauty of the room. It was different from the rest of the royal palace, unlike the other luxurious chambers, this one was colorful, full of life, yet still held a grand , warm elegance. It felt like a space that welcomed both royalty and warmth in equal measure.

"Here is my room, come on in," she said, a joyful expression on her face.

"Your... room? I thought I was going to a nursery or something," I muttered, embarrassed.

"I get what you mean," she replied, her voice carrying a hint of regret. "I did put you through that mess, after all." She paused for a moment before her expression brightened again. "But I want to help you myself. You’re welcome to come in."

I gathered my confidence and looked at Bu...

Butch wasn't around my heart beats vanished for a second.

"Oh, apparently Butch got lost on his way here," I said quickly, trying to avoid being alone with her. "I’ll go find him. It won’t take long."

"No need to," she said with a reassuring smile. "He went through the dining hall. He’ll manage on his own. Nothing’s dangerous in the castle; it’s completely safe." Her voice was calm, but I could hear the subtle effort to comfort me.

I wasn’t nervous because Butch had gotten lost. She didn’t understand. Butch had a habit of getting us into trouble—that’s a fact I couldn’t deny.

Still, I stepped into her room, my legs shaking a little as I entered.

Every time my gaze landed on a new corner of the room, I was more and more impressed by what I saw.

She had her own study nook, filled with books—each one marked with a bookmark, indicating that she’d read most of them. Piles of paper with writing stacked around her desk looked like a mountain of ideas. Next to the study area was an impressive collection of canvases and paintings by talented artists from different eras, though I could tell she wasn’t much of an artist herself.

Across the room, I saw a sea of stuffed cotton toys scattered across her massive pink-and-red bed. It looked almost like a toy kingdom, each piece meticulously placed. My eyes then caught the balcony—her private garden. It was a beautiful sight, and for a moment, I just wanted to stay there, lost in the peaceful world she had created in that room.

"Come here, let’s start treating you," she said, interrupting my daydreaming.