Chapter 100
"Marini!" someone exclaimed while I did my chores, getting ready to leave for the evening. "Marini!"
I paused and turned toward the sound of the voice that was calling for me, and I bit back a small sigh of relief when I saw that it was Caspian and Lexus, who were calling for me.
"Your Highness," I said and curtsied before I made my way over to him, and Caspian rolled his eyes, even though a small smile appeared on his lips.
"Caspian," he said. "Please, call me that, I insist."
"You can insist on it, but it doesn't mean that I will do it," I said. "Now, what is it? What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Caspian said and shook his head. "I just missed you and wanted to see you, if you aren't busy, of course." He looked at my basket before he looked at me.
"I am busy," I said and nodded. "However, you are able to walk with me if you want while I do what it is that I need to do."
Relief flashed through his eyes, and he nodded. "Of course," he said. "I would like that." He cleared his throat and held out his hands for the basket. "Would you like me to carry that for you?"
"No," I said and shook my head. "You will not be able to carry it anyway."
"Yes, I can," Caspian said, looking offended that I had said such a thing. "It doesn't look too heavy."
"Looks can be deceiving," I said and shrugged, "especially with things that deal with me."
"Then, allow me to prove you wrong," Caspian said and held out his hands for me to give it to him, and I knew that he wasn't going to let me tell him no.
I sighed and rolled my eyes, pursing my lips in annoyance. "Are you going to take no as an answer?" I asked and raised an eyebrow in question.
"No."
"I thought so," I grumbled under my breath while I rolled my eyes and grabbed my basket tighter in my hands.
"So, can I carry the basket for you, please?" he asked with a warm smile on his face. "You can continue to work while you let me do it."
I hesitated before I handed him the basket, and he almost dropped the basket because of the weight.
"What th-" He grunted and stumbled forward before he was able to catch himself before he fell down, and I had to bite my lip to keep myself from laughing. "I didn't expect it to be this heavy. What do you have in here?"
"A lot of stuff," I said and held out my hands so that I could take my basket back from him. "You'd be surprised as to what I can carry in my basket."
He looked around to make sure that no one was near us before he looked at me, handing me back my basket. "Is this basket magical?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "Is it made from magic?"
I flashed him a small smirk and a wink, not answering his question about the basket being magical or not.
Caspian opened his mouth to say what he thought before he closed it, thinking better of it. "How have you been?" he asked instead.
"Hot, sweaty, and everything in between," I replied and shrugged, biting back a small grimace. "It has been a miserable couple of days."
"Because you haven't seen me?" Caspian asked and flashed me a small smirk and a wink, and instantly my cheeks turned red.
"No, because it has been hot, and the places have been crowded with people in bad moods," I replied. "I just need to get away from it for a while."
Caspian looked around to make sure we were alone before he looked at me. "When are you free?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper while he leaned closer to me. "Are you free any time today before you have to train?"
"I am not going to be training today," I said, my voice barely above a whisper while I shifted my basket from one side to the other. "I will be going out."
"Out?"
I hummed and nodded without saying a word.
"Out where?"
"Just out," I replied and shrugged, biting back a small grimace, not telling him that I was going outside of the castle walls again.
I didn't need to because Lexus instantly picked up on it and walked closer to Caspian. He whispered something into his ear, and Caspian paused a step before he walked closer to me, leaving Lexus behind.
"Are you going outside the castle walls?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper, making sure that no one else could hear him
I nodded without saying a word.
"Are you sure that is a good idea? What if your people need you?"
"They can go to Jonah, and he will help them," I said, my voice barely above a whisper while I matched pace with him. "I need to do this, Your Highness."
I tried but failed to keep the desperation out of my voice, and Caspian's eyes grew softer.
"Are you going to be ok by yourself?" he asked, and I could hear the concern in his voice.
I nodded in confirmation. "I will be fine," I said.
"It's not like I had done this before." I started to make my way to the Pub, and Caspian followed me.
"I also will not have someone that I need to rescue from a group of Dwarves."
I flashed him a small smirk and a wink, and he snorted and rolled his eyes playfully.
"I would have been fine on my own," he said. "I had everything under control."
"You were upside down and tied to a tree," I said, giving him a pointed look. "I don't think you had anything under control."
Caspian chuckled and moved a hand across the back of his neck. "True," he said before he cleared his throat and grew serious. "Now, what is the plan for when you get back? Are you going to continue going to the pub?"
I nodded without saying a word.
"Are they mad that I haven't been able to escape and go there?"
I shook my head no because they hadn't been mad at him. "Lexus tells Arden if you are able to make it or not. As long as you are training, it doesn't matter where you are training from."
Caspian breathed a small sigh of relief and slowly nodded. "I don't think I will be able to train today either. I wish I could, but it was a hassle to even leave now."
"Is it because of the guards, or is it because of your father?"
"Both."
I nodded and looked at Lexus. "Can you see if you can't get guards that are a part of our group to man the areas so that His Highness can escape to go training at the pub, please?" I asked.
"I will see what I can do," Lexus said and bowed his head. "I might have to go to the one above me for that, but I will still see what I can do."
"As long as he is a part of the group too; I do not care."
"He is," Lexus said and nodded. "I will see if I can't start that tomorrow. It might be tough, but we will be able to get there more than we had in the past couple of days."
I breathed a small sigh of relief and nodded. "Ok, then it sounds like a plan." I paused in front of the Pub and looked at Caspian, and Caspian stopped in front of me. "I will see you tomorrow?" I asked.
Caspian smiled and nodded. "I will see you tomorrow."
And with that, and without another word, he excused himself with Lexus following him while I walked into the Pub to get ready to leave.
Oh for the love of the Great...