"Good day Princess." A group of knights saluted as they walked by her. Mae nodded in their direction; smiling back, walking backwards before turning around and continued her walk.
Growing anxious as she examined her surroundings, she looked back one more time before placing her hand on the ruse wall, opening the secret passageway.
"Skun? Are you there? This isn't funny!" She looked around noticing how quiet it was.
"Boo!!" Skun yelled as he dropped from the dark corner of the ceiling, scaring her.
"Aah! Would you please stop doing that?" She tried steadying her breathing, her legs shaking from the initial shock.
"Got you everytime, and here I thought after five years you would have gotten some sort of sign on where I was hiding." He shook his head, although a glint of victory could be seen in his eyes.
"That's because I let you win." She said in her defence, pouting.
"What brings you here this early Mae?" Skun adjusted his position, looking for a comfortable spot to lay his tail and body. Finally getting the right spot, her heaved a sigh of relief, snuggling in place.
She looked down at her fingers, then back at Skun. "I've decided, it's time I go outdoors."
"You mean outdoors, as in outside the Kingdom?" Skun was quite surprised at her new resolve.
"Yeah, the outdoors is a one time experience I want to enjoy as a matter of fact, I will be going to the Royal Hall to speak with my parents now." Her resolve never faltering.
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'This is it, I can do this!' Mae nodded, then her resolve dissolved with a slouch of her shoulder. She paced about the hallway, making up her mind, she nodded towards the guard to open the door.
"Princess Mae!" The guard announced her presence. Which earned him a glare from the Princess as she tensed up.
"Good day father." She curtseyed, turning towards her mother, "Good day mother."
The King and Queen nodded in response.
"I was thinking..." She dragged her words, she was getting nervous, "could I ask you both for a favor?" She saw a glint of consent from her father.
"Please I want to go out, when I said out, I mean outdoors as in the woods, I want the thrill of adventure for once; even if it's just for a while." She blurted out, then closed her eyes immediately expecting the worst.
"Oh! Darling you never told us you desired to go outdoors before, you could talk to us anytime." Her mother replied, "and I'm proud you came requesting to go out instead of sneaking out behind our backs, you may go."
Mae stood dumbfounded and suspicious at how easy it was to get an approval. Nevertheless, she proceeded to give a thanks of appreciation. "Thank you mother!" She beamed with joy.
"But.." Her father interjected in a loud voice.
'But? Why but? Oh sure why didn't I expect that?' She deadpanned, her lips drawing into a thin line.
"You can go only if some guards accompany you on your outdoor sightseeing or adventure, you know just to keep you safe." He rested his chin on his clasped hands, "OK with our condition?" He asked Mae.
"Yes father." She said half pleased, since it was the only opportunity she could get to go out of the Castle.
–––––––––––
"Princess Mae, are you sure it's alright if you take that horse?" The chief guard; Leo seemed worried on the Princess choice of horse.
"What's wrong with him?" She ruffled the mane of the brown stallion, "aren't you a good boy?" She held out an apple to the horse, to which he gladly took.
"He never allows anyone to ride him, and when anyone tries, they end up with the medics." Leo was skeptical on the horse strange behavior as it seemed calm in the princess presence.
"We'll have to see, now wouldn't we?" She put her foot into the stirrup, mounting the horse with ease holding the reins, "so what was that you said about the medics?" She looked to her sides as the horse stood still waiting for her signal.
"Uh.." Leo was lost for words, the horse did the exact opposite of what he knew it for doing. Overcoming his initial shock, he climbed on his horse with the other guards doing the same, "let's go".
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The Castle gates were open and as they approached the drawbridge, it was let down as the Princess rode off accompanied by the guards.
They stopped once they got to the woods, Leo helped the Princess off her horse. "Thanks Leo, first thing on my list is to go birding." She held out a journal, "what do think you're doing?" She looked behind her despite the obvious fact that the guards were following closely behind her.
"We're guarding you!" Leo spoke first, "it's our duty Your Highness." The other guards chorused.
Mae facepalmed, "what I mean is, this is a one time thing and I would love to do this alone not with you guys breathing down my neck."
"But.." They all chorused in protest, fearing for what might happen if they took their eyes off her.
"But nothing, I can fend for myself, it's just birdwatching, I have to concentrate while I sketch them, I can't do that with you give around." She looked at Leo.
"Promise me one thing Princess." Leo replied. "You won't go too far and we still have an eye on you even if it's at a distance."
"It's a tempting request." She pretended to think on it, "and I accept, just tell the others if I see them within the five meter radius, I'm increasing my distance." She playfully warned.
"Sure thing Princess." Leo replied as he ordered the others to give the Princess the space she needs as he backed away himself.
Holding her journal, she began her search for birds, looking above her, she spotted a finch on a nearby branch.
Excited, she opened her journal, she walked forward slowly trying to get a better view of the bird, pulling out a pen she was about to sketch it when she bumped into someone causing her equipment flying in the air before crashing.
The unintentional sound didn't escape the finch's notice as it flew away in fear. She picked up her journal brushing off the dirt.
"Aw! Look what you did, now I have to..." She paused abruptly as she turned facing the stranger before her.