I started walking ahead of them to avoid their questions that I can't answer. But, they easily caught up to me, with Prince Leopold on my right and Prince Wang Jung on my left side.
"Lets walk together, it'll be safer; since, anyone could easily get lost here in the woods. And, once we are back in town, there's a small possibility we'll run into those men, so stay close to us."
"We can take the street farthest from their building, that way we wouldn't have to worry about them seeing us." Prince Wang Jung suggested which we all agreed to. After a while, he leaned towards me with his hands behind him while we were walking.
"Princess.. seriously, I'm grateful for what you did earlier. You were so brave in front of those men, you didn't think twice about saving me and even risked your safety. You're the first person who did that for me." He sincerely said that with a serious look on his face.
"I know you would do the same for me or for any one of us. You don't have to feel indebted to me, its not like I saved your life, I just saved you from some serious beating. But, if you want, you can treat me to a teahouse, the next time we sneaked out. I've always wanted to visit one." I cheerfully smiled at him and he smiled back with a look like he couldn't believe what he just heard.
"Hah, all you could think about is food haha wait, you haven't been to a teahouse, before?"
Again, I couldn't tell them that I was from Earth and it was a modern world. Also, I couldn't tell them the excuse that I lost my memories.
"Uhm.. well. Remember how no one knows what I looked like? Its because I haven't been outside the palace. It was just recently that I started sneaking out."
"If that's the case, it'll be my pleasure to treat you to your first teahouse."
...
We made it out of the woods and took the route, Prince Jung suggested. Looking at the houses made of only natural materials; it reminded me of how I've always wondered of what it would be like to live in a time like this. While I was mesmerizing the houses, I didn't realize that some people who saw us passed by, suddenly stopped in their tracks; especially the ladies trying to get the attention of these two handsome men and was frowning when they looked at me.
Not until Prince Leo brought the hood on my head and unintentionally covered my eyes, I removed my hood because I couldn't see; then it was Prince Jung who put back my hood properly.
"Just wear your hood. Don't look to your sides or on your back." After he said that, I quickly took a peek on my back and saw people-- men and women looking and talking about us.
"Who are they?"
"They're not from around here, are they?"
"Did you see how they take care of the girl in the middle?"
"Who is she?"
"I don't know who she is, but look, how good-looking the men are!"
"Woah, she's a beauty, guys."
"I think she looked at me!"
"No, I think she looked at my direction."
Someone held my chin and made me face him, gently. It was Prince Leo that was, now, in front of me; he didn't let go of my chin for a moment as I was looking at him with wide eyes. He, then, leaned forward to leveled with my height; in the eyes of those people, it looked like he was about to kiss me. But, for me, his face was so close that I felt myself blushed; seeing this, he smiled at me, fixed my hood and patted me on the head. Meanwhile, Prince Jung who has no idea of what happened, looked back, saw Prince Leo walking and I was not; so, he walked towards me.
"Are you not feeling well?" When I didn't respond, he put his hand on my forehead.
"You're not sick. Are you tired? Do you want me to carry you on my back?" He turned around, bent forward as he lowered his height and pulled both of my arms over his shoulder then carried me on his back.
"Hey, why are you carrying me? I can walk, Jung." I was just stunned back then, because I didn't expect Prince Leo to have that kind of coquettish side in him. And now, I'm surprised Prince Jung was carrying me on his back with all of those people watching.
"Because you're tired of walking? And I like to carry you on my back."
"I'm not, you can put me down." I whispered to him.
"It's not that far. Since you like food that much, you're kind of heavy." He said that with a teasing voice.
"I know, that's why you should put me down and the people might talk about us." I whispered to him, again.
"I was just joking, you're not that heavy. Then, let them talk about us." With that, I just looked down and let the hood hid my face. While, Prince Leo walked beside us, checking up on me from time to time.
...
As the three walked away, the people continued conversing with each other.
"Did he kiss her?"
"Maybe, he just fixed her hood?"
"But why did he leaned forward?"
"Look, the other one carried her on his back."
"I wish someone would carry me like that, too."
"Are the three of them, together?"
"Is that possible?"
"The lady isn't married, yet."
"We still have a chance to court her."
"Like you have a chance, did you see those two men with her? You can't compete with that."
When we were getting nearer to where we left our horse, Prince Jung said something unexpected, only I heard.
"Are you awake?"
"Yes, why?"
"I just want to say, from now on, I'll train and practice even more, so that I could protect you better in the future." After he said that, he kneeled with one knee so that he could put me down. He, then, left to find his own horse.
"Jung! Thank you.. for carrying me!" He just waved his hand without looking back.
Prince Leo and I arrived safely at the cabin, where I changed into the clothes I wore earlier inside the palace while he was taking care of the horse, then went outside so that he could change, too. We used a ladder that we've hidden with leaves and dirt in the bushes to climb the wall and the pile of chairs and table we left behind. He climb first so that he could assist me, after.
...
I accepted his offer to walked me back to my chambers and I let him, right before the stairs leading to it. After Prince Leo walked me back, someone stopped following me and went to my parents' chambers to report. I didn't know that they ordered someone to follow me everywhere and protect me if needed, because they're concerned about their only child's safety. My parents knew everything, especially what happened in the forest, but they didn't ask about the specifics about my interactions with the princes, they just want to know where I go and to ensure my safety.
They were impressed, especially the Emperor, on my eagerness to practice archery because in a time like this, no lady does that. Also, they wouldn't want to stop me from doing what I want. If it were a different father, they wouldn't let their daughter do that, instead, they'll forced her to do things a lady should do.
I was supposed to eat dinner with my parents but my arms were still a little sore and I don't want them finding out what happened today. So, I decided to eat dinner inside my room. I let them tell my parents, in advance, that I couldn't join them for dinner and I'll make it up to them tomorrow. She peacefully ate alone in her room, enjoying the food and silence.
However, in the case of the two princes she's with earlier, instead of getting a good rest, the other princes were bothering them how come they didn't saw both of them in the afternoon.
"Did you see the princess, without us?!"
"What did you do?"
"Stop bothering me! I want to sleep!" Prince Jung was complaining because out of the three of them, he was the most tired. He was about to sleep when they barged into their rooms and now using a pillow to cover his head and ears.
"The princess and I saw each other, coincidentally. So, I offered to show her my drawings."
"That's right, then, I saw them and decided to join them. Now, go out of my room, shoo!"
"But why do you look so tired?"
"Its none of your business, let me sleep!" Since, they couldn't get an answer from Prince Jung. They continued disturbing him until they, themselves, got tired.