Earlier that day...
"world history... blah blah blah." Andrew neither knew, nor cared about whatever his tutor was yapping about. The tapping of his fingers against the table became more intense as every minute passed.
"your highness, in order to assist his imperial majesty, you must be knowledgeable about each kingdom's qualities. Strength and weaknesses—"
"Sumpriva is the most prosperous kingdom in trade, leading the economy of the western and Southern regions of the continent. Most of the trade routes on water are under its influence." his eyes kept wandering back to the grand clock. "West Blair is the smallest in land, but has strong military power. Its lands are mostly desert, but it has more population than Cloud. Cloud is in the north, covered in snow all year round, that's probably the reason nobody invaded it yet. No special strength, but lives in peace. Those are the kingdoms surrounding the Lilacian empire. "
" ... very good. "the impressed tutor wasn't sure the prince was even listing." now, that's what most people and commoners know. As a prince, you—"
" can the lesson be postponed? My stomach has been bugging me since this morning. I don't think I can hold it for much longer!"
" while your case seems to be urgent, your highness must always speak in—"
" thanks!" he ran out the door the first chance he had.
Sneaking to the stables, he found a couple of carriages from noble households. Must be for Angie's friends. Now, which one should he choose? That one looks too luxurious, most likely heavy and slow. The other one is simple with minimal decor, but the crest is that of Marquise Valens, driven by vigilant knights. Fast, but too risky and dangerous. Oh, how about—no...the laughing knights look too friendly, they would easily spot him if he refused to speak. That's Duke Valerie's crest, all the way on the opposite side of the capital. Too far.
"may I please take a bathroom break?"
Andrew's eyes and ears snapped to the direction of the sound, trying not to move much, or the rustling of the bush would attract attention.
"sure, don't be late."
Perfect target! Andrew followed the unsuspecting knight. He must be in a hurry to go, so he didn't pay much attention to his surroundings, thus not noticing someone following him.
How did Andrew know he would be the right person for his plan? Easy. First, without the presence of masters or superiors, most knights wouldn't ask for permission, only shouting 'hey, I gotta go, cover for me!' second, is a continuation of the first, when he asked, he stood in front of the other knight, and waited for permission, proving his introvert personality.
Third , this knight seemed to respect and follow rules even when no one's around. Instead of going just anywhere, he searched for a bathroom. Most knights knew loitering the gardens is punishable, but tend to ignore it if it's urgent and nobody is around.
To confirm that this knight is quite, was he waited until it was absolutely necessary instead of going earlier. Thus deducting, he is soft-spoken, and avoids conversations. That's good, because other knights won't bother him.
Judging by his behavior, personality, and body build, Andrew figured he would be the perfect candidate. He waited for him to come out of the bathroom, then covered his mouth and nose with a rag of an aesthetic. He switched their clothes and pulled the hat to cover his hair and draw shade on his face.
"oh, you are back."
He only nodded and went to his spot in the back of the carriage. He kept clenching and unclenching his fists and jaw, silently complaining about the girls bidding farewell. Even if it was a few short minutes, to Andrew, half a day passed waiting for the little miss to board the carriage.
"bye, lady Celestin! "
"see you next time, lady Valerie."
"bye."
"goodbye."
'how long does it take to say goodbye? Three letters b-y-e. Bye!' he held his tongue from cursing out loud and blowing his cover. He lowered his head as his grip on the door handle tightened. After helping the girl enter, he waited for the older lady escorting her, which took another two days according to Andrew.
"sister, please leave first, I will leave with lady Anneliese."
"okay, be careful, sister."
"take care."
'Uggghhh! Can you be any slower! ' he thought he would never see the day when the carriage starts to move!
"Stop the carriage!"
'God! kill me, please!'
"what is it, miss? "
"let's stop by a bakery, mother asked me to buy blueberry tarts."
"yes, miss."
Some time passed. "no, wait!"
'now what!?'
"let's stop by the boutique first, I need to order new dresses."
Andrew waited for the carriage to stop with intense anxiety, as soon as it slowed down, he jumped off and disappeared into the dark alleyways. So what if he has to run an extra mile? He can't stand it anymore! He bolted to the antique shop and collapsed on the floor to catch his breath.
"hey... Um... The, the thing..."
"well, hello, Sir Anton. Just a moment." the shop owner disappeared into the back. Andrew used the time to change into something more ordinary, but didn't bother with contact lenses, she already saw his eyes. The shop owner wrapped the item on a piece of fabric and tied it with a blue and silver lace bow. "here you go. You know, I completed it on record time, only a few days since your last visit! I was wondering if—"
"thanks, it's great. " he tossed the pouch, careless of how much it contained. "keep the change. You deserve it!"
He took every shortcut he knew to get to the riverside in the edge of town faster. He finally arrived at the woods, near a sparkling lake reflecting the warm rays of the sunset. He hid behind a tree to regulate his breathing.
" you came." there she is. Lounging on the bridge, dipping her feet in the gentle flowing waters. Her dark hair strands seemed a golden brown with the rays of the setting sun on them. Her smile nonchalant, as always, but unusually soft. How come he is the only one who sees that?