Julien had yet to really look over at the princess, so Maria was not sure if he recognized her, but she definitely recognized him.
He was dressed differently from before as he now wore clothes fit for a prince, and his dark hair had been combed back, so that his face that held those captivating, green eyes and comforting smile were no longer covered.
He smiled at his brother as he walked over, before he finally locked eyes with Maria.
When his eyes met hers, they widened briefly before his eyebrows knit close together and his smile slightly wavered as his jaw slackened in surprise.
At that moment, both Maria and Julien knew that they were the strangers who enjoyed a conversation while watching the artist in the market just a few hours ago.
Of course at the time, neither of them knew the other was royalty, or that they would be meeting again so soon... even though they both subconsciously wished that they would.
