The main hall of the inn is crowded. Most of the guests are eating here, so the environment is noisy. At least, the mood is light and cheery.
The waitress brings a whole chicken to our table, and I can catch a few jealous glances from nearby.
Most people are drinking beer only, for meals are difficult to afford for commoners. At a moment like this, I feel guilty for the fine dresses I wear and the jewels I embellish my face with.
It's the main reason why I use simple dresses for travel. I don't want to attract attention.
Yet, we need to eat if we want to survive.
«I'd like wings,» I say with a shy smile.
Ignis observes me for a moment.
«There isn't much meat on the wings.»
«I know, but it's tastier.»
I usually eat the chest. They're meaty and can be succulent if the cook knows how to prepare chicken. Also, it's easy to cut and chew.
But now we're in a commoner inn. They don't have a fork here. Nor do they bring knives.
Most people wouldn't even use cutlery provided by such a place. That's why travellers always have their knives in their pockets.
Here, in this place, I can eat with my fingers.
I can't do that at home. And chicken is tastier when eaten like this.
It's impossible to eat wings with a fork. The amount of energy to separate the meat from the bones shadows the taste.
Just as expected, Ignis reaches out to the chicken and breaks the wings with his hands. He places both of them on my plate, and I start nibbling the first with satisfaction.
I forget about the bread, even if it's white. There is no salt, so the meat isn't as delicious as it looks. But other kinds of spices make it tolerable. The skin is crispy, just as I like it.
The people at the table don't mind me, so I can focus on the meal.
They don't seem concerned that the daughter of Duke Bursio eats like a peasant. Maybe it's because they're hungry too.
Ignis pours me a glass of beer before starting to eat his own portion.
«It's better to avoid drinking water in these places,» he explains. «They don't boil it before serving, and we can't be sure it's stored properly.»
I nod and take a sip of the bitter drink.
The foam on top tickles my lips, and I need to incline the wooden glass so much just for a sip. In the end, the foam covers my nose as well!
I wipe it away with a hand before making a fool of myself, and I continue eating as nothing happened.
Only Ignis's hidden grin tells me I have a witness, but the others are focused on their own food.
«You should eat some vegetables, your highness,» Aida says. «Only meat is not good.»
«Yes,» I murmur while reaching out for the grilled carrots. I use my fingers to place them on the plate.
Aida knows better than to stare in shock, so she just nods satisfied and continues with her meal. She's using a small knife to cut the chicken before eating it.
Oh, can we have a getaway like this more often? Will Ignis accept to wear merchant clothes and eat in an inn from time to time?
The noise in the hall quiets when a man with a musical instrument starts singing, and the atmosphere improves even more.
It's like being out of the world. As if we were just a random couple without a problem, enjoying an evening in a place without a name.
After dinner, Ignis and I take a long walk. We cover our heads with hoods, and we observe the nightly life of the city.
«I'm glad we can have some time for ourselves,» he says. «Things will change once you get back home. Now, it's just Veronica and Ignis.»
«You think about it too much, seriously.»
«I have my own reasons,» he mutters, looking down.
He peeks at me, and his expression is so odd. It's as if he was dying to tell me something but didn't know how to.
«What's the matter?»
«You said you like me regardless of my title. Do you still think that?»
«Yes, Ignis. What's the problem now? Is it because we're in my father's territory?»
«More or less... I'm... I have... ehm... Never mind.»
«You can tell me,» I encourage him. «I won't laugh at your concerns, I promise.»
«I'm not afraid you'll laugh it off. It's just that I want to stay like this a bit longer. Once we reach your home, everything will change.»
«Not everything, Ignis. We'll still be married, right?»
«I'm such a selfish man, Veronica. Taking advantage of you in such a situation... I should have held back! At least until we arrived.»
«You're not more selfish than I am,» I point out. «It's not like the location matters when it's about the heart.»
He pecks my fingers, looking in the darkness of the alleys with an absent-minded expression.
«What if you realise it was a mistake?» he whispers.
«It will be my mistake, not yours. I have a brain, you know? I'm not just a doll following the first man I see!» Even though that's exactly what happened.
But that man is Ignis, the child that promised to keep my secret for life. And to do something great so that my father wouldn't have any reason not to let us marry.
And he did something great: against his King's orders, against decrees and whatnot, he helped me escape from the capital.
Father won't have a single complaint. I'm sure of it. Once he sees how Ignis cherishes me, he'll acknowledge I made the right choice.