***
"I'll go first, Rosie. You'll be fine here. And remember… don't do anything rash," Howland ordered, hugging Rosie before leaving the Montgomery castle with Aslan.
"I understand, Brother. You do not have to worry about me. I am an adult," Rosie said cheerfully.
"No matter how old you get, you will still be my little sister."
Well, Howland would just go to the border, wouldn't he? He isn't going to war, but why is this parting so exaggerated like this? Rosie thought, who just laughed awkwardly, returning Howland's hug that was so tight.
She breathed a sigh of relief after Howland let go of their embrace. Rosie raised her hand and waved at Aslan, who only nodded his head in response.
"Still as cold as ice," Rosie muttered, maintaining her friendly smile.
After seeing the two of them leave Montgomery Castle, Rosie turned around and smiled at Sarah mischievously. The woman shook her head, asking Rosie not to do whatever she thought.
"Freedom!!!" cried Rosie happily, who then ran to her room to change clothes.
A loose shirt, pants, and a light jacket Sarah had prepared. She didn't know where Sarah got the clothes, but they fit like a glove.
Even though she had only been wearing a dress for two days, her body felt very heavy and now, when she was wearing normal clothes, it felt like her body could fly whenever she wanted.
Rosie ran quickly, leaving Sarah, who was calling her name. The knights assigned by Aslan also ran after the princess.
Rosie dashed to the training grounds. The knights who were training were confused to see the long-haired young man being chased by the maids and knights.
However, when the young man turned to look at them, they immediately knew it was the princess who wore the men's clothes. They glanced at each other, wondering what had happened to make her be chased by maids and knights. Everyone stopped what they were doing when they saw the princess enter the stables.
Their eyes widened in surprise to see the maids and knights who followed the princess into the stables, running out of the stables frantically, followed by Princess Roseanne, who got on one of the Duke's favorite horses. Several knights tried to calm the panicked horse from going on a rampage.
Rosie, who was on the horse, concentrated fully on controlling the horse. Giving it a few strokes on the skin of the huge, clean brown horse to stop neighing. One of the knights grabbed the horse's reins just in case the horse galloped in panic.
The frightened Sarah approached the princess with a face wet with tears.
"Sarah, why are you crying?" Rosie asked shamelessly.
"Princess… you make me very worried. What are you going to do with this horse, Princess? You can get hurt later. Please, come down…"
Rosie patted the woman's head from the horse with a subtle smile on her lips. She shook off the guard's hand from holding the reins. Although as an adult she had turned into a city girl, she spent her childhood at her grandparents' house, spending her time on horse farms.
After her father died at a very young age, her mother worked hard and left little Rosie with her grandparents. That was when Rosie learned a lot about riding horses and taking care of them.
The horse slowly advanced. Rosie cheered as she still hadn't lost her touch on the horse even after she had not ridden one for a long time. The knights who were sparring at the training ground gave way for the princess to ride Duke's favorite horse in the riding arena.
After she got used to her new horse, Rosie bent down on the horse and waved to all the spectators.
"Ciao, everyone! See you again later!" said Rosie, who then pulled the reins of her horse to leave the training ground.
Sarah became very panicked and ordered the guards to catch up with Rosie as soon as possible.
Rosie was feeling thrilled. Riding a horse again after a long time made her adrenaline rush. She could hear the voices of the maids and knights asking her to stop, but all of that only made her ride the horse faster and faster.
After feeling that she had gone far enough, Rosie slowed down her horse. When passing through the forest, her eyes caught a lake that was so large. The light of the morning sun made the surface of the lake sparkle beautifully. Rosie paused to admire the lake.
She didn't remember any storyline taking place in the lake, so Rosie decided to continue her journey again. She entered the residential area. The girl's smile widened to see the liveliness of the settlement.
She tied the reins of the horse to one of the wooden fences of the resident's house. Rosie thought it was a place to place the horses because there were two other horses tied to the same fence.
The girl walked around and looked at the surroundings. The village was quite crowded and lively. The residents' houses were made of bricks, and some chimneys emitted smoke. Rosie arrived at the busier part of the village. The place looked like a market.
"Unfortunately, I don't bring any money," Rosie muttered disappointedly.
She hoped that tomorrow her brother would go again so she could enjoy a lot of food here. During Duke Aslan's absence, Rosie wanted to enjoy her time because, if the man was around, she would give all of her attention to Duke Aslan.
Rosie looked at some children who bought a red lollipop in the shape of various flowers and animals. Rosie could only bite her index finger while imagining the sweet taste of the candy.
Her hands were tied behind her back, and Rosie was enjoying the atmosphere. This world was exactly the same as she imagined when reading Jane Austen's historical books. The classic vintage vibe could be felt all over the place.
After she was satisfied walking around the village, Rosie tried to find a way to where she placed the horse. However, when she took a turn at the crossroad, she encountered some knights who were looking for her.
"Damn, my precious time," she cursed and then left that place in a hurry.