After a week of their journey on land. The group arrived at the seaport. The town is very lively and a lot of merchants sell different things from basic commodities to luxury goods.
Luna's eyes brighten as she looks around. The people here wore bright-colored clothing and jewelry. The street is thick with people buying and selling stuff.
Grey glanced at her and noticed her enthusiasm.
"How about we stroll around for a bit? We still have until dusk before the ship leaves." Grey suggested it to her.
"Can we?" She asked with a bright smile.
Grey nodded.
"We can buy you a new dress and shoes. And you still don't have jewelry. There are a lot of shops here that sell women's accessories. We can take a look." Grey said.
"But I don't have anything to pay for those things. We can only look around."
Grey chuckled.
"You don't have to worry about that. I'll buy them for you."
Luna suddenly felt embarrassed. In her past life, no man bought her anything. Wouldn't it be embarrassing to let a man spend money for her that is not her boyfriend?
"You don't have to. I can't pay you back. Besides, where would I wear those things?" She refused.
"You don't have to pay me. You are like a little sister to me so I want to buy you a lot of things. Once we arrive in the capital, you will wear them to attend parties and meetings."
Luna laughed awkwardly.
Little sister huh...
"Fine. You are a prince so I'm sure you have a lot of money. Don't blame me if you get poor because of me." She answered.
Grey smiled at her.
"You can try."
Somehow she suddenly felt annoyed.
She walked ahead of him, unconsciously stomping her feet. Grey followed her, unaware of her mood shift.
They went to a shop that sells clothes. Luna randomly picked dresses and tried them in the dressing room. While Grey waited outside reading the catalogs of clothes.
She first wore a yellow dress with a simple design and pattern.
"My lady, it absolutely suits you. No one has tried this dress before because it looks very simple but it looks so good on you." The attendant said with admiration.
"Thank you. I like dresses like this. It looks comfortable and easy to wear."
"My lady, why don't you show it to your husband? I'm sure he'll like it."
Luna coughed in surprise.
"H-Husband?" She stuttered to pronounce the word.
"Then is he your lover, my lady?" The attendant asked again.
Luna's face turns red.
Lover?
"Do we look like a couple?" Luna asked in a whisper.
"Yes, my lady. You look really good together."
Luna smiled.
"Is that so? I think I should see him now." She uttered in a timid tone.
She went out and saw Grey looking at the catalog. He must have noticed her presence since he glanced in her direction.
His eyes fixated on her. He uttered no words for a moment. He just gazed at her with a bewildered look. She suddenly felt embarrassed.
"How was it?" She finally asks after an agonizing moment of silence.
"It's... It's alright." He answered in a low voice and then turned back to the catalog. "Why don't you try something else." He uttered without looking back at her.
Luna thought that the dress doesn't look good on her based on his disinterest. She turned back to the dressing room with a sulking face. She tried another dress and showed it to Grey but with the same reaction. He would always say it's alright.
After she tried four dresses, she decided to stop.
"I'm tired." She uttered.
"You can rest for now. Are you hungry? Do you want to eat something?" Grey asked.
She sighed and glared at him.
How can he not like anything she tried? Do I look bad in those dresses? Does he like women who wear extravagant clothes full of ruffles and layers or something a bit revealing?
"Are you... upset?" Grey asked in hesitation when he noticed her expression.
"No. I'm just hungry." She answered shortly.
Grey smiled at her.
"Let's eat then."
Grey called the attendant and asked her to pack all the dresses that she picked earlier. He also pointed to the dresses on display. It will take almost 30 dresses in total.
Luna pulled the Prince into the corner in a haste.
"What are you doing? You can't buy all those dresses for me."
"You touched those dresses and you seemed to like them when we first entered the store."
"I was just looking around besides they don't look good on me." She expressed.
Grey looks confused.
He hesitated for a second but decided to voice his thoughts.
"The dresses looked very lovely on you," Grey uttered in a low voice.
Luna glanced up at him. Their eyes met.
"I also like your preference. It suits you." He added.
Luna smiled shyly. Her heart flutters. A simple compliment made her change her mood all of a sudden.
It's not bad shopping with him.
"Is that so... Well, I want to buy the four dresses I fitted, if that's okay with you..."
Luna smelled street food as soon as they left the store. She immediately runs toward the stools with the food display.
"They look delicious. I want to eat them," Luna mumbled.
Grey chuckled as he saw Luna's drooling face in front of the food.
He bought her whatever she liked and watched her eat with pleasure.
No woman eats like her. As a prince, he used to see women prim and proper in front of him. They were modest and coy. But Luna is different. She's carefree. She acts and speaks without reservation. He still can't believe that she's Georgina. Remembering back the old her, you may think she's a different person. Her memory loss changed her a lot. The forest changed her.
If the thing in the past did not happen, she would be his wife now...
Grey immediately dismissed the thought. He's uncomfortable thinking of her that way now after all the things they went through. Their engagement has long been canceled after they thought she died.
Luna is his trusted friend now like her brother Sebastian. Without her help, he couldn't accomplish his mission in the forest. He wants her to stay by his side to help him win the war. If what he thinks is right, she has a rare ability but he's still not sure what it is yet.
Once a woman gets married, she can no longer use her ability. The energy she produces to use her ability will stop her from bearing a child in her womb. Luna is a rare woman to be trapped in a marriage. Once her memories return, she will also remember how she despised their supposed union. Besides, his father already decided the family will be engaged too. Luna's role in his life is different now.
After strolling around. The two went back to the seaport. Sebastian greeted them.
"Prince Grey, everything is on board."
"That's good."
Sebastian's expression is upset.
"Is there a problem?" Grey asked.
"May I speak to you alone, your majesty?"
Luna sensed that they need privacy thus she excused herself.
"What is the matter?" Grey asked.
"Prince Grey, why did you ask me to arrange our stuff onboard and stroll around with Georgina alone? Why did you leave me behind?"
"Oh... Well, I trusted you most on that matter. And Luna wanted to look around so I went with her. You can go with her once we're in the capital."
Sebastian crossed his arms and pouted his lips with annoyance.
"Fine."
Grey sighed after Sebastian gave up but he still seem upset. He wanted to be with his sister all the time, he can't even speak with her alone for a minute.
After a while, they all boarded the ship. Luna is fascinated and looks around like a child. Sebastian follows her behind.
"I haven't seen a wooden ship like this! It's like in the movies. Amazing!"
"Movies?" Sebastian asked.
Luna laughed.
"It's nothing."
They passed through the two seafarers talking on the side while arranging the cargo.
"Are we really going to pass through that water?" The one asked the other.
"That's what I heard from the captain."
"But isn't it known for that giant water monster that sinks ships? Is he crazy?"
"Shh! Someone might hear you!" The one scolded him and peak at them passing through.
"Sir Sebastian, what are they talking about?" Luna whispered to Sebastian.
Sebastian looks serious.
"Let's go, Luna. We have to report this to the Prince."