After settling our bill, we departed the tavern, and the Princess once again took my hand, guiding us to our next destination.
"Here we are! The night market!" She exclaimed, pointing toward the row of small stalls before us.
Numerous vendors were shouting trying to gain attention from the people around, and smoke billowed everywhere from their cooking.
"Let's go!" She shouted with excitement and proceeded toward the first stall.
"Zy! Nice to see you again!" the man at the stall called out.
"Hey, Uncle Bobs! It's been a while," she replied.
"Ya haven't been in this part of town lately, I'm sure you're missing the taste of my kabobs! Ya want some to go?" The vendor offered, fanning the smoke rising from the grill.
"You betcha! Your kabobs are just the best! I'll have five of em." She said enthusiastically and gave a thumbs up.
"Aw shucks, ain't ya just the sweetest gal. Here ya go! Since you're a regular, I'll give you guys two more!" He said, handing her the food.
"Aw you're generous as ever, Uncle Bobs. Appreciate it!"
"That's the least I can do for ya, Zy!" He replied, waving goodbye.
Afterward, we found a spot to sit nearby, and she handed me one of the kabobs. Observing her, I noticed she had already devoured two while closing her eyes, a look of sheer contentment on her face. The aroma of the food was enticing, and my hunger got the best of me, so I took a bite without hesitation.
The kabob offered a delightful blend of savory and sweet flavors that melted in my mouth. It was rich and delectable, leaving me wanting more. The Princess handed me three more, which I consumed in mere seconds. As some of the sauce landed on my finger, I instinctively licked it off.
"Pffttt." The Princess burst into laughter, gazing at me. "Well, aren't you just the cutest, Xyriel!" She remarked before laughing again.
Perhaps my unintentional act of licking my fingers amused her. Embarrassed, I turned away, realizing what I had done. "I-I understand that it was quite silly of me, b-but you needn't laugh," I stammered.
"What are you talking about? I laughed because you're adorable!" She declared, stepping closer and placing her hands on my cheeks. "And because you have sauce all over your face, hahaha." She continued to laugh, wiping the sauce from my face.
She looked at me with such cheerfulness in her golden eyes, and for some reason, it made me blush. "T-that's enough," I managed to say, while I pushed away her hands, avoiding her gaze.
She chuckled again, "That's one stall down, onward to the next!"
We moved on to various stalls, discovering many more delectable foods and treats to try. While many of the foods were appetizing, the Princess insisted that I try the more exotic looking ones, such as grilled snake and fried bugs.
Intrigued and curious about the taste, I followed her lead and took a bite. Unfortunately, my stomach wasn't able to handle it, and I ended up vomiting.
The Princess immediately dropped to all fours, profusely apologizing for pressuring me into eating the exotic food. I couldn't blame her, but it seemed like everyone around us was staring, wondering why she was on her knees.
To encourage her to stand up, I suggested that she fetch me a drink while I took a seat on a nearby bench.
"Xyriel! Sorry for the wait, here." she panted heavily, handing me the drink.
"Thank you," I responded swiftly, taking the drink.
The Princess settled beside me as I proceeded to finish the beverage she had given me.
"I'm really sorry about earlier Xyriel, I got way too excited and forced you. You can hit me if you want!" The Princess expressed genuinely.
"It's alright, Princess Zinnia. Honestly, I was curious to try those foods as well. I got carried away thinking I could handle such exotic dishes," I chuckled. "And after throwing up, my stomach actually felt better. I must have eaten quite a bit, so maybe throwing up was the right decision," I explained.
"Well, at least you're feeling better now," she replied with a smile.
A few moments later, lively sounds emanated from a distance; it appeared a group of musicians were playing instruments. Princess Zinnia stood up and extended her arms.
"It's time! Are you ready?"
"Ready for what?" I inquired.
"We'll dash toward the direction of the music and dance there!" She exclaimed with enthusiasm.