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"Sure enough, men from different kingdoms will come after you," Cesare playfully remarked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Charlotte shot him a playful glare, retorting, "Oh, shut up."
"It's true, though. Princes, earls, anyone who lays eyes on you like that would fall in love instantly," her father chimed in, his tone filled with paternal pride, causing Charlotte to blush even more.
"I feel disgusted just imagining it," Luna declared with a dramatic expression, directing her disapproval at her father and Cesare. "Charlotte deserves better than mere earls. She deserves a future king!"
Charlotte chuckled, envisioning Luna's reaction if she knew about her sister's resolute opinions. 'Don't worry, Luna. I promise not to marry a mere earl again.' She exchanged a knowing smile with Luna, who continued to argue with their parents and siblings, adamant that Charlotte wouldn't end up with an earl.
"I should excuse myself for now; I have some classes to attend," Charlotte gracefully announced, standing up and drawing everyone's attention with her poised demeanor.
"So soon?" Eleanor questioned, a playful twinkle in her eyes, and Charlotte nodded. "I guess I should head to my ballet class too," Eleanor added, mirroring Charlotte's grace.
"I have to meet the blacksmith," Cesare chimed in with a hint of mystery, while Luna confidently stated, "I have some music sessions awaiting me."
"I guess everyone is dispersing," their father, Charles, observed, and their mother agreed. "Alright, everyone, attend to your business," she said, her regal presence commanding compliance.
"Yes, your highness," the four siblings responded in unison, a chorus of agreement, happily leaving the room with a sense of shared purpose.
"Good luck with your classes!" Eleanor exclaimed with genuine warmth as she and Luna gracefully separated from Cesare and Charlotte, heading in opposite directions with a synchronized elegance.
"I'm actually meeting some friends," Cesare confessed with a charismatic smile as he started walking alongside Charlotte.
"I thought you were meeting the blacksmith?" Charlotte teased, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "So, you're not going there and instead opting for some fun... hmmm... the future king is perhaps skipping classes?" She playfully prodded her brother, maintaining the lighthearted banter that characterized their familial interactions.
Cesare sighed, running his fingers through his tousled hair, he couldn't shake the words he had just uttered. "I shouldn't have said it, but oh well," he mused, a wry smile playing on his lips.
He playfully nudged Charlotte on the shoulder, "Every future king needs to at least have some fun. Don't worry, after having fun with them, I'd go back to what I need to do."Don't worry, future king, just enjoy yourself," Charlotte winked, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Good luck, might as well find a wife!" With a reassuring pat on his back, she gracefully separated from him and ventured in a different direction within the hall.
Charlotte went to her room and changed to a more comfortable outfit, "A necklace to take care of..." She lowly whispered placing the Avmarine-Pearl Necklace on a different jewellery box placed delicately on her vanity.
As Charlotte stared at the necklace, she vowed to never make the same mistakes again, she wanted to start little-by-little and not rush anything as she also wanted to fix not only her future, but also the rest of her family.
And by the thought of that, she wanted to start by the most simple, having her loyal servant back, Ana. It's just the perfect time to look for her as it's the closest to the time where Charlotte found her on an alley way after couple of boys tried to rape and assault her.
'If I look for her now, would she still be there' Charlotte paced back and forth across the room while biting her nails lightly.
'I should atleast try.'
With a fixed though in her mind, she opened her closet and changed into a more comfortable and simple dress. With a floral patterned bodice and silky white midi-puff sleeves with a silky pearl like skirt, topped in azure blue cotton cloak with the 6 winged butterfly crest of Sserfène.
She theen hastened to the palace stables, eager to reunite with her 11-year-old white horse, Celine. Aware that no guards were currently available, she greeted her cherished companion.
"Hi, baby," she cooed affectionately. "Since you're all cleaned up, we're off to another grand adventure." A warm smile graced her face as she skillfully adjusted the horse saddle.
The stable manager, sensing the need for assistance, hesitantly suggested, "Princess, perhaps you could use some help."
"A princess doesn't require assistance to ride a horse," Charlotte asserted confidently, dismissing the notion with a wave of her hand and completely mounting the horse.
"Don't fret, I'll return unscathed! No need to alert the guards!" Her voice echoed as she spurred the horse into a spirited gallop.
The stable manager, observing the daring scene, couldn't help but shake his head with a weary smile. "Like father, like daughter," he mused, face-palming with a deep sigh, resigned to the adventurous legacy of King Charles that Charlotte inherited.
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Charlotte travelled to the bustling main city of Sserfène, the Sserene. The city was large enough for ten-thousand poeple to live in, filled with bazaar shops, buildings, poeple, and food. The Sserene city was a busy city.
Charlotte couldn't help but compare the current situation of Sserene to what happend to it on the future.
In the current, with her father's command and policies, the city remained clean, safe, and peacefull. A complete contrast to ehat happend the second Callisto stole the throne after Cesare's death.
The city became a house for criminals to stay and gamble even in broad daylight as knights fron the palace couldn't even command them or arrest them due to the councils ignorance and Callisto's incompetence.
'I'm getting hungry,' Charlotte rubbed her tummy as she inhales the scent of multiple desserts, cakes, and pasties, coming from the shops chimney.
She spent alot of time looking for Ana but there we're still no trace of her. She looked every place that Ana might be in, but there we're no trace.
"An adventure makes a princess hungry..." She pouted and dismounted at the horse infront of a bakery, "Kick them if someone tried stealing you." She talked to Celine acting like a horse can understand her words.
With that, she entered the bakery and picked out some cakes for her to eat in the day.
"3 chocolate cakes and a garlic bread for 2 cents." The clerk said wrapping the bread for Charlotte.
Charlotte then patted her pockets until she realised she doesn't have any money with her, "I dont have any cents...." She awkwardly said with embarrassment hinted in her voice.
The clerk raised her an eyebrow and then group if boys started laughing out loud, "A pretty lady with no money?" One of them spoke out grabbing Charlotte's attention.
"I guess the clothes we're just borrowed? Or probably found on the trash?" One of them added making Charlotte's blood boil.
She clenched her fist ready to do something that would make a fuss. She was ready to pay by giving ber gold bracelet to the clerk when suddenly, a male appeared infront of her.
"I'll pay hers, I'm in a hurry so please wrap it quickly." The male said placing 1 gold Cefare on the table making Charlotte shock and unable to speak, she never expected anyone helping her
She stared the man with her jaw drop on the floor. A tall figure with broad shoulders, a slim body, but what attracted her the most was the male's red hair and his sunskinned skin, his face was covered with a crow mask coverinf his face but not his dark red ruby eyes.
Before Charlotte even knew it, the man left leaving her there amused by what she just saw and experienced. She didn't get to experience this on her past life the reason why she felt amazed and shock.
"Here, its now paid." As soon as the clerk spoke and have the slices of cakes to Charlotte, she ran and chased after the man who helped her.
"Sir! Excuse me sir!" She shouted trying to grab the man's attention who was bit far from her, "Sir with the crow mask!" She yelled once again, this time finally getting the man's attention.
He stopped but didn't turn around as Charlotte ran towards him in a hurry, "Take this..." She raised her hands and open her palm revealing her golden necklace with the crest of Sserfène on it.
"You helped me, thanks alot so please take that." She said while panting as the man just looked at the bracelet and back to her, "It's more expensive than you think! It has the same worth as this city!"
"I don't need that," He calmly said with no expressions in his eyes, "I don't take items from other poeple." He turned around slowly walking away, completely ignoring Charlotte's offer.
"But don't you want it?" She followed the man with a determined look on her face.
"Look, I don't take items in return." He stopped once again placing his hands behind and taking a deep sigh, "I take favors in return."
As he turned to face Charlotte, her gaze met his with a mixture of curiosity and intrigue. "I'll require the assistance of the Princess of Sserfène one day, but that day is not upon us yet," he declared, a subtle smirk playing on his lips. With that enigmatic statement, he departed, leaving Charlotte bewildered.
She lingered in place, as if caught in a waking dream, attempting to reconcile the unexpected encounter. Her eyes searched the bustling surroundings, but the man had seamlessly vanished. Despite the crowd, his conspicuous absence puzzled her. She knew that by the hieght of the man, he would be visible, but there we're no trace of him. As hmif he just vanished.
Charlotte pondered the nature of the future favor he alluded to, wondering about the intricacies and uncertainties that might accompany it. A cascade of questions flowed through her mind, leaving her to grapple with the enigma of when this mysterious debt would come due.
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End of Chapter