The following chapters will be a flashback years before, to help the readers understand the crown princess' goals before their engagement.
Chapter 8: Rosewood Village.
Clack… clack… clack…
The sound of the horse's hoofs walking, as Rowan managed to grab a cart ride into her destination city. The coachman was a bald old man who was managing a donkey who was pulling the small cart with a few other people inside.
"Oh it's rather hot in here isn't it?" An elderly woman with her grandchild fans her to cool down.
"It's okay grandma. It's not that hot, you should cool yourself down first!" The little one lays beside her grandma and refuses to make her sore and tired by fanning her the whole ride. "Rest! We can open the window more so the wind can get in!"
"Oh… you're so smart."
The cart was small but it was enough for at least eight people to fit in, for now there were only three of them inside.
"..." (Rowan) smiles just watching the pair open up the window to breathe some fresh air from the outside. She also leans in at the front, seeing the view of the coachman's back and the donkey he is handling.
The coachman sees her beautiful hair as he turns in behind. You don't see that kind of rarity everyday, and it brought up the courage to engage in small talk.
"The city is close, miss, we're almost at Rosewood Village. Say, is it alright for me to ask if you're a traveler around these parts?" The coachman asks, gaining her attention.
"Yes, but I was hoping to be a student in the Nightwind State Academy for Knights. My mentor has told me that he graduated from there and that I would learn more if I studied there." (Rowan) replies, the coachman hearing this became ecstatic of the news.
The young woman will be part of the military academy?!
How times have certainly changed!
"Ah yes, the academy! I heard the enrollment will be closing soon. You're in for a ride, you won't get there for at least three days of carriage, but if you travel by foot you'll get there in a week and a few days." The coachman smiles, giving in a few pieces of advice. "And travel carts like ours are pulled by donkeys, as much as I love my job they are rather slow compared to horses pulling a cart."
"A week… that's no good, the enrollment might close on me and I have to get there quickly." The crimson haired girl mutters to herself in worry, no matter what the need she has to enroll to not let everyone down.
The coachman sensing her distress gave a thumbs up and assured her that everything will be fine.
"You're in luck then, the next village we'll make a stop to is known for selling good horse breeds. Rosewood Village, if you're to be a knight you should have your own steed, no?"
"I don't know if I have enough money…"
Rowan has to check her money and with the donation of everyone at the mansion she might just have enough for one horse to buy.
"They are a bit expensive… but there are carriage rides available instead, if you pray and hope that everything goes well in your path then you'll arrive there a day before the enrollment."
A day before the enrollment? That won't be enough time to prepare.
"I'll think about it."
…
Destination: Rosewood Village.
…
The small cart arrives at the first village stop, everyone inside pays and thanks the coachman kindly. The grandmother and child came out first and began looking around as Rowan followed behind.
The Rosewood Village seemed like any other place, but it was surrounded by a vast field with a breezy wind.
"We're here, miss. Please be careful when you get out." The coachman pets his donkey who brays loudly.
"Thank you, kind sir." (Rowan) hands her the proper fare and thanked him. It was very rare to find good people around these parts, and now that she's traveling alone- her mission now is to be safe and not get robbed.
Just as the coachman said, there were horses everywhere and right next to the village there was a wide field where many cattle roamed with the horses or ate grass.
"Mrrrph."
She stares at the field roaming with horses and with a few caretakers riding them for exercise.
Should she… buy a horse?
"It's almost dawn, I should find a place to stay before thinking of buying a horse. I should pawn one of my sister's jewelry too." (Rowan) walked around hoping to find a place to stay in the village, something like an inn or a rental room.
"Catch me if you can!"
"No fair! You're faster than me! Hahaha!" Children walked past her laughing, the village seemed to be in good conditions and with a nice view too.
There was even a market in the middle of the day urging her to buy a few things but Rowan relented and decided to save her money for a horse. Even a traveling horse would be enough, nothing expensive.
She didn't need military grade one for now.
"Hello, are you new in our village? What's your business here, perhaps we can help?" A random villager who noticed that she wasn't around from these parts started asking her questions. The man scratches his beard, and Rowan notices that he was eyeing her trunk.
"I can show you around if you'd like-"
"No, thank you."
Rowan's instinct has set off so many alarms and something told her that she should immediately get out of there to avoid getting scammed.
"But miss-"
"I said no." It was clear of her disinterest, she held her hand at the hilt of her sword and with an intense glare they all backed off.
The man sees that she was armed, realizing that she was not any ordinary traveler they decided to give up. "She's not worth it man- she has a sword."
"A female warrior-? Damn, you don't see that often here." They went silent and parted ways for her to come through, Rowan was right those people were targeting new visitors to scam. If they think she'll easily fall for it then they're wrong, Sir Arthur has taught her many things and that is to never trust people offering to help so easily without a price.
"The nerve." she mutters, gripping tightly on her trunk and making sure to not lose sight of any of her belongings or accessories. "But I do need a guide. I don't know where I'm going."
Rowan decides to avoid any other sketchy people and goes straight to the village hall, seeing if there's anything there that could help her find her way to the nearest inn.
"It looks like it's here." (Rowan) gestures to a well built building, encased by wooden pillars and having expensive lanterns outside. She walks around, seeing the locals ignoring something that seemed like yelling in the distance.
"I told you to leave me be! How many times do I have to get it through your skull?!"
"B-But you told me that I can court you!"
The woman scowls at the man as she points a finger at her looking disgusted. "I changed my mind! I don't like you anymore- you kicked one of my father's horses and that makes you a horrible man!"
In the middle of the village there were a couple fighting, it seemed like a light argument because all of the people being near were just ignoring everything and minding their own business.
'I should mind my own business too- but I need to get past them and the crowd forming behind them.' (Rowan) thought to herself, walking without bothering the fighting couple who got even more intense than before with their arguing.
"Is it because they're horses! What? It's just a kick?! Why are you making a big deal out of it?! I was just given a dare and as a man I can't say no to a dare."
"Maybe I should kick you instead! Besides, you look like a horse! You're an ugly one too!" The girl with a bright yellow dress fought back, it seemed some of the few context pieces were getting together, they were fighting because the young man kicked a horse without showing much remorse.
"Don't think just because you're a woman I won't hit you-!"
"Oh… I know you won't, because you're nothing but a horse hurtin' goblin!"
It seemed to be the last straw because the man walked up to her with speed and with an angry voice he yelled. "You're really testing me now!"
The young man raised his fist and aimed it at the girl. Rowan was merely passing through but she couldn't help but-
"...!"
"..."
Catching the man's fist calmly and glared at the young man who almost hurt the lady beside her badly. It was clear when the man threw that punch, he really intended on giving her a good bruise.
"Mind calming yourself down, sir. I don't think it's wise to hurt a woman who has not laid a finger on you." (Rowan) speaks calmly. Seeing the girl behind her had already expected the punch, she was raising her arms, positioning them to become their shield but gasped in surprise when the pain didn't arrive.
"Hah-?! What are you doing, let go of my hand!"
"Apologies, but you have frightened her. I am not one to meddle into private affairs but you have crossed the line and I could not ignore that." She lets go of his hand as the young man shakes it a few times to make sure it's not broken. He glares at the stranger with an unusual crimson color of hair and eyes.
"Are you alright, milady?" (Rowan) asks so naturally after being with Sir Arthur for a while- It was in his lessons that in being a knight, when saving a damsel one should call them 'milady' or 'lady' for a… spell effect that will make them be 'kind' and 'swooning' for you so one can asks favors in exchange of saving them.
Rowan just found that rather silly but his teachings rubbed off. 'I still need a guide, I wonder if I can ask her a few questions to get a lodge around here.'
"Y-Yes, I'm okay." The girl sees her savior, a girl that was a bit taller than her and seemed to be not from around here. She saw her catch the young man's fist and was impressed. "Is your hand alright?"
"Yes, it is. Not to worry, I have dealt far worse than his weak punch." (Rowan) assures the young lady with a smile but the man hearing this taunt and insult to his punch- became angry and pointed a finger at Rowan demanding to know who she was.
"Huh?! Weak?! Who are you calling weak?! Mind your own business stranger!"
"I did mind my own business but that was before you raised your fist." (Rowan) looked up and down at him, hoping that her intimidation would make him go away. "Unless you leave her alone, now it won't be just her who you'll have a problem with."
She holds the hilt of her sword hoping not to use it but the man was just not leaving them alone.
"What's going on? Isn't that Percy's daughter? What's she doing there?" One elderly man saw the figure of the girl and prayed that she wasn't hurt.
"Didn't you hear it seems that this young man's courting is about to come to an end. He raised his fist at the youngin'!"
"What in tarnation?! Doesn't he know that messing with Percy Green's daughter would get him kicked out of the village? You don't just disrespect the horse breeder like that- he owns almost all of the field lands in the village!" The villagers shakes their heads, not liking the young lad for raising his fist at a woman and a very important one at that.
"Oh- hold on, who's the red haired lady?"
The elders squint their eyes, gossiping on who this beautiful stranger could be. "I do not know- but maybe she's a traveler passing by. You should've seen it, she stopped that young lad's fist and caught it with ease!"
Everyone formed a circle feeling safe at the new traveler's figure. They wanted to know who she was and judging by the sword in her waist she must be an exceptional warrior.
"..." (Rowan) was a little embarrassed of the situation, it was worth it protecting the girl but- the villager's admiring stares were making her lose her focus.
The young man who sees everyone's disapproving gaze at him, clicks his tongue and spits on the ground.
"You're lucky, but this is not over yet." He tells Rowan, placing his hands on the pockets of his pants before leaving.
"Hah…" The girl could breathe a sigh of relief, she took her hand away from the hilt of her sword and watched as his figure disappeared amongst the crowd.
'That could've gone horribly if he had not decided to leave.' (Rowan) thought, feeling relieved that a fight didn't break out between them. 'I should get going too.'
"Excuse me." The red haired girl turns towards the damsel in distress with a friendly smile. "I hope it was alright for me to get in between. I couldn't stand still as he talked like that towards you."
Percy Green's daughter stares at her savior for a while before breaking into a wide smile. Her braided brunette hair, freckled face and green emerald eyes made her look quite pretty. "Thank you for saving me like that, I wasn't expecting for him to do something… that would hurt me."
Rowan nods, not really minding on helping. "You're welcome. I'm a traveler hoping to stay a night in the village… and if you know an establishment here that rents or sells a cheap horse- will you show it to me?"
"You need a place to stay and a horse?"
"Yes, I am in a race with time for the enrollment for the military academy deadline is close. Cart rides would need to take weeks before I could arrive." (Rowan) shows her the proof, the academy recommendation letter and the eyes of the girl sparkled.
"This must be fate! My name is Charlie Green, daughter of Percy Green and my daddy owns the fields here."
"Oh… um… Lady Green, does that mean you'll show me around?"
"Please call me Charlie! I haven't gotten your name. What's your name, beautiful savior of mine?" (Charlie) leans over, a little close feeling something she hasn't before. "Quick question, you're single right?"
Rowan nods innocently- trying her best to not get affected by a girl's compliment of calling her beautiful, seeing her hands being dragged around by the girl and ignoring everyone's stare- they all got out of the forming crowd. "I am a… one person, yes?"
"You're funny, I like you!"
"I erm… You're… um… You're alright too, Miss Charlie."