The next morning, Annabelle and Connor descended the wooden staircase, the aroma of freshly baked pastries filling the air. In the kitchen, Jason and Grandpa Mark were busy packaging an array of golden-brown treats.
"Good morning, you two!" Grandpa Mark greeted, his cheerful voice booming as he tied a string around a neatly wrapped box.
"Good morning to you too, Sir," Annabelle and Connor replied in unison.
Mark chuckled, his laugh deep and hearty. "Now, now, none of that formality. You're part of the family now. Just call me Pa."
Connor smiled, relaxing. "Alright, Pa."
Mark nodded in approval. "That's better. Now, as you can see, we've got a busy morning ahead. Jason has a mountain of deliveries, and I need to restock on ingredients at the market."
Annabelle's face lit up with excitement. "We want to help! Is there anything we can do?"
Mark stroked his beard thoughtfully, his eyes twinkling. "Well now, let me think… How about this? Annabelle, you can help Jason with the deliveries, and Connor, you'll come with me to the market."
Jason glanced up and grinned. "Not a bad idea, Grandpa. It'll give you two a chance to see more of the kingdom."
Annabelle and Connor exchanged enthusiastic smiles. "Let's do it!"
A short while later, Connor waved at Annabelle as he set off with Mark toward the market. Annabelle turned to find Jason finishing the arrangements on the delivery cart. Nearby, Belle whinnied softly as Annabelle approached.
"She's beautiful," Annabelle said, running her hand along Belle's sleek neck. The horse nickered in response, leaning into the touch.
Jason glanced up from his work and smiled. "Yeah, Belle's one of a kind. Grandpa found her abandoned a few years back. He brought her in, nursed her back to health, and now she's part of the family."
Annabelle smiled, her fingers still tracing Belle's mane. "You've taken good care of her."
Jason nodded, returning to his task of securing the packages. As she watched him work, a question bubbled to the surface. "Jason, why do you still deliver this way?" she asked, tilting her head in curiosity.
Jason paused, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"With your powers," she said, gesturing, "you could deliver all of this in seconds. But you still use the cart and horse."
Jason leaned against the cart for a moment, considering her words. Finally, he smiled. "You're right. I could make the deliveries faster with my powers. But where's the fun in that?"
Annabelle blinked, waiting for him to elaborate.
"Taking the cart gives me a chance to see everything. The kids playing in the fields, the chatter of merchants in the marketplace, the way the sunrise paints the rooftops. If I used my powers, I'd miss out on all of that."
Annabelle watched him, surprised by the depth of his answer.
Jason climbed onto the cart, then stretched out his hand toward her. "Hop on. Let me show you."
Annabelle hesitated for only a moment before smiling and taking his hand. He helped her onto the cart, and she settled in beside him.
Jason gave the reins a gentle flick. "Alright, girl. Let's go."
Belle neighed softly before trotting forward, the cart creaking as it rolled down the cobbled streets.
After delivering a few packages around the kingdom, Annabelle leaned back slightly on the cart and grinned. "Alright, where to next, partner?"
Jason checked the list in his hand. "We're headed to Miss Claire's tailor shop. She usually orders a lot of pastries for her workers."
As they arrived, Belle came to a gentle halt in front of a charming shop adorned with colorful fabrics hanging from the awning. Jason and Annabelle unloaded the packages and carried them inside.
"Pastries are here!" Jason called out as they entered.
Immediately, a group of young women swarmed toward him, their cheerful chatter filling the shop. They took the packages from his hands, smiling brightly.
"Thanks so much, Jason!" one of them said, while another added, "You're always so sweet!"
Jason's cheeks flushed as the girls surrounded him, their enthusiasm overwhelming. Annabelle stood back, biting her lip to stifle a laugh, enjoying the sight of Jason squirming under all the attention.
"Alright, ladies, give him some space!" a commanding yet cheerful voice interrupted. Miss Claire entered the room, her presence instantly scattering the workers.
"Jason! My sweet little boy!" Miss Claire exclaimed, rushing toward him and pinching his cheeks with maternal affection.
Jason forced a smile, his face growing redder. "Hey, Miss Claire. Nice seeing you too."
Annabelle stood by, watching the exchange with amusement. She covered her mouth to hide her giggles as Jason wriggled in Claire's grip, trying to escape her grasp.
"Miss Claire, you're embarrassing me," he muttered, gently pulling her hands away.
Miss Claire finally let him go, turned her attention to Annabelle. "Oh my! I didn't notice you there."
She approached Annabelle, taking her hands warmly. "Hello, dear. You must be new around here."
Annabelle returned the smile. "That's right. I'm Anna. I just moved in at Jason's place."
Claire's eyes lit up. "Ah, I see. Welcome to Camelot, my dear. If you ever need new clothes, you know where to find me. Did you know I made Jason's outfit?"
Annabelle's eyebrows lifted as she turned to Jason. "Seriously? You're really good."
Miss Claire straightened her posture, her expression glowing with pride. "Of course! My skills are second to none. Although…" She sighed dramatically. "I do prefer designing for women. Such a shame Jason isn't a girl. Imagine all the dresses I could've made for him."
Jason's grin turned sarcastic. "Well, sorry for being such a disappointment."
Claire ignored his tone, waving a hand dismissively. "I'm sure you two have many deliveries to finish. And Jason…" She leaned toward him, her tone suddenly stern. "Don't try anything weird with her."
Jason's face turned scarlet. "What the heck is that supposed to mean?!"
Annabelle burst into laughter. "Don't worry, Miss Claire. If he tries anything, I'll kick his ass!"
As they left the shop, waving goodbye to Claire, Annabelle smirked at Jason, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Don't try anything with me, Jason. I'm just a cute, innocent, little girl."
Jason groaned. "Cut it out, okay!"
Annabelle's laughter echoed as they rode off toward their next stop.
Meanwhile, at the bustling market square, Grandpa Mark and Connor weaved through the crowd, filling their bags with fresh produce and supplies.
As they passed by a fruit stand, the sound of children's laughter rang out. Suddenly, one of the children stumbled and fell, scraping his leg on the cobblestone.
Connor rushed to the boy's side, kneeling beside him. "Hey, you okay?" he asked gently, examining the wound. Blood trickled down the boy's leg, and tears filled his wide eyes.
"Don't worry. I can help," Connor placed his hand over the wound, his palm glowing faintly as the injury healed before their eyes.
The boy stared in amazement, then broke into a wide smile. "Thank you, Mister!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms around Connor in a grateful hug.
Connor patted the boy's head, smiling. "You're welcome. Be more careful next time, okay?"
The boy nodded enthusiastically before running off to rejoin his friend.
Grandpa Mark watched the scene with quiet admiration, his eyes crinkling with a smile. As Connor stood and dusted off his hands, Mark clapped him on the shoulder.
"Shall we continue?"
Connor nodded. "Yes, of course. Let's finish up."
Together, they continued their shopping, the lively hum of the market surrounding them.