Rose heard footsteps moving closer, and her stomach knotted. It was both from the guard approaching her and a memory that had just popped into her head. Emma had told her a few days ago that the crown prince was coming to Edenville. She had dismissed it as wild talk; however, if she was indeed interrupting the crown prince while he was at the well… Rose shut her eyes in horror. What was he even doing in Edenville?
"You," a voice said.
"Yah," Rose replied but didn't move.
"Raise your head," he said. "You can fetch water. His Royal Highness, the crown prince, has allowed a commoner like yourself to pass."
Rose felt dizzy—she was almost about to pass out. The crown prince was really in Edenville and right in front of her. She slowly lifted her head. The guard in front of her was young, fully dressed in armor, and had a cape. He had a proud grip on his sword as he towered over her; it was sheathed around his waist. He was clearly royalty—just the way he carried himself made it clear. Rose wondered if he was a knight.
"Did you hear me?" he asked, staring down at her with a sneer.
"Yah, sorry. Thank ye," she mumbled as she scrambled to her feet.
"Tch," the knight said and started walking away.
Rose quickly followed behind him, holding her buckets tightly, one in each hand. She kept her head low as she walked; she knew better than to make eye contact with anyone. They were closer to the tree now, and suddenly, all the hair at the back of her neck stood on end. Someone was staring intensely at her. Was it the crown prince? Rose knew better than to raise her head and take a look.
She bowed again, dropping to her knees and lowering her head to the ground before rising and walking to the well. She also knew better than to speak. She climbed the stone and almost tripped, but she gripped the edge of the well for balance. That pair of eyes was dangerous. It was odd how everyone was staring at her, but the one she could sense made her uncomfortable.
There was a wooden frame right in the middle of the well with a pail attached to a rope. Rose pulled on the rope as she started to fetch water—all the while quite aware of the set of eyes that wouldn't leave her back.
Caius didn't even blink as he stared, taking her in. She was pretty, he would say that, but something about her called to him, and by the discomfort he felt, it wasn't just his eyes that were interested. The first thing he noticed when she stepped closer was her freckles. He wanted to keep staring, but then she had kowtowed and turned her back to him.
The next thing he had noticed was the god-awful dress. It was no less than a piece of rag and had several patches of different materials. The dress was also worn out. The next thing he noticed was how slender she looked in the nasty dress.
He wanted her to turn around so he could get a better look, but no matter how hard he stared, she didn't turn. His eyes moved downward. She had a plump rump, and Caius had a flash of it lifted in the air for him. His forehead furrowed at the vividness of it.
"Don't even think about it," Rylen said.
Caius reluctantly tore his eyes from the redhead and turned to his cousin. It was crazy they were related—they looked nothing alike. While Caius had sleek black hair, his cousin had platinum blonde hair and blue eyes. Their characters were also very different. Rylen liked to play by the rules, whereas Caius was chaotic.
"Think about what?" Caius asked with a smirk.
"You know what I'm talking about. You're only in Edenville for three days—don't fucking think about it."
"It's rare to see you swear, Prince Rylen. I know you think I'd fuck anything in a skirt, but worry not—even someone like me has taste."
He turned his attention back to the redhead, and she was done fetching the water. Carrying the water in both hands, she bowed again and practically fled the scene. Caius watched her until he couldn't see her anymore.
"Shouldn't we be going into the village?" Rylen asked.
Caius groaned. "Not yet," he said and put the wet cloth over his head.
Rose was breathing hard when she appeared at the back of her house. She could not believe she had run all the way here, the same way she could not believe she had seen the crown prince. Well, she didn't really. She had been too scared to look, but she had caught a glimpse of his black hair. She couldn't wait to tell Emma—her best friend would lose her marbles.
"Rose, Rosie! Is that ye?"
"Fat'er!" Rose squealed and ran up into the house. She went through the back door to see her father sitting in the room. "When did ye get back?" She sat on the bench with him, grinning at him.
"Just now. Ye mama is asleep," her father said and gestured to the straw bed where soft snoring was coming from. "Where did ye go?"
"I went to fetch some water. We don't 'ave any."
"Wha' about Emma's well?"
"Too muddy." Rose shook her head.
"Aye, aye," he said, and then his voice turned serious. "Did yer mot'er cough too much today?" He rubbed his hand across his face.
Rose shook her head. "Nay," she replied. "Took the herbs—must be why mot'er is asleep."
"Tha's good," he said and put his hand under the bench, pulling out a big rabbit. Its neck had been sliced, and blood stained some parts of its fur.
Rose's eyes widened in delight before she let out a soft squeal, mindful of the fact that her mother was sleeping. "Tis huge."
"I caught five of them, and the baron let me keep one," her fat'er announced proudly.
"Wow! I will make rabbit stew. Mot'er would like tha' very much."
"Yah," he replied and smiled tightly at her.