"I think I saw the crown prince," Rose said to Emma as they sat at the back of her house under the moon. The moon was bright, and it lit up their surroundings enough to not need a lamp.
Emma was around the same age as Rose but a year younger. They had known each other since they were little girls. Both of them had been born in Edenville, and living in such close proximity, they had no option but to be friends.
"Wha?" Emma asked in shock. "Where?"
"The village entrance," Rose replied.
"Wha were ye doin' there?"
"I went to get water from the well. Mot'er's cough has been a little too much lately. I didn't want to cook wit' the muddy water."
"And ye saw him?" Emma asked. She was clearly more interested in the details about the crown prince than anything else.
"Yah, I think."
"Wha ye mean, think? Did ye not see him?"
"I did," she smirked. "He is mighty good-lookin'."
Emma gasped, then covered her mouth with her hand. "Don't let Ander hear ye," she whispered, looking around.
"Stop lookin' around like that, he's not lurkin' in the bushes."
"Wow!" Emma smiled. "To think ye saw him. Did he talk to ye?"
"Of course not, and he was surrounded wit' lots of knights. Very scary." Rose shook her head.
"But to think ye were that close to the crown prince. I'm jealous."
"Don't be, I was scared. He is still in Edenville, ye might run into him, and ye're a pretty lady. Who knows?" Rose wiggled her brows and scooted closer, trying to tickle Emma.
"Wha are ye doin'?" she cried as she tried to escape Rose's assault. "Of course not, he is royalty. The crown prince! Also, I can say the same about ye."
Rose stopped trying to tickle her immediately. "Ye know I am engaged to Ander, Emma. We will get married in a week." Rose looked into the distance, a smile on her face as she thought of it.
Ander was also a childhood friend of Rose, and she had always known she would marry him from when she was only a child. They would have married much earlier than now, but Rose had put it off because of her mother's illness. However, her mother had found out and was very upset. To make her happy, Rose decided to get married as soon as possible.
"A week, that's so close," Emma whispered, a hint of sadness on her face.
"Don't look like that. I know I am movin' into his fat'er's house, but Ander promised he will build our home very soon, and it will be close to my parents' house. We will still see each other as much, even though I'd be a married woman then. Mrs. Oliver." Rose squealed again.
"Congratulations," her friend said. "I can't wait for the wedding."
"Father said he will hunt a big antelope for it," she grinned.
"My ma already prepared the gifts she would give ye," Emma said.
"Oh, she is too kind. Yer ma is always so nice to us. Give my love to her."
Emma nodded. "I will."
"I am thinkin' of doin' it tonig't," Rose suddenly said with a mischievous smile.
"Rosie," Emma cried, her eyes widening as she realized what Rose was talking about. "Ye can't be serious."
"I already told ye I would," Rose smirked further.
"Why not just wait till yer wedding night?" Emma asked.
Rose shook her head. "I am goin' to marry Ander anyway. He is the only man I love," Rose answered proudly. "Besides, ye know why."
"Yah, ye said it before, so it won't hurt on yer wedding night."
"It wasn't me that said it, Madame Razel did."
Madame Razel was the merchant's wife, and she was also the biggest gossip in all of Edenville. If there was any news, she knew about it. If one wanted help or information, she was the perfect person to go to. The problem was that it was likely that the whole town would have heard about it before one could use the solutions she would provide.
"Ye know better than to listen to a gossip."
"But she's right. If I can get past the pain, then it'd be smooth sailin' from there, and a week is more than enoug' time to heal from it. The best part—even if I take in, no one will know."
"Ye sound a little too excited by this."
"I can't 'elp it. I'm sure ye always wanted to do it."
"Of course not," Emma blushed.
Rose moved along the bench until she was pressed up against Emma. "Ye lyin', aren't ye?" she smirked.
"Not everyone is interested in such a thing as ye is."
"Then why are ye blushin'?" Rose asked, wiggling her brows.
"Nay! I'm not! But are ye sure about this?" Emma asked, her voice softening with uncertainty.
"Of course," Rose replied.
"When?" Emma questioned further.
"Tonig't," she said with glee.
"Does Ander know?"
Rose shook her head. "But I know he'd be delig'ted."
Emma looked a little uncertain. "Wha are ye goin' to do? Sneak into his room?"
"Exactly!"
"Ye crazy!" Emma said with wide eyes, but there was no malice in her words.
"Don't fret, I'll tell ye all about it in the mornin'," Rose teased.
"I don't want to know wha ye do between tha sheets."
"Aren't ye even a tiny winy bit curious?" Rose teased.
"I'm not," Emma insisted. "I should get goin', my mama is goin' to notice I'm missin' now, and ye know how she gets."
"Yah, she doesn't like ye leavin' the house at nig't."
"Yah! Even though ye is literally next door."
Rose laughed. "Give my love to 'er," she said.
"No way. She will know I came 'ere."
"I know, I was messin' wit' ye."
Emma narrowed her eyes at Rose before slowly standing up from the bench. "Give my love to yer mot'er. I would have said hi, but I know she's restin' now."
"Yah," Rose said and stood up from the bench. "I'll walk ye to the fence."
"No need. Ye need to prepare," Emma said but couldn't meet Rose's eyes.
"Prepare for wha?"
Emma frowned at her. "Ye goin' to make me say it?"
"Would ye?" Rose snickered.
"Goodnig't, it's my fault for carin'."
Rose laughed and waved at her best friend as she watched her stomp away before she turned around and went into the house. It was quiet as she walked in. The hearth was still on, but the fire was going out. She didn't try to put more wood; the night wasn't too cold. She quietly made her way to her room. She would have to wait until later before she headed for Ander's house.