"And just when I specifically told you to watch out for puddles," Daniel said in angered frustration as he twisted the lower part of his shirt, draining water from the humble cream cloth. " Now look - we're soaked!"
It probably wouldn't have mattered much any other day, but today was a bad day in Daniel's household - there was something wrong with the piping and so he couldn't do the washing. The clothes on his back were the last ones for the week.
"Oh, will you just clam up, Daniel? You know, sometimes you're as overbearing as my mother." Evelyn fanned her skirt after trying a handful of tricks to dry the fabric. None of them worked, so she stood there with a damp skirt in the middle of the town. A breeze flew past her, and she flinched as she felt the sudden cool contact of the wet cloth brushing against her skin.
Daniel, who was much more resistant to the cold, knew that she couldn't stand the cold even if her life depended on it. It was something he'd found out when he taught her about snow in the winter and had her sneak out with him to experience it for herself. Poor girl couldn't last 10 minutes out in the open and got stuck inside for two whole weeks in bed with a cold.
The smell of hot cocoa floated about the village and Daniel trailed the scent's origin with his eyes, landing on a small wooden stall with a hearty male as its owner. It dawned to him that the warm drink would help provide Evelyn with the heat that she seems to be in dire need of.
"Wait right here. I'll be back before you know it," said Daniel as he headed towards the stall. Evelyn nodded even though he was well on his way without even waiting for her acknowledgment. She stood there staring at his back as he walked into the crowd of villagers who were waiting for their turn to buy the cocoa.
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Joanna wandered round town, taking in the sights as she walked. To her, the view of houses and shops and people around her was spectacular as she'd never walked this deep into town.
As she walked, she saw a mass of crowd gathering at one particular area. An idea struck her in the head as she neared the crowd. The lone brunette stood tall and proud despite the ragged outfit she wore. With a broad smile on her face, she drew a deep breath, and words started flowing out of that sweet rosy lips of hers in a beautiful soft tune which gathered the attention of passers-by and striking them in awe with each note.
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Evelyn treasured each passing second she was in that small town of hers that she would probably not have known was so festive and joyful if not for this little trip of rebellion. Even with the current economical disaster that flooded her kingdom, the villagers seemed to still cherish what they had - health and togetherness was all that mattered to them.
Yet Evelyn knew that no matter how happy they were, they still lived a life of hardships and in poverty. She saw a family - several, actually - forced to close down their shops and dragged what is left of their possessions and disappeared into the crowd. She knew they did not know where to go nor what to do, but she praised their undying perseverance and strength to move on forth with life.
She hated the fact that as their princess, she could do nothing. She hated that even with her high stature, she could not ease the burdens of her people. What kind of ruler was she? Not a good one, that is for certain.
If only fate hadn't cursed her with her royal background. If only she were a regular villager, then maybe she could roam free and feel for once, the warmth of happiness. Maybe she could even choose the one she'd wed. A certain brown haired man with a brain the size of a pumpkin; a certain childhood friend of hers whom she had grown to care deeply for.
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Evelyn treasured each passing second she was in that small town of hers that she would probably not have known was so festive and joyful if not for this little trip of rebellion. Even with the current economical disaster that flooded her kingdom, the villagers seemed to still cherish what they had - health and togetherness was all that mattered to them.
Yet Evelyn knew that no matter how happy they were, they still lived a life of hardships and in poverty. She saw a family - several, actually - forced to close down their shops and dragged what is left of their possessions and disappeared into the crowd. She knew they did not know where to go nor what to do, but she praised their undying perseverance and strength to move on forth with life.
She hated the fact that as their princess, she could do nothing. She hated that even with her high stature, she could not ease the burdens of her people. What kind of ruler was she? Not a good one, that is for certain.
If only fate hadn't cursed her with her royal background. If only she were a regular villager, then maybe she could roam free and feel for once, the warmth of happiness. Maybe she could even choose the one she'd wed. A certain brown haired man with a brain the size of a pumpkin; a certain childhood friend of hers whom she had grown to care deeply for.
To be continued...
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