Crowned Prince | hendery

9: County

The carriage this time around was much more different when they first rode it together. She remembers their first ride a little too clearly, even if three weeks have now passed. It was friendly, almost political in nature, however with intentions clear this time they were discussing things she would have never thought of speaking with another.

"Is this why you immediately asked me when a hint has been thrown about my harsh feelings towards this marriage?" The sky had barely risen today when they left the imperial palace. Now they were hours away from arriving to the county that stood at the most northern part of the continent, it is a place known for ruthless cold but abundance in high earning rocks, as the princess likes to make it out as.

"Indeed," Hendery doesn't even try to deny it, "there is no better way for it to get to the ears of other nobles but through inviting them to tea, am I not right?"

"You truly do not understand how word of mouth begins, Hendery." Her nails draw random circles on the glass of the carriage that they were riding in. "People who work in a castle have their circle to which they confide with," she then proceeds to draw a larger circle, "from that small group all individuals within it have their own small groups and thus this circle of people talking will always grow bigger." She was drawing a much larger circle, but stopped right there. Taeha turns to look at Hendery, "once word has been spoken around, the nobles simply act as confirmation for these rumors."

"Oh," Hendery nods his head while listening to her speak.

"That would be the case normally." Taeha tilts her head to the side. "Yet in cases where I, as the noble, start a rumor, it would be treated as a truth," she looks at him dead in the eye, "not only among high society but also with commoners."

"Then I shall leave it to you," Hendery at this very moment could not hide the smile of content that was playing on his lips.

"Then I shall arrange for some tea to greet some of the noble women of the land." She takes a deep breath in and looks out of the carriage.

Then it was quiet between them. Taeha never truly understood how huge the land that Hwei covered was until her travel to the further north that the five kingdoms sat on. From the mere border of Sui and Hwei, the only one of the five kingdoms that was connected to Hwei, it took them two days to get to the capital. Now they needed a whole day to get to the county that stood furthest north.

"How is that you do not marvel at the beauty of such remote places?" Indeed she was letting her mouth rumble as she observed the absence of the touch of man.

"Have you not heard?" Hendery turned to look at the princess who often appears to know nearly everything even before he explains it to her. "These are the places where bandits hide, targeting nobles and stealing their goods."

"I am aware." That was her simple reply not even turning to look at him. "My mind cannot simply wrap around the thought of the absence of people for several hours on the road." She finally turns to face Hendery. "I'm sure you are aware that Sui functions as a trading kingdom, where the ocean meets and two of three kingdoms are connected to. No matter where you turn your head, there will be people."

"You're simply marveling at something that does not exist in Sui." Hendery meets her eyes. Maybe it was the friendly atmosphere that they shared, but he cannot seem to erase the odd realization that her beauty does not seem to wear off from his mind. It is not as if she did not realize that she was attractive, rather it seems that his mind keeps on lingering on a certain image of the princess.

"Probably." She nods her head in agreement as she turns her head back towards the several grasses passing by, yet she didn't seem to realize that the prince was staring at her.

Hendery simply bites down his lips. Before turning away himself. As if he allowed himself a second more of staring at her, he would notice much more than what he wanted to notice and things may turn for the worse if he did.

-

Indeed the county sat so far that the moment Taeha was standing in front of the castle, which allowed them to stay as visitors, she could not feel her bottom at all. Sadly she couldn't even marvel at the town proper as when they did pass both the prince and the princess were fast asleep, they were only woken up by Julian knocking on their door. All her mind could think about as soon as she stood up was how numb her legs felt that she ought to believe that the moment she stepped down from that carriage she would've fallen over, luckily she didn't.

"This is the count of the Northest," Hendery introduces the place, before leaning closer to her side, "they could not think of a better name."

Taeha chuckles at his remarks, but she finally takes notice of the place where they would be staying. It was quaint, far more than what she expected from a county that was under the kingdom of Hwei. It, for sure, had no more than ten rooms, that includes the one where people who work in the castle reside in.

As she further examines the lack of exterior structures, she takes notice of the count's family that opens the door to welcome them. The countess was formerly known as the princess of Hwei, carrying a child in her arms greeting them with a business smile she'd caught a glimpse of a couple of times. Right beside her was the man she was the least excited to see, or expected to see at all, Count Illia Rox and his wife, the countess, Guanxi Rox.

"You did not mention that this was their county." Taeha moves her head to the side and whispers towards Hendery.

"If I did, would you have come along?" Hendery's eyes looked at hers seeking for an answer, but was not met with one at all.

They hear footsteps fast approaching them, thus they both took a step away from each other. Once Taeha did turn her head towards the direction where the footsteps come from, she was surprised to be standing face to face with the count.

"It is a pleasure to have you visit, your highness." She was sure that this was supposed to be directed towards the prince and not her, but the count seemed to only be staring at her.

Taeha, in her discomfort, turned to look at Hendery, who seemed just as fixated as the count towards the countess. It takes him a moment and deep breath in before facing the count who was just as fixated as he was towards the princess.

Extending his hand forward, "I am looking forward to dealing with the crisis with you." His hand stood in between the princess and the count, making the count take a step back and finally turn his body towards the prince to accept his handshake.

The count sighs without the smile on his face ever fading, he simply turns around. "We have prepared a room for you."

"A room?" Hendery walked up to the count upon hearing the conditions.

Illia slowly turned his head around with an apologetic look on his face this time. "The lack of workers in the county and people to suffice work within the castle, it unfortunate that we cannot offer the two of you separate rooms while being able to attend to both your needs." He bows his head.

Hendery slowly turned his head around to face the princess. Before sighing and simply nodding his head. "Assist us to the room." Hendery holds out his hand towards the princess waiting for her hand, so he could guide her up the stairs.