The Tearmoon Princess in the Kingdom of Remno (with some illustrations)

Chaoter 25 "The Farm"

Mia and Anne were already mounted on their horses, Silvermoon (not her real name) and The King's Horse (sadly, his real name), as they waited for Michelle and Bernardo. To pass the time they strolled in a circle around the courtyard. Anne smiled and gave Mia a sympathetic look.
"Are you feeling any better?"
"The headache is a little better, but breakfast was torture! Crackers! Why Anne? They had all that bacon and eggs and..."
"Be thankful I let you have crackers—they will help settle your stomach. You don't want to embarrass yourself in front of Sir Bernardo and Michelle."
"Ugg! Whisky. Never again! I don't even want to be near the stuff—I don't think I could handle the smell..."
"You do remember where we are going?"
"A farm, right?"
"It's not just a farm—"
Mia looked across the courtyard, and her face immediately lit up, "Michelle! Bernardo!"
Michelle approached Mia on horseback, "Princess Mia, Miss Anne, it's so nice to see you again. Thanks so much for waiting for us!
"Oh, you are so welcome, and thank you for agreeing to take us to your farm."
"It is our pleasure!"
As the four made their way out of the courtyard, Mia, who was not one to dwell, did briefly wonder about her precious maid's words, 'more than a farm?' I wonder...

Mia enjoyed the ride to the farm. The fresh air cleared her head, and riding the horse calmed her nerves. And, the countryside was beautiful. But then something began an assault on her nose, then her stomach, and then her head...
"What's that smell?"
Michelle's face beamed with happiness. Isn't it wonderful! That smell is home!
"The smell is home? But that doesn't smell like a farm—it smells like..."
"Whisky," Anne completed her thought, "Their home is more than a farm. It's a distillery."
"Distillery?"
"The whiskey from last night was made there—right Michelle?"
"Yes, we are the largest producers of rye whisky in Remno—in the continent, really. Let's get going, so you can see it yourself."
"Whiskey..." Mia groaned. "whatever— let's go Silvermoon."

Not long after the assault on Mia's olfactories, the scenery surrounding the stone road changed—grain fields began to displace green trees and shrubbery. In the distance, a lovely home flanked by two large buildings came into view. The home was somewhat nicer than that of Anne's parents, but nothing like those of the central nobility of Tearmoon.
As they got closer, the smell of whisky only got stronger. But, aside from a few tummy grumbles, Mia was able to acclimate herself to the smell and shift herself into gracious guest mode. The Smiling Princess of Tearmoon dismounted from her loyal steed, Silvermoon.
"Michelle, Bernardo, thank you so much for allowing us to visit here today."
The big man chuckled, "Oh, we are so happy to have you. You are both well well-known celebrities here!"
Anne looked puzzled, "Both? But, I am not..."
Squealing could be heard coming from the house, "They are here! The Princess and the Lady Anne are here!"
"Lady Anne? But, I'm no—"
Before Anne could complete her sentence the two young heroines were mobbed by five rabid little fangirls-—the youngest didn't look to be much more than four years old, while the oldest was maybe twelve—and, yes, their hair was as red as Michelle's —and Anne's!
One of the middle girls looked at Anne in awe. "Are you the Princess!."
"No," Anne blushed, "that's Princess Mia." She nodded in the direction of her friend.
The youngest girl examined Mia from head to toe with dismissive eyes, "But, she's so small!"
Mia Blushed. I am not small, I'm almost average height, really. Maybe she meant that I'm thin. I have been trying to slim down a little...
"Sadie! That isn't very nice." Bernardo corrected his youngest, "She is our guest, and she is the Great Sage. Let's all sit down at the dining table, I know your sister has a wonderful lunch prepared for us."
As they were seated one of the older girls quizzed Anne, "Are you a knight? I heard girls can be knights in Tearmoon!"
"Yes, girls can become knights in Tearmoon, but I am just a..."
"Anne is more important than a knight," Mia interrupted, "she is my right hand and confidant. And, she has saved my life several times."
"Not, several times..."
Mia felt a little ambivalent about hiding Anne's title of Maid in Waiting from the girls, Anne took such pride in her skills as a maid, but somehow it seemed important for these girls to see this woman, who so resembled their own mother, as something more than a maid. Besides, Anne was much more than a maid to Mia—more than a knight, more than an advisor. Yes, Anne had literally saved her life, but, much more importantly, she had also saved her soul—she gave her love when there was no one left to love her, and guided her to what was right when Mia had lost her way. Anne was her heart and her strength. In short, Mia knew that Anne was as much the Tearmoon Princess that existed in these little girls' imaginations as Mia was—and the five girls seemed to know it, too. The two youngest crawled onto Anne's lap, as soon as they reached the dining table—while the older ones continued to pepper Anne with, questions.
"You saved the Princess from wolves?"
"Well,  I helped. Tiona, she..."
"You know the Duchess Tiona!"
"Duchess? She's..."
"Were you there when she commanded the King to forgive the revolutionaries?"
"Tiona is very brave, but I am not sure she commanded..."
Mia, for her part, laughed to herself—half happy that Anne was receiving the respect and admiration that she deserved, and half relieved that she wasn't the one having to sort through the exaggerated tales of their adventures.