SAMMMY VERSION RARWRRRRRC🧌🧌🧌🧌🧌🧌 (i slightly changed it bc i forgor)
Strolling around in the night market, Arden traipses from stall to stall. Examining each stall with his eyes and internally judging them, he sighs. He should have refused when Alexei and the others invited him here— he can't even find them! And it really didn't help that Arden's phone was dead, either.
Eventually, as Arden continued to lazily carry himself around, he reached the realization that he was rather hungry. Damn, now I'm going to have to spend MONEY to buy some food... The thought irked the boy, but he ignored his own complaint as he now walked around with a set goal in mind— finding some good food. Screw the others, I'm too hungry, Arden barely smirked to himself as he eventually caught sight of a shawarma stand.
Quickening his pace, Arden rushes to it to see the mouthwatering, delectable treats. Scanning the menu, he decided on the chicken option before he saw the pricing. Twenty dollars for ONE GYRO WRAP??? Inflation, goddamn! He internally whined as he gaped at what he was seeing. But he was soon knocked out of his thoughts by a rather gruffly voice speaking.
"Hurry up, kid. There are others waiting," The (presumed) man sounded vexed, which only further annoyed Arden.
Not turning back to see who it was, the irritable boy smiled passive aggressively. "Okay, and? Let me take my time, you bi-"
But he stopped himself. Arden glanced to his right to see a girl with light brown hair approaching the stand. She had an assembly of three guards following after her, and the air surrounding the girl was just... Regal? Arden didn't know how to put it, but it did undeniably catch his attention. I don't know if she's some wannabe princess, but you don't have to act like you're all that, Arden thought about the girl bitterly.
Although, it didn't take long for his thoughts to take a total 360. As the girl came closer, Arden was able to take clearer notice of her features. She wore an off-white, flowy dress and her hair was styled nicely. What Arden especially noticed was her eyes. They were mismatched, just as his own! Arden rarely found others like this, but when he did, usually he'd never care much. But this... felt different...?
Dazed, Arden barely took notice of when the girl finally came to the stand and stood a couple feet away from him. She asked the person at the stand for maybe five gyro wraps, but Arden had no idea as his gaze was fixated on the girls face. Her eyes reflected the dim light of the lamps hanging from the shaded stall, and her face glistened with the light.
The person who worked the stall nodded with much enthusiasm and rushed to work right away. Only now did Arden realize that this girl technically cut him in the line. He would have made a scene and yelled at her for it, but he was too shy to actually do that. He could only wish he had the confidence. So, slightly glaring at the girl, Arden just waited until she got her shawarmas.
And soon enough, she did get them. Giving the stand person a gracious "thank you," which was met with a "yes, of course, anything for you, princess Mai," the girl then turned to give each of the three men behind her a wrap. Meanwhile, Arden was internally panicking. Wait did she just say "princess"? Ain't no way... Is she that- that princess (insert lore on why she's here bc idk it's 12am i can't think of it rn)???
Once Arden came to terms with his newfound realization, he suddenly felt a creeping sense of respect build up within him. He wasn't entirely sure why, but in any case, he was about to ignore her and make his own order (despite the price— he was starving) until the girl began speaking again. To him.
Holding out a wrap, the girl smiled at Arden sweetly. "Here, do you want one?" She asked, her tone a mix of playfulness and kindness.
Extremely caught off guard, Arden looked at the girl, the wrap, the floor, then back up at the girl. "I- Uhhh, no thanks, I'm good-" He started only to be cut off.
"Come on, please. I insist!" The princess(?) egged him on.
As Arden was about to grow irritated all over again, one of the bodyguard men stepped forward and got close enough to whisper to him. "She won't stop until you accept. So, just say yes," The man muttered as quietly as he could. Arden eyed him quizzically before sighing, exasperatedly.
Why am I doing this... Was all the boy could think as he gingerly took the wrap from the princess's hands. "Thank you..." He murmured.
The girl smiled brightly in return and nodded. Arden looked around awkwardly, only to then realize that the eyes of practically everyone in the marketplace were on him and the girl. Quickly growing flustered, he barely yelled, "What?! Look away and go back to do what you came here for!" Arden realized his voice cracked near the end due, which made his face slightly burn with embarrassment.
But from the corner of his eye, he could see the princess covering her mouth with her hand in a polite manner. But it was obvious she was giggling or something. "My name is Mai," The girl then declared.
Yeah no shit, as if I didn't know the name of the heir to , Arden mused sarcastically.
(this sentence doesnt make sense considering he was pissed off that she was a "princess" and now hes all owning up to it?? maybe its his character idk but yeha im confuzzled just saying)
But, masking his indignation with respect, he ever so slightly bowed and was about to say his own name before Mai spoke again.
"I take it yours is Arden?" She asked, although the way she said it made it seem more like a statement. Arden froze, and straightened his back as he stared at the girl with a sense of scared curiosity.
In response to this worried expression, Mai only snickered. "I know a lot of things about you. You've caught my eye, Arden," Was all she said.
Thanks for being so vague, Arden thought nervously as he continued to gape at the princess, who only smiled in an unreadable manner in return.
