The Duchess' Daughter

Episode 08: Meet and Greet

Lady Lara watched the circular opening of the gate made of bricks through the carriage's window. It was different from the first gate she saw when they entered the place yesterday. Nasa likurang bahagi ito ng tore. The sky just got brighter. Tila hindi umulan ng niyebe kahapon. Off the gate was the manger, where a flock of sheep was feeding. She tried to count them. Five and no more, each thinner than the other.

"You sure you don't want to eat?"

Lady Lara didn't have to regain her senses. She was conscious the whole time about being alone with the prince inside a grand carriage. The talk they had during supper didn't help. She was still estranged by his effortless elegance while sitting across from her. The inside of the new carriage looked like a compressed living room. Each upper corner had a hanging lamp that glows, making the atmosphere feel as though they're travelling by night. And His Highness' glamour only made it more overwhelming for Lady Lara, whose outer corset felt loose as she was trying hard to sit straight.

"You don't like bread, do you?" The prince made his seventh attempt to hear the young lady's morning voice. Mula kanina ay tango at iling lang ang sinasagot ng dalagita. He's already full, and Lady Lara hadn't bothered to even check what's under the lid he just put back.

"I already ate, Your Highness. One of your servants brought me food while I was in bed," the young lady managed to say. She subtly glanced at the window again, but she could feel the prince still waiting for her to talk more. Her hands were clasped between her legs, hidden from the prince's sight because of the table's end.

"I don't call them my servants." Prince Rohan's tone went low.

Napatingin nang deretso si Lady Lara sa kaniya, hindi pinigilan ang nagbabadyang ngiti sa naintindihan.

"I mean, they aren't mine. They don't serve me. They serve the empress. And as I study it," he leaned closer, "they hear the empress when I shout at them."

"I-I don't understand," Lara countered.

Prince Rohan smirked. "You seemed uneasy this whole time," he began. "Was it because of your first impression of me?" Lady Lara gulped. "Let me tell you, Asia. They're ruder than me. That butcher I shout at? He doesn't take me seriously unless in front of Her Majesty. Please . . . get me. I'm not always cool, but I also don't want to scare you." He went back to his former position of sitting.

"I'm . . . more than lucky to hear that, Your Highness," Lady Lara said. "P-Patawarin niyo po 'ko kung nabagabag ko kayo. Siguro nga ay natakot ako."

Prince Rohan nodded. "So we're friends now?"

Lady Lara couldn't think of how it would get better than this; the prince making her comfortable through his gestures, his nice voice, and his honest expressions. "I . . . thought . . . we're going to be a couple?" She jokingly asked which made the prince heartily laugh.

"Did you just—whoa." He continued chuckling. "I think I should . . ." He went a little serious. ". . . court you first, young miss."

The space became cozy as they passed through drier land. Prince Rohan moved the small clock on the table. He squinted his eyes at it. "We would be there a little after noon." He looked at Lady Lara. "You fine with sitting for hours? Or should we take a stop at a nearby eatery for lunch, and then we'd just walk to the train station?"

"K-Kahit ano po," Lady Lara shyly responded. The prince nodded.

Train station? Kailan pa ba matatapos ang biyaheng 'to? Lady Lara thought as she looked at Prince Rohan's beautiful eyelids. He was reading a book he was holding at arm's length, distant from his eyes. Lady Lara couldn't help but smile. His Highness looked too adorable to ignore.