Crown On My Head

chapter 9

Port of souls                                                           Lacey

I awoke to the sound of an obnoxious trumpet blaring through the room, its jarring notes cutting through the fog of sleep. Groaning, I squinted against the sudden intrusion, my eyes protesting the assault on my peaceful slumber.

"Wake up my little blue Birdy" Krin wakes me up, i pull the cover closer.

I rub my eyes, "that's not my name." I mumble.

"Well that's silly." he pokes my nose. "But forgive me, I do not wish to suffer the wrath of an angry Doorlan" he nudges me.

I freeze, as he comes closer to my face.

"There she is! Rise and shine, birdy!" came the exuberant voice of Krin, the man with the mischievous blue eyes, as he stood by the foot of the bed, holding the trumpet like a triumphant conqueror.

"In the realms are you doing, Krin?" I mumbled, trying to bury my face back into the softness of the pillows.

"Time to seize the day, blue birdy! Adventure awaits, and you can't conquer dragons by sleeping in!" he declared, his grin wide and infectious.

With an exaggerated sigh, I reluctantly pulled myself out of the warmth of the bed. Krin's antics were a daily routine. It seems no one bats an eye, a blend of annoyance and amusement killed me. As I shot him a mock glare, he handed me a cloak, all I can think of is the ability to hide in plain sight. no one really knows what the Princess looks like. The cloak gives an extra sense of security.

Dragging me out into the crisp morning air, Krin led the way through the labyrinthine streets of the port. The bustling sounds of merchants haggling and the salty breeze carried a peculiar charm that was impossible to resist. Along the way, he regaled me with tales of his misadventures, each anecdote punctuated by his infectious laughter.

As we strolled, his teasing remarks turned into moments of shared laughter, and our gazes lingered a beat longer than before.

In the quiet spaces between our words, as the sun dipped toward the horizon, Krin looked at me with a sincerity that caught me off guard. "You know, birdy," he said, his tone earnest, "sometimes the most unexpected journeys lead to the greatest adventures."

The air was charged with a subtle electricity, and in that moment, amidst the market's bustling energy, it felt as if the narrative of our connection had taken an unforeseen turn.

As we meandered through the labyrinthine alleys of the port, the sun casting a warm glow on the cobblestone streets, Krin's playful demeanour took a subtle shift. His mischievous blue eyes, once filled with jest, now held a glint of something more, a spark that danced on the border between friendship and flirtation.

"So, birdy," he began, leaning against a market stall with a roguish grin, "tell me, what's the most adventurous thing you've ever done?"

I raised an eyebrow, trying to match his nonchalant tone. "Define adventurous, Krin."

He chuckled, the sound of a delightful melody that echoed through the narrow alley. "Adventurous, you know, like sneaking into the kitchens for a midnight snack or perhaps orchestrating an escape from a stuffy event. Paying a prank on a family member dying their hair green."

I couldn't help but laugh, recalling the countless times I had committed such petty rebellions whilst I was in court. "Well, there was this one time I—"

"Ah, ah, ah," he interrupted with a wink. "No spoilers, birdy. I want to hear all the scandalous details over a moonlit dinner."

His casual mention of dinner sent a flutter through my stomach, and for a moment, the air between us felt charged with an unspoken tension. The banter had taken a turn, crossing into the realm of something more intimate.

As we continued our stroll through the port, he pointed out his favourite spots, regaling me with stories that spanned from hilarious escapades to heartwarming moments of friendship.

Krin, as the crowds thicken with the docking of boats. and tales of great treasures. laces his fingers into mine. not letting me get pushed around. "So," he murmured, his tone dipped in a playful cadence, "do you believe in fate?"

I shot him a curious glance. "Fate, Krin? That sounds like a topic for philosophers and poets. you are just the unicorn historian."

"Ah, but what if fate brought us together on this splendid day?" he mused, his gaze holding mine. "A chance encounter amidst the hustle and bustle of the port, leading to an adventure neither of us saw coming."