The cold drizzle that fell from the sky brought a slight frown to Keira's lips as she stared out her room window. With a sigh, she brushed her hair and put it up in an elegant bun. She leisurely took her time getting ready as she knew no one was yet awake.
She examined the pieces of clothing that Alexander had delivered to her before she fell asleep last night. It was a more feminine version of the guardian attire that she had seen Ambrose and Conor wear. There was a breastplate that went over the right side of her chest that held Sylvia's royal crest. Silver vambraces etched with gold laid twinkling ontop of a set of midight blue trousers and tunics.
As she slipped on the clothes and pieces of armour, she reminded herself to thank Alexander for them. A small smile fell upon her lips as the attire seemed to fit perfectly on her. She then put on the leather hunting boots that had come with the clothes and made her way down to the lobby.
When she descended the stairs she spotted the innkeeper and his wife bustling around with their staff to get the place ready for their soon to be awaken guests. Keira smiled as the innkeeper's wife noticed her and quickly came to see if she wanted anything to eat.
"Not now, thank you," Keira replied. She scanned the tables as many of the chairs still needed to be put down. "Would you like some help?"
"Oh no, Miss, we would not want to-" the old woman's protest was short-lived as Keira began to take the chairs down one by one.
"I do not mind, it is still quite early and there is no where that needs my immediate attention," Keira spoke to assure the fragile woman. As Keira turned to face the woman, she saw that the woman was at a lost for words. "Is something wrong?"
"Y-you are a g-guardian," the woman gasped. She then began to curtsy as low as her weak legs could allow her. "I'm sorry, Your Grace, that I did not realize that you were a guardian."
Keira's brows rose in shock. "No, no, it's-"
She was interrupted as the innkeeper came to see what the matter was with his wife. He was about to speak when he noticed the breastplate on Keira's chest with the royal emblem. His face turned as white as a sheet as he wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulders.
"Y-you're Grace, we did not mean to-"
"Please, please, it is quite all right! I did not mean to bring such distress to you and your wife. It did not occur to me that my lack of stating my relation to the royals would cause such uproar." Keira's features creased with worry as she did not want to put these people under duress.
It took a few moments but the innkeeper and his wife gradually composed themselves. They looked to her with utter fear as if she'd ruin them because they did not notice her as some higher ranking officer. She began to wonder what exactly do these other guardians do to lay such fear in these people.
"I am truly sorry to have made you all so upset," Keira murmured softly.
"You m-must be the new guardian that everyone has been talking about," the innkeeper's wife said quietly.
"You're a strange one," the innkeeper muttered who had obviously gotten over the shock.
The innkeeper's wife looked up to her husband in horror before averting her gaze back to Keira. She expected Keira to hurt them but was surprised to see Keira burst out in laughter. The old woman and her husband stared strangely at the guardian standing before them.
After a few moments of endless mirth Keira became her composed self again and glanced at the old couple. "Forgive me, I found your comment quite refreshing," she said gleefully, "it has been quite some time since I've heard such a thing."
