The Guarded Princess

XXII

Days passed by as usual and though Kouen and the others were still busy as ever, they visited often and Lucy was somewhat ambivalent towards it. She was glad that they had taken the time to come visit her but nevertheless, she wanted them to take care of themselves first. But, with a firm reassurance from them, she gave up, allowing them to do what they wanted.

Many of the generals dropped by to visit her and Alibaba, Aladdin, and Morgiana often did as well, bringing her all sorts of stories and news that went on around the castle and outside the castle, something that she was grateful for. With the rise of the sun, today was no different either.

"Hey, Lucy," a face peered in through the doors to the greenhouse.

Lucy widened her eyes, surprised by his visit. "Hinahoho?" she immediately turned and walked towards him. "What brings you here?"

"Good morning, Lucy-sama," Jaf'ar peered in as well with an apologetic but pleasant smile.

"Ja'far, too!" she remarked.

The two walked into the greenhouse and lowered themselves in respect to her before straightening themselves. Masrur stood behind Lucy, wondering, too, why they had come to visit her despite the fact that they rarely ever came due to their own personal affairs. They greeted Hinahoho as well with a smile.

"Is there something that brings you here?" Masrur asked.

Hinahoho laughed. "No need for such a stern face, Masrur. You're a little too fearful of things that concern your mistress. Loosen up a bit."

"I'm n-"

"Okay, okay, let's forget about that," Hinahoho waved it off. "We came here for something else."

Lucy tilted her head to the side.

"Lucy-sama, would you like to go out on patrol with us? Though it's just around the borders of the castle, we're planning to visit the town market and we thought that it might be enjoyable for you," Ja'far smiled. "How about it?"

"Can I?" she widened her eyes in exclamation.

Ja'far chuckled, admiring how childlike her expression was at the moment. "Which is why we invited you out."

Lucy clenched her fists and shook them up and down. "I want to go."

"I had a feeling you were going to say that," Hinahoho grinned and passed her some garments. "Here, put this on. Masrur, too. You're coming along with us, aren't you?"

Masrur set his eyes on Lucy and seeing the way she pursed her lips and the way her eyes reflected anticipation, there was no way he could refuse her. Moreover, there was nothing more than he wished for other than seeing her enjoy herself. He quickly changed into the simple white toga with the shoulders secured by two golden fibulas. His golden armband was one of the only accessories that he wore other than the golden wristbands and ankle bands that he wore.

Lucy, too, quickly changed into a simple white dress with gold lining the ends of it, her shoulder sleeves held together by fibulas as well as a golden ribbon made its way around the area under her chest, a bow forming at the front. She wore sandals but underneath that dress, they weren't visible. A single red ruby dangled in the middle of her head from a thin two-beaded thread as the phoenix bangle and her metal vessel adorned her wrist. Her hair was tied into a long braid, a white sash with gold trims at the end.

She stepped out from the greenhouse and upon seeing her new outfit, Ja'far and Masrur were at a loss for words. Hinahoho whistled and grinned at seeing her. Bringing a hand down on her head, he ruffled her hair.

"As expected, it looks good on you, little girl," he said.

Ja'far stared at her like a deer caught in headlights. Hinahoho laughed teasingly at him, causing him to shake his head and erase those thoughts from his head. Clearing his throat, he put his hands together again and smiled.