A Questionable Quest

Chapter 26... in which some idiot steals my apple cider

We travelled for two whole days -- one whole night -- after that first one. To my relief, each hour the number of loaded silences halved, then quartered.

By late afternoon on the third day, it felt as if nothing had changed from about a week ago. We were laughing, joking, and chatting from the moment we left after breakfast to the moment we first spotted the chimneys of Portsmount City.

He hadn't fully forgiven me -- and he'd told me as much after I'd asked. "I still haven't forgiven you," he'd said, almost conversationally, while we'd packed up that morning. "But that doesn't mean it won't ever happen."

I clung to that last comment like a starved dog to a rabbit bone. That doesn't mean it won't ever happen. In other words, he might someday forgive me. Someday. Unfortunately, I didn't have until "someday". I had until today. We were close enough to reach the palace in less than an hour, if we bypassed the city.

I had other plans.

I pushed Marissol ahead of Jester, as we neared the fork in the road. One path led to the palace, the other to the city.

Van nudged Jester up next to me. "Where are you going."

"The city." I gave him a duh look.

"Why?" He clearly wanted to make his way home. I understood. But I was determined that we take this (not-so-quick) detour.

"I'm not going to pass up this chance to experience your city without guards watching my every move." Of course, I also wanted more time with Van. But I truly did yearn to experience normal, non-royal life -- to really experience it.

Van looked at me. I looked back at him, pleading with my eyes.

After a moment, he sighed. "I suppose we can spend some time in the city."

"Yes." I kicked Marissol into a trot.

Jester kept an easy pace with us. "You've truly never visited a city without guards?" Van inquired.

"Have you?"

"Of course!"

I wrinkled my nose sullenly. "Aren't you special."

Van laughed. "I'm also a prince. And a knight. Not that it means anything, of course," he added quickly, upon spotting the look on my face. "I just mean -- well, your parents were rather protective."

"Hmmm."

"Am I wrong?"

"Well... no," I admitted. "But-" My voice broke off. I cocked my head. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what-" Van cocked his head too. "It's... music." Then, a realisation came over his face. "It sounds like the Midsummer Festival."

My whole body perked up. The music grew louder with every few steps we took towards the city. A slow grin grew on my face. "Is it really?"

"Mhm." Van looked from the city gates to my face. "What?"

"Hm?"

"You're smiling. What is it?"

"Oh." I schooled my expression to the best of my abilities (which, arguably, was not much). "I've just always wanted to see a Midsummer Festival."

"You've never seen a Midsummer Festival?"

I paused, and took my eyes off the brightly-decorated gates, which seemed to be exploding with flowers and ribbons and all sorts of colors. "Now you're just being braggy."