The Crown Prince Thinks I'm a Guy

Jessica of the Travelling Squires

"Eleftherion, don't tell me you've forgotten all about me?"

I stared at her as she suddenly grabbed at both of my hands and giggled so girlishly that I started to wonder if this was really the friend I knew. Not even baring to look at the girl's face, I glanced away, only to find my two male friends gaping at me with wide and hurt eyes. Joren's stare was especially drilling through me, his gaze screaming out wordlessly, "You traitor! You actually knew a girl?!"

I grinned back at them, although I knew that I should act appropriately. After all, even if I had no idea what Zepherin was planning to do, I still had enough calmness to understand that she had a plan.

I smiled down at her. "Sorry, uh... ?"

Zepherin giggled yet again, her foolish face definitely not making her seem like herself. She told me with an obvious pretend-hurt expression, "So you really have forgotten about me?"

I was glad she didn't give me more time to speak, because I sincerely didn't know how to reply. She continued on without missing a beat. "I'm Jessica, the High Dame's daughter from the travelling squires. I recall your family taking us in when we passed through your lands."

"And who," Prince Clement called down as he stood up from his seat. His eyes bore down on me, although his question was directed to my female companion. "... might this boy be to come to know a lady of your stature, Lady Jessica?"

Zepherin looked up at my brother with a small smile. She bowed down her head, as is appropriate in our continental customs, and said, "Your Highness, this boy here is Sir Eleftherion of your fair Kingdom of Saule. I believe his noble family took residence in the Town of Lapkurt, far west of the royal capital."

A cog turned in my head. I immediately knew what the girl was going on about. In my first few months of training in the Order, Zepherin and I would talk a lot. Since I didn't have much to talk about, though, I would tell her about my days travelling with Farseer and Janmira. And as such, our topics usually edged more on the mysterious, ghost-like girl. We once debated about our suspicions about her. We once opined that the girl could have hailed from the dreary lands of Lapkurt, the Saulian town just at the edge of the Mythical Forest, and around the civil woods.

Not many even knew about the Saulian people who lived in that dreary town, only that it simply existed due to the rich mineral source hidden inside the forest. Yet, even I, a princess of the kingdom, know very little of the politics apparent in those forest lands.

Frankly, it was a very good disguise, and I wouldn't put it past Zepherin to come up with a house name and fake documents in a fortnight, but I knew it would be troubling to act as a noble. Also, this would mean that I lied when I told my new friends and the school about my class status.

However, I caught her lavender eyes, filled with mirth. Then, she glanced very briefly at my red-haired friend, who was gaping at us openmouthedly.

'Of course!' I realized. 'I've told her about Joren's stupid misunderstanding about me!'

I smiled at her naturally, and then faced the prince. I bowed down to him just as a gentleman would. "Your Highness, if I may speak? The lady speaks truly, and upon her kind words, I am reminded of her beautiful countenance. T'was, however, during the days when my family was still part of the lines of nobility. Now, however, we are... of commoner ranks, and my house only serves as a family of merchants."

I dared to look up briefly at Zepherin, to find her smiling at me with silent relief. I immediately knew I had spoken the right thing. She then said, "I apologize, Eleftherion. It seems time has stolen me away from you for too long, and I am behind on the news. But, I do hope your family is well?"