The Ring

006

"Everyone seems so...happy," Chrissa whispered, as she took in the scene of the village at night. They'd ventured out of the forests, and near another part of the town, where the inn had been. There were blue and white colored tents–reminiscent of Stonedust's palace  colors–littered amongst the streets as different Fae creatures had been mingling. There sat a band in the center of the market that had been playing a joyful tune, with children dancing merrily, and a young couple holding hands.

She turned to him,  "they're all poor, I don't understand."

Michael smiled to himself slightly, and looked at the ground. He had been pulling his horse behind himself, as they wandered through the crowd. "When you have nothing, you try and make the most out of anything."

Chrissa frowned, "well that sounds awfully depressing."

Michael then stopped walking, and tied his horse to a post, "hungry?" He asked, as he grabbed her hand and walked her over to a random tent. Chrissa managed to give a positive reply as her nose had been met with the smell of something sweet. At the tent, existed an older woman with bright eyes and long, flowy dark hair. She smiled at Chrissa sweetly, and ruffled Michael's hair in a motherly way.

Michael rolled his eyes, "okay, okay that's enough gemma."  She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms, "This your new little friend, Mikey?"

At first Chrissa froze. She was a royal, and yet nobody had recognized her. For a moment it made her rather upset, but then she realized it had a benefit. She didn't have to behave like royalty. She didn't need to keep up her manners. She didn't need to appear perfect. In a way, it felt comforting.
"I-I am Agatha, most pleased to meet you," Chrissa blurted out, and extended her hand. Michael held in a laugh. The dark haired woman smiled at her awkwardly.

Gemma chuckled, "most pleased to meet me, huh?" The woman said, as she looked from Chrissa to Michael. She shook her head, "don't think i've seen you around town, hun..." she said, as she began to prepare a dessert with her hands. She'd held up a small square cake and began pouring a white substance on top. The smell alone made Chrissa's mouth water.
Gemma looked up at her, "where'd you two meet? Michael works himself to death at that palace. He may as well be bound to it," she laughed.

"Met er' at Hawks," he responded, "she comes from a strict family. Not from around here," Michael said, as his ocean eyes shifted to Chrissa's warm toned ones. There was a glint of playfulness there, and she rolled her eyes. But Chrissa also knew not to say too much. She was a terrible liar.

Gemma widened her eyes, "brutal. Anyways, that'll be fifty dublin."

He raised his brows, "fifty? What happened to twenty?"

Gemma crossed her arms, "inflations' a bitch. Plus the royals are taxing us like crazy again and you know how brutal the winters can be. Plus I've got little Edward now. Times are tough right now," she frowned, as she picked up her child from playing with a wooden toy and held him on her hip. She smiled, "say hi to Agatha, Eddie."

"Pwincess!" The baby exclaimed, and pointed to Chrissa. Her back straightened.

"A-anyways, Michael we must be going now, yes?" Chrissa said quickly, as she turned her head from the child, "it was nice meeting you Gemma."

Michael kept his laughter to himself, as he paid his old friend for their desserts, and continued walking the streets of the village. The night had been cold, and she suddenly felt grateful for her thick and warm cloak that protected her from the chill of the wind. 

When Chrissa brought a piece of the small cake to her lips and bit into it, she sighed in pleasure as the sweetness filled her tongue, bursting with an unfamiliar berry flavor. "This is delicious," she mused, as she opened her eyes and looked at Michael, "have you tasted this before?"