Chapter 6 (Blush)

We all turned around to see Prince Reece. Everyone was shocked, even I was. Why would a Prince be outside his castle and in the middle of nowhere?

"Leave her!" Immediately the man who grabbed my arms and dragged me left my arms free.

"What is the meaning of all this?" He was confused. Will he believe what they say?

She is a thief! A traitor! We all thought she ran off with our money but she stayed and changed her appearance so we couldn't find her!" The man who grabbed my arms before looks at me with a scowl.

" I swear I didn't steal anything! You have to believe me! This is just a misunderstanding!" Please believe me.

"if what you said is true then with all that money why does she still live in a hut? And why in the world would she stay? Think about it for a second gentlemen" I am so grateful that he believes me. No one took my side except him.

"That's because she is saving money for future use. She could have hidden it in the hut!"

" If you think so gentlemen, why don't you go check it for yourselves?" I can't read his expressions.

Almost immediately all of them barge into my hut and tear the place down. It was made of hay after all. After a few minutes, all of them came out and looked at me confused.

"I guess there is no money inside is there? And did you all have to destroy her home?"

" Sorry, Prince! We did not find anything. It must have been someone else. We had to check completely to make sure she didn't hide it anywhere"

"I don't think you have to apologize to me." He looks at me and smiles. My heartbeat quickened its pace. His smile could be the death of me and his dimples don't help either.

"S-Sorry Miss! We must have confused you with someone else." He really does sound sincere. Whoever this Sara Lilly is, she should be found soon so all their money can be found.

"It's okay. I understand. I hope you find the person you're looking for." If this was my castle this man would have been imprisoned but I truly understand why they did what they did. With that, they all dispersed except for Prince Reece.

The prince jumped off his horse and approached me. I couldn't exactly tell if I was in trouble or not. his face held no expression.

"Are you okay?" He asks will he examines my hideous dress covered in tomatoes.

"Yes, I'm fine sir," I say trying not to maintain eye contact.

"Do you have a place to stay? Your home isn't exactly... somewhere you can stay..."

"No. I don't." My home is far away. God knows how much I miss it. He must have sensed the sadness in me because the next thing he did caught me by surprise.

"Well, then I guess you will have to live with me now. Since you don't have many options"

"What?" Did I hear him correctly? Or are these side effects of stress?

"hmm, I meant to live in the castle. There are rooms for employees you know?" He chuckles. My heart skipped a beat or should I say many beats.

"oh... Okay"

"Great. Do you have any things to take with you?" All my things are in my home.

"No." This confuses him. It would confuse me too, Not even a homeless person would have nothing.

"I uhh lost them in a fire long ago..." Please believe.

" Oh okay. Let's go then." He guides me to his horse.

"Umm I can get there by myself, a prince shouldn't be seen riding with a commoner." That's one reason and also I'm deathly afraid of horses. Well, I fell off one when I was ten years old and broke some of my ribs.

"That's right, hence why we won't be seen by anybody. No one knows I'm outside the castle." I have never snuck out of my castle. Wonder how it would be.

"And also I'm deathly afraid of horses. So this might not be the best of ideas..."

"What's so scary about horses? They are one of the most gentle animals ever seen." That is true but I have trauma to justify my fears.

"And plus, I'm here by your side. Am I not?" Heart stop beating so fast!

"Fine, You leave me no choice..." Hesitantly I walk up to him. He puts his hands on my hips and helps me up the horse. The next thing I know, he sits behind me and holds both reins in one hand.

"Woah!" He says and this makes the horse run steadily.

"I guess your well experienced in the horse ridding department?"

"Yeah, one of the first things I ever remember learning." I can feel him smile.

"Must be a fond memory."

"Of course. What about you? Tell me one of your fondest memories." I try to think of an answer to that question.

"Well, I used to have a puppy named sparkle. He was just found in my home one day. The day I found him is one of my fondest memories."

"So what happened to the puppy?" He asks curiously.

"Well I tried to hide him as much as possible because my parents hate dogs but they found him eventually and kicked him out."

"I see..." I guess he sensed the change in my mood.

"Well... I'm sure he is somewhere living happily with a place to call home." I smile, that made me feel a little better.

"Well I guess here we are." We came to some sort of cave and went further into it until we stopped at a dead end. That dead-end had a door.

"Ahh, so I guess this is how you sneak out. Don't worry I won't tell anyone." For the first time ever in a long time, I laugh. Like an actual laugh.

"You should laugh more... It suits you," He says and I immediately get a little bit flustered.

"You do have a way with words Prince Reece" Oh shit that was not meant to say out loud.

"Oh really?" He smirks. He jumps off his horse and reaches his hand out for me.

I take his hand and try to jump down but I stumble and fall on top of him.

"Well, I guess you do things... much forward."

All I could do is blush profusely.