It was now about two weeks after they had arrived back from Commorda, and Celeste couldn’t wait any longer to go into town.

She still couldn’t walk properly, because of her wound, but she needed to get updated upon what was going on with the country. But it wasn’t like she couldn’t handle walking! Who cared if it hurt a bit and that she’d be limping!?

“No.” Steven said, tying up the bandage to her leg. Her glass wound was also getting better, probably because she’d been off her feet a lot since.

“I’m…I’m not asking your permission!” The Princess stated, a bit distracted to hearing the word ‘no’.

Steven shrugged, “I’m the doctor, you’re not well enough to just go walking around!”

“You aren’t a doctor…” Celeste said frowning.

He reads a book and it’s self declared?

Steven smiled, “Oh, I’ll hold you down if I have to, Your Highness!”

Laying firmly back onto the bed, the Princess shook her head. “It’s fine, I’ll just wait a little longer then.”

 

Steven got up from his knees and then sat on the bed, “Do I need to watch over you?”

Celeste just stared at him, he was so…Bold…

“Promise me you won’t go anywhere.” Steven said.

The Princess shook her head, why should she make a promise!? She was supposed to be the one in charge here!

“No!”

Steven sighed. “I want to fix my hair…And you aren’t going out without me!”

He had wanted to fix his hair prior to now but then asked himself why every single time. But going out and making sure that she’d be safe and not get into more trouble, he’d have to do something about it now!

“Oh, right…” Celeste at least saw that Steven wasn’t completely against it, but…Why does it matter!?

She could just go on her own!

Did she…Had she originally thought that they would go together before asking?

 

Looking down, Celeste shook her head. She was becoming too attached.

There was something big coming and she had a part to play, she couldn’t get attached like this!

By now Steven had left to finally tend to his hair…But he didn’t have much time, he then would have chores to do before he was to make some lunch.

Roughly cutting away most of his hair, shaking his head to the terrible way it had become, Steven roughly continued to cut his hair with a small knife, so that he looked…Well, so that he looked presentable!

Nothing was working though!

He’d never cut his own hair before!

One side looked shorter than the other, then suddenly his hair was getting so extremely short that he was wanting to give up!

Putting down the knife and sighing, Steven looked into the dull mirror and shook his head.

He didn’t know what the back of his head looked like, but the front looked, well, it looked better than it did before he cut away the matted hair…

That was something…

Does it really matter though?

His hair, it wasn’t going to help him survive, was it? It wasn’t going to pay for anything or do chores for him…

Leave it…But he did shave his light beard that had grown all this time…

 

Walking into the room, where Celeste was, Steven stopped just inside the room.

Wait…

He had come here to literally ask her if his hair was ok but, now it just felt so stupid to do that!

“What’s wrong? Your hair…”

“Nothing.” Steven busied himself with a simple book on the bed and put it on the broken side table.

Celeste smiled at his obvious actions. “It looks ok to me.”

Actually, the Princess was impressed. Looking less like the homeless person that she had met, she found herself nodding. He had a certain charm, that was for sure, and it sparkled more through his natural actions.

Steven stopped and looked at her, “I’ve never cut my own hair before.”

“…Me either.” She said back, silently once again admitting that he did have his charms.

Turning around, Steven said, “Are you sure it’s ok?”

Celeste could see some things that she could possibly help with, but generally, it looked good. It was better than before! Much better!

 

“How long did you grow your hair for?” She asked.

Steven finally turned back around, “Most of my life.”

He had liked combing hair…For some stupid reason.

“Was it always like that?”

“No! I looked after my hair!” Steven stated openly, raising his voice slightly. Actually, he already felt weird, having cut his hair off! Not only had his hair been heavier but there had been a certain part of it that had been in his way. It’s weird to do an action but have nothing happen now, when before it moved a dread lock out of his way.

Celeste held up a hand, she didn’t want to fight with him, “So, how did it get like that then?”

Steven frowned at her, “You forget how you first met me?”

Except, it had started before he was on the streets…It had started when he was in the palace dungeon…He was sure that he had gotten some head lice or something because he had scratched his head a lot, which was the start of his hair becoming like that…

“You looked like you hadn’t eaten in days.” Celeste said, remembering.

“Well…I hadn’t…My father disowned me and so I was homeless. That’s one reason how my hair got like that.”

 

Why was I telling her that! How embarrassing! Steven thought.

“Disowned? Sounds familiar…” Celeste looked away, knowing what that felt like. “Why?”

Steven stopped and gave it some thought.

He had been disowned after he had been put into a dungeon. So, he guessed that was the reason…

“I guess it’s because…I was…”

Was what? An embarrassment? I had embarrassed him before though. But it’s different if a son goes to prison, especially in the palace.

Celeste waited but could see Steven struggling with the question.

“I guess it was because I was officially noted as a bad person. I wasn’t in just any type of prison, I was in the palace prison…I guess that’s enough to get disowned.” Steven shrugged, that’s probably the right answer anyway.

 

“You were in the palace? That probably means you were in there because of royalty. I guess that would be enough.” Celeste agreed with Steven, even though she felt like something was amiss. She even wanted to ask what he had done to get in there…

It just felt strange that she saw no murderous thing about him. He was not someone that went after women and forcing them either…Why did he think he was so terribly bad then?

Yet…He had stated that he wasn’t a good person…Perhaps he had done something else to the palace then? Damaged the palace? Stole?

“Yeah,” Steven put a hand through his newly cut hair and turned to look out the window, “The Prince Consort, I mistreated him…It wasn’t just once or twice…I…”

Steven slumped. He figured that he still felt pretty undeserving to believe that he could obtain any type of forgiveness for what he’d done to Cid…

 

“The Prince Consort? I went to his wedding.” Celeste tried to remember that person but never had cared so the memory of him isn’t very descriptive.

“He should be ok now. Married to the Princess…They were always good to each other.” Steven once again looked out the window but remembered the relationship Princess Bethany had with Cid. It was so obvious that they had been made for each other but he, he had wrecked that too by happily accepting his father making him the Princess’s fiancé.

Why had he accepted it so openly and even used that knowledge to taunt Cid after!?

He hadn’t even cared much for the Princess…And Cid had been family, so Cid could have taken his spot first! Why!? Why had his father been so nasty!?

 

“You saw them together before they were married?” Celeste asked. “They met each other?”

Steven let out a laugh and turned to her, “They were often around each other. Her highness came to our business often and just sat next to him. My father hated it!”

That’s right, his father…His father wanted her directly related to him, because he had not thought of Cid as his son at all. That was way he had become the fiancé.

“A Princess was…” Celeste finally understood why Steven might know a little bit about royalty. “And that’s why you are surprised with how I live?”

Steven sat on the window seal, close by the bed. “Princess Bethany might not have had servants with her all the time, but she was still very well looked after…”

Steven stopped himself…Was she though?

There was just so many things he was waking up to and just questioning this was what he never used to do…

He was changing, he knew it…He could feel it too…

 

“You always stop talking in the middle of sentences, it irritates me…” Celeste sighed.

Steven looked at her briefly, “I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

“Celeste!”

Steven raised his eyebrows at her, “…Celeste…”

“Better!” Celeste smoothed out her top blanket, just giving herself something easy to do.

“I feel like my world changed and I’m seeing things that I’ve never seen before. I keep getting…” Once again Steven stopped talking but he had no idea how to bring across the emotion that he was feeling.

“Surprised?”

Steven nodded and shook his head, “Not just surprised but more…I just wished I had been smarter in my choices! I wish I just could go back and tell myself to open my eyes and think more about the choices that I had made!”

Celeste frowned, even if she could go back, it wouldn’t stop them from out casting her. They all knew that she was the next royal in line, yet they still treat her terribly. Did they still think that everything would be the same when she was to take over? Did they think that she’d happily be a puppet?

The only thing that she has, is that she is indeed the heir…It was the only card she had to play…

There was no other…So, if they had power over the people or something…Well, it doesn’t matter…

Thinking of that, Celeste was once again reminded of going out. “You cut your hair, so let’s go out tomorrow!”

Steven stopped thinking and looked at her, “Oh, that wasn’t the only thing…”

Celeste was starting to get angry, “Then what!? What are you going to do to make a Princess wait longer for next!?”

 

Steven was taken a back, “I told you, you need to rest!”

Celeste moved the quilt away and moved her legs to the floor. “I will show you that I’m fine!”

Steven went to push her back into bed, only to have Celeste determined to get out of bed.

So, there was indeed a shuffle of a quilt and legs and arms!

“Get back into bed!” Steven demanded, into a leg that was kneeing him in his shoulder.

“I said that I am fine, and I will be going out tomorrow!” Celeste said through her teeth. “Let me go!”

Steven roughly pushed her and then got on top of her, “You do realize that I’m a man!”

Stating this, was only to remind her that he was stronger than her, not only that but he didn’t have a sore leg like she did! Clearly, he would be able to stop her!

But Celeste was immediately reminded of the fact that Steven was indeed a man…On her bed!

Stopping her squirming and staring at the man on top of her, Celeste felt her cheeks once again go hot!

 

Steven nodded to feeling her stop moving and said, “Good! Just because you know some moves, doesn’t mean I can’t…”

Suddenly, the woman beneath him was looking….

“What’s wrong with you!?” He asked.

He watched her look away from him, even show redness in her face…

“Get off me!” Celeste suddenly said, pushing him off her.

He hadn’t been ready and really did fall off the bed. “Hey!”

Celeste turned in her bed, so that she was face down into her small, old and tattered pillow.

It wasn’t fair!

She had lived 25 years of her life not having bothered about this type of thing but now…It was so embarrassing all of a sudden!

“Celeste? Are you alright?” Steven got up and tried to turn her around. “Are you in pain?”

Talking into the pillow, Celeste said for him to go away. Only to be forced to turn to him in the next second.

“Are you in pain!?” Steven asked, checking her forehead.

 

Being mad at his complete and utter ability to not notice that she was looking at him differently, Celeste was getting more and more angrier!
“I told you to go!”

Steven frowned, “You might have a fever.”

“Stop it!” Celeste insisted, when he went to take away the knot that kept the bandage in place on her leg.

Steven looked at her briefly, “What if you are infected? Let me see!”

Celeste kicked him in the hand and then cringed, “I’m fine!”

Steven shook his head, “If I knew where we were, I should have taken you to some close by doctor as soon as you got bitten! I’m so stupid!”

By now he had started taking the bandage off…

Celeste kicked his shoulder with her good foot and watched as he was pushed back towards the floor.

 

“What’s wrong with you!?” Steven asked, getting mad himself!

Celeste squarely looked at him, “I…Am…Fine! Leave and go do your chores!”

Steven shook his head, in anger, “…Very well, Your Highness!”

Hearing him mumble on his way out, Celeste watched, then moved her leg up to fix up the bandage herself.

Actually, she was glad that they hadn’t needed to go to a doctor, it would have made things a lot harder. But she was sure that she hadn’t gotten a fever…

Just a couple of minutes later, her cheeks were no longer red, only making things more difficult for Celeste.

I like him…She admitted to herself.

At a time that there was no point to have a romantic type of feeling or relationship and here she is…

What timing, for someone to come and try to make things harder for her…

It was too late though, she had already made plans for her future…And that did not include these feelings!

Suddenly, it became even more important to keep away from Steven…

 

 

For next few days, until she knew that she would be fine all by herself in the close by town, she stayed home.

She was quiet, and that only made Steven quiet in return, as he still did chores but just as one day had passed, where she had tended to her own foot, the next day he was told that she will get her own dinner.

Steven could feel it, that something had changed! She was…She was trying to keep away from him, she was being independent and…It made Steven feel even worse.

What had he done wrong now!?

Was it because he had held a Princess down?

Well, there was no denying it, it was wrong…

In fact, Steven didn’t even bother looking further in an explanation for her acting different, thinking that he should be killed for having done such a thing to her!

So…Steven accepted Celeste not needing him so much anymore…

As the third day came, Celeste tested her injury by doing some chores and even some training…And it was looking fine enough for her to go by herself into town…Even though her foot did indeed hurt…It was enough…

 

“I will be leaving early tomorrow.” Celeste stated, walking up the stairs slowly.

“I…”

Celeste interrupted him, “You will not accompany me.”

Steven just nodded, no longer looking at her.

She turned to him like this and frowned. What was wrong with him now?

But…Her future doesn’t have him in it…So, she turned back around and continued to her room.

Steven left to clean up the kitchen, since they had now finished their dinner.

He felt…Empty. Lonely.

But how could he complain? Did he not except this when he arrived? Accepted that he didn’t deserve anything else but being a slave and not getting paid…

It’s fine.

Steven felt more and more bitter though, that he had indeed accepted this at first but now felt like he was wanting something more.

He had thought they were getting along…That they, maybe, were becoming friends…

 

Friends…Does he deserve such a thing?

Steven sat down on a chair, having cleaned the kitchen but couldn’t remember doing it.

He didn’t know what to do…He felt aimless. Lost.

Should he get someone else to take his place? Was she that angry with him that he shouldn’t stay here anymore?

What about how she is even doing more now…She might even tell him to go soon.

Hadn’t she lived all by herself like this?

Right…

It would make a lot of sense if she were to just tell him to leave when she was all better.

Could he not offer anything? Did he not do anything right?

Getting up, turning out the torch, Steven looked out into the dark, that led him to his bed. His heavy heart felt like such a burden that he could barely sleep…

 

***

 

Celeste didn’t see Steven early the next day, leaving easily through the front door.

She had thought that he would get up and help her, but she assumed he was instead still sleeping.

What did it matter, she asked herself. It was probably easier that he didn’t follow her anyway!

Of course, it was easier, because she was intending to meet up with a certain person, or someone connected to that certain person, and she didn’t want Steven next to her when that happens!

Taking the long walk down the narrow path and out the main road, Celeste followed that road towards a village to the left of the main road and found that her leg was already hurting a bit.

Not letting herself think of her leg, Celeste continued.

Along the way, at some stalls that sold food, she picked up a few things and put them into her basket, but her main objective was to go to the inn.

 

Upon seeing a library, Celeste stopped. Should she get him another book?

He had surprising read the first one quite quickly. Celeste had thought that she had to teach him how to read but the man was indeed a lot more knowledgeable than she had first thought.

Unable to stop herself, she went into the library and had a look around.

“Can we help you, Celeste?”

She turned towards him, “I was…Do you have medicinal books?”

The people here didn’t think she was the princess, they all thought that she was a maid that only came when her ‘master’ let her. It was strange how she had not said anything upon who she was and yet she seemed to have come up with a past that even she was surprised about! The people here seemed determined to state that they know her and that she was to be pitied, perhaps even being one of those slaves that were sold, but that was something that wasn’t talked of in front of her…

She had indeed come here a few times, getting some attention, but she didn’t think it was long enough to have such a made-up history that these people would think true so fiercely!

But…It was better that they didn’t know that she was the princess of this ‘broken’ country, she thought. But still…To have them make up her life like that…They were strange, funny people indeed!