Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 265: Escaping The City

Chapter 265: Escaping The City

"What are you hiding?" Arthur asked in a skeptical tone. One of his eyebrows was raised higher than the other and with his thumb and his long slender index finger, he was rubbing his chin that had a five o’clock shadow.

"Nothing! I’m having work tomorrow and... It is going to be a long day. Me and Celine are visiting Luxxenshire. I’m not sure when I’ll be back." Talia spoke about her plans.

"Hmm," Arthur didn’t care much about her daily schedules. She seemed like she was doing well and that’s all he cared about.

"Celine is in love with Walter..." Talia couldn’t help but pass this information to Arthur. Issue with Walter brought a fight between them two and Talia felt like telling him that.

Now he could relax as he knows that there would be nothing but friendship between Walter and her in the future, since her friend is in love with him.

"But her family doesn’t seem to like him much..." Talia added some details. He was staring at her blankly and she didn’t know how much he was listening, but he didn’t ask her to stop and so she explained it all to him.

"Hmm," Arthur gave the acknowledging nod often as if he was listening to her.

In fact, he wasn’t very attentive to Talia as he was in his own thoughts. Iris did say not to meet with King Titus, but he has already booked an appointment with him the next day. He will fight to the bitter end to finish what he had started.

Also, he found out that Belfauger group had cut a dealing with a successful real estate company based in an unassuming country that has nothing to do with Esteria or Rosandale, but then suddenly backed off just before the owner disappeared.

What got his attention was Ralph J. Runtley, the founder of the real estate company, disappeared into thin air right around the time of the attack on Talia at Rebecca’s hometown. His very successful company broke to pieces suddenly, as if some invisible forces tore it apart and took their share.

Is he connected to the attack on Talia?

Will the King budge?

Arthur was in his own thoughts.

"Don’t mind if I can’t talk to you tomorrow," Talia’s affectionate smile that had a little teasing mixed in, broke his thoughts. She had a sweet smile and her pink lips were so enticing, he wanted to kiss them. Her marble like eyes, glimmered with curiosity as her sole focus was on him.

He felt bad that he didn’t listen to a single thing she said.

I’m sorry, Iris.

"You don’t look so good. Are you getting headaches again? Did you check with a doctor?" Talia’s smile reduced and her eyes furrowed with concern.

She lied to him that she won’t be able to talk to him tomorrow so that he’d be double surprised when he received her call to get on the helicopter she sent for him. But seeing his empty expression, she felt bad. She thought he was sick and trying to hide it from her.

"No... I’m fine, Iris. I’m sorry, I’m just tired. Go to sleep now, alright. I’ll sleep too." Arthur said with a very tired smile and Talia didn’t think much of it.

He probably had a very tough day at work.

The next morning, as Talia previously planned, Celine came early for breakfast with her. Talia could only smile seeing how much effort Celine had put in today.

With her usual dewy makeup and the knee length, yellow floral print chiffon dress, she looked like a daffodil; a really cute one.

Talia particularly toned down her attire when her stylist suggested some bright spring colours. She chose a pastel pink midi dress with a pair of wedges to be able to move freely. With a very simple makeup, she looked fresh and lively.

Tonight is the special occasion where she’d go the distance!

Talia and Celine were walked to the helipad and Talia stood there, staring at the rotating blades of the helicopter.

"We’re taking the car, Sir Robert. I changed my mind. Last night I had a bad dream that my helicopter crashed." Talia lied through her teeth.

No one’s going to make her ride the helicopter anymore after she said she had a nightmare. She could only hope they do not cancel her outing all together.

Her plan was to take the car all along. Of the complaints received regarding the Luxxenshire area, more than eighty percentage was about the roads. Apparently the Duke of Luxxenshire charged extra tax for roads, and the people had seen in the news that the King allotted funds for roads a year back, but till now no new roads are to be seen.

There was one complaint written by someone with very good sense of humour.

[Missing Roads! Someone stole the roads! Please find the four lane roads that were laid as per the orders of His Majesty. We are suffering great deal after two lanes of the road were stolen one dark night, right under our nose! ...]

Talia couldn’t help but laugh reading the letter, but it was not a laughing matter. She decided to handle it today.

Mr.Ed stared at Talia for a moment and Talia didn’t back off as she stared back. As if holding back his laughter, Mr. Ed gritted his teeth and asked to bring her car.

Of course he realised what his Princess is planning. She previously talked to him about it. But he was a little sad that he was not in her plan all along. But then... He would have reported to the Dowager and who knows what she might have ordered him to do?

So Talia and Celine rode together in the car that was gifted by the Dowager. When they were about to leave the city, there was a police blockade in front of them.

"Is it under His Majesties order?" Celine was so excited. "This feels like we are in a movie. Shall we plow through the barricade, like in those movies, scattering those blockades and all?"

Talia chucked. What a wild imagination!

"Your Highness!" Mr. Ed called Talia who was in the back. He received a call, ordering him to stop the car and return to the Palace.

"Did you inform the Dowager that I’m taking the car?" Talia said in an accusatory tone and Mr. Ed gulped.

My bad!

"Don’t slow down. We are going to Luxxenshire by road!" Talia said.

This guy! Couldn’t he have waited an hour before informing great grandma? What an honest idiot!

Although the entire road was blocked by the cops, Talia believed that they will move aside for her.

It’s not like they’d be spared if they forcefully stopped her and caused some accident.

"Will they roll on that things with the spikes on the road to puncture the tires? But these tires won’t deflate, right? Yay! We are playing chicken with the cops!" Celine was excited and was peeking out to check.

Talia leaned leisurely at the backrest and took in a deep breath.

With just three hundred meters between the car and the barricade, seeing the Princess’ car not slowing down, the police hurriedly removed the barricade and stood by the side of the road, saluting her.

Talia passed the cops with a polite smile.

Poor guys... They really were between the devil and the deep blue sea just now! Sorry guys... Now you have to arrange my security through the roads in a short amount of time. But I’m trying to do good here, so forgive me.

The ride was smooth and Talia silently watched through the window. It seemed like Celine liked to watch silently outside while travelling too and Talia felt comfortable travelling with her.

As they got out of the city, there were mostly farms and the roads didn’t have much traffic other than the occasional cow standing in the middle of the road and some heavy vehicles.

As they passed through many counties that were under the jurisdiction of another Duke and entered into the county that was under the jurisdiction of the Duke of Luxxenshire, the road started to get bad. The area had turned into hilly areas with mountains at the distance.

There was only a double lane road and in most parts, the road was full of pits and puddles.

Talia’s car was an armoured car and so it was much heavier than normal cars and even though the ground clearance was higher, it still affected the speed of the car and they had to navigate carefully.

And there seemed to be many textile industries along these roads and there were little towns around them. As they travelled, they passed through many heavy vehicles, probably transporting goods.

They actually need good roads! No wonder Louis allotted millions for roads. There should be four lanes in this area, as per the government records. But the actual roads have only two lanes and even they are broken.

"The cotton from here is of very good quality and fetches high prices. It is the main source of income from this region," Celine said as she watched with awe. This is the first time she is here.

"Let’s have tea here in this town, Sir Robert," Talia asked Mr.Ed and they stopped the car at a local tea shop.

The entire town center froze seeing the purple car and they started to approach them as Talia and Celine got down from the car. But her security who joined in a couple other cars, formed a barricade so that no one would get closer.

Talia saw the excited people trying to take a glance at her and with a smile greeted them as Mr Ed followed her closely. As she started greeting, more and more people joined the crowd and Talia in the end waved and got inside the tea shop.

"You should not pay," Mr. Ed whispered in Talia’s ears as she was looking through her purse to see if she had brought her card.

"Why?" Talia was surprised. Why shouldn’t I pay? And there are almost twenty people with me. How can a small shop afford to give free stuff to this many people?

"Talia..." Celine whispered, " You’ll offend the shop owners by paying. Usually Royals pay only when they are not pleased with the services." Celine added and Talia looked at her with skepticism. How does that make sense? "And... Any business patronised by a Royal will have tax exemption for one year."

"Oh?" Talia could now understand. Of course, tax exemption for one year is a lot of benefit. No wonder they wouldn’t want to get paid by a Royal.

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