THE Knight's Hidden Princess
Chapter 83: Spoke Too Soon

Chapter 83: Spoke Too Soon

I should have known, deep down I should have known Reagan would pull something like this. He was never going to leave me to be on my own. It was obvious he didn’t trust me. He didn’t trust me with myself and with my freedom because he had already anticipated I was going to pull something like this and somehow that made me even angrier.

Reagan always carried himself with heavy responsibilities but that doesn’t mean he should restrain my choices, that was his problem not mine!

Sighing, I turned to look at the boy who watched me with a mixture of nervousness and uncertainty. Because of his young features, his scared expression combined with a sense of culpability as if he understood his mistake of exposing Reagan’s commands.

"Listen here Edward_"

"Eddie!" He was quick to correct me.

"Right, Eddie!" I said eyeing him, "I do not need you to protect me, contrary to what Reagan said, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. So no offense, why don’t you just run along now and maybe go to school?"

Eddie’s lips pursed as he stared up at me, "I can’t go to school my lady," he whispered looking down at his feet before he mumbled the next words, "I can’t afford it."

Suddenly I felt bad after hearing his quiet confession and I was a little embarrassed. This boy has done nothing wrong to be on the receiving end of my anger, it wasn’t his force.

My frustration with Reagan temporarily faded away as I stared at Eddie who’s young face was tinged with shame. The guilt of my own words weighed on me heavily which prompted me to apologize immediately.

"I’m sorry." I said still feeling embarrassed for lashing out on him. "I didn’t mean to be rude, that wasn’t very fair of me."

It was no secret that education in the kingdom was not easily accessible to everyone, especially those of lower status. Eddie’s words highlighted the class inequality to me although I had mostly avoided exposure to that reality thus far.

"Oh it’s alright my lady, you don’t need to apologize to someone like me." Eddie brushed me off, which made me frown.

Someone like me. It wasn’t the first time I’d ever heard those words, but to hear them said by someone so young stung in a way that I couldn’t explain.

"Besides," Eddie continued before I could ask him what he meant with that. "I’m already doing something I love. I’m training under the finest knight in the kingdom, so I can become just like him." He said puffing his chest out and just like that, my anger resurfaced.

I stepped out of the house and began walking, "Listen Eddie, all of that is good but like I said earlier I do not need an escort."

I heard the soft metallic noise of metal while Eddie’s quick footfalls caught up behind me. "But my lady, I am not just escorting you." He huffed, "Sir Reagan gave me an order and I intend to follow it wholeheartedly. Besides, it is an honor to protect someone as important as you."

I stopped abruptly and turned to face him, my expression hardening. He just didn’t get it, does he?

"Eddie, I understand that you’re eager to serve, and I respect that, but this isn’t about duty or honor. This is about..." I trailed off as I stared into Eddie’s hopeful youthful face.

Hells the boy is still just a kid, one who is eager to serve his master so what the heck does he know? I thought to myself as I sighed warily.

"It doesn’t matter what I say, you are just going to find a way to follow me, right?"

Eddie beamed from ear to ear, "Yup!"

Heather groaned beside me while I rolled my eyes already knowing that there was no choice in the matter!

"Alright fine!" I huffed out while Eddie’s face transformed into one of excitement, "But if we are going to be doing this, you will need to get rid of all of these first!" I gestured to his armor.

Eddie blinked, glancing down as if seeing his armor for the first time. "But my lady, this is part of the uniform and I consider it a great honor to be given the privilege of ever wearing one. Also, everyone knows that a knight never goes nowhere without his armor!"

I groaned again as I looked to the heavens, again with the honor talk can someone please talk some sense into his boy and make him stop being delusional?

Heather stepped forward, "Alright now boy listen to me now, you are not a knight you are a squire, so I don’t think you’ve even earned the right to wear the armor, "Secondly, we are going into town and you are not a stranger to the things people say about the royals, so we need to keep a low profile!"

"Low profile?" Eddie frowned before his brown eyes brightened again, "You mean like sneaking around?"

Heather nodded her head, "Oh yes, exactly like sneaking around." She answered with a dramatic whisper, "But you go with us with the armor, you might as well announce to the people that she is the princess!"

Eddie bit his bottom lip, a thoughtful expression on his face, his hand hovering over the clasp of his breastplate. "But, but if I don’t wear it? How am I supposed to protect you?"

"Trust me you jiggling like a bag of coins with each step isn’t going to help any of us." Heather snorted in response and I watch Eddie’s face fall.

I immediately jabbed her at her side to which she shot me a look but I stepped forward. "Look Eddie, what you are trying to do is admirable and I can see now that your heart is in the right place but Heather and I can take care of ourselves just fine. What we need right now is for you not to draw attention to us and you can come with us, so that way you can keep an eye on us and help us stay under the radar?"

"And also if the worst happens, we can always use you as a human shield!"

"Heather!" I called shooting her a look when Eddie grew pale.

"Well if that’s what you need, I’ll gladly sacrifice my life to_"

"Okay buddy calm down, no one’s sacrificing anything. You come with us and help us stay under the radar, is that understood?" I asked with a bit of impatience in my tone.

Eddie thought about it for a few seconds then his face transformed into that of determination. "If that’s what you want my lady, then I’ll gladly do it. I promise to be as vigilant as a hawk and silent and fast like the wind!"

Heather snorted before she leaned down whispering just enough for me to hear. "More like as loud as a marching band and as clueless as a newborn pup." She said with a laugh, earning another jab from me.

I turned to look at Eddie, "Alright whatever, just lose the rest of the armor."

Eddie sniffed as began unfastening the last piece of his armor before letting them drop to the ground with a loud clank which made me wince. He then glanced at them with a pout on his face as if he was parting with a dear lover instead of a mere object.

"Farewell." He whispered which made me roll my eyes and Heather sigh. When he was done, he turned to look at me. "Alright I’m ready."

"Thank the gods for that." Heather whispered as she turned to leave and I followed after while Eddie followed us from behind.

We stepped out of the manor and the guards at the gate didn’t even bat an eye and I’m assuming Reagan already informed them that I would be leaving or because of Eddie, my chaperone. Although, I know that it was definitely the latter.

Immediately we got outside, I breathed in the fresh air and allowed myself a moment to enjoy the freedom before nervousness set in. It was the first time I was outside without the confines of being inside the carriage.

Breathing in the fresh air was exhilarating and at the same time unnerving. Sunlight touched my skin at the same time as I briefly heard distant villagers discussing everyday matters. I entertained the thought that I had landed in a peaceful and easy existence for just a moment. But then my nerves began to creep in, a reminder of the risk I was taking.

"Okay, so far all is going well." Heather whispered as she fell into steps right next to me.

"Yeah I think it might actually be." I replied her with a smile on my face as we headed towards the market square where Heather would take me to those refugees.

But as we passed them I could hear murmurs and whispers and people were starting to stare too much for my liking.

I was starting to think we might have spoken too soon when all of a sudden a man suddenly stepped forward.

"Aren’t you the princess?" He asked and I finally realized that I was right after all.

I spoke too soon!

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