3 - Bracelet

"Your Highness, I hope you don't mind me asking this."

Alaia stopped walking and looked back at Leo in curiosity.

"Why did you ask for the child in the peasant's wife's womb as the payment for saving them? What are you planning to do with the child?"

Alaia was taken aback by the question. It made her visit what happened earlier.

Leo, as a wolf stepped forward with his every step getting heavier and heavier. He growled, intimidating the bandits. He was bigger than usual which was probably because of Alaia's magic.

The bandits trembled in nervousness but they didn't step back. They stood closely against each other, pulled out their swords, and lifted them up, pointing their tips at Leo even though they can hardly stop their hands from shaking.

"I-If you don't want to get hurt s-step back!" The man that looked like the leader shouted while his minions repeated and agreed to the statement, pretending to be cool and brave.

Leo only became more furious as his growl grew louder. His fierce eyes are sending jolts to the bandits. It only took him another big and heavy step to make the bandits ran away in fear shouting that they were sorry for what they did.

"Bunch of idiots." Alaia sneered, shaking her head lightly, unimpressed.

"Y-You saved us." The old man stated, staring at Alaia in disbelief, still kneeling on the ground. His body calmed down from trembling but he is still feeling uneasy about the situation.

Alaia snapped her head back to the old man, suddenly remembered their presence but didn't say any word, and just stared at him behind the beast mask. Leo returned to being a human and kneeled beside Alaia.

"What are we going to do with these two now, Your Highness?" Leo asked, looking up at Alaia.

Alaia looked back between the peasant and his wife that were gawking at Leo in shock, can't believe that they just witnessed the wolf suddenly turn into a person. Alaia paused to think about Leo's question, she doesn't have any idea what answer should go with the question. She can't think of anything.

After staring for several long seconds at the two commoners, Alaia finally opened her mouth to speak in a fake beast-like voice again, "I'm not saving anyone for no reason."

The peasant and his wife just stared at Alaia in confusion. They didn't understand what Alaia meant with those words. They don't have any idea what would be the reason for saving them.

"I want something in return." Alaia flatly said, had read and understood the expression of the two mere mortals.

The old man was taken aback by the answer. He looked down in embarrassment and nervousness, fiddling with his hands. After contemplating and thinking of the best possible answer he should say, he suddenly lowered his head until it touched the ground again. He didn't care about the pain that his forehead felt when it touched the ground again.

"W-We're very sorry, Y-Your Highness. W-We're just mere peasants from the Kingdom of Carval. We don't have anything valuable that we can give to you in return for saving us. I-If it's okay with you, please just take my head off and let my wife live freely in return."

Alaia no longer became shocked to hear those words because she can see that they really have nothing to offer to her. She also isn't sure why she asked for that, maybe because she was used to people, or should she say creatures that she saved are voluntarily offering themselves or something in return for saving their lives. So those words are pretty new to her ears. She doesn't have any idea what should be the best response for the said answer but she definitely doesn't want to take the old man's head in return. She would never want something like that.

For no specific reason, Alaia averted her eyes from the old man to his wife, specifically to the woman's belly.

"What's the gender of your child?"

The old man looked back at his wife, confused as to why Alaia asked something about his child but still answered the question.

"A g-girl." The old man stuttered, now looking at Alaia again.

An idea crossed her mind and without thinking it through, she blurted out "Then how about giving your child in return for saving your lives?"

The old man and his wife's eyes widen in shock at what they heard. They spaced out for several long seconds and Alaia patiently waited for them to process what she just asked them to do while Leo is throwing confused stares at his Highness but can't dare speak a word.

"P-Pardon, Your Highness?"

Alaia heaved a sigh behind the beast mask but repeated what she said in a clearer set of words.

"When your daughter reached 18, she will be mine and mine alone. I'll consider that as the payment for this favor. What do you think?"

The old man's gaze fell to the floor, feeling like someone had just thrown a bucket of cold water on his face. The child in his wife's womb will be their first child. That was- no- he can't possibly agree to that proposition. He just can't- He can't do that.

The old man glanced at his wife just to see that his wife is also looking at him. He can't read the expression on his wife's face. Even though he knew his wife for years already, he can't decipher what his wife's eyes are saying. Does that look mean that she isn't okay with the proposition or does that look is saying that she is. The old man really doesn't have any idea what he should answer to the beast in front of him but when his wife suddenly smile, he easily figured out what that smile if for.

The old man returned his eyes on Alaia and even though he doesn't want to agree he ended up saying, "Thank you very much for saving us. We will do as you please."

"Perfect. Give this to her when the time for this to fit on to her, comes." Alaia muttered and threw her gold color bracelet towards the old man before walking away from them.

"Your Highness?" Leo called, staring at Alaia in worry.

Alaia didn't notice that she spaced out. She completely forgot about the question and ended up just reminiscing about what happened. Now that what happened earlier played on her mind again, allowing her to fully understood Leo's question, she ended up asking the same question to herself. Seriously, she doesn't know too. She isn't sure why she asked for the child to be the payment. She definitely doesn't have any plan. She just asked for that because something tells her to do that and now that she realized it, she doesn't have any idea how will she answer Leo's question. She doesn't have any idea what she should answer to the question.

"I-I don't know. L-Let's not think about that for now."

Alaia answered and turned her back on Leo. For a second her ground shook, losing her cool composure. When she finally has her back turned on Leo, she sighed silently and continued walking towards her room. She's the one that said that they shouldn't think about that for now but she can't get rid of that question in her mind. Talk about lame.

--

"Father I'll go to the market now to sell these." The 16-year-old Maria said, smiling widely at her father while holding two baskets of vegetables that they just picked from the land that they are using for farming.

Michael Holmes smiled and nodded his head.

"You were really lucky with Maria."

Michael looked back at his friend Jack, standing beside him with his hands on his waist and staring at Maria, who is now walking away from them.

Michael didn't reply and just smiled then returned his gaze to his daughter, couldn't agree more with his friend's statement.

He was indeed lucky at Maria. Ever since his wife died after she just gave birth to their fifth child, Maria, at the age of 12 has acted more like a mother than a big sister. She looked for and took care of her little brothers and sisters while her father is working on the farm. When her father is done working on the farm, she will volunteer in selling the vegetables. She's been doing it for 4 years already and she's already used with their tough lifestyle. Michael had never heard her complain or even be obvious that she's getting tired already. He can't imagine what their lives would look like if that day finally came, the day for that beast to take her away.

Michael had already lost count of the times he had regretted that decision and wished that he think for a better proposition or at least beg the beast. How badly he wants for that day to be just a dream, specifically a nightmare.

--

"Prince Owen, King Julian said that you can't leave yet. He said that he needs to talk to you first."

Prince Owen sighed and replied without looking up, "It will be just quick. I'll just look around at the capital city."

The prince continue wearing his boots, ignoring his right hand, Jerry.

"B-But Prince, I'll get in trouble if I let you leave."

Prince Owen finally looked back at Jerry and put his hands on his waist.

"I'll get back here before Father finished his meeting with his people. If you want you can tag along just to make sure that I will return before father look at me."

Jerry mentally cursed in frustration at the hard-headed prince but followed him. He can't remember how many times he had already gotten in trouble because of the prince and he was lucky because the king haven't removed him in the position yet.

Prince Owen is just looking around the capital city, greeting other people and entertaining some girls that they walked past by when he suddenly stopped walking and just stared only in a certain direction.

"Prince Owen?" Jerry called, looking back at the prince and to the direction where he was looking. He tried to figure out what made the prince looked like he had a ghost but can't fully understood it because what he's only seeing is a mere commoner busy trying to call for other people to buy the vegetables he's selling.

Jerry called for the prince's name for atleast 3 more times before Prince Owen finally get back to his senses. But instead of answering Jerry's question as to what's wrong with him, Prince Owen blurted out, "W-Who is that woman?"

Jerry looked at the direction where the prince is looking and saw the same girl. He knitted his brows in confusion and was about to ask why the prince is asking when he saw the twinkle in the prince's eyes when he returned his gaze on him. And there's only one thing that ran on his mind, I knew it.

"I don't have any idea Prince Owen but she's probably just a normal citizen." Jerry casually answered while also staring at the woman.

"Let's approach her."

Before Jerry can even stop the prince, he had already took big steps closer to the girl and now standing in front of her. Jerry cursed for the second time but followed him.

"E-Excuse me." The prince uttered, staring at the woman with a big smile.

The woman looked back at him with a big smile but her eyes widen when she realized who she is standing before her. She was about to kneel to give her respect for the royal blood but Prince Owen stopped her.

"It's okay. You don't need to kneel."

"B-But Prince-"

Prince Owen flashed his confident smile, letting his dimples be visible, obviously charming the woman. "It was really okay."

"T-Then d-do you need anything P-Prince Owen? C-Can I do something for you?"

Prince Owen suddenly became nervous again. He wanted to say that he just wants to know her name but he was also worried that it would be obvious that he had already fallen at the girl despite knowing nothing about her.

Prince Owen's eyes lowered at the vegetables that the girl is selling and ended up suddenly blurting out, "Potatoes."

The woman, Maria, titled her head in confusion but soon assumed that the prince is planning to buy some potatoes.

"Are you going to buy some Potatoes, Your Highness?"

Prince Owen heard Jerry stifled a laugh behind him. He wanted to look back and punch him but can't tear his eyes off the girl. Since he already messed up his opportunity, he had decided to just go along with it to not make things more awkward.

"A-Ah yeah. I will buy all of your potatoes."

Maria's eyes twinkled in happiness and vowed in happiness. "T-Thank you so much, Your Highness."

Prince Owen no longer got to say something and just smiled at the woman, captivated by the beauty.

Fucking potatoes.