19 Dear Leo

When Leo finished his breakfast, he rifled through the rucksack and looked up at her blankly. "Why is there so much money in here? You can't afford this!"

Daisy shrugged. "I've been saving ever since you told me you planned to leave. I couldn't send you out into the world with nothing. This much should be able to get you wherever you need to go as long as you're careful."

He didn't say anything in response, standing up abruptly and wrapping her in a tight hug. She understood what he meant. Sometimes when you got choked up, you couldn't find words to express yourself.

Leo hugged her for a rather long time. When he finally let go, he excused himself to finish packing. He needed to grab some clothes before he headed out.

Daisy's heart was heavy as she saw him off on the front porch. Who knows when or if she would see him again? She would write letters every day as promised but wouldn't be able to send them until she had an address. He would have to write her first so she would know where he was.

His yellow eye seemed to stare through her soul as he stood there facing her without a word. Her hair swirled around her head in the morning breeze and she impatiently brushed it away but it kept coming back.

Leo reached out and tucked a loose strand behind her ear with a soft expression. "Take care of yourself. I'll write as soon as I'm settled."

She nodded with a lump in her throat. "You better. Be safe, eat your vegetables, and don't let yourself get hurt. You have to come back in one piece, you hear? I don't care how long it takes as long as you do."

"I will. I promised, after all."

He leaned forward and kissed her cheek before turning and waving as he walked away, leaving her standing there stunned. What was that for?!

Daisy was still gaping after him when she heard a few chuckles coming from her left. It seemed the Krinzels had arrived in time to see the show. Leo must have known this and used it to drive home the 'engaged' thing and help the rumors spread further.

"Why am I not surprised?" Callum said with a shake of his head. "How long has this been going on?"

"A while, I'd say. Those two have been attached at the hip for years," Thomas mused.

"Fess up, Miss Veronica! Where's he going, anyway?" Braedon asked.

Daisy's blush was genuine, embarrassed that such an act was necessary, but it lent credence to their story. She decided to go with when they first discussed the fake engagement. It would seem more believable that way.

"About eight months ago. We only got engaged last night though since he wanted me to wait for him to come back after going off to join the army and earn his fortune."

"He's doing what?!" they chorused in disbelief.

She didn't have to pretend too much for this part. "He's joining the royal army with the hopes of becoming an officer. He's actually very good with a sword so I have no doubt he'll be able to do it. I didn't want him to leave…but he never planned to stay here so long in the first place."

Callum mulled this over. "You did say he was only coming to help after your family died…S'pose he stayed so long because he fell in love with you."

"What a sap! I knew he was more sentimental than he let on," Thomas said with a shake of his head. "If he really is handy with a sword, his wheat harvesting antics make a lot more sense."

Ha. Leo only stayed because he had nowhere else to go. He needed somewhere to stay while he learned how to fight from the mercenaries once he recovered from his injuries. But it was good the Krinzels were buying it. They would help the rumor mill get running since they spent so much time with the parties in question and knew them best.

They continued ribbing her about her "relationship" with Leo as they all got to work in the fields and Daisy thought her face might explode from all the blushing. She wasn't used to being teased like this!

By the time they left, she was worn out from the teasing and interrogating and plopped down in an armchair to take a brief break before making herself dinner. She had the rather forlorn thought that she was once again cooking for one.

That had been incredibly depressing back in her world. She didn't want to live off of microwave meals the way she had in college so after graduating she would follow elaborate recipes and then store the leftovers to eat for lunch. That didn't work so well here without a fridge so she had to make smaller portions.

Daisy sighed as she looked around the farmhouse. It was too big for one person. Much bigger than her studio apartment had been back in Ohio. At first, she had liked having more space but it felt lonely after getting used to having someone else around.

She busted out a piece of parchment and dipped a quill in some ink to begin her first letter, hoping to dispel how alone she felt. Leo had told her to write him about her day as if she was talking to him regularly. She put the date at the top before writing a few paragraphs.

'Dear Leo,

'Today was strange. The Krinzels saw the last bit of your performance—nice job, by the way—and bought it hook, line, and sinker. I have no doubt half the town will know we're supposedly engaged by the end of the week. They teased me mercilessly about it for most of the day, which is just like them.

'When I finished with work I had to make dinner for only myself again and that felt weird too. I'm so used to cooking for two people at this point that doing it for one seemed wrong somehow. I'm sure I'll get used to it eventually but I miss you already. Dumb, right?

'Anyway, I hope you're doing okay on the road. You'll have to tell me how your journey went once you reach your destination. Part of me hopes you had easy travels but part of me is also fishing for an interesting story. Don't make something up just to appease me though haha

'Love, Daisy'

Daisy finished her pitiful attempt at a letter (she had never written one of these before since she had never had anyone to write to) and slumped back into her chair. She needed to keep busy. Maybe she should knit some more. Ginny had taught her how her first winter here.

===

Rukelion could admit he had taken advantage of the fact that he saw the Krinzel brothers coming up the walkway to kiss Daisy without being judged for it. He needed something to sustain him while they were apart.

The wristlet made of flowers helped cheer him a bit, as did the food she prepared for him, but it ran out before he managed to make it two towns over. They were rather spread out in Mirea.

He likely would have starved to death without the money she painstakingly set aside for him. He knew how much that cost her since she counted every bronze coin to keep the farm running. She wasn't the type to spend frivolously even if it was for something she truly wanted.

It meant a lot to him that she had done that. He could appreciate her sacrifice better than anyone since he knew her best.

Rukelion wouldn't let her down. As soon as he got paid, he would keep only what he needed to get by and send the rest back to her. That would require actually getting settled though.

He knew from the mercenaries that the royal army was headquartered in the capital. If he wanted to enlist, that was where he would need to start. The problem was that he had absolutely no idea how to get there since the only places he knew in Mirea were Daisy's farm and the closest village.

Based on what little he knew of Mirean geography from his lessons back home, he knew the capital was further west. How much further west, he didn't know but he had to start somewhere. He could get more specific directions later.

After traveling for nearly a week, Rukelion finally got a lead. He managed to hitch a ride with a merchant caravan in exchange for agreeing to protect their cargo once they saw the sword on his hip.

The food the merchants prepared wasn't nearly as good as Daisy's but he couldn't afford to be picky. He had learned that almost immediately after waking up on her farm.

That was the problem with being the prince of a country that didn't exist anymore. He didn't have the right to anything; he had to earn it like everyone else did. So that was exactly what he would do without complaint!