Chapter thirty:Festival of Deception

**ELENA'S POV**

Standing in the center of it all, I finally understood why the maids back at the castle would lie to sneak off to such events. The fairground was a sensory wonderland. The air was thick with a medley of enticing aromas from various foods and drinks. The fragrant smoke of sizzling meats, the sweet scent of freshly baked pastries, and the tangy notes of spices mingled in the breeze. The warm, golden glow of the setting sun bathed the scene in a gentle, enchanting light, casting long shadows that danced among the colorful stalls.

Colorful stalls lined the fairground, each one a miniature world of games and amusements. They beckoned with their vividly painted signs and flashing lights, promising excitement and adventure. Laughter and chatter filled the air, creating a symphony of joyful sounds that underscored the festive atmosphere.

Rayan's voice snapped me out of my daze. "The way you're gawking, it's hard to believe you're royalty," he remarked with an amused tone.

"Have you never seen a fair before?" he asked.

"Come on, I want to try that," I said, ignoring his question. I grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him toward a stall that was frying meat and jamming it onto the end of a stick.

I knew it might look slightly unsanitary, but the irresistible smell wafting from it was worth the risk. The meat had a rich brown color that made my mouth water.

"Hey there, young man, wanna try my unique satay? For two copper coins for you and your date," the stall owner said, holding two sticks. The term "date" didn't bother me now as it had before, maybe it's because of the dream... Urgh get your mind out of the gutter Elena.

Rayan took out two coins and paid the man, who handed me the satay. I passed one to Rayan as we walked away. I took a bite, and the taste was heavenly. The meat seemed to melt in my mouth, with a slight hint of honey and a touch of lemon. I turned to see if Rayan was enjoying his satay, but he hadn't taken a bite. He stared at it with a strange expression, one I'd seen on his face when he talked to the old man earlier.

"You do know that you're supposed to eat that, right?" I said, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Amazing discovery, genius," he replied, a small smirk forming on his lips. He finished his satay in one bite and showed me the empty stick.

At least he's still in the mood for sarcastic remarks, I thought to myself as I finished mine too but what did the old man tell him to ruin his mood. There were various games I wanted to see, but the one that caught my eye was a shooting game with prizes like a crown made of flowers that I admired and a massive doll. Many people had tried but failed to hit the bullseye.

"They all failed because it's rigged," Rayan commented when he noticed where my gaze was fixed.

"Oh, how do you know it was rigged? It's possible that people just have bad aim," I replied.

"Well, if you look at the bowstring, it's slightly tilted. You need to aim at a certain angle to correct that error, otherwise, you'll miss," he explained.

I scrutinized the bowstring but couldn't see the tilt he described.

"What prize do you want?" he asked.

"I thought you said it was rigged," I added skeptically.

"True, but I can still beat it," he replied with confidence. Without further ado, he approached the stall and dropped a coin on the table. Picking up the bow and four arrows, he expertly tilted the bow upwards and fired the arrows with remarkable speed. Each arrow hit the center of the four targets in front of him with astonishing precision. Gasps of disbelief emanated from the spectators, including the stunned stall owner.

Rayan then dropped another coin on the table and repeated the feat, this time splitting the first arrow into two. He was about to pay again, but the stall owner refused, quickly handing Rayan the massive doll and the crown made of flowers. Rayan, in a generous gesture, gave the child who had been watching him the doll, as the child had lost a lot of coins trying to win it. He then walked over to me.

"Told you that I can beat it," he said with a grin as he placed the crown of flowers on my head.

"Hmm, crowns do suit royalty," I replied playfully as I lightly touched the petals on the crown.

We spent the next few hours exploring every single stall we could find, indulging in various foods, both fried and roasted, although I'd had my fill of roasted meat since staying with Rayan.

As we roamed the fairground, enjoying the festivities, Rayan suddenly turned serious. "Run and get our things, now!" he commanded abruptly.

I was about to ask him why, but when I followed his gaze, my heart sank. I saw the elderly couple together with armed individuals. They were pointing at us and speaking animatedly to the armed men. Among them was a knight in dark purple armor on a black horse, a figure that seemed distinctly out of place in this lively and carefree setting. I noticed that the old man had a pouch in his hand, I could only assume that that was payment for selling us out. Wait was that the reason why Rayan was angry earlier did he know but if he did the we would have already left this place.

"run now," he yelled at me.

I ran as he ordered me to, as fast as I could back to where we had left our belongings. I looked back to see what was happening and I saw Rayan fighting with a log he must have picked up. He was holding off the men and surprisingly, he was able to suppress them a little. The man in the purple armor hadn't charged yet; he was just observing from the gate as Rayan struggled to beat our pursuers. A light smile shown on his face, I was beginning to think that the purple armored men had a weird obsession with fighting Rayan.

Rayan wielded the log with surprising agility, blocking the wild swings of his three assailants. The crude but effective weapon became an extension of his will as he moved with uncanny grace, dodging their blows with calculated precision. His eyes were locked on his adversaries, calculating their movements with each swing.

I reached and ran inside the room those snakes had given us. Thank the heavens they had left our belongings untouched. The first thing I pulled out were Rayan's scimitars. I wasn't comfortable with letting him fight with just a piece of wood. This was all my fault; if I had just listened to him when he refused to help the old man, we wouldn't be here. I got out with our belongings and Rayan's scimitars In my hand as I ran back to him.

The three men attacking him underestimated him, their overconfidence evident in their reckless attacks. With a swift, sweeping motion, Rayan knocked one of them off his feet, sending him sprawling into the dusty ground. He jumped up and slammed the log so hard into the man's chest that it sounded like a drum. The man coughed up a mouthful of blood.

His other two foes hesitated for a moment, their expressions shifting from arrogance to uncertainty. Seizing the opportunity, Rayan lunged forward with the log, striking one of them across his head with a resounding thud. The man fell down as the right side of his head was bleeding.

The third man, fueled by desperation, charged at Rayan. But Rayan's training and reflexes were superior. With a lightning-fast movement, he pivoted, striking the charging man in the side of the head. The force of the blow sent the man crashing to the ground, unconscious.

Now, it was just Rayan and the man he'd struck across the chest. The man, clutching his injured torso, stood up and slowly backed away. He went back to the men who were still at the gate, who might have been trying to prevent our escape.

"hey Rayan, catch," I yelled as I threw the scimitars at him. He caught them by the hilts and unsheathed them as quickly as he could.

"about damn time princess,"