Enticing offer

"The Queen, my mother, has been exiled to her hometown, never to see the sun rise by day or the moon coming out in the night. Those involved in her heinous crimes would be killed tomorrow at dawn. Also, the king has summoned me to the palace. He wants me to return. Will you come with me?"

"No, I prefer it here."

"I understand. Even I will be reminded of her when I go back."

__

Now let us go back to where it all started.

*

In the era where horses and carriages were widely in use, Moon, a great kingdom ruled by a great King Otto, flourished and gets busy every day. All across the streets, outside the palace, are market men and women who go about their daily activities and their noises filled the air.

Amidst the crowd of people that walked in the street, a young man in his twenties, dressed in a fine robe with a hat on and his hands behind him, wore a full smile on and his eyes were fixed on a particular stall as he walked towards it.

"Hello granny," he greeted when he got there.

The old woman turned around and raised her eyes to look at who her early customer was and on seeing him, she smiled and called, "Jomei. What brings you here this early morning?" she asked and quickly moved towards her goods arranged in sets on a table. "Look, I have fine bracelets and e—"

"Granny," Jomei stopped her from advertising and he looked around before whispering silently, "I am here for…you know, the usual."

The woman looked at him and seeing him smile, she hit him on the arm.

"Ow! Granny!" Jomei rubbed his arm as he groaned.

"Quiet!" the woman shut him up and pushed him out of her way only to sit back on her chair and she said, "Every time you come here asking about what is going on in the pal—"

Jomei quickly used his palm to cover her mouth and he looked at either sides of him to be sure that no one heard her. Seeing that everyone was busy minding their own business, he slowly removed his hand and said to her, "You should be careful when speaking. If the guards hear you, they might just lock you up."

"And I will take you along with me," Granny said and started dusting her goods. "If you want information, then starting now, you must buy at least one thing from what I am selling."

Jomei blinked and raised his brows almost immediately. "What can I possibly buy from you?" he asked and pointed at her goods. "I am not a lady to wear earrings or bracelets."

"Don't you have a girlfriend?"

"G-Girlfr—" Jomei blushed immediately and used his finger to brush his nose.

"Yes. That beautiful lady working in the palace," Granny said and his face turned sour at once. "You should always get her something nice that will make her happy since you don't get to see her every day. Ooh! No wonder you always come asking me what is going on in the pa—"

"Granny!" Jomei quickly cautioned her.

"I know," she waved her hand and motioned for him to move closer. When he did, she said, "Well, it isn't much that I heard but rumors has been going that the Governess quit suddenly. Of course, I know it is a lie. The Queen must have made her quit. She is that scary."

A small frown appeared on Jomei's forehead as he asked, "If the Governess quit then who will teach the princess?"

"I heard a new tutor has been hired and he is going to start today."

"He is a man?!" Jomei half-exclaimed with raised brows.

"That is all," Granny said and leaned back on the chair. "Now buy something before you leave."

Jomei had a mixed expression on his face, not liking the fact that a man is going to be tutoring the Princess. He pouted a bit as he now lowered his eyes to look at what is on the table. Pursing his lips as if thinking, he looked at Granny and said, "Well, Granny?"

"Hmm?" Granny hummed a response.

Looking back at the things on the table, he asked, "What do you think ladies like most?"

"Hairpins," Granny replied.

Jomei's eyes moved to look at the sets of hairpins and a smile formed on his lips. "I will take the pink one with flower then," he said.

*

In the Princess garden at the palace was a maidservant who had stopped watering the plants only to gaze at the sky and to admire the sun on her face. A beautiful smile was laced on her lips and she raised her hand up with her fingers moving as if to touch the sun when…

"Genevieve!"

She quickly stopped day-dreaming and sprang up to her feet before pretending to have been watering the plants all along.

"Oh! There she is," one of the servants said to the Princess when she sighted her and Genevieve raised her eyes to look in the direction to see the Princess marching towards her with annoyance on her face. The two maids who followed her were walking as if on their toes as they could get too close to her or farther away.

When the Princess got closer, Eve quickly dropped the wooden bowl and bow her head with her two hands held together.

"Princess Isabel," Eve greeted. "Is there anything you want me to do?" she asked.

The Princess, finally halting in front of her, let out a puffed sigh and asked, "Are you gazing at the sun again? Do you think there is a treatment if you go blind?"

"There is always a stick, and by the way, I know my way around the palace," Eve said in humor as she looked at her and the two maids suddenly laughed but quickly held it in when Princess Isabel looked at them.

"Don't worry, my eyes are perfectly fine. I know you adore me, so I won't let any harm on myself," Eve said, smiling.

The princess scoffed, and as if suddenly remembering the reason she came, she quickly held her hand and with wide eyes, she said, "My Tutor is here and from what they told me, he is a man."

"Yes Princess. It is time for you to take your lessons."

"Eve, please help me," Princess Isabel said with pleading eyes. "I could not even put up with my former Governess so how do they expect me to put up with this new Tutor? Eve," she held her hands firmly and asked, "Can you help me again this time?"

Eve quickly released her hands and looked at the two maids who looked as though they were worried and she placed her eyes back on the Princess.

"No," she rejected.

"Eve pleaseee," Princess Isabel stressed her word as she begged her.

Eve sighed and said, "You need to be educated, that is why you get to be tutored. What can I possibly benefit from taking the lessons that are meant for you? And not to talk of the last time where I almost got caught by hawk-eye."

"My mother's maid?" Princess Isabel asked with a frown. "Is she having Matilda spy on me now?" she asked, looking totally annoyed.

"If the Queen finds out, it will put me in trouble," Eve expressed her concerns.

"Don't worry about that. I will have Mina and Beth on the lookout."

"Me?" the two maids said at the same time and then looked at each other.

Eve had a look of worry on her face, clearly not wanting to get into trouble with the queen. "B—"

"And I will take you out of the palace with me," the Princess quickly interrupted her.

Eve's eyes rose immediately and she could not refuse the tempting offer. They don't always get to go out of the palace except they are being sent on an errand or to escort the Princess. 

And Eve considered the offer because it won't be her first time posing as the Princess. Also, she wanted to see the beauty of the outside world. It has been a while that she went out.