Chapter 11

"Your father isn't sending you anywhere to get hurt, princess. You will speak to a village leader about his concerns with the decreasing number of crops they have been collecting. They believe someone is purposely messing with the crops," John explained.

"Doesn't that seem like something you should also attend plus the minister of agriculture? What was the reason my father gave all of you these fancy titles when you do nothing?" It was a waste of money in Amelia's eyes that her father hired these men.

"Do you wish for me to come along, princess?"

"Why would I waste my time asking when you'll only run to my father and have him go against it? If you cared enough about this crop situation you would have been going with my father or maybe it's not about crops. Maybe there's something more to where I am going but as you said, my father isn't sending me to get hurt, right? I must be overthinking," Amelia said, deciding to play along with their game.

John found that there were times he enjoyed how wise the princess was. How easily she caught onto things. She sensed that there was danger here but knew she couldn't make a fuss about not wanting to go. If she objected to this order, he would have spread word about it to make her lose favor from the people of this kingdom.

The one power Amelia might not realize she had against her father was how much the people loved her and Anne. They almost caused a riot when they heard the former queen had died. Amelia almost added fuel to the fire when she made the statement that she believed someone killed Anne. It was best Amelia remained clueless as to how she could easily have the public on her side.

"Cyrus, good to have you back. Our ride is here," she said when she saw Cyrus walking outside to be back with her. He gave her a little nod indicating he had done what she asked.

"Princess, we have already picked out a number of guards to protect you on your journey. These guards would have been protecting your father if he was going. There is no need for this northerner to go with you."

"Cyrus goes wherever I go as he is my personal bodyguard. What part of that confuses you and everyone else? With him tagging along, I'm sure I will be super safe. Let's go, Cyrus," she started walking to the carriage.

Cyrus didn't say a word to John as he disliked the man. He followed behind Amelia obediently whilst looking out for danger. He didn't understand why they were leaving the castle when Amelia had not eaten her breakfast yet.

Cyrus felt a lot of eyes on him because Amelia had gotten into the carriage and was waiting for him to get in. Why was she so trusting of him to treat him this way he always wondered? He saw captured northerners who became slaves treated horribly while the princess showed him kindness.

"Aren't you coming, Cyrus? Do you wish to stay?" Amelia asked after he was just standing on the outside seemingly contemplating something. She wasn't going to go anywhere without him. She trusted only Cyrus to protect her even if he was from the north.

"No, I'm coming princess," he ignored the harsh judgmental stares and got inside of the carriage.

The door of the carriage was closed by the coachman but before he could go take his seat, he gave a little nod to John which many around wouldn't notice. The coachman was the man Amelia saw John speaking with before she reached him.

"Safe trip princess," John waved goodbye as the coachman went to his seat and called for the horses to start moving.

Amelia didn't reply nor look his way as the carriage began its journey. "I really hate that man."

"Who don't you hate, princess?" The list was long enough to reach the floor in Cyrus's opinion.

"Grandmother, you, Gina, and all the other people in the kingdom who aren't sheep for my father's attention. That's a lot of people. I'm curious to know what trip my father is really sending me on. I'm suspicious," she said looking out the window as they left the castle.

"Why are we leaving if you feel there is something wrong?" Asked Cyrus. He didn't put it past the king to harm his daughter and cover it up.

"Because I am damned if I do and damned if I don't. If I go, we might end up in trouble with whatever my father has planned. If I don't go, he will never forget the one time he sent me in his place to do something. You must know I would never allow the second option to happen."

"So we are riding blind into danger," Cyrus concluded since they were in the carriage without an idea of what was awaiting them.

"Exactly. That's why I brought you along with me. My chances of surviving are higher with you around," she muttered looking out the window at the homes surrounding the castle. 'Some of these structures don't look too good,' she thought to herself.

"You have placed too much faith in me, princess. I will keep an eye out for danger," he said even though he already picked up on a few extra guards following after them. He doubted the king sent them as an extra precaution for his daughter's safety.

"Cyrus, I hope one day you can be honest with me about who you really are. I am a Blackwell and you are from the north, but I trust you and I wish you would do the same one day." Amelia was once told by Cyrus of how he lived as a farmer back in the north but he should know she was not a fool.

He showed swordsmanship a regular farmer would not have unless he learned to fight elsewhere. Amelia noted he was incredibly light and fast on his feet. Maybe before he was taken he decided to live as a farmer but before that, he was much more.