The royal

Daniella's pov

As I slowly regain consciousness, the carriage rocks back and forth, I'm met with a splitting headache. Blinking away the haze, I find myself in the carriage with only two handmaidens. As I sit up, the motion makes my head throb even more. I survey my surroundings, noticing the approaching sunset outside.

"Princess Daniella," the maid says, kneeling by my side, concern etched on her face. Another maid rushes to my side, assisting with tightening the straps of my sandals.

"Are you well?" the first maid asks.

"Yes," I reply, my mind racing with questions. "Where are we, and why are we moving so fast?"

"We are passing through Cannis," she explains, her words sending a chill down my spine. My eyes widen in shock.

"That's a bandit and pirate territory," I exclaim. "Who agreed to this?"

The handmaiden exchanges a nervous glance with her companion before speaking softly, "It was decided by Miss Motan and Lady Nabila. They believed it was the fastest route to our destination."

"Who is Lady Nabila?" I inquire, my curiosity piqued despite the throbbing ache in my head.

The handmaiden hesitates before responding, "Lady Nabila is the royal advisor to... um, to... someone important." Her uncertainty is palpable, indicating she's either unaware of or hesitant to divulge Lady Nabila's full identity. My head pounds with pain, making it difficult to focus.

"Please pass me a glass of water," I request, hoping to alleviate some of the discomfort. "I'm just going to assume Nabila is one of Miss Motan's friends."

The handmaiden hands me a glass of water, and I attempt to drink it despite the carriage's rocking motion. The movement makes it challenging to swallow, but I manage to take a few sips before setting the glass aside.

As the sun sinks lower into the forest, casting long shadows over the landscape, the pace of the carriage remains steady. Despite the offer from one of the handmaidens to retouch my dreadlocks as we travel, I decline, feeling a sinking sensation in my stomach that refuses to fade.

Instead, I gaze out the window, watching as the trees blur past in a kaleidoscope of greens and browns. The forest seems to grow darker with each passing moment, the shadows lengthening ominously. My mind races with worry, thoughts swirling like leaves caught in a tempest.

The silence within the carriage is deafening, broken only by the rhythmic clatter of hooves against the dirt road. Each bump and jostle sends a fresh wave of discomfort through me, exacerbating the throbbing ache in my head.

Fear grips me like a vice, squeezing the breath from my lungs. I long for the comfort and safety of our camp, far away from the dangers that lurk in these shadowed woods.

But as the carriage continues its relentless journey through the heart of the forest, I can't shake the feeling that we're hurtling towards something dark and unknown, something that may forever alter the course of our lives.

It felt like we were travelling at the same pace for an eternity. Hours passed after sunset, and the carriage's movements became sluggish, matching the gradual decline of the day. Ahead of us, the other caravans slowed down as well, their guards signalling for us to stay indoors through taps on the carriage houses. Eventually, the entire procession came to a complete stop.

The carriage door creaked open, revealing one of the royal guards standing outside. His expression was stoic, but there was a hint of reassurance in his voice as he addressed me, "Princess, we shall camp here for the night. I believe we are far enough from any danger."

Stepping out onto the ground, I surveyed the chosen campsite. We were perched on a cliff overlooking the town below, its vibrant lights twinkling in the darkness. As I took in the sight, Flora rushed towards me, enveloping me in a tight hug that threatened to topple me over. "You look okay," she said, her voice filled with relief.

As I reassured Flora about my condition, my gaze drifted over her shoulder, landing on Sinbad. He was dressed in resplendent attire, exuding an air of royalty and elegance. His crimson silk sherwani, embellished with intricate golden embroidery, stood out against the night sky. White churidar trousers and embroidered mojari adorned his lower half, while a majestic turban adorned his head. Pearls adorned his neck, and golden bangles adorned his wrists, adding to his regal appearance.

I couldn't help but frown at the sight, and Flora seemed to notice. "Long story," she said with a smile, sensing my unease.

"Give me the shorter version," I replied, curious yet wary.

"He's an emperor and his caravan helped us cross the bandit territory" she explained, "and he's single."

"Not my type," I responded, turning my attention to someone standing behind Sinbad. It was the same man I had encountered at the market, albeit taller and with darker hair. He was dressed in a Viking outfit, reminiscent of those worn by slaves captured from the oceans. I couldn't help but wonder about his people and how they came to be enslaved, considering their evident strength and resilience.

"Flora says, 'That's Vider, Sinbad's right-hand man who is currently single.''

'"I'm sorry, not my type either," I say as I excuse myself from her presence.

The guards and handmaidens were busy setting up the camp, alongside Sinbad's own retinue, ensuring every detail was perfect. As they worked diligently, I approached Sinbad, who seemed to be enjoying the view.

"Enjoying the view?" I asked, placing my hands on my hips.

"I sense you're mad," he replied, turning to face me.

"I wonder why," I said, pretending to think. "The part you missed out: you being an emperor, your dog attacking me, or you leading us through bandit territory."

"All of them," he admitted with a sheepish grin. "In my defence..."

"Defending yourself doesn't help the situation," I interrupted, my frustration evident in my tone.

"But how will you judge me without hearing my side of the story?" he pressed, his expression earnest and seemingly calm. 

"I don't understand why you haven't introduced yourself properly," I said with a hint of irritation.

"You never asked," he defends himself.

"It's your responsibility to introduce yourself," I retort.

"If I had told you I was a King as a naked man in the bush, would you have believed?" he asks. "You would have thought I was a con artist."

I thought about his words and realized he was right. However, I still felt frustrated. "You're right, but you could have at least given me a hint," I say.

"I apologize, Princess," he says, bowing his head. "Perhaps we could become allies in the future, so let's begin on good footing" he added with a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"That's not my decision to make," I replied curtly, feeling even more frustrated at his nonchalant attitude.

"Not with your kingdom but you personally," Sinbad's says looking at me in the eyes, his ember eyes meet mine. He tries to reach out for my hand but I hid it behind my body.

''am not in the market for....'', am cut off by Flora's gentle touch on my hand. "Come on, Daniella," she said, her voice soothing. "Let's go have some tea. Care to join, Sinbad?"

"I would like to take a walk," I replied, my voice betraying a hint of tension.

"Would you like some company?" Flora offered.

"I would prefer to clear my head," I said, gently pulling my hand away from hers. With that, I turned and began to walk away from the camp.

"Don't stray far from camp," Flora called after me, her concern evident in her voice.

As I walked, the cool evening air enveloped me, providing a welcome respite from the chaos of the day. The moonlight cast a soft glow over the landscape, illuminating the path ahead. Each step I took seemed to lighten the burden weighing on my shoulders, and I found solace in the rhythmic crunch of gravel beneath my feet.

Despite Flora's warning, I couldn't resist the urge to venture a little further from camp. I needed this time alone to gather my thoughts and make sense of the whirlwind of emotions swirling within me.