I watched as Sahara rushed off after Garrick, making Selene and Evangeline giggle, but the brunette was the next to speak. ''Your Highness. I think some old friends may be in the city, can I see them? They would be good bodyguards?''
Oh yeah, she was meant to hire some for me, I mused.
''Alright,'' I replied. ''Come to the Counts' manor when you're finished. I should be fine with Eve and the Legionnaires.''
At the sound of her nickname, the lavender-haired Half-Elf flushed red, and even her ears turned the colour of a tomato. A laugh came from Count Ashwood, who was watching from a few feet away. ''Well, would you look at that, my daughter can blush!'' he exclaimed, thoroughly amused. ''And such a lovely one, too, my dear.''
I laughed along with him, while Evangeline's face grew even redder. Meanwhile, Selene tugged on her horse's reins; the animal turned left as she offered a quick salute before riding off.
''Well,'' Theo said after a beat with an easy smile. ''Shall we head home?''
Evangeline still looked mildly mortified, though she had at least regained some of her composure. She avoided my gaze as she brushed a stray strand of lavender hair behind her ear. ''Yes, Father.''
The Count gestured for us to follow, and we began riding down the gently sloping street toward the heart of the city. I noticed the afternoon bustle had begun to thicken. Merchants called out from colourful stalls, selling everything from fresh bread to polished copper trinkets.
The smell of roasted meat drifted from a nearby tavern, mingling with the sharper scent of tanned leather from a cobbler's shop. Wagons creaked past us, and townsfolk stepped aside with respectful nods when they recognised Count Ashwood. ''Good afternoon, my lord! Have a wonderful day!''
''Blessings to the Ashwood and royal family!''
Theo returned each greeting with a friendly dip of his head, clearly accustomed to the attention. Evangeline rode quietly beside him, though the faint pink still clinging to her cheeks made me suppress another grin. Now and then, she glanced at me as if to make sure I wasn't about to say anything embarrassing again.
Naturally, that only made it more tempting. After a few turns through broader avenues lined with tall stone buildings and flowering balconies, the city began to thin. The crowded streets opened into a quieter district where large estates sat behind iron gates and carefully trimmed hedges.
Soon, the sound of flowing water reached us. The Ashwood manor came into view shortly after. It stood proudly on the banks of the river, its pale stone walls catching the afternoon sun. Tall windows reflected the glittering water below, and ivy climbed gracefully along parts of the outer walls.
Elegant towers framed the structure, while a sweeping garden stretched along the riverbank, filled with blooming flowers and neatly trimmed hedgerows. A broad iron gate marked the entrance, guarded by two stone pillars carved with the Ashwood crest. I couldn't help but whistle softly.
''Well,'' I muttered, looking up at the sprawling estate. ''You didn't mention you lived in a palace.''
Count Ashwood chuckled warmly. ''Hardly a palace, my prince, " he said as the gate guards quickly opened the entrance for us. ''Just a comfortable home.''
Evangeline shot him a look that clearly said that was a lie as we rode through the gates and onto the gravel path that curved toward the grand manor, the river glittering peacefully beside it. We all climbed off our horses once reaching the stables, where the workers rushed out to get our mounts.
When they spotted me, all their eyes widened in shock, and each one quickly knelt, which took me by surprise, but I had to remember I was a prince now. After that, the count led us toward the entrance. Up close, the Ashwood estate was even more impressive than it had seemed from the road.
Pale stone walls rose three stories high, their tall windows catching the afternoon sunlight and reflecting the slow-moving river behind the property. Ivy curled along the outer walls, and carefully tended gardens stretched along the riverbank. A cool breeze drifted in from the water, stirring the leaves of the tall willows planted along the shore.
Servants were already moving through the courtyard as we approached. A stable hand rushed forward the moment he spotted Count Ashwood, bowing deeply. ''Welcome home, my lord.''
''Good to see you, Thomas,'' the Count replied with his usual warmth. ''How are things today?''
''Running smoothly, sir.''
Just then, the man stepped aside, but his eyes shifted toward me with curiosity. It wasn't unusual for the Count to bring guests home, but recognition slowly dawned on his face. His posture straightened immediately. ''Y-Your Highness!''
The words slipped out before he could stop himself. The reaction was instant. A maid carrying a basket of linens froze halfway across the courtyard. Two gardeners near the fountain quickly set down their tools and bowed. Even the stable hand dropped into a deeper bow, looking slightly horrified at himself for not realising sooner.
''Forgive me, my prince!'' he said quickly.
I rubbed the back of my neck, already feeling the familiar awkwardness creeping in. ''You really don't have to do that,'' I said.
Of course, that only made them bow harder. Count Ashwood chuckled beside me, clearly amused. ''You'll have to forgive them, my prince,'' he said. ''Word travels quickly in this part of the kingdom.''
Evangeline glanced sideways at me, the faint pink from earlier now completely gone from her face. ''You didn't tell anyone you were coming here?'' she asked quietly.
''I try not to announce everywhere I go,'' I replied with a shrug.
We climbed the wide stone steps leading to the manor's entrance after the Legionnaires were led to a barracks to rest until I left. The enormous oak doors were carved with elegant patterns and the Ashwood family crest. Before we reached them, they opened. A dignified woman with silver-streaked hair stood waiting just inside.
Her uniform was immaculate, and the way she carried herself made it immediately clear she ran the household. ''Welcome home, my lord,'' she said with a bow.
''Thank you, Margaret,'' Count Ashwood replied.
Her gaze shifted to Evangeline. ''My Lady.''
''Good afternoon, Marg.''
Then her eyes settled on me. There was a brief pause. A flicker of recognition crossed her face, and she immediately lowered into a deeper, more formal bow. ''Your Highness,'' she said smoothly.
Unlike the others, she didn't seem surprised, only respectful. I sighed quietly. ''Please don't start,'' I muttered.
''If it pleases Your Highness,'' she replied calmly, which was the closest thing to humour I'd heard from her yet.
We stepped inside the manor, and the entrance hall opened up before us in a display of polished marble floors, tall sunlit windows, and a sweeping staircase that curved elegantly to the second floor. Portraits of Ashwood ancestors lined the walls, watching silently from gilded frames.
A few servants working inside immediately stopped when they noticed us. Then they noticed me. Within seconds, the hall filled with bows and curtsies. I leaned slightly toward Evangeline. ''This is exactly why I don't like people knowing,'' I whispered.
She hid a smile behind her hand. ''I think it's a little late for that now, Your Highness.''
The Count clapped his hands together cheerfully. ''Well then!'' he said. ''My prince, make yourself at home. Eve, why don't you show him around while I attend to a few matters?''
Evangeline let out a quiet sigh, though there was a hint of amusement in it. ''Yes, Father.''
Theo gave us both a friendly nod before disappearing down one of the side corridors. That left the two of us standing in the massive entrance hall while several servants continued pretending they weren't staring at me. The Half-Elf mage folded her arms and looked up at me.
''So,'' she said. ''Where would the kingdom's third prince like to begin?''
There was a playful edge to her voice now. And somehow, that made it worse. I groaned quietly. ''You too?''
She shrugged, though the faint smile tugging at her lips betrayed her. ''You didn't say it was a secret.''
''It's not a secret,'' I muttered. ''I prefer when people forget about it. All the bowing and fake respect make me uncomfortable.''
''Well,'' she said with a knowing smirk, turning toward one of the hallways, ''That's going to be difficult in the Verona Kingdom, my prince.''
She gestured for me to follow. ''Come on. If Father told me to give you a tour, then I might as well do it properly.''
I fell into step beside her as we left the grand entrance hall behind. The manor's interior was just as impressive as the outside. Wide corridors stretched through the estate, lined with tall windows that filled the halls with warm afternoon light. Rich carpets softened our footsteps, and polished wooden doors marked the entrances to various rooms.
''This wing is mostly reception rooms,'' Evangeline explained as we walked. ''Father meets guests here when he doesn't want to bring them into the main halls.''
She pushed open a set of double doors as we passed. Inside was a spacious sitting room filled with elegant furniture, a marble fireplace, and tall shelves displaying porcelain and small sculptures. ''Formal gatherings happen here, which is rare thanks to being in the far west,'' she said before closing the door again.
We continued. Servants we passed bowed politely, though now that word had spread, most of them stole curious glances at me as well. I pretended not to notice. ''This is the dining hall,'' Evangeline said, opening another set of doors briefly.
A long polished table stretched almost the length of the room beneath a grand chandelier. ''Alright,'' I admitted. ''That one's silly.''
She gave a soft laugh. ''It's meant for large gatherings.''
We moved through another corridor that curved deeper into the manor. The sounds of the courtyard faded, replaced by the quiet stillness of the inner halls. ''This section is more private,'' the older woman continued. ''Family rooms, studies… and a few places Father practically lives in.''
Following that, we started walking again. I let myself drop a few paces behind, telling myself it was to keep an eye on the path, but I know that was bullshit. Evangeline was impossible to ignore. Every sway of her hips was devastating. Her ass was impossibly round and full, the kind of lush, heart-stopping curves.
A body that could launch a thousand ships.
The dress nipped at her tiny waist before exploding outward again into hips that flared dramatically, wide, womanly, built to be gripped. An hourglass carved by some cruel, lustful goddess: narrow midsection, her big boobs straining the low neckline, and that ass bouncing with hypnotic weight every time her long legs carried her forward.
Those legs are deadly.
They were thick at the thighs, the kind that promised they could wrap around you and never let go. The dress rode up just enough with each stride to flash the creamy undersides, hinting at where the curve of her ass met the smooth column of her inner thigh. My mouth went dry at the sight.
I knew she was forty-one; I had overheard her tell Selene days ago, like some forbidden secret that only made everything worse. Twenty-three years older. Old enough to have watched me grow up if we'd crossed paths earlier. Old enough that society would call her a spinster.
And yet, the older she was, the more it pulled at me. It wasn't just the body, though fuck, that body was a revelation, every mature curve screaming experience, confidence, the kind of unapologetic sensuality girls my age were still fumbling toward. It was her. The way she moved was like she owned the air around her.
The quiet knowing in her eyes when she glanced back, as if she could read every filthy thought flashing through my head and found them... amusing. Intriguing. Anna was my age back on Earth, easy, familiar, safe. We spoke the same language of stupid memes and late-night insecurities.
But Evangeline? She was mature and wise beyond my years. I wanted to get to know the gorgeous Half-Elf even more. Minutes later, I shook my head as we stopped in front of a tall pair of wooden doors. ''And this," she said with a knowing smile, pushing them open. ''Is the library.''
I stepped inside and immediately stopped walking. The room was enormous. Shelves stretched from floor to ceiling across the walls, filled with thousands of books bound in leather and cloth. Two levels of balconies wrapped around the upper walls, connected by narrow staircases and ladders that could slide along the shelves.
Sunlight poured through tall arched windows, illuminating rows upon rows of books that seemed to go on forever. A massive reading table stood in the centre of the room, surrounded by comfortable chairs, with stacks of open books scattered across its surface. I slowly turned in a circle.
''Alright,'' I said after a moment. ''Now this is ridiculous.''
Evangeline leaned lightly against one of the shelves, watching my reaction. ''I'll take that as a compliment.''
Without waiting, I walked further in, running a hand along the spine of one of the books. ''You could get lost in here.''
''It's happened before,'' she said casually.
I glanced back at her. ''You're joking.''
''Not entirely.''
I looked up toward the second level of shelves again, impressed despite myself. ''How many books are there?''
''Father stopped counting years ago,'' she said. ''He collects them from everywhere, scholars, merchants, travellers. If someone brings a rare book into the city, chances are it eventually ends up here.''
I let out a low whistle. ''For a count, your father has the library of a royal academy.''
Evangeline smiled faintly at that. ''He'll be happy to hear you say that.''
I wandered deeper between the shelves, scanning titles as I passed. ''This might actually be my favourite room in the entire manor,'' I admitted.
Behind me, Evangeline crossed her arms again, clearly pleased. ''Good to hear. Because dinner is nearly done, and we'll head toward the hall.''