Say, I know you

Evie’s dedication to the children was admirable to be sure. Despite not being allowed access to the resources that may help them, she did all that she could on her own. Milo suspected her father had never been to visit the orphanage himself or else he would surely have felt pity for the children and helped more? However, it was not the prince’s place to question such things as what someone’s daughter was allowed.

 

He nodded at Evie and watched as she walked back to bid the children goodbye, a smile on his lips. Then, he turned to Miss Mary who was still staring at him in astonishment.

 

“Thank you again, my lord” She said, genuine tears forming in her eyes. Milo felt a pang of regret in his chest over how the woman reacted. Surely she had been shown kindness like this before? How else was she able to keep the orphanage at all?

 

“I look forward to my next visit, Miss Mary.” He smiled, before finally going outside again. The rain was falling but wasn’t too heavy just yet. The dark clouds in the distance did warn of what was to come though.

 

“Dominic, bring around the carriage” Milo instructed his guard who nodded, mumbled “At once, your grace” and disappeared around a corner, leaving Milo to take in the street for the first time.

 

The orphanage seemed to be the building in worst shape out of the ones on the street. All around him, his citizens were pushing carts, yelling out for the chance that someone may want to buy some bread or hurrying along to try to get inside before the storm. Most of them looked healthy and somewhat clean, but one man in particular looked more dirty than the rest. He was an older man with a big beard, nearly hiding away his sunken in face. The prince could not help but stare as the man approached him, looking this way and that.

 

“Say, I know you, sir” the man spoke and Milo felt a slight panic rise. Where was that damned carriage? And where was his guard?

 

“No, I do not believe we have had the pleasure of meeting” He responded curtly, wishing that the man would stop looking him up and down in such a matter.

 

“Oh I know!” The old man said and smiled a toothless grin which hit Milo with the most foul smell coming from the man’s mouth. “You’re the prince! I saw you at the queens majesties’ coronation!”

 

Damn it.

Andy rode hard and fast, not caring one bit about what she must have looked like doing so. The storm was on her heels as the town came into view in the distance. She stopped her horse for a second, both of them panting and catching their breaths as Andy looked at the sky and then the town. If she rode onward towards the town, the storm was sure to catch up with her. But if she rode home an discovered that her sister had not returned yet…. Either way, she would be doomed.

 

Andy lifted her face to the sky and shut her eyes, a silent prayer over her lips. Keep Evie safe.

 

As she opened her eyes again she took a deep breath, bent down to the horse’s ear and moved her hips, allowing the horse to move forward.

 

“We must make it home” She whispered, before once again, taking off in a gallop. Even now, the thunder seemed to close in on her faster and faster.

 

The mud was flying onto her skirts and boots and the horse’s legs as she rode on, willing the horse to move even faster. There was a short cut she could take home, but in these conditions it was sure to be a dangerous, muddy path. Even so, between the thunder and the lightning, there were only a second or two which meant it was close. Too close. And so, Andy had to turn at the fork in the road, riding on a small path rather than the king’s road.