Chapter 3 Two

Kiara:

I ran out of the palace as fast as I could, though I was careful not to be seen.

The door however, was a little rusty and was a little hard to unlatch, but I luckily managed to do it without opening it too wide, slipping out of it, then closing it enough for me to reopen when I needed to go back before running out as fast and as far as I could.

It took a while, but I was suddenly met by the city lights which made me smile as I saw everything around me up close, I had always seen them from my chamber's window, but never in front of me.

I didn't realize that I was standing in the middle of the road until a car honked its horn at me causing me to jump in fright and blush at the man who was driving, he shook his head at me and I quickly walked to the side walk and smiled as I watched the beautiful night sky, the lights, the different shops, couples, everything seemed surreal that I feared waking up in the palace, and this being nothing but a simple dream, however, I knew that it wasn't, I was really out of the palace.

The smell of something being cooked caught my senses and I found my feet guiding me toward a bakery where a fresh batch of cookies and different pastries was coming out of the oven, an old woman and an old man taking them out together, they seemed to be a husband and wife as the man looked at the woman with such gentle eyes and she smiled as she looked at the goods they were making.

I smiled looking at the pair, never in my life had I seen my parents look at each other like that, I had even believed that love did not exist and was only in fairy tales or movies, but here I was witnessing one of the simplest forms of love, just a glance at his wife made him smile and just a glance from her husband made her blush.

The man was the first to see me as he smiled and opened the door for me, but I blushed and took a step back not really knowing what to tell the man, I have been watching him and his wife that I forgot that his attention could be caught by that simplest action.

"Come inside dear, it's a cold night" he said softly, I blushed, though I did not feel cold, the night air having not hit me yet, but he was right, it was a chilled evening.

"What would you like to drink or eat?" He asked softly, his eyes were big brown ones as he looked at me, gentleness like no other could be seen through them and I could not help but smile at him.

"But I do not have any money" I said looking at the man, I could tell that this was a shop as I saw the cashier, the tables, and the display, but I had run out of the palace in such a hurry that I forgot to bring anything with me that would allow me to pay for anything I desired, not that I had anything to pay with in the first place.

"It is no problem dear, it's on the house" the old woman said softly, her eyes met mine and I could help but smile at her kindness, looking at the couple, I couldn't understand why mother had always claimed that the outside world was not a safe place "would you like to try the cookies? They're freshly baked"

The woman's offer almost made my mouth drool, their cookies' smell hit my nostrils from outside the shop, and having smelled them up close, they just seemed to tingle a sense of want in me, I nodded biting my bottom lip to prevent my smile from widening.

"Take a seat dear" the woman smiled at my reaction, amusement filling her expression.

"And here's some hot chocolate to warm your insides as well" the old man said softly, he put a white mug filled with hot chocolate and marshmallows as the old woman brought a white plate with three hand sized cookies, these were the largest cookies that I've ever seen, the ones in the palace were small ones and I was never allowed to have more than one or on rare occasions two.

"Thank you" I said shyly, the man and woman smiled as the man wrapped his arm around the woman's waist, pulling her closer to him, he kissed her temple and I couldn't help but admire their relationship, a part of me wishing to have one like theirs when I married one day.

"You are most welcome dear" the woman smiled, a few more people entered the bakery, all of them heading toward the cashier, some ordering cookies, others ordering brownies, drinks like coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, I smiled as I took a bite out of the chocolate chip cookie almost moaning in delight as the beautiful taste filled my taste buds, I had never tried anything like this before.

"I take it you like it?" The old man asked looking at me, his wife was taking the money from a couple who looked to be in their mid-thirties, the woman wore a red jacket which reached her mid-thigh and black jeans while the man wore a black leather jacket and black jeans, his arm wrapped around her waist while she laid her head over his chest as they looked at the old couple.

"I love it!" I said honestly, the couple smiled warmly at me before nodding at the paying young partners as they took a seat on the table beside me.

"First time here?" The old man asked, I nodded, I had lived in this kingdom my whole life and yet I've never tried any if the goods they had in it.

"Where are you from?" The old woman asked looking at me, her eyes gentle as she spoke, I debated whether or not to tell the truth, but if I did then they might report me to the palace, and if they did, then I was as good as dead, well not literally, but I'd end up locked up in that tower.

As if for my luck, the door of the bakery opened revealing an attractive man who had the woman who was sitting with her lover momentarily forget him as she stared at the mysterious man, his aura said everything that meant confidence as he headed toward the cashier, our eyes met, blue to green and I could swear that I felt like my heart was about to explode at the sight of him.

Giving me quick nod before turning to the old woman who smiled at him.

"One coffee please, and some of those cookies, they smell delicious"