Chapter 3 Meeting a Prince

It was raining heavily and both children and adults could be seen playing outside under the rain.

As usual Marissa just stared from her window with no expression on her face.

She could see her siblings playing outside and it didn't even bother her.

She walked away from the window and sat on the bed.

After some time, the rain stopped falling and she knew it was time to go to the palace for the competition.

She picked up her woolen bag and walked out of the room.

She got to the main entrance and was about walking out of the house when she bumped into her siblings.

Both of them were about entering into the room.

"You guys should go dry up and change your clothes, otherwise you would catch a cold and our parents would only yell at me when they return" She told them and left the house without even waiting for their reply.

She walked slowly in order not to slip on the floor which had some water on it because of the rain that had fell earlier.

She spotted some girls from afar and she wanted to turn back but decided to just pass them silently. A gasp escaped her lips when one of the girls pushed her, making her to fall on the mud floor.

"Oh my days!" The girl who had pushed her exclaimed.

The other girls began laughing.

Marissa slowly stood up from the floor. Her outfit was ruined with mud and she started dusting it off with her hands but it didn't come off.

She threw a glare at the girl who had pushed her. "What's your problem!".

"I'm sorry, it was a mistake" The girl apologized dramatically.

The other girls stepped forward to do something but the hovering of horses made all of them turn.

They were curious to see the people riding the horses, because in the kingdom only those from the royal palace and those from a well to do noble family were able to afford a horse.

The horses came to view and the three horses stopped right in front of them.

Seeing who it was, their eyes widened and they all bowed immediately.

"Greetings his royal Highness" They chorused.

Prince Matteo jumped down from the middle horse and nodded his head in attest to their greetings.

"Have any of you seen the ancient seer?" He asked calmly.

"No, we haven't" The girl who had pushed Marissa replied with a smile on her face. She was stylishly adjusting her shirt in order for the prince to notice her.

Marissa noticed it and she thought of something. She knew where the seer was and she would like to see the look on the other girls faces when they hear that.

"My prince, are you in a haste to see the seer?"She asked and that was when Prince Matteo got the chance to stare at her.

The first thing his eyes came in contact with when he stared at her was her charming small blue eyes which pierced back at his.

Marissa looked down as soon as her eyes came in contact with that of the Prince.

Prince Matteo on the other hand couldn't take his eyes off her, and he wouldn't deny the fact that she was the most beautiful girl he had ever set his eyes on.

His eyes moved from her smooth face to her body and when he saw how dirty she looked, he wanted to ask her why but he was able to stop himself from doing so, as that was not the reason he approached them in the first place.

"Do you know where she is right now? Can you take me there? " He asked, not as a Prince ordering his subject, but as a gentleman asking for direction.

"There is a place she spends her noon everyday. If that's what you want I could take you there" She offered to help.

"Thank you" He flashed her a smile but Marissa didn't smile back.

She stared at the girls and when she saw the look on their faces, a feeling of happiness flooded her.

"Priceless" She mumbled to only her hearing and then smirked, but it didn't even last for a second.

"Let's go, your highness" She took a step and was about to take another when Prince Matteo held her hand, stopping her from walking further.

The other girls gasped immediately.

Marissa turned back with furrowed brows, her gaze not leaving the Prince's hand on hers for a bit.

When the Prince noticed he was holding for long, he quickly let go of her hand. "You are going to lead the way so you should come with us" He said.

"That's exactly what I was about to do. I will lead the way by walking and you will follow from behind".

"Get on" He instructed.

"Huh?" She furrowed her brows again, staring at the horse. She hadn't rode on one before, it would be her first time.

"Get on" He repeated.

"My clothes are dirty, I fell down earlier and..."

"Get on"

Marissa stared at the other girls and then smirked, this time around it lasted and even Prince Matteo saw her.

Seeing how the girls had been reacting, he confirmed they weren't in good terms with the young lady offering to help him.

Marissa tried climbing but couldn't and that made Prince Matteo to chuckle.

"Your highness, you don't need to ride with her, she can ride with me" One of the two guards said.

"It's okay, I will ride with her".

"But..."

A Sharp look from Matteo shut the guard up and he didn't say anymore word.

Prince Matteo carried Marissa and placed her on the horse before he climbed.

Marissa led the way and after riding for a long time, they got to a river and the three horses came to a halt.

"Your highness, this is the place"

She jumped down from the horse and Prince Matteo did same.

"Where is she?" He asked, looking around.

"There" Marissa pointed up to a tree near the river.

Matteo looked up at the tree and he spotted her.

"Thank you..." He paused when he didn't know her name.

"Marissa" She informed.

"Thank you, Marissa. You can go now" He told her.

Marissa bowed, she turned and took a step but she stopped and turned back to him. "It's quite far, my prince. I will like a ride back".

"Oh" Prince Matteo mouthed. "Where is your house?".

"I am not going home. I was actually heading to the royal palace when you saw me".

"The palace? For what exactly?" He asked.

"For the competition. I..."

"I came here for some peace but I guess here isn't as peaceful as before. Prince Matteo of Westeros, why are you here?" The voice of the seer was heard.

She jumped down from the tree but didn't face them, instead she faced the river.

Prince Matteo didn't want to say whatever he wanted to in front of the strange girl, he had to dismiss her first.

"Take her to wherever she is heading to" He ordered one of the guards.

Marissa immediately thought of something, she shook her head in protest to the Prince's order. "I will wait till you are done, my prince. There's something I would like to discuss with you"

"Hmmm, okay".

Matteo signalled the guards to take Marissa to go stand at a distance from them and they did.

"When you are sad, this is the best place to come to" The ancient seer said as she dipped her hand into the water.

She had some strands of grey hair, she was in her late eighties and it was surprising how she still looked young. If not for her grey hair one wouldn't know she was that old.

She had been a seer since she was a child, it was her destiny.

Prince Matteo walked up to her and stood beside her. "Greetings, ancient one".

"Greetings, my prince" She faced him and bowed.

"You should know why I'm here" He said and she began laughing.

She stopped laughing and faced the river again.

"Make more sacrifices to the goddess, she might consider giving you a child".

"I have been making sacrifices and you know that... Just tell me why my wife hasn't gotten pregnant yet" He demanded.

"I don't know" The seer replied bluntly.

"What do you mean by you don't know" He frowned.

"I am the ancient seer, I say what the goddess tells me to. And the goddess told me to tell you to make more sacrifices or... " She paused.

"Or?" Prince Matteo asked curiously.

"Or get a mistress to bear you a child" The seer completed.

Prince Matteo shook his head and stepped back. He didn't even know what to say to the seer, he didn't want to say any offensive words. He turned and walked away, going to meet the guards.

The ancient seer began laughing. She plucked a leaf from the tree and chewed it. "Prince Matteo of Westeros, you will suffer from the sins of your forefathers".