The Four Kingdoms of the Four Seasons

Chapter 10 - Returning to Spring Recess - Part 3

–Author's note—

Hello there my lovely readers! 🥰

I wish you a Merry and Healthy Christmas! 🎄🧚🏻‍♀️🎁🎉

I hope that Christmas' magic wraps your heart in happiness! 🪄🎊🧸💗

Christmas gift 2/3!🎁

I don't own the rights of the pictures I use, @credit goes to their original owners!

—End of Author's note—

ARYA' PoV

           We enter Ferry-Up town, as the name implies it is a small town made for the ferryman families who operate ferry boats crossing the Crystal lake to Ferry-Down town. The people recognise us, and they are greeting us with respect and happiness. The Spring Royal family isn't a rare sight to them. We are often walking between them, helping in every way possible. We come to them, listening to their complaints, not the other way around, this way we have a tighter relationship built on mutual respect, loyalty with our citizens. However, our guards aren't the happiest during these occasions, they always see these occasions as possible life-threatening situations, after-all the last assassination attempt was when my father was the crown prince.

"Cas, let's wait up Father and Kay!"

"I was thinking the same."

           We advanced towards Ferry-Up town military station. The six soldiers guarding the military station entrance spotted us and immediately proceeded to open the military station's gate.

"Welcome, your royal highness, the second prince and your royal highness, the first princess!"

           They greeted us respectfully, standing at attention. Cas and I nodded our heads, in acceptance of they greetings.

"Soldiers, at ease." – Cas commented using his husky military voice.

            Cas stops Bourbon at the middle of the court. Reaching back with his right hand, I grab his hand and slides down on the left side of Bourbon, landing steadily on my feet. A stable boy arrives in a rush just as Cas dismount Bourbon. Before he gives Bourbon's rein to the boy, he gently strokes her neck. I could feel through Cas and my boned, how he instructs Bourbon to be a good girl and how she should be nice with the boy, who is about to give her fresh water and hay.

"Your highnesses, please follow me to the salon for some refreshments."

           I turn around.

"Butler Gibbson, it is good to see you. How is your health?" – I asked our family retired butler.

           Yeah, I know I still call him butler, I didn't mean it any bad way. It is just my way of showing him my respect. The position of the butler is an important and well-respected position in the Royal Household. He is the third person besides my uncle and me who knows I practice the art of war. The fourth and last person is his grandchild, Rydel who occupies know the butler position and as once his father helped me. Now, Rydel is the one who helps me hiding it from the rest of my family and finds out excuses for my absences. 

"I'm well, princess." – Gibbson executes a perfect bow just as written in the etiquette book.

"Gibbson, my friend it is good to see you healthy and up on your feet again!"

"Your highness." – Gibbson bows now in the direction of my brother.

            While we have taken our usual spots in the salon and a new maid serves us refreshments, Butler Gibson prepared everything with his son Korneil, who acts sometimes as our private ferryman. This way if father and Kay arrive, we can depart as soon we want. Butler Gibson instructed her well, she prepared my lotus tea the way I love it and served a light rosé wine for my brother. From the various fruity smell, I can tell it is my brother's favourite one.