The Echanting Duchess

Chapter 11: An Encounter

After settling down the matters of jewelries and other accessories of the duchess, the company of three decided to stay in the city for a while to enjoy themselves in a restaurant famed for its flavourful and delicious pasta dishes. The restaurant was called Pastalicious and was located at the food park of the city wherein other restaurants and food shops where located.

Atallie, together with Leonor and Lila was just standing idly outside the Treasure Trove Jewelries near their carriage as they talk.

At first, Atallie didn't want to go for she had already accomplished what she needed to do in town. She just wanted to go back and rest for the entire day. However, upon seeing the enthusiastic shine on the eyes of the young Lila, and the recommendation from Leonor which couldn't be doubted, Atallie agreed in the end.

And since she agreed to go, Atallie decided that it would not be too bad as well if she would like to see more of the Dojah City. Thus, she suggested that it would be easier to do that by walking towards their destination.

This time, Leonor was the one who didn't agree.

"It would be dangerous, Madame. Though the duchy is a peaceful place maintained by the duke, different people still exists here. Thieves and swindlers are still everywhere," Leonor firmly spoke with her rigid and strict tone.

"Madame, that's right. The possibility of danger is too high! We wouldn't want to take a risk with your precious life, Madame!" Lila second the motion.

Atallie was already frowning on the inside. The fact that it would only be fifteen minutes of walking from here to there was already ridiculous and yet her company won't even let her walk such short distance.

"Are the knights just for display? Are they too weak to not even protect the duchess in this small city?" Atallie asked calmly, gently and a bit more coldly.

"Madame," Leonor's ears perked up. Although she knew that the duchess was just trying to prove her point that the knights would protect them, still, to Leonor's dedicated loyalty to the duke, criticizing the abilities of the knights of the duchy was equal to criticizing the duke himself. And this rather struck a little against Leonor. But she didn't speak anymore.

Although unreconciled, Leonor still agrees in the end. However, just as she was about to send Lila to instruct the knights, a bunch of crowd in a frenzy went past them, seemingly chasing after someone.

"Your Grace!" Leonor was caught off guard and almost stumbled on the ground. Good thing Lila was there to help her find her balance. But Leonor didn't mind it the least. What she was worried about was the safety of the duchess.

"Protect the duchess!" She literally shouted as the crowd went by them.

The knights were swift and quick to their feet even before Leonor shouted a command. They had already surrounded Atallie in a protective stance as the frenzy continued.

The frenzy only took several seconds but when Leonor walked up to Atallie, the appearance of the dishevelled Leonor seemed like she was one with the passing crowd.

"What was that about?" Composing herself, Lila helped to dust off her dress.

"Ma'am, it seems that the cause of the stir was a thief," a knight answered.

"A thief? My goodness, Dojah City was not so peaceful but we usually don't have that kind of big trouble for just a mere thief," Leonor said with her brows furrowed.

"Who is the thief then?" Atallie calmly asked with her usual indifferent tone.

"To answer Your Grace, it seems like a peasant boy based on the shouting of the crowd," another knight answered.