A Beast's Tale

Chapter 11

The carriage slowed significantly when we reached the town due to the crowded streets, and I called for the coachman to stop.

"You are here as my personal attendant," I said coolly to Ivetta. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, your highness," she replied obediently, her hands folded neatly in her lap. She was the picture of a demure maid, with no trace of her previous anxiety. I stepped down out of the carriage, hiding my smile. My instructions were unnecessary. She would perform her duties here as earnestly as she did at the palace.

A single chilling glance was enough to clear a path around me, as usual. She followed quietly in my wake, beside and a bit behind, staying close even though I made no effort to shorten my strides for her benefit. It was amusing to watch grown men avoid my eyes and keep their distance while the petite maid on my heels showed no signs of intimidation whatsoever.

"Hey there!"

Leon. I'd guessed we'd run into him eventually. His booming voice was clearly directed at Ivetta, as was his smile. He and I didn't acknowledge each other as he pushed his way through the crowd toward her.

"I'm still working, P - Leon," Ivetta said, catching herself just in time to not break his cover. He was pretending to be a commoner again.

"Will your boss let me buy you a drink?" he asked.

"I don't tolerate drunkenness from my employees," I said firmly without turning around. Just imagining the stupid grin on his face was annoying enough without actually seeing it.

"Apple cider it is," he announced, and then he disappeared back into the crowd.

Food, drink, books, knick-knacks, jewelry, furniture, clothing - if it could be sold, there was a stall for it. And the ever present roses, so characteristic of Rhodolite, festooned everything. A band had set up by the fountain, and people were dancing - some in couples, some by themselves. The occasional horseback rider trotted through, but there was no room for any carriages here. Still, it would be too much to hope we could lose Leon, but I glimpsed the bookstall not far up ahead, and that would at least provide me with some distraction. I glanced back at Ivetta as we approached it, satisfied by the way her green eyes lit up as soon as she spotted the books. Leon's apple cider wouldn't get such a reaction from her.

"You have most of these already, Prince Chevalier," she said, running her slender fingers across the spines. "But I don't think you have this one."

As with everything she did, she was taking her role seriously. I took the book she'd indicated and glanced at it.

"You are correct. Shopkeeper."

The shopkeeper was already trembling in my presence, and he nearly fainted when I addressed him.

"Y-y-yes, your highness?"

"Are these all the books you have?"

"N-n-no, y-y-your highness," he said, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down nervously.

"Here's another one, Prince Chevalier," she said, pulling out another book. "And another. There's a really good selection here." She handed each book to me without taking her eyes off of the titles she was still scanning. There was little need for me to pay attention to the books on display, with her doing my shopping. I was free to question the shopkeeper about a particularly rare foreign book while she kept up her search.

"There you are," Leon said, reappearing at her side a few minutes later. "One apple cider, coming up!"

"Thank you - Leon," she said, catching herself again as she took the mug he offered. She straightened up, taking a sip. "Mm, this is good. I think I'm done, Prince Chevalier." She'd found a dozen volumes, not a single one present in my collection. Her attention to detail was remarkable.