The Cursed Prince

Emmelyn enjoyed the bread and wine and then rested her body on the mattress. It was so much better than her cabin in the merchant ship. She was happy to get her money's worth.

After she felt relaxed. She watched the sunset and thought about Harlow. She really missed her baby and was wondering how was Harlow doing back in Draec.

Emmelyn quickly distracted her mind by thinking about other things. She convinced herself that Harlow must be okay. She had Lily to care for her.

Emmelyn actually thought Mars would take good care of their daughter. However, even if he didn't, Emmelyn knew Lily wouldn't let anything bad happened to Harlow. With that in mind, she finally could heave a sigh of relief.

*** 

Lysander's letter only came two days later. Emmelyn went out for a walk to see the surrounding area while trying to get more information about Summeria, the witches, or the third bounty.

When she returned, Elora welcomed her with a big smile.

"Killian, I've got your letter," she chirped, waving a scroll in her right hand. "This just arrived one hour ago."

Emmelyn was so happy to hear this good news. She had been waiting for too long. Lyla told her by the time she reached The Singing Cat, Lysander's letter would have arrived, but she ended up waiting for two days.

She was worried that Lyla's letter didn't reach Lysander, and as the consequence, Lysander didn't even know that his mother was sending him the woman that the king of Summeria was looking for.

Fortunately, Emmelyn was wrong. Lysander did receive his mother's letter and he was excited to meet Emmelyn. 

After she said thank you to Elora, Emmelyn took the letter and read it in her room. A maid knocked soon after and brought her tea. Emmelyn had become Elora's favorite customer and she always sent her maid to bring tea or wine for Emmelyn after her walks.

"This is from Madame Elora," said the maid as she placed the teapot on the table.

"Thank you, Mary," said Emmelyn. 

The maid took her leave and let Emmelyn enjoy her private time.

[ Dear Killian, I am happy to hear from you. Mother had told me of your visit and I am looking forward to seeing you. By the time you are reading this letter, I am already on my way to get you. Let's meet in Lakeshire, a town one week horse ride away from Glasswell. Wait for me in an inn called Parched Peacok. Lysander.]

Emmelyn was satisfied when she read the letter. Lysander didn't say anything in it that could make people suspicious. He called her Killian and didn't mention the bounty at all.

Should this letter got confiscated by other people, nobody would ever suspect that Lysander was picking up the woman who was sought after by so many bounty hunters on two continents.

Emmelyn still felt safe because she had not met anyone who looked suspicious or assumed she was a woman from the way they treated her. She was smart. She added a black charcoal mark on her cheek every morning when she got dressed to hide her true appearance.

People would think she had a terrible birthmark on her face and didn't think too much about it. That's how she looked when she entered The Singing Cat and she thought it was what help her disguise work well.

"Great. I have got news from Lysander. Now, I just need to find Lakeshire," Emmelyn said to herself. She put down the letter, drank her tea, and stretched her back.

That means, she had to leave Glasswell tomorrow so she could reach Lakeshire at the same time as Lysander.

"I need to buy a horse and more supplies," Emmelyn muttered. She got up after she finished her tea and decided to come down to eat dinner and then asked Elora about where she could get a good horse.

*** 

The Singing Cat's diner was packed when Emmelyn entered to have dinner. She almost didn't get a seat. Fortunately, Mary the inn maid saw her and waved her hand to sign Emmelyn to sit in an empty chair she just cleaned up.

"Thank you, Mary," Emmelyn said. 

"I hope you don't mind sharing a table with this lovely lady over here," Mary whispered.

Emmelyn only realized that the only other chair at the table was occupied by a woman when Mary told her. She looked at the woman with furrowed brows.

"Hello..." she greeted the woman. "May I sit here?"

Emmelyn didn't expect to see a woman sitting alone in a diner that was dominated by male patrons. She did see some female guests, but they usually came or traveled with their husbands or knights for protection.

The woman nodded and waved nonchalantly and continued eating her pork rib voraciously.

Seeing how such a woman could act so carefree like a man, Emmelyn was impressed. She thought this woman must be so brave and perhaps even formidable to be on her own like this.

Even though Emmelyn could wield a sword and shoot arrows, and she was confident that she could protect herself, she still would prefer to disguise herself as a man to avoid unwanted attention.

It was tiring to engage in fights with men and thugs who thought it would be fun to harass a woman just because she was traveling alone. Better to save her energy for other more important things.

However, this woman seemed like she couldn't care less. Seeing her attitude, Emmelyn didn't know whether she should feel impressed by her bravery, or feel pity because the woman was too dumb and didn't realize the danger that lurked from all corners.

"Thank you." Emmelyn then ordered her food to Mary. She waited for her meal to arrive while sipping the wine provided on the table. 

"Don't mention it." Finally, the woman spoke.

Emmelyn smiled at her. "Are you traveling alone?"

Emmelyn couldn't help but think this woman was not dumb. She looked very confident. Her face was actually quite beautiful with a pair of hazel eyes that looked intelligent, and shoulder-length brown hair.

"Yeah," the woman responded. "I'm taking a break from work and want to see the world."

Emmelyn looked at the woman attentively. Somehow, this woman reminded her of herself several years ago. Emmelyn also left her kingdom to see the world.