Chapter 4 Part1 (1/2)

CHAPTER 4 (Part one)

When King Richard started to wake in the mornings, he would always feel like he's been watched over, strangely though, he didn't feel bad about it.

As the King tried to get back into routine, Mahnu followed his every move, fascinated at how much he could fit in one day. His children's protection was prioritized because of the attempts made on his own life. Within the first day of his arrival the King finds out that his son was under attack once while he had been away.

He saw his children two days after he returned and she thought that he was very much the doting father.

King Richard listened to his eleven-year-old son enthusiastically as he went on about his studies and combat lessons.

They both got rather carried away when the young Crowned Prince mentioned about meeting the people in the south town of Harval for a brief time while the King had been absent. He had visited the Queen's father, the Queen and Princess also attending.

The Prince had loved meeting the people and seeing a blacksmithing shop. Watching the weapons and armour get made was very exciting to him. Mahnu liked the King’s chuckles of laughter at his son’s wide, excited eyes.

After the Prince left, the small eight-year-old Princess entered and ran happily to her father.

Her voice was still that of innocence, as she told her stories to the King. Mahnu watched her closely and wished all little girls could be as happy as the Princess. She seemed energetic and would jump around to emphasis what she was saying. Her energy had made Mahnu stifle back a laugh.

Yes, she thought, little girls like her, who could spread happiness like that, would be great for the humans.

Mahnu, over the days, started to also follow the Princess. It started to become a game for both when Mahnu would appear and disappear and the Princess started to look for her wherever she went.

When only the Princess was looking, Mahnu gave her a flower and then disappeared just as fast.

When the princess talked to her father about her new friend, Mahnu would smile to his thoughts of wondering if it was her.

Mahnu was surprised on how attuned to her the King was, as he was already thinking that she was there watching over him.

Mahnu wasn’t surprised when he even admitted that he liked the idea of her watching over the Princess as well. Even then, it was still apparent, that the thought that it could be her close by, distracted the King.

The thoughts of others observing the King acknowledged a change in his behaviour, worrying Mahnu slightly. Was it that she was too much of a distraction?

That night the Queen could finally see his Majesty and Mahnu was surprised that she seemed mature, until she started to talk.

She seems to worry about needless things, Mahnu noticed. She thinks herself better than others.

A superficial, materialistic Queen didn't seem to fit what Mahnu had imagined as the King's Queen. When the Queen left, after talking, Mahnu wondered why they weren’t closer.

Was it because of it being an arranged marriage? Mahnu tried to understand the concept of it and thought it not much of a problem. Is it necessary to become very close to your spouse? Mahnu had seen older people together after a long time and was curious on how they had lasted so long together.

Princess had seemed happy with her husband to stay with him and not be unfaithful.

Were the King and Queen that comfortable together that they didn’t need to see each other for a long period and spend much time together? Then, wouldn’t have been easier if they were just friends so that they could both find someone else that they wanted to be with more? Why do arranged marriages exist in the first place? Even if it was just for the sake of having two families come together, was it something that really worked?

Mahnu shook her head. It seemed like she didn’t know much about human relations.h.i.+ps.

***

When another attempt at King Richard’s life came, that is when he saw the maiden next. She stopped the arrow right before it would have hit him in the heart.

Before she left again, she slightly bowed and swiftly ran in the direction that the arrow had come from.

The King forgot about his wife and children, who were attending a walk with him, and ran in the same direction as Mahnu. He was not sure if he's more worried about her being attacked or that he doesn't want her to run away and not see her again.

He wanted to see her again, she still needs a bath!

The culprit, this time, was stopped from killing himself and the King let out his anger on him for not being about to see Mahnu!

The knights were only thinking that he was angry because the King was shot at and that no other reason was necessary.

Later, when the King went to have his bath, he let the people to help serve him go and he was left alone.

It was such a rich room, Mahnu saw looking around again, it was a huge bath, like a small dam and there was even a one metre waterfall to the side.