Zara side eyed the girl trying not to appear flustered. No one had ever spoken to her like this and it made her stomach feel weird. Not sickly weird however.
“I- uh,” Zara gulped trying to think of words, “Not many people come to this book stall, so I was just surprised to see someone.”
"Mhm well I happen to come here quite often, just because nobody is here when you are doesn't mean nobody is ever here. " she pulled her hood back over her head before walking out from under the cloth tarp out into the sun and called over her shoulder "she you around princess zara. " using the princesses name even though it was never given to her
Zara froze after heard her name leave the strangers mouth. While she was known throughout the kingdom, they way the stranger said her name gave Zara chills. Zara dashed out into the busy street and looked around for the stranger, but she had already disappeared amongst the crowd.
Zara frowns, confused and intrigued. Who was this mystery person? Zara walked over to the section of books the stranger was looking at
Potions and herbs. Interesting reading choice. What does she want with potions or herbs? Interest or practice?
“Just this one please.” Zara handed Jane Eyre to the book stall owner, mind buzzing about the mysterious stranger.
Elynea was pleased with the confusion she had caused as she made her way through the shaded parts of the market place keeping out of the sun as much as possible headed outside of the city gates
Zara walked back to the castle. It was still rather early in the day and her fitting wasn’t until the afternoon. Her mind was filled with the thought of this stranger. It was my normal for her to be stuck on random people she met in the streets but this girl was different. There was something intriguing about her.
“Prepare my horse please.” Zara told the guards at the castle gates as she enter her home. She changed into her riding gear and headed down to the stables.
“Hey Daisy, hey girl.” Zara stroked the white lipizzan and mounted her, grabbing the reins and heading out to the forest. This was her favours place to ride as it was quiet and peaceful. Someday, Zara would bring a books and find a cosy place to read while Daisy snacked on some food.
The forest was positioned at the city’s barrier as was half int her kingdom, half out side of it. And although meant to stay in the kingdom, Zara ignored those rules and travelled as far as she desired.
Elynea travels through the forest to a little cabin where she emptied her satchel of the books she bought and sat them down on a table she headed out side being sure to stay in the shady areas and stay underneath a tree
Zara rose through the forest, enjoying the scenery. She was in a different part of the forest then where she normally rode. She eventually came across a little cabin.
Who would be living in the forest here?
It was a very quaint little part of the forest and had a beauty about it. She slowed Daisy to a trot and inspected the cabin from a far.
Elynea was reading one of the book aware someone was in the forest with her she could hear their heartbeat but she didn't stop reading the rhythm was calm she wasn't in any danger
Zara dismounted Daisy and held her reins so she didn’t run away. The little cabin was interesting and while it seemed like someone lived there, it also seemed like something out of a story book. Zara tied Daisy’s reins to the fence and walked up to the door. Hesitantly, she knocked on the door. Maybe whoever lived here was someone that Zara could get to know. They’re living situation seemed lovely and peaceful.
Zara’s overactive imagination started playing out scenarios in her head.
"Somebody's home but their not inside. " Elynea left her clock inside she was wearing a black tunic and dark pants she was sitting on the ground looking at zara with a smirk "I told you if see you again zara."
Zar’s head whipped around to the voice. The voice that was stuck in her head since that morning.
“You!” She took a few steps to the stranger but halted. She didn’t know if this person was friend or foe.
"Yes me this is my house Welcome, you have no reason to be afraid of me.. " Elynea stood up and walked over to her a her eyes looking as if they were glowing
Zara took a step back. She didn’t know if she could actually trust this person, this mysterious stranger who lived in the forest.
But there was something, Zara couldn’t pinpoint it, but something alluring about the stranger that made Zara want to trust her.
“Who are you?”
(Also how tall would you say Elynea is?
(She's probably about 5,10 somewhere around there)
"My name is Elynea that's the only thing I'll allow you to know for now. "
(sweet. I was thinking around 5,5 ish for Zara)
So mysterious Zara thought staring at Elynea. She was much taller than her and her eyes seemed to captivate her.
“You uh, you like potions.” Zara said, referring to the book store, but unsure that Elynea would understand that’s what she was referring to.
(Aw cute lol)
"it's a… Hobby of mine to, experiment. " she looked at the smaller woman with an intrigued expression "what's the princess doing out here anyway? "
What does she mean by experiment?
Zara was confused but when asked about why she was there, she put on a know it all façade, her training to be proper and royal giving her an air of power. “I am merely riding in the forest and I happened to come across this small cabin.” Zara stepped up Elynea with a bit of confidence, “The real question is why are you living in the forest, by yourself and outside the city gates.”
"Because I am not a citizen of your city zara you have no power over me and neither does anyone in the Royal Familyand I don't have to tell you anything. "
Zara’s confidence faulted. She wasn’t expecting that answer. She lowered her stance and avoided Elynea’s eyes, stuttering to find words to say. Although smart with her words, once Zara was outsmarted or lost the power in the conversation, she didn’t know what to do and ended up making a fool of herself.
Elynea was still standing in the shade stepping back a bit when the sun shifted looking at zara with a winning smile "now can I ask what the princess is doing leaving the city and knocking on random people's doors? "
“ I was just going for a ride.” Zara gestures to Daisy, “And I came across this cabin and found it intriguing.”
"Do you normally come poking your nose into things that intrigue you? "
“I am not poking my nose into this, I’m merely looking around.”
"Looking around someone else's property which you don't belong. " she took another step back dew to the sun shifting again
“It looked abandoned.” Zara noticed elynea stepping back in took a step forwards.
She scoffed at her answer but didn't question her " I intrige don't I? "
"You're just, different, from other people I meet. You're not a royal who is trying to impress me nor commoner who won't speak to me because I'm royalty."
"I'm simply someone who doesn't care. " she stepped back bumping into the tree she was under
"You seem to care about a lot of things. Like why I'm looking at your house and why you are trying to hide in the shadows." Zara took another step closer. They two were much closer together now but Zara couldn't se her face properly due to the shadows.
"I hide in the shadows to protect myself princess something you clearly need to learn. "