A/N: Managed to finally come up with a solid idea for this chapter. Have no idea when the next update will be if there will be one, sorry.
The following day aside from her trip down to the dining hall for breakfast in the morning Keira decided to isolate herself in her room as she silently leaned against the railing of her balcony as she rested her head in her hand and looked out at forest edge that sat on the other side of the large stone wall in the garden below. As she gazed out at the trees as they gently moved in the window her thoughts focused on Jack. She was still greatly upset at the remembrance of the benefits her marriage brought to her spouse and the chances she would and couldn't get it off her mind. It was secretly her greatest desire to leave her life of royalty behind and become a person of average status who didn't have to care about being proper and respectable around everyone all the time. But just like she started to believe yesterday it seemed that dream was in vain.
She sighed and walked away from the railing back into her room and looked out her window facing towards the town and watched once again as the townspeople went about their business. What she would do to join them. She stared at them all for another moment before recomposing herself and looking at her faint reflection in mirror confidently. She turned around and walked over to the door and stepped outside into the hall to be greeted by Celia.
"Keira are you alright today?" She asked.
"I'm fine." Keira answered in a slightly aggravated tone before walking down the hall.
Celia looked at her for a moment before running up to her and walking slightly behind her. "Are you sure? You haven't left your room all day until now."
"I'm fine." Keira repeated. "I just need sometime alone that's all."
Celia didn't seem to believe her. "Look if there's something wrong you can…"
"I said I'm fine!" Keira shouted angrily as she turned around to face her before speaking a little more calmly. "I'm going for a walk through the town again and would like to be alone."
Celia remained still and watched both fearfully and confused as Keira turned around and continued down the hall before walking down the stairs at the end. As Keira walked towards the castle's main gate leading outside the two guards stationed there both gave her a bow as she smiled and walked past them. As she walked along the stone bridge crossing over the river towards town she was soon stopped by a familiar voice.
"Princess Keira, where are you headed off to this afternoon?" She heard Edwin ask.
She turned around and watched as he approached her. "I was just going to take a walk through the town."
"Hm, do you think that perhaps maybe I could accompany you?" He asked.
Keira thought for a moment. She was really leaving her castle's grounds because she had decided that she would visit Jack again so she could have a serious talk with him for once and tell him about her current issue. She couldn't even consider taking Edwin with if she was to go and visit to someone who could possibly have gained control of her heart yet at the same time she could bring herself to immediately reject him for some reason. She had to consider the fact that there was a strong chance that nothing could amount between her and Jack and that Edwin was so far the only suitor that she could actually enjoy.
She nodded her head. "Alright, you can join me."
He smiled and walked up beside her and she began to lead him around the town. Since she hadn't planned on him joining her or rather she hadn't planned on actually walking around the town she simply wandered aimlessly around the busy roads and alleys of the area quietly beside Edwin. As they walked Keira's thoughts constantly shifted back and forth between either attempting to purse Jack or to just rather give up on him entirely.
"This is a really lovely place." Edwin remarked in a way that seemed to indicate his uneasiness with the silence between them.
"Huh?" Keira said as she snapped out of her thoughts. "Oh yes, it is quite lovely here isn't it."
"Your parents seem to take care of this place quite well, much like they have with you." He said in a charming voice.
Keira actually found herself actually blushing at that compliment and placed her hand on her cheek and looked away with a sense of embarrassment. "Hm, thank you…"
"It's no trouble at all my dear." He told her. "Anything thing I can do to please you makes me happy."
Keira looked back at him and smiled. "You really aren't like most suitors I get stuck with Edwin."
He smiled as well. "Well I should hope not, I wouldn't want to ruin any chances of ending up with you."
"That… that's really nice of you…" She said as her thoughts concerning love returned to her.
"All the people here seem quite friendly; I can't imagine any of them being unhappy." He remarked.
The two of them turned at the intersection in the road and entered a large open square filled with various stalls, stands, and merchants, signaling their arrival at the market area of town. They only walked a few steps into the area when suddenly they heard yelling coming from a nearby stall.
"What do you mean these are no good!" Someone shouted.
Keira and Edwin turned around in direction of the noise and her eye's immediately widened.
"Jack…?" She whispered in disbelief.
Jack was standing in front of one of the stands holding a turnip from a small basket on the counter in his hands as he stared angrily at stand owner.
"I told you that I can't buy these at you're price. They're not ripe, now I can buy these at a lower price though if you'd like." The merchant replied.
"Not ripe?" Jack asked as if he had just been insulted.
Keira had no real knowledge of crops and wasn't standing at a close enough distance to examine Jack's produce closely but from what she could see they appeared to be fine and the owner just appeared to be taking advantage of him.
"What do you mean they're not ripe?" Jack shouted. "They're fine! Look!"
Jack shoved the turnip near the merchant's face who quickly batted it out of hand.
"I'm sorry I can't buy these for full price in this condition." The merchant told him.
Jack brought his fist down on the wooden counter in anger. "There's nothing wrong with them now buy them!"
"Another typical angry peasant…" Edwin muttered as Jack and the merchant continued to argue.
Soon a town guard walked up to the scene.
"You're causing a disturbance here; I have to ask you to leave." He told Jack.
"What?" Jack asked in disbelief. "I'm getting cheated here and you're telling me to leave?"
The guard grabbed Jack's arm and pulled him close as he looked in his eyes. "Look peasant we have no need for you here. Now you must either leave on your own or I'll be forced to escort you myself."
"I don't think so." Jack said as he pulled his arm back. "What gives you the right to tell me what to do? You have no authority over me, you have no…"
The guard turned his spear and pushed the wooden end forcefully into Jack's chest knocking him to the ground.
"That's enough. Leave at once. Now, you peasant." The guard ordered.
Jack got up and dusted off his tattered clothes before giving the guard a look. "I'll leave once I get what I came here for."
The guard bashed the end spear into Jack's chest and knocked him to ground.
"You are to leave at once!" The guard commanded.
As Jack leaned back on his arms and as he looked around at the silent crowd in the area Keira hid behind Edwin so he wouldn't see her. He slowly got back up to his feet and started to stumble away silently leaving a sense of shame as he left. As he passed the through the archway leading out of town and into the forest Keira emerged from her place behind Edwin and looked at him with an unsettling look.
That evening when Keira dined with her parents and Edwin again she found herself thinking of the scene she had witnessed earlier involving Jack instead of her feelings for him. To see him get pushed around like that pained her but what pained her even more was how she simply hid from him and did nothing to help.
"So how was you and Edwin's walk?" Her mother asked her.
Keira looked up at her. "It was fine mother."
"Indeed it was. I must say you two have built quite a bustling town." Edwin added.
Her mother smiled at him. "Why thank you Edwin."
"I heard there was some trouble out in the market earlier today. Did you two see anything?" Her father asked.
Keira looked up and slightly opened her mouth as if she was about to say something but soon closed it leaned back in her chair before looking down at the table in shame.
"It was just some angry peasant that's all." Edwin answered. "One of your guards seemed to take care of him though."
"Bah, peasants." Her father muttered. "They don't seem to understand their place in this world yet. What seemed to be the problem taking place?"
"Oh something about money." Edwin replied.
"Of course." Her father remarked. "It's always about money with them. Remember that one peasant you met a few days ago Keira?"
She didn't answer.
"Trying to act all noble by not accepting a reward." Her father continued as if she had replied. "Who was he trying to impress? The nerve."
Keira gently placed her fork down beside her plate and stood up.
"Keira where are you going?" Her mother asked as she watched her slowly walk towards the door.
"I'm not hungry anymore." She replied quietly.
Keira slowly walked out of the room and down the halls of the castle towards her room. She had an immense feeling of shame in her heart due to the fact that she had done nothing to help Jack even though there wasn't really anything she could do. But there was something else that was troubling her. Seeing Jack getting taken advantage of opened her eyes to the harsh troubles that would come with an average life. And yet, she still coveted that life.
