6. New Faces
I arrived downstairs with one minute to spare. I didn't have to wait long. Emily came skipping down the stairs in a different pink dress this time.
"Ready to go?"
I nodded. Then she grabbed my hand and practically dragged me to town, chanting, "We don't want to be late for the prince!"
Once we arrived, Emily began searching the crowd for her friends. I had been looking forward to my first look at the town, but I couldn't see much of anything really. There were people everywhere, and I wasn't exactly the tallest person in the kingdom...
"Oh! Over here Briden..." Emily dragged me through the crowd, waving at someone. She stopped as four people greeted her and then looked at me.
"Everyone, this is Briden. Briden this is Liz, Brook, Aaron and Gavin."
"Hi," I replied as they took turns shaking my hand. Liz and Brook were both blonde like Emily, though Liz's hair was short and curly, Brook's long and pin-straight. Emily's friend Aaron was red-haired and freckled, nothing like my friend Aaron. Gavin looked at me with big brown eyes and matching brown hair. His handsome face smiled at me.
"It's very nice to meet you, Briden," he said smoothly as he shook my hand. I felt myself blush, but no one seemed to notice. The sudden sounds of blaring trumpets made everyone turn.
I turned to look through the dense crowd and could just make out a group of brass players moving down the street. Apparently, the parade had started.
"Come on!" Liz shouted, pushing herself to the front of the crowd. Emily and Brook squealed with excitement and followed their friend, squeezing through the crowd with difficulty.
"You don't have to follow them," Gavin said in my ear. "They're just going to ogle at the royals."
I turned to him. "Prince Nickolas?"
Gavin raised an eyebrow. "So, Emily's already told you about him. I guess I'm not surprised." He shook his head. "All the girls go crazy for Prince Nickolas, and Prince Aaron."
"There are two princes?"
"Yes. But girls obviously obsess over Nickolas more."
"Why is that?"
Gavin smiled at my naivety. "Because he's first in line for the throne."
"Oh."
He shrugged. "I'm not that impressed by royalty."
Someone bumped into me as more young girls scrambled to the front of the mass. I regarded them. "Me neither."
Gavin looked at me curiously. "Really?" But before I could answer, he grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him as an overeager prince fan came charging through.
"Thanks," I muttered, regaining my balance and noting my wild heartbeat. "I'm not impressed by riches if that's what you mean."
He smiled at me again. "Then you're not like most girls around here."
I blushed again as applause erupted around us. Gavin looked over the crowd to see what was going on. "Here they come now."
xxx
Nick looked over at his brother as they mounted their horses.
"Won't she see you in the parade?" he asked.
Aaron looked around to make sure no one was listening, and then nudged his horse closer to Nick's. "She just got here, she may not even be watching the parade. And if she is, there are so many people around she may not even see me, or recognize me for that matter. And if I do spot her, you'll cover me, right?"
Nick nodded in a dignified way. "Yes sir!"
Aaron smiled. His brother was always ready to lend a hand, a little too nosy sometimes, but he was glad of the extra help.
Moments later, it was their turn to go, and they rode down Main Street following the open carriage that their parents rode in. Aaron nodded stately at people as he passed, holding his hand up and waving to others. He put on his best performance as a prince.
xxx
I stood on my tiptoes to see over the heads of the people in front of me, but it was no use. I told myself I really didn't need to see, but I was curious. I saw a horse through the crowd but couldn't make out the person on it. Shrill screams pierced my ears. I would just have to take Emily's word for it that the princes were 'dreamy'.
After the parade ended, Emily and her friends showed me their favorite place to hang out. It was a crowded place they called Peterson's. It was packed with youth from all over town. There were tables set up and music coming from some unknown source, but most people just stood around chatting. The girls were talking about an upcoming play, and the boys were discussing the best way to catch an ogre. I shuddered at the word. I had always been afraid of ogres. The idea of forcing someone to do things against their will seemed especially horrid to me.
Gavin had been looking at me and noticed me shiver. "Are you cold?" he said over the noise.
"No," I hollered up to him. "I'm going to get some air."
"Do you want me to come with you?"
"No, I'll be fine. I'll be right back."
"Okay." And he turned back to his conversation with Aaron.
xxx
"Aaron, do I really have to wear this?" Nick asked, fumbling with a straw hat and glasses. "I hate wearing my glasses."
"Exactly. You never wear them, so no one will recognize you with them on," Aaron answered, fitting his own hat onto his head.
"Well, why aren't you in disguise? You just have a stupid hat."
Aaron scowled. "Because I am not as recognizable as you."
"You look just like me, except shorter."
"Well I don't have to appear at every town function. Now, be quiet and walk normal. We're almost there."
Nick hunched his shoulders and shuffled his feet as he followed his brother through the narrow alleyway they had been sneaking through.
The two young men emerged from the alley wearing drab clothes that no one would suspect a prince to be wearing. As they approached the middle of town, they easily joined the blustering crowd. It seemed to be working, nobody looked twice at them.
"Did you see Prince Nickolas?" Aaron heard as they passed a huddle of girls. "So cute—"
Nickolas slowed down to listen to them. "Come on." Aaron pulled him along.
"And did you see Prince Aaron? He is gorgeous."
Nick laughed and shoved Aaron playfully. Aaron kept his pace, trying to show Nick that he didn't care.
"I don't see her," Aaron whispered. "Let's go to Peterson's. I've met that Emily girl at a ball before. She talked about that place incessantly..."
"Ah, Emily Cruze. She's obsessed with me," Nick commented.
"Who isn't obsessed with future King Modest," Aaron quipped. Nick shoved him again. "Keep your voice down," Aaron added, and the brothers made their way down the street toward Peterson's.
xxx
I squeezed between two people and found myself in a less populated corner of the room. It was quieter over here, so I decided to stay. I leaned against the wall and looked around for a few minutes. Finally, I decided to head back to where the group was. I had only taken a few steps forward when someone bumped into me.
"Sorry—" I looked around as I steadied myself, surprised I hadn't fallen on my face yet what with all the maneuvering through crowds today.
"No, I apologize."
I looked at the guy I had run into. "Aaron?"
He looked up from under the same black hat he'd been wearing earlier and smiled as his blue eyes met mine. "Briden, Hi!"
I gave him a quick hug and looked at the guy standing next to him. Then Aaron seemed to remember whom he'd come with.
"Oh, Briden, this is my brother, James."
"Oh! So you're Aaron's brother. It's nice to meet you."
He shook my hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Briden." He looked a lot like Aaron, and was polite too. They were obviously related.
"Did you make it to the parade?" Aaron asked.
I nodded. "Yes I did. It was fun. They really go all out, don't they?"
James chuckled. "Indeed they do."
Aaron looked nervous about something. Maybe he was uncomfortable with the large crowd like I was. I smiled to myself, glad I wasn't alone.
"Well, I should get back to my group," I said, thinking they might be wondering why I was taking so long. "Do you want to meet them?"
Aaron glanced around hesitantly. "I'd love too...but actually James and I should be heading home. I'll see you around Bri."
"Oh, alright...bye!" I wished they didn't have to leave, I hated not knowing anybody here, but both boys nodded in farewell and disappeared through the crowd.
Emily and I arrived back at home later that night. My lack of sleep the previous night had finally caught up with me and I was exhausted from the busy day. I went straight up to my room and got ready for bed. After I had donned my nightgown and crawled into bed, there was knock on my door.
Carolyn came in, followed closely by Emily.
"Hi Briden. I just came in to say goodnight," she said.
"Oh." I smiled, trying to remember the last time someone had come into my room just to say goodnight. "Goodnight, Carolyn."
"Emily says you two had fun this afternoon."
"Yeah," I nodded, and added to Emily, "Thanks for taking me along."
"Oh it was my pleasure!" Emily chimed, taking a seat at the foot of my bed.
Carolyn smiled. "Well, goodnight girls." And she left the room.
"So," Emily said, as soon as the door closed. "Gavin said he had a good time with you today."
"He did?" I felt my face warm.
Emily smiled impishly. "So you like him?"
I shrugged, trying to act casual. "Well, he is rather...charming."
"Ooo! This is exciting." Emily hopped up from the bed. "Well, goodnight!"
As soon as she left, I fell back into my pillows. I sighed. She was obviously trying to set me up with Gavin. And I was okay with that. Gavin was sweet, not to mention handsome. I turned off my lamp and smiled as sleep took me. My first day in Bast had been a good one.
