Two Sides of the Coin

Chapter 5

The Princess of Nohr

Mckenzie tucked her knees close to her chest. Her clothes were still damp from her time in the river. The dreariness and chill from the dungeon cell she lived in for days did not help dry them out. The fabric of her shirt and hoodie clung to her skin, making it feel like she had another layer of flesh. Her jeans felt grimy, filled with dirt, and still water-logged. Every time a breeze passed through the groaning trees around her, she shivered.

Sitting in front of a campfire was doing wonders for her. What also helped her was the smell of soup bubbling in a cast-iron pot over the fire. The big man of the group, Benny, was busy tending to it, making sure it was cooked properly.

Another shiver hit Mckenzie, forcing her to extend her hands towards the flames.

"Not used to the cold?"

She flicked her eyes to the left. Shura flopped to a seat nearby, an empty bowl in his grasp.

"Not used to being soaked," she replied. Mckenzie's eyes drifted to the flames as they crackled and popped in the center of the small camp. She grimaced, recalling that it had been years since she lived somewhere that felt this frigid. "I guess the cold is getting to me too."

Shura smirked. "So, you ain't Nohrian then."

Mckenzie furrowed her brow. "Nohrian?"

"A resident of the kingdom that is Nohr."

Charlotte sank to a seat closer to Mckenzie. She had an empty bowl as well. As she sat, Mckenzie arched an eyebrow. The girl didn't appear dressed for the cold at all, with her short-sleeved shirt and trousers cut above the knee. A fur coat rested over her shoulders, which probably helped. A thick hat covered her head, letting only a few locks of her blonde hair spill from its confines.

I wish I had a hat right now.

Mckenzie blew out a long breath. "Never heard of it."

"Well, you have now," Shura shrugged. "Smells good, Benny."

"Thanks," Benny mumbled. For such a large man, he was remarkably soft-spoken.

"How could you not have heard of Nohr?" Charlotte frowned at Mckenzie, making her shrink. The blonde leaned closer to Mckenzie, scrutinizing her. "You are a foreigner, we've established that, but even the most ignorant of foreigners know about Nohr."

Mckenzie blinked. "Are- are you saying I'm stupid?"

"Well, you did get caught by bandits..." Shura cut in.

"Shura," Charlotte gave him a withering look."

"Right, right, I'll butt out before I get another tongue lashing."

"Good, because the topic of conversation isn't the sort of idiocy involving survival but rather idiocy involving education. Or, in this case, the lack thereof."

A flash of anger shot through Mckenzie. "Hold on. I'm not an idiot and I am plenty educated!"

"You don't know Nohr," Benny chimed in as he stirred the soup.

"I know-" Mckenzie groaned as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "I don't know where the hell I am, and despite you all helping me out of that castle or whatever it was, no one has explained to me exactly what is going on."

"Oh yeah, by the way," Shura glanced at Mckenzie, "ain't heard a 'thanks' for that yet."

Mckenzie blinked. "I-"

"You seriously haven't thanked Shura and Samwise for saving your life?" Charlotte gasped, giving her a shocked look. "That is… rude."

"That coming from a rude person, yeah, that's bad," Shura nodded.

Mckenzie frowned. "I really don't appreciate being attacked like this."

"Well, I don't appreciate you not helping me when I was getting the life choked out of me, but…" Shura trailed off as Mckenzie paled. He cursed under his breath, ducked his eyes, and sighed. "Look, kid, I-"

Mckenzie did not give him time to finish what he was saying. She liked the fire, but she could live without it. Anna had to have some blankets in the cart to help keep her warm.

With a huff, she rose to her feet and marched away from the fire, heading to the edge of the camp, where Anna's cart sat next to a mound of earth on the side of the dirt road. Sitting between the dirt and the cart might shelter her best from the wind. So, she made her way around the cart, passing by Anna's horse as it snorted and stamped a hoof, then slipped to a seat beside one of the wheels.

Mckenzie's plan did not work. The wind whipped through the gap between the dirt and cart like she was sitting in a funnel. She shivered as her hair flew over her face. A snarl slipped from her lips as she pulled the tangled blonde locks out of her eyes, only for them to fall over her face and nose again. She blew a sharp breath, finally blowing them out of her face.

Nohr: she had never heard of such a place. Then again, what kind of place existed back home where everyone wore medieval clothes, used axes and swords, and traveled via horse and cart rather than a car? It was as if she was sent back in time, but even that wouldn't make sense. Mckenzie always did well in classes like History, and she knew there was no kingdom in Earth's history named Nohr.

A trembling hand ran through her hair. The cold gnawed at her exposed skin and seeped through her clothes.

I should've swallowed my pride and stayed by the fire.

Boots crunched atop hard dirt. She didn't bother looking up to see who approached. If it was Shura or Charlotte, she didn't care.

"Well, this doesn't seem like the most comfortable place to eat a meal."

Mckenzie blinked. Sam leaned against the side of the cart. He held a bowl of steaming soup in his hands. He held it out to her.

"Figured you'd be hungry."

Mckenzie's lips thinned. She was starving, but she also didn't feel like eating at the same time. She still felt somewhat ill from before, her stomach twisting and her head aching if she made a sharp movement. There was also a tinge of guilt that stole her appetite.

I should just go back and thank them.

"Mckenzie, you've gotta eat. The soup isn't much, but it's better than nothing."

Mckenzie flicked her blue eyes to meet Sam's one green eye. Then, after glancing at the bowl, she quietly took it, ladled some soup in a wooden spoon, and sipped on the broth.

"Watery," she grimaced.

"Shura accidentally smashed the good stuff when he fell into the cart," Sam replied with a laugh. "Anna's been seething ever since."

Mckenzie laughed under her breath. "She's probably furious with me too. I broke her roof."

"Eh," Sam waved off Mckenzie's concern, "easy fix. Just some patchwork, most likely. If not, then Anna will get some new canvass when we get to where we're heading."

Mckenzie froze. They were heading for somewhere. An actual destination; but where?

"Where are we going?"

Sam folded his hands as he kept leaning against the cart. A yawn slipped from his lips. He looked exhausted, yet he was still standing and making sure she was okay. More guilt clawed at her.

I feel useless, and I hate that.

"To the closest shred of civilization that exists this far north. Don't worry about it. You're not in any danger, so long as you stick with us."

As he said that, Mckenzie glanced away from her spot beside the cart toward the fire. Deep laughter echoed through the night as Benny howled at something Shura said. Charlotte snickered as well as she sipped on her soup. Shura, meanwhile, lay on his side, utterly relaxed beside the roaring fire. She still didn't see Anna. The surly merchant must be in the cart.

"You should really sit near the fire. It'll help."

Mckenzie flicked her eyes back to Sam. "I don't think I'm welcome over there."

Sam's mouth fell open in understanding. "So, you met Charlotte."

"And Benny, and Shura."

"They're good people."

"They're rude." Mckenzie's mouth hovered close to the lip of her bowl as she debated drinking some of the broth to help her get warm. "Especially Shura."

Sam shrugged. "They just don't have much of a filter. Well… Charlotte can, but it depends on who she's around. If she's relaxed, she'll just spout off whatever comes to her head. Benny's a softie. And Shura-"

"Is rude."

"Is a good man," Sam corrected before sighing. "We're all still coming down a bit from everything that happened earlier. Don't hold that against them, okay? Fights tend to leave everyone feeling a bit tense."

"You don't seem tense."

Sam snorted. "I'm just better at hiding it, trust me." He blew out a long breath. "Anna's in the cart. Ask her for a blanket if you stay over here. The night is only going to get colder, and I don't want you to freeze."

"I'll keep that in mind," Mckenzie muttered.

With a nod, Sam turned and started heading back to the fire. After a couple of steps though, Mckenzie closed her eyes and called to him again.

"Sam." The one-eyed man glanced over his shoulder at her. "Thank you. And… please let Shura know that I'm grateful too."

A sympathetic smile crossed his features. He gave her a nod, then turned and joined the others around the fire. Benny almost knocked him over with a strong pat on his scrawny back, causing Shura and Charlotte to cackle. It was a warm atmosphere over there, which happened as soon as Mckenzie stepped away.

I may be far from home, but damn does this place feel like it still. She sipped her soup, closing her eyes as the warm liquid ran down her throat and warmed her. Right down to the freezing temperatures.

She raised the bowl to her lips again, only for a heavy, wool blanket to cover her head. Mckenzie blinked then shook the blanket.

"There. Now don't bother me. I'm trying to relax," she heard Anna grumble from the cart.

Mckenzie blinked. For such a grumpy person, Anna didn't hesitate to hand her a blanket. Sam didn't even prompt her to hand her one.

At least those two care.

She ate the rest of her meager dinner in silence. It was better than the slop she was fed in the bandit's dungeon, but she was still looking forward to a proper meal when they arrived at their destination, wherever that might be. Once she was finished, she set her bowl to the side, wrapped the wool blanket tight around her shivering body, then leaned against the wheel of the cart, letting her body rest against something that wasn't stone for a change.

As her eyes closed, she longed for home. Not for Wisconsin. That home could stay in the past. She wanted to go back to Los Angeles. Back to where her dreams lay.

But for now, Mckenzie had to sleep and suffer through more of the nightmare she found herself in.

Snow flurries drifted down from the dreary, gray sky. Whenever Mckenzie looked up, she wondered if this place's sky was even blue in the first place. Not a hint of color painted the world above her head. Even the sun seemed pale and dull compared to sunny Southern California, or even Wisconsin.

The only comparable is home during January. Even then, a clear morning could be beautiful.

Mckenzie blinked as she sat in the back of Anna's cart. When did she start getting so wistful about Wisconsin? There was a good reason she left that place when she graduated high school. She didn't want to live there anymore. She didn't even want to visit it. Yet, as she looked at craggy mountains covered in a thin dusting of snow, she couldn't help but miss it.

Now that she thought about it, she was probably feeling this way because of the company she was currently in. Sam was the only person that bothered to speak with her. He was kind, if a bit distant. As the leader of this raggedy troop, he was busy making sure they reached their destination in one piece. So, she did not blame him for not paying much attention to her.

Shura, Benny, and Charlotte were a little clique, in her opinion. Benny seemed kind but very shy. Mckenzie did try to speak to him once or twice, but she only ever got one or two-word answers out of him before the awkward tension became too much for even her to bear. As for Shura and Charlotte, well, Shura was at least being amicable to her. She could respect that.

Charlotte was a brat, and Mckenzie was fine with thinking that. The girl didn't appreciate how Mckenzie acted "ungrateful" at the fire. How was she supposed to act though? She was still reeling from everything. This place, Nohr, was as alien as the moon, and she was supposed to remember to thank a person she had only just met?

Sorry that slipped my mind.

Finally, Anna was… Anna. Mckenzie couldn't figure out the merchant. She might be the grumpiest person Mckenzie had ever been around. At the same time, other than Sam, she was the one helping Mckenzie the most. She did not forget how Anna made sure she had a blanket to deal with the cold. That kind gesture made Mckenzie forgive a lot of Anna's more biting remarks.

A bump in the cart jostled Mckenzie from her thoughts. That was followed by a sharp lurch as the cart slipped on a patch of ice. Her eyes widened as she grabbed hold of the side of the cart, steadying herself.

Shura chuckled behind her. "You good over there?"

Mckenzie frowned. "Just trying not to fall out."

"Then perhaps you should keep hands and feet inside the cart at all times," Charlotte said with a huff as she folded her arms. "But, if you insist on getting tossed out the back and rolling down the mountainside, be my guest."

"Charlotte…" Shura sighed while Benny remained his quiet self.

Mckenzie simply ignored the girl. No point in feeding her fuel. She had dealt with plenty of brats in Los Angeles and back home in Wisconsin. There used to be a group of girls at her high school who did nothing but put her down. Eventually, she discovered that she could ignore them and not give them the pleasure of seeing her react. It took longer to work than Joey's proposed solution, which was punching one of them in the nose, but they eventually left her alone. So, she would employ the same strategy on Charlotte.

Joey…

Her heart sank. What happened to her little brother? Was he at the bottom of Lake Winnebago? Did someone rescue him and was he recovering in a hospital? Did he somehow wind up in a similar situation as her? She hoped not. She liked to think that her mostly calm demeanor had kept her alive. Joey… well… if he was anything like she remembered, his first instinct would be to throw a punch and ask questions later.

Maybe he grew up a little bit while I was away?

The uphill climb leveled out beneath the cart. As it did, Anna clicked her tongue, signaling for her loyal horse to slow down. When it came to a stop, she cleared her throat.

"Alright, we're here!"

Mckenzie raised an eyebrow. What kind of civilization existed in the middle of a frozen mountain range?

"Out of the cart, sweetheart," Shura remarked, earning a sharp glare from Mckenzie. He just smirked, and Mckenzie suppressed a huff.

When she hopped out, she gulped. A fortress sat in front of the cart, nestled against the jagged walls of the mountain. It wasn't like the castle she escaped with Sam and Shura either. That fort was child's play compared to the structure in front of her.

Tall, broad walls towered above her, easily as tall as the apartment she lived in back in LA. Gargantuan towers with small slits for windows loomed, casting long shadows over the gravel road. In the center of the fortress was a large keep that looked like something from Eastern Europe that Mckenzie would see while scrolling through Instagram. It was both imposing and strangely beautiful at the same time.

The gray stone made it dreary though.

A heavy wooden gate cracked open. When it did, a lone man stepped out. He wore black, plate armor head to toe. Although, he did not wear a helmet, which allowed his gray and thinning hair to flow freely to the nape of his neck. He was an older man. Crow's feet clung to the corners of his eyes, and a few wrinkles lined his lips. Despite his aged appearance though, he looked strong and powerful. Mckenzie knew the type.

Old man strength.

"State your business here," the old man ordered.

Anna cleared her throat. "Good Sir Knight, might I-"

"Sir Gunter," The old man interrupted, causing Anna to trip over her words a moment.

"Right, Sir Gunter. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance!" Mckenzie raised an eyebrow. Was Anna being nice? She was acting happy? What? "My name is Anna, the Secret Seller and-"

"How did you find this place, merchant?"

"She found it because of me," Sam sighed, stepping in front of Anna's cart. Mckenzie winced when Anna grumbled under her breath. "I'll take it from here."

"Fine, ruin my spiel," Anna huffed. "It's not like I needed the practice or anything like that."

Sir Gunter narrowed his eyes at Sam. "And you are."

"Samuel Daraen," Sam answered, "Retainer to Prince Leo Krakenburg." The Knight's brow furrowed. "I'm returning from an assignment, but me and my crew need a place to rest and resupply before continuing the journey to Windmire. The Prince pointed this place out on the map as a safe spot."

"Did he now?" Sir Gunter hummed. "Samuel Daraen… yes, I've heard of you."

"Oh, that's nice."

"Prince Leo has called you a royal pain in his ass."

Mckenzie's jaw dropped. Sam worked for a Prince? How!? Not only that, he apparently got on that Prince's nerves?

Who is this guy?

Sam uttered a sheepish laugh. "He means that in the best of ways, I'm sure." Behind him, Shura and Charlotte struggled to contain their snickers. Benny just looked a bit confused. "Well, may we rest here for a day or two before heading home?"

Sir Gunter drew in a heavy breath. "I'm sorry, young man, but-"

"I heard there was a merchant!"

Mckenzie flicked her eyes to the top of the battlements. At the top stood a tall, slender man in what must be Nohr's equivalent of a suit. He didn't wear a jacket though, even though it was freezing outside. One of his gloved hands waved down at Anna.

"You are a merchant! Yes! Do you, perchance, have strawberries for sale?"

Anna did not even hesitate.

"Yes, but they're jarred."

"Wonderful! Gunter, let them in, quickly. You know Princess Corrin likes her strawberries."

Mckenzie blinked. Princess Corrin? There was a Princess here? Why was there a Princess living in the middle of nowhere?

The others seemed just as surprised as her. Anna even leaned over in her seat towards Sam.

"Princess?"

Sam shrugged. "Just roll with it."

"Works for me."

Sir Gunter uttered a weary sigh before stepping out of the way. He waved for Anna to roll into the fortress courtyard while the rest of us followed her.

Once in the courtyard, the gate closed behind them with a heavy thud. Mckenzie whirled around, her heart skipping a beat as she looked at the ring of stone around her. Her heart thumped in her chest. One, deep breath later, and it began to slow again.

The man in the suit climbed down from the walls and strode to Anna. Even his gait was formal. Mckenzie raised an eyebrow as he walked past her without even glancing at her.

What is going on?

"How much for the strawberries, Miss Anna?"

"Oh, well, given the rarity of the commodity Mr…"

"Jakob, retainer to Princess Corrin Krakenburg."

Anna's eyes widened, not with surprise, but with a strange giddiness. A genuine smile formed on her lips, the first Mckenzie had ever seen from the woman.

"Oh really?"

Before Mckenzie could hear more of their conversation, an armored finger tapped her shoulder. She yelped and spun around, coming face to face with a shiny, black breastplate. Sir Gunter stood in front of her, a frown on his wrinkled lips. With a nervous laugh, she stepped back.

"S-Sorry about that," she said.

The Knight nodded his head at the keep. "Go on inside. Flora and Felicia will help you draw a bath. You look like you need it."

Mckenzie's mouth fell open. Did she look that bad? She knew she must reek. How many days had it been since she showered? Applied deodorant? Brushed her teeth?

How homeless do I look right now?

"C'mon, Mckenzie." Sam patted her on the back, urging her with him up the steps to the Keep's tall doors. He rolled his shoulders as the door opened for them. "Naga, a bath sounds good right about now. Ladies first, of course, though. I've got to discuss some things with Sir Gunter. Shura! Get over here."

"Got it, boss."

Mckenzie gulped as Sam stepped to the side with the Knight, marching toward a hallway off to the side of the massive, main hall she entered. She gingerly tiptoed her way further into the cavernous space, her filthy shoes not even making a sound as they padded atop a red rug. A long table sat at the end of the hall, a formal dining area for large gatherings. Cobwebs clung to the legs of the table and the chair armrests. It looked like it hadn't been used in ages.

As she approached it, a small door in the corner of the hall opened. Two younger girls in maid uniforms hurried out. They were mirror images of the other, except one had blue hair and the other pink.

Wait, blue and pink hair? How does a medieval society have that level of hair dye?

"Oh! The visitor we heard about!" The girl with blue hair remarked, giving Mckenzie a small curtsey. Her companion hesitated to do the same, causing the blue-haired girl to give her pink-haired friend a sharp look. "Felicia."

"O-Oh, right!" Felicia curtsied as well. "Thank you, Flora."

"Of course. Now, miss…"

"Mckenzie," Mckenzie answered, confusion filling her.

"Oooh, pretty name," Felicia remarked with a warm smile.

"It is," Flora nodded. "And I'm sure it'll be even prettier when she's freshened up." She spun on her heel. "Follow us, milady."

"Yup! Follow us. The bath has already been drawn for you." Felicia chirped, bouncing after Flora.

Mckenzie raised a thin eyebrow. All of this was way too confusing for her. She hadn't taken a bath since she was a child, back when her mother still made those for her. As soon as she was able to take care of herself, she took showers.

More reinforcement that this place cannot possibly be real… right? I have to be in some sort of weird, coma dream.

The two maids guided her down a flight of stairs to a small room with a large tub in it. Steam billowed up from the water. Suds bubbled on the surface. All confused thoughts evaporated from Mckenzie's mind. The bath was the single most inviting thing she had ever seen.

"We will bring you a change of clothes," Flora said. "For now, strip."

Mckenzie nodded but did not move. Neither did the maids. She furrowed her brow, puzzled. She gestured at both of them.

"Do you mind?"

Flora and Felicia shared a confused glance. A moment later, they picked up on what she wanted.

"Ah, I see. Modesty, of course. We don't blame you for that," Flora said with a bow of her head.

"Yup! Privacy is important. Just leave your clothes on the floor for one of us to get, alright?"

"Okay?" Mckenzie replied, watching the two maids hurry out of the room.

When the door shut, her gaze returned to the bath. Just looking at it caused all of her muscles to relax.

Sam is right. This is probably going to feel amazing.

The fortress was massive.

The maids, Flora and Felicia, must have expected Mckenzie to take longer in the bath. But, the water only remained hot for so long, and by the time it turned lukewarm, it wasn't very enjoyable to her anymore. Still, it felt amazing to freshen up and step out, wearing a tunic and trousers left for her by the maids.

As for the outfit, though, it was not exactly to her taste. The shirt was baggy over her skinny frame, with one sleeve falling off her bony shoulder. Whenever she tried to fix it, the other sleeve would droop, creating an endless cycle of frustration. The material of the trousers was scratchy, making her legs itch. Then again, that could be thanks to whatever soap she used in the bath.

I doubt that stuff was FDA approved.

Mckenzie paused as she strolled through a long, winding corridor, getting lost in the fortress. She tucked her chin, grimacing.

I shouldn't be complaining. Not after everything that has happened.

She drew in a deep breath and glanced at one of the narrow windows beside her. Outside, it still looked gray and dreary. Fresh snow fluttered from the sky, layering the battlements and courtyard with a layer of unblemished powder. The more that fell, the more she was reminded of her home in Wisconsin.

Amazing to think I'm sort of longing for that place. Mckenzie snorted as she turned away from the window and continued down the corridor. Is this place really so terrible that I want to go back to the land of cheese?

Candlelight from inside of a set of double doors. The doors were cracked open a tad. Curious, Mckenzie decided to take a peak.

Her mouth fell open. A library sat inside of the doors. Not a library like back home. Goodness no! She recalled visiting the public library in Los Angeles and being floored by the sheer volume of books available compared to her high school back in Oshkosh. But, for a medieval place, there were a large number of books.

They were all stored neatly on tall shelves that lined the square room's walls. A large set of windows sat on the far end of the room from the doors, with heavy, red drapes covering the foggy glass, not allowing any of the gray sun in. A large candlestick sat on a table by the windows, with three candles on it, casting a golden glow around the room.

When she finished marveling, Mckenzie blinked and shook her head. This was a library. A place of knowledge. She could figure out where she was from this place!

She shoved the doors all the way open and rushed inside, flying to the closest bookshelf. When she reached it, she furrowed her brow. None of the books had titles. They were all leather-bound tomes, with bindings made of different colors, but completely unidentifiable beyond that.

A frustrated sound slipped from her lips. She sidestepped down the row of shelves, searching for something, anything, that could give her a clue about where she was and how she could get home.

This can't be this difficult!

She huffed and spun to march across the room, only to plow into someone nose deep in a book. Their heads smacked together with a sharp crack.

Mckenzie yelped as she fell backward, hitting the shelves then slumping to the ground, dazed. Stars danced in her eyes for a second. A couple of books fell from the shelves around her, hitting the stone floor with hard thuds.

What did I just-

"Wow, that's going to cause a bit of a headache!"

Mckenzie blinked. Her vision cleared. As it did, she spotted another girl sharing the room with her.

The girl was unlike any other Mckenzie had ever seen. For starters, she had to be an albino. Red eyes like rubies sat inside of a face paler than the snow outside. Platinum cascaded from the crown of the girl's head to beneath her shoulders, only held back out of her eyes by a blue headband. That headband also helped display pointed ears, which only added to Mckenzie's surprised confusion.

As for the girl's attire, it did not appear complex. She did not wear a maid uniform, like Flora and Felicia. Instead, she wore what appeared to be a simple, purple robe with some soft, white linens beneath it. Her feet were bare, showing that she was comfortable in this space, unlike Mckenzie.

A thin stream of blood trickled from the girl's sharp nose, making it wrinkle. One of her hands reached up.

"Ow, ow!" She hissed. "Am I bleeding?" She blinked and looked at Mckenzie. "Oh by the dusk dragon, are you okay?"

Mckenzie realized her mouth was ajar. Why? Well, she had to admit, the girl was quite pretty.

"Uh…"

"I'm sorry for running into you," the girl apologized, wincing as she touched her nose. When her finger came away red, she frowned and then titled her head back. "By the way, could you please grab me something for my nose? I'd rather not get blood all over my books."

"Blood all over- oh, crap! Right!"

Mckenzie jumped to her feet. She staggered a moment, her head still swimming, before managing to make her way over to the desk. There, she spotted a rag that looked clean enough. She snatched it and brought it over to the girl.

"H-Here."

The girl plucked it from her hand. "Thank you."

She dabbed at her nose, cleaning away some of the blood before pinching the rag around it. After wincing, she flicked her red eyes to Mckenzie. Her brow knitted in confusion.

"I don't know you."

"Uh, yeah, about that."

"Who are you? Are you a visitor?" A gasp shot from the girl's mouth. "Did my father send you?"

"If he did, he's got some serious explaining to do," Mckenzie deadpanned.

"Lady Corrin, are you in here?"

A new maid poked her head into the library. This one appeared a couple of years older than Flora and Felicia. Her green eyes darted across the room to Corrin and Mckenzie. She blinked then frowned.

"Flora and Felicia are running frantic looking for you, Miss Mckenzie."

"Oh! Lilith!" Corrin said, her voice turning nasally. "Good, you're here. As you can see, we had a bit of an accident. Do you mind helping out a little?"

Lilith entered the library, a light titter leaving her lips. "Not at all. Let me take a look."

Lilith stooped over Corrin as the princess pulled the rag away from her nose. The maid hummed, turning Corrin's head gently to and fro.

"It doesn't appear broken. Certainly bruised though. What did you do?"

"We sorta collided," Mckenzie cringed.

Lilith flicked her eyes over her shoulder, a slight frown on her lips. Before she could say anything, Corrin patted her forearm.

"It's alright, Lilith. I wasn't paying attention. You know me and books. Once I start reading, I don't know what's going on around me," she finished with a laugh.

Lilith closed her eyes. "If you say so, my lady."

Corrin drew in a breath through her mouth. Her attention returned to Mckenzie. "So, your name is Mckenzie. And, judging by Lilith's reaction to you, you're not a new servant sent by father?"

Mckenzie raised an eyebrow. "What would give you that sort of idea?"

"Well, the only people that ever come to my home, other than my siblings, are new servants sent by the crown. So, I thought it was only right to assume, but I am clearly wrong."

Mckenzie nodded. "Yes, you are. I am no one's maid or servant and-" her mind screeched to a stop. "Your home?" A lump lodged in her throat. "Princess Corrin?"

Corrin let out a gentle laugh before hissing as her nose hurt. "Yes, that's me."

"You would do well to remember that," Lilith remarked, folding her arms.

Mckenzie sucked in a sharp breath, lips puckering like she ate a lemon. Her heart seized in her chest. She was talking to royalty. Even though she wasn't entirely sure about the validity of such titles in a place like this, she knew that the people living here regarded the Princess with respect and reverence, judging by how the servants talked about her.

And I was about to give her a good rant. Lovely.

Mckenzie swallowed hard. What does she even do when around royalty? She never had to worry about that in LA. She certainly never had to consider such a thing back in Wisconsin, unless she wanted to count the Prom Queen and King as royalty.

What do I do now that I've accidentally injured a Princess?

"So… do I bow first, or do I beg for forgiveness?"

Mckenzie braced herself, waiting for something bad. Instead, she was surprised to hear Corrin laughing.

Is it a good thing when royalty laughs?

"Bandits, eh?" Sir Gunter sipped on his glass of whiskey as he sat in front of a cold fireplace. "How many?"

Sam blew out a long breath as he massaged his eyes. He felt exhausted. Infiltrating and extracting the necessary intelligence Prince Leo required about the bandits in this region of the kingdom proved more taxing than he expected. When his hand fell from his eyes, he scratched at his stubble-lined chin and shrugged.

"Enough," he answered. He brought his own glass to his lips and sipped. "Some of them survived."

"I'm sure when Prince Xander and the other royals arrive tomorrow, they'll send some men out to handle it."

Sam blinked. "They're coming here?"

"Yes, but just them. No retainers, from what I understand."

Any excitement Sam felt ebbed away. He slumped into his seat. When he did, Gunter uttered a low chuckle.

"Hoping for someone else other than your liege?"

Sam snorted. "I suppose."

"I thought a retainer's first loyalty was to the lord they served, and nothing else?"

Sam shook his head, grimacing as he took a long gulp from his whiskey. When he pulled the glass away from his lips, he let out a satisfied exhale, eyes widening a little as the harsh liquid burned down his throat.

"They like to think that, don't they?" He replied, swirling the few drops left of the amber liquid in his glass around. A soft laugh left his lips.

"Ah," Gunter nodded. "Someone special then?"

"Yeah," Sam nodded. He shifted in his seat. "No worries though. I'll see Sev again when I get back to Windmire." He swallowed the last swig of his whiskey then set his glass down on the table beside his chair. "For now, I need to get ready for Prince Leo to arrive. He'll want a full debriefing on what happened, and why I'm here and not still gathering intelligence."

"That he will. I wish you luck with that. From what I understand, he's quite close to wanting to kill you."

Sam groaned as he got to his feet. "If I had a silver for every person that's wanted to kill me over the years, I'd be a wealthy man."

Gunter snorted out a short laugh. "Rogues and their blase attitudes."

"Knights and their ridiculous rigidity," Sam called back as he walked out of the barracks common room and into the cold, afternoon air of Northern Nohr.

When he stepped out, he immediately bumped into a blur of pink hair.

"Oh! Master Daraen, there you are!" Felicia gasped. "Situation: can't find Mckenzie. Afraid she found a secret passage and got trapped."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "There are secret passages here?"

Felicia's eyes widened. "Uh, forget I said that. Mckenzie is-"

"Looks like she's chatting with one of your fellow maids and who I assumed to be Princess Corrin?"

Felicia whirled around. On a balcony near the peak of the keep, Sam watched Mckenzie and Corrin share a cup of hot tea served by another, blue-haired maid. A small smile creased his lips.

She's getting adjusted. Good.

"Is there anything you need, Master Daraen?"

"Hm? Oh, no, nothing. Just going to get a bath already before I stink the place up anymore."

"I shall guide you!"

"That's not-"

"Right this way!" Felicia chirped, taking Sam by the wrist and pulling him to the keep.

Sam relented. In his experience, there was no point in arguing. If anything, this kept him from getting lost in one of those secret passages Felicia mentioned.

And chapter! Back to Mckenzie we go, and she's run into the magnet for trouble that is Corrin. This should be fun!

Now, some housekeeping things. I've just started a new, full-time job at a bank. Good news: I don't work past 5pm anymore, so I have more energy. Bad news, I can't write all day like I used to. So, I'll attempt to keep up the once a week update schedule, but in all likelihood, this could move to an update every two weeks. We will see.

Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed it! Have a nice day!

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