RAVENNA FOUND EOIN patrolling the marketplace the next morning. He smiled warmly at her as she approached. He lowered into a slight bow, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "Hello, Lady Ravenna."

"Please don't call me that," Ravenna told him. She couldn't help but grin back at him.

"Have you had breakfast yet?" he asked.

She shook her head. She wasn't hungry, but breakfast would give her even more time with him. The more time that she had, the more time that she could flirt.

He seemed happy about that response. "Wonderful! Would you like to grab a bite with me, then? I really don't get the chance to eat good breakfast food anymore and this gives me the perfect excuse."

"What do you mean?" she asked, an eyebrow quirked.

His fingers scratched at the back of his head. His expression was sheepish. "Well, I'm sure that you understand with how much you seem to travel. We can't exactly be picky when it comes to what we can eat. There is only so much available."

"I am sure that took a while to get used to," Ravenna snickered, mostly to herself. "Especially considering the lavish foods that the king feasts on."

"It did," Eoin answered with a laugh. "I went from juicy exotic fruits and breads to bland, mashed oats. It was awful."

"Poor you," she giggled.

He clutched his hand to his heart. "Poor me, indeed."

She rolled her eyes and glanced around, scanning over the market. More and more humans had slowly started to enter the streets that surrounded them. It was a strange sight for Ravenna. There were more humans strolling about compared to what she'd experienced the day before. It was almost as busy as it had been the day that she arrived.

"I have heard legends about a bakery here," Eoin informed her. He presented his arm and she hesitantly curled her arm around it. His smile was pure sunshine. "Would you like to try that? Or is there somewhere else that you prefer to dine at? You have been here longer."

Ravenna shrugged slightly as they started to walk forward. "The bakery sounds great. If it is the one that I'm thinking of, I have actually dined there a few times. It's an unusual, but fairly nice experience."

He blinked at her. "Is that so? What makes it so unusual?"

"Well, there is a young girl that serves you the food," she explained. "Most food vendors that I have come across simply hand you the food directly. You can choose to eat it while you walk around the market or wait until you return home."

That seemed to interest him. "I suppose that I am accustomed to being served my food," he said.

"Not all of us are born with that privilege," Ravenna told him.

A cloud of silence engulfed them for a few moments. Eoin lead her through the crowded streets, toward the bakery that Ravenna was familiar with. There was a small group of men seated in old, wooden chairs outside the door. As they approached, one of the men jumped to his feet and rushed to open the door for them.

The action was minor, but it still surprised Ravenna. The man bowed low. "Greetings, your highness," he said.

Ravenna glanced at Eoin when she heard him sigh softly. His expression was kind and warm as he thanked the man. However, she could see the snippet of exasperation that swam within his eyes. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What's wrong?"

He met her gaze and his smile became more genuine. "I quite prefer the anonymity that being a knight brings," he explained. "And word travels fast in small towns."

"This isn't exactly a small town," she muttered under her breath.

A young girl was waiting for them inside the bakery. She smiled kindly at them, twirling a strand of her hair nervously around her fingers. When they turned their full attention to her, the girl bowed and greeted them.

She lead them to a wooden table near the back of the bakery. Ravenna slid into her seat, only somewhat elegantly, while Eoin sat down with an unnecessary amount of grace. The young girl supplied them with a specialty ale and two very nice looking glasses.

When she left, Ravenna picked up her glass, examining it. "I've never seen this before," she told Eoin. Her fingers brushed over the edges of the cup. "At least, not in this bakery."

Eoin rested his elbow against the edge of the table, his knuckles pressing gently into his cheek. "I am not surprised," he said. "As I said, I much prefer to travel with anonymity. If I don't, I always wind up receiving an absurd amount of special treatment."

"Is that so?" she said absently and took a sip of her drink. It wasn't as bitter compared to the ale she'd grown accustomed to.

He chuckled. "Haven't you noticed? The gentleman that got the door for us, our special table, our special drinks —it's all part of it. People will go out of their way just to make me feel comfortable."

"All because you are a prince," Ravenna chuckled.

He nodded. "To be quite honest with you, I really wouldn't be surprised if we were given the chance to sample everything that this baker can make."

"Do you really think that they would go to that extent?" Ravenna asked him with a small frown. Her thoughts drifted back to her conversation with the baker, and how the King's army had attacked right in the middle of it. "This town has been through so much and is still trying to recover. I would be surprised if he even had the energy."

Eoin pursed his lips. "Would you like to bet on that?"

She snickered. "You are quite the gambler," she informed him. "What are the stakes?"

"I can't help it," he said with a laugh. "There is not much else to do when you are traveling through the kingdom on foot."

Ravenna rolled her eyes.

Eoin leaned forward slightly and grinned at her. "If they do not have us sample everything on the menu, then you win a prize. You can choose anything that your heart desires. But if they do, then I will win."

"And what exactly do you win?" she asked.

"Another day to spend with you," he answered honestly. His expression was eager.

She smiled. "Alright then," she said. "It's a deal."

A small part of her found his side of the bet to be a little arrogant. Eoin genuinely believed that these humans would waste so much food for him. Obviously, now that they knew he was the Crown Prince, Ravenna expected him to receive some sort of special treatment. But preparing everything on the menu for two people to eat was a bit excessive, especially considering the special treatment that they'd received thus far.

They continued to chat aimlessly, sipping on their drinks. From her seat, Ravenna could see the baker. He seemed somewhat stressed —almost as if another alarm had rung through the city.

Then the plates started to arrive, and she realized very quickly that she'd lost the bet.

hey friends!

I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving! Or just a super awesome Thursday if you don't celebrate today, aha! I seriously can't begin to express how thankful I am for you. You genuinely mean the world to me!

I hope that everyone's day is filled with yummy food, smiles, and happiness! ❤

I am currently in the mountains to visit family and have hardly any service at all. I will do my best to respond as much as I can!

ash ❤

p.s. only two more chapters until something exciting happens and I seriously can't wait to see if y'all notice what it is. 😁