Rowena accepted the candied apple from the merchant with a beaming face. It really was a very pleasant day, she thought happily.
After playing and dancing with Lucent earlier in the meadow, she was feeling slightly exhausted and had rested in the carriage while heading toward Almere. However, now her energy seemed replenished because of the sugar intake from the candied apple.
Rowena was all smiles, enjoying her sweets. They continued walking and at the corner to their right, they saw a man with a white beard playing the flute and small children dancing around them.
Lady Liz looked at Rowena's beaming face and couldn't help but smile too.
She felt more at ease now that she had decided to allow Rowena to enjoy a day filled with freedom. After all, the king didn't need to know this. Lady Liz would ask the knights to keep the events that happened today a secret.
She knew them well enough and was on good terms with Knight Jarvis's older sister. She could ask Jarvis for understanding to turn a blind eye on Rowena getting her freedom, just this once.
From their expression in the meadow earlier that day, when they watched the princess dancing and playing happily with Lucent, Lady Liz could tell that the knights were quite sympathetic to Rowena. They wouldn't mind keeping their mouths shut this one time.
"Lady Liz… do you hear his music?" Rowena nudged her governess without taking her eyes off the street musician. The melody produced by the simple flute was truly mesmerizing. It gave Rowena a calming and soothing feeling. "It's so beautiful!"
Rowena walked closer and joined in clapping as the musician ended his song and then started another one. This time, some adults danced along to the song. It was a happy one.
An elderly couple walked to the center and started dancing together. The children surrounded the couple and danced while holding hands. They all looked very happy.
Lady Liz asked Rowena to continue down the street because there were still so many things to sightsee and enjoy. The further they walked, the denser the people.
Finally, in the very center of the city, the two of them saw a park with a beautiful grey fountain. There were many people sitting on the grass, enjoying the festival with a picnic.
"Shall we go on a picnic there?" asked Lady Liz to which Rowena nodded enthusiastically. Lady Liz smiled. "Very well. We can buy some food for lunch and bring it here."
The two of them bought a lot of food. Lady Liz bought two long buns and some cakes. She also bought some sweets again because Rowena begged her. Since the princess might never eat sweets again after they returned to the palace, Lady Liz decided to grant Rowena's request.
Rowena continued to eat her sweet as she walked towards the park, while Lady Liz brought their basket filled with food.
But just as they were about to enter the park again, a dirty old beggar with a frail body approached them. The old man looked very thin because his ribs were showing and his normal-sized clothes actually looked like it was too big for him.
His legs trembled at every step. He had to use a cane to help him walk. Out of instinct, Rowena grabbed and held the old man, worried he would fall.
"My lady…. could you please spare this old man some food….?" the old man asked Lady Liz with a trembling voice. He saw the woman had a lot of food in the basket she was carrying in her hands.
Lady Liz scoffed and was about to respond curtly, but Rowena had touched her arm and motioned her to be patient. Lady Liz's mouth was agape when she saw Rowena smile gently at the old beggar. She took the basket from Lady Liz's hands, took out a loaf of bread and some apples. and gave them to the old man.
"My lady… it's our food," Lady Liz protested.
"It's all right," Rowena waved to her nanny. "We have a lot of food. We can't possibly eat it all."
"But…"
Rowena didn't listen to Lady Liz's protest and handed the food to the old beggar. He looked at her in disbelief. When he begged her for food, he actually hoped this young lady to give him just a small apple, but she gave him a lot. This made him feel so touched.
"I hope it's enough for today," Rowena said to the man. She also took out a coin purse from the basket and gave the beggar some money as well so he could buy food after this one was gone.
The old man was dazed. He wanted to cry when the food and money were presented to him. His hands trembled and his eyes began to water with emotion at the kindness of a young woman.
He had not eaten for days. He had been begging since morning and no one even spare him a glance.
"Th-thank you, Miss…." said the old man, he wiped his wet eyes.
He was so touched that he forgot that he was just a dirty beggar and almost moved forward to give Rowena a hug. However, Lady Liz was quick enough to block him.
"What are you doing?" Lady Liz's stern voice halted the old man's movement.
"Oh, I am so sorry, Your Grace," the old man stepped back, looking so embarrassed. "I just wanted to say thank you. I don't know how I could ever repay your kindness."
Rowena smiled gently and touched the man's shoulder, "No need to think about it. Go now and enjoy your food."
Deep inside, she felt bad that as the ruler of this kingdom her father failed to provide a good life for all his people that someone like this old beggar had to rely on strangers' kindness for food.
"I only have this…" The old beggar suddenly remembered something and his eyes glint happily.
He took out a small black pouch from his dirty coat pocket and gave it to Rowena. "Please accept this as a token of my gratitude. You are a really kind young woman, Your Grace.. This is my only treasure."
