While Drayce was getting ready to visit the royal court, Seren helped him put on his tailcoat.
"Dray, today I am planning to visit the city. It's been months, but I haven't really explored Blackhelm the way I want," she inford him.
"It's my fault for not being able to take you out often. Once I finish my work, I will accompany you."
"You do not need to trouble yourself. I can do it on my own with my servants."
Drayce raised an eyebrow. "Now you don't want to be with you?"
"I do not an it that way. I just want to learn to be on my own and do things the way I prefer. When you are with , you are always in charge of everything, and even if I do not plan to, I find myself dependent on you for everything. So…"
He chuckled, "I understand. You can go with your servants, and Slayer will be with you."
"Slayer is the commander of royal knights and your guardian knight. Is it alright for him to accompany for such minor tasks?"
"He would not mind. He knows that protecting you ans protecting . Do not worry about him."
Seren agreed and heard him say again, "As the curse on you is lifted, you can choose not to wear this veil if you wish to."
"Are you sure it's lifted?"
"Yes. Mother was happy to know it when she found out."
"How did she know?"
"The ones who put the curses on you can feel it," Drayce replied. "Other than that particular deity, your mother had also put a curse on you, rember?"
Seren added, "The curse that did not allow to fall in love."
"It was broken and your mother felt it. Your mother, Sierra."
Seren sighed, "I am not sure when she will tell she is my mother. It's not like I don't know now."
"Soon, maybe. Have patience."
Seren agreed and said, "I am not used to showing my face to everyone, so I will take it slow."
"As you wish."
Drayce left for the royal court while Seren and her servants prepared to leave. Seren had summoned Tyra.
"Lady Tyra, is there any spell you can use to change or hide the color of my eyes?" Seren asked. "A purple-eyed woman with a veil, everyone in the market will know who I am. Can you help with the color change?"
"Of course, Your Majesty," Tyra said as she used a spell. "It's done."
Seren looked into the mirror. "But to , they still look purple," she turned to Xena. "What do you see?"
"They are still purple," Xena answered.
"Your Majesty, those who know you will see the original color. The spell is only for strangers, and they will see your eyes as brown. You can trust , Your Majesty."
"Alright. Let's get rid of these scales now," Seren mumbled sothing and the scales in her face disappeared.
Xena surprised, asked, "Your Majesty, why did you never hide them before?"
"There are many reasons," she looked at Xena, " When I was being married without my consent, I was angry. I wanted to scare away the groom with these scales. But your King was scarier than these scales."
Everyone laughed to hear it.
"Then, these scales and the veil were the things that were with since my birth, since I rember my own existence. I felt like this was sothing I shall carry with till the end of my life, they belonged to . Also, they were given by my mother. I never saw her, but these two things made feel as if she were soone close to . I didn't have a heart to part with it."
"Understood, Your Majesty," Xena replied.
Seren put on her veil and left with Xena.
Slayer and another knight were waiting for them outside the residence along with horses and carriages. All of them had changed into ordinary noble people's clothes.
Seren noticed two carriages standing there along with two horses for Slayer and the other knight.
"Commander, why the other carriage? Xena and I will sit in the sa carriage," Seren asked.
"The other one is to carry the things Your Majesty will buy," Slayer replied normally.
Seren felt a little embarrassed. Did she buy so many things that they needed a separate carriage for them?
She cleared her throat awkwardly. "There is no need. I won't be shopping much."
"It is His Majesty's order," Slayer replied. "If you don't buy anything, it's alright. We can bring it back empty."
Seren agreed and climbed into the carriage, with Xena following her, smiling lightly at the embarrassed Queen. This young queen was not aware of the extent to which she bought things, but the King was.
In the market, Seren and Xena ventured into different shops and even tried snacks from roadside stalls. Seren was like a young girl left free by her parents, with her pockets full of gold coins, enjoying every bit of it. Slayer and the other knight followed them, keeping an eye on the surroundings, and carried the things Seren bought, stuffing them into the carriage.
Tired after a few hours, Seren spoke, "Shall we sit sowhere?"
Xena looked around to find a place while Slayer, who heard it, spoke, "There is a restaurant on the side. Your Majesty can rest there."
"Thank you, Commander."
They walked towards the small open restaurant where tables and wooden blocks were arranged for seating. Tea and refreshnts were ordered, and anwhile, Seren looked around. Her gaze stopped at the other side of the road where a woman seed to be tired and looked uncomfortable.
"Xena, do you think sothing is wrong with that woman?" Seren asked, looking in her direction.
Xena observed, "That woman seems to be pregnant and not feeling well. It looks like no one is with her."
"We shall help her," Seren stood up, and Xena followed. Slayer, who was instructing the server, left it to the other knight and followed Seren and Xena.
"Lady, are you alright?" Seren asked as soon as she reached the woman.
The woman seed to be from a noble family. She was delicate, and in her tired and pregnant state, she looked even more frail.
She looked at Seren with dazed eyes and was about to faint, but Seren and Xena held her. "Lady, are you alright?"
"We shall take you to sit sowhere," Xena suggested.
Slayer reached them, and Seren looked at him. "We have to find sowhere for her to sit. She almost fainted."
Slayer looked at the pregnant lady, knowing it was not appropriate for him to touch her. Xena understood and said, "We will just carry her like this. She can walk if we support her."
Seren and Xena supported her while Slayer followed closely to lend a hand if needed. Slayer brought a chair from inside the restaurant, and they made the woman sit on it. Seren offered her water, and Xena gave her a sweet to eat.
Xena dried the sweat beads from the woman's face. "Are you feeling alright, Lady?"
The woman looked at Seren and Xena. "I am. Thank you for the help," she said weakly, her breathing still shallow.
"Are you alone? Where do you live? Can we take you back ho?" Seren offered.
Just then, a middle-aged woman appeared, panicked, "My lady, I was searching for you. Are you alright?"
The woman nodded and smiled at her.
"I was just paying money in another shop and you already disappeared. You scared , my lady."
"I am alright," she said and looked at Seren and Xena, "Thank you so much for helping today. I am indebted to you two."
"It's nothing. As long as you are fine," Seren replied softly, her eyes observing the delicate pregnant woman, worry evident in her eyes.
"You two look tired as well," the woman said, looking at Seren and Xena. "My ho is nearby. Would you like to co for tea and so rest? That way, I won't feel indebted to you."
Before Seren could respond, Slayer spoke, looking at Seren, "My lady, it would not be appropriate to trouble others."
Slayer's suggestion was clear that Seren should avoid going with strangers.
The woman offered a comforting smile to Seren, "It's not a trouble. I would really like it if you gave an opportunity to repay you. I would feel at ease." She had her hand on her belly, she looked around six to seven months pregnant.
Seren found her genuine, her words sincere. "Alright." She then looked at Slayer, "It's alright."
As Seren said, there was no way Slayer would go against her words. All he could do was protect her if there was danger.
The woman asked, "I forgot to ask both of your nas."
"I am Seren, and she is Xena," Seren answered.
"My na is Edith," the woman replied and signaled to her servant, "and she is Cara."
Edith stood up with the help of Cara, "Let's head to my ho. Do you have a carriage?"
"Yes, we do," Seren replied.
Soon, they headed towards Edith's ho, with her carriage leading the way.
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