“No, fit as a horse,” Dimitri assured her playfully, if only to distract them both of the illness that plagued both those of noble houses and the lowly farmer. This was a plague that made no distinction in blood; the great equalizer. “The journey was long and fraught with peril, but t'is hardly a new circumstance for me,” he reminisced. The most difficult parts were riding through villages where bodies were being burned in mass graves. Grief gripped every corner of the globe, it seemed.
He fought every urge in his body to frown at the explanation of her being allowed entrance into the royal castle; though he could righteously judge her, he would not. He ought not. What good was righteous without kindness or understanding? And he, most of all, understood. The prince merely nodded his response, eyes averted to glance at his fidgeting fingers briefly. She could probably see right through his self-imposed guilt. But he would not be the one to bring it up.
“Not of my own accord — my manservant does that for me,” he jested, the corner of his mouth quirking up into something of a smile. “I have been well, though it pains me to be so far away from my people. The only bright side, of course, was the chance of running into you.” His tone was gentle and kind as he glanced about the room, spotting a stool and her trunk, he presumed, and invited her to sit. The room was painfully small compared to his own spacious chambers, but that was hardly surprising.
“And you? I assume you have been staying in the village a couple miles away from the castle to have made it here on time?”
“Why does that not surprise me, I’m beginning to wonder whether anything ever effects you. Yer always have seemed to have been so well put together, I dinnae know how yer do it.” She teased smiling, though she questioned whether there was more to it than he was letting on. “How so? Yer didn’t come across no trouble did yer? You’re not hurt?” She worried as a frown began to form on her face. Nancy watched as he avoiding making eye contact with her as she mentioned the reason behind her being in the castle. She used to question whether he was judging her or pitying her but other the years she’d learn that the reason he disliked discussing her occupation was due to his guilt conscience. “Dimitri, please stop. Yer know I don’t blame you.” She spoke gently, placing a hand on his shoulder.
It appeared her correct social etiquette was more ingrained within her then she thought, taking the offered seat with a grateful smile she moved to the spot next to him with a roll of her eyes at his joke and nudged him playfully with her own shoulder. “Behave, you knew what I meant.” She gave a sympathetic smile and nodded her head along with his words. “I cannae imagine, I’m sure they’ll manage for a wee bit.”
“Aye, I was moving around for a while before the plague hit so I was near the castle an’ approached them for shelter an’ they accepted on condition that I offer my services to those who want it.” She explained nonchalantly.
