Chapter 878: Mistaken Identity

Julian knew Rowena was meant for greater things. That was what he had known when he saw her sadly living in the castle in a sort of gilded cage. The same went during their stay in the valley. Julian also didn't want to think about other things…

His feelings? It was easy to push them down when Rowena was younger, but even though he had spent every day with her, it wasn't easy to ignore her beauty and the way she made him feel at ease and happy.

The thought of becoming something more sometimes slipped in Julian's mind… and that was bad. Maybe that was why Rowena also wanted them to move out? Julian thought to himself.

Circumstances, people, and feelings changed.

However, his thoughts were pulled out when he bumped into someone. Julian was usually fast on his feet but he actually bumped into someone since he was disturbed by his thoughts.

He looked up and saw a royal knight. The man was garbed in armor and had the sigil of the kingdom.

For a moment, he nearly ran but remembered that this wasn't Ashland. Nobody was looking for him here. He might be a fugitive in Ashland, but he was a free man in everywhere else.

"Ah, sorry, excuse me." Julian tried to excuse himself.

"Now wait just one second, young man," The royal knight said.

"Is there something on my face?" Julian asked.

The royal knight's gaze landed heavily on Julian as the older man let out a sigh. "What a rascal you are, and you even got the chance to change your getup this time. Come along now before the king has my head."

"Wait a second, why would I come with you?" Julian asked and quickly stepped away before the man grabbed his arm. "I don't even know you."

"Did you hit your head too much or are you trying to test my patience, Prince Liam?" the knight asked. "You're going to give this bodyguard of yours a poor heart attack."

Julian blinked and he realized that he was mistaken for an actual prince. He started to correct the older man. "Pardon me, sir—"

"You aren't usually this respectful, Your Highness. What did you do?" the royal knight said. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Did you punch someone? Overturned a cart of apples along your way? Do we have some sort of problem?"

"Alright, you got me," Julian suddenly said. He found himself grinning, now more amused about this so-called prince. 

Perhaps he really looked like this Prince Liam and the knight mistook him for the guy. It would be funny to see the look on their faces when they realized they got the wrong person. So, Julian waved his hand, pretending like the knight had caught his disguise. "Alright, I'll go with you."

The royal knight stared at him in disbelief, but then nodded. "Then let us go, Your Highness. No more running away this time."

Not only was Julian curiosity piqued… the idea of seeing what the castle had

and also having an easy way out by pretending to be the prince made him feel like as if someone handed him a golden egg.

He knew that he needed to return back to the meeting place with Rowena, but he was going to be back quickly. He just wanted to see the palace and came back to Rowena with a funny story.

***

Rowena visited numerous stalls and glanced around the various items that were on sale. The best place to gather information tended to be where the common folk gathered and gossiped.

She made sure to keep her hood on, but also tried not to seem entirely suspicious as she walked around. Rowena didn't ask right away about any portals, but simply checked out the items being sold.

"Oh, this will look lovely on you!" a seller said and presented Rowena a beautiful bracelet. It was made of seashells and pearls. "Guaranteed from the seas!"

Rowena gently picked it up. "It does look lovely."

"This bracelet can protect you when you travel on sea, Miss!" the seller added.

"Is that so?" Rowena asked.

"Did you not know that pearls are mermaid's tears? When you fall into the waters, they'll consider you as one of their own."

Rowena raised a brow and smiled in amusement. She had already heard more than her fair share of stories about magical bracelets and knew when something was a real deal. It was a fake but an interesting story.

"Does this mean that you've met mermaids already, sir?"

"Well, of course!" the seller bluffed. "My grandfather actually got wooed once–"

"How about this comb! A far better deal here–" another seller called out, but noticed Rowena at the stall right next to him. "Do not listen to Ahmed. He does not even know where the south or north is–much less what a mermaid looks like."

"But it's true! My grandfather told me–"

"Enough stories. The bracelets are beautiful and well-made by his wife, but such tales, bah!"

"Well, I did hear that mermaids are supposed to have a portal here in the north," Rowena said.

"And it's like others saying that there's dragons in the West, or Phoenixes live in the south."

Rowena blinked and the memory of Lucent came to her mind. "Well, as a matter of fact, they do. Phoenixes at least…"

"Do you have proof?"

Rowena pursed her lips and clutched her bag for a moment. She may have forgotten about the magical pouch of seeds, but if there was anything that she hadn't forgotten, it was Lucent. She kept the feather he left behind as a good luck charm.

"Another maker of tales." the seller rolled his eyes. "The people tell stories of gods and magical creatures to explain away events."

At this point, a sizable crowd had already formed a small circle as the hubbub of the marketplace focuse

d on Rowena and the sellers. 

It was easy to walk away at this point, accept defeat and pretend that she was wrong.

Her heart pounded.

However, that was like Rowena saying that Lucent didn't exist. She quickly dug into her bag and was about to pull out the small purse where she kept her feather when someone stepped out of the crowd.

"I don't think I would do that if I were you," a young man said.

Rowena looked over her shoulder.

"J-Julian?" Her gaze narrowed. "No. You're not him."

"Who's Julian?" the crown prince of Verona asked.