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His footsteps echoed across the cobblestones as Albaird made his way down the quiet side streets of the capital city. The pale vestiges of sunlight dappled rooftops as dusk began to settle in, signaling the end of a long day for merchants and buyers alike. This was when he enjoyed strolling through town the most, as the crowds thinned and he had a chance to be alone with his thoughts.
"Hey, that's not fair! Wait for me!"
A pair of unruly children scurried by, the boy several paces in front of the girl. His peals of laughter were met by her repeated cries that he slow down, her gait awkward as she stumbled in her haste to reach him. That only seemed to spur him onward. "Come on! Last one home has to do the other's chores for a day!"
"Stop!" she wailed, her much shorter legs struggling in vain to beat the boy home. Albaird shook his head as the pair disappeared around a corner.
"Do you remember when we would play such games?"
Albaird jumped, turning on his heel to see Laeticia standing an arm's reach away, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Princess! How long have you been standing there?"
She tilted her head and tapped her chin. "Mmm, not long. I believe the boy threatened extra chores." She stepped closer, brushing gauntleted fingers against Albaird's wrist. "I recall you once made a similar bet with me."
"Aye, I remember." They'd been playing in this very street, not much older than the pair that just ran by. "Though I'm fairly certain mine involved eating vegetables at dinner."
Laeticia laughed. "So it did. I was so desperate not to have to, I tripped and fell. Oh, it was right around here." She motioned toward a stretch of road near the vendor stalls, where a shallow set of stairs wound up through the buildings towards the castle courtyard. Laeticia quietly crouched low, rubbing her hand across the rough cobblestones.
Albaird stepped up behind her, hands folded in front of him. "You scraped your knee enough it started bleeding, but I didn't believe you at first." He chuckled. "I thought you were trying to trick me so you could win."
She nodded, glancing up at him. "But then you came back and saw I was hurt and you carried me home on your back." Laeticia stood gracefully and gently touched his elbow, shoulders brushing together. "I remember how safe it felt being held by my precious knight."
He turned his head to hide his blush. "What kind of knight would I be to leave you crying on the street?" He coughed. "You were quite heavy, though."
"Hmm? Did you say something?"
"It was nothing, Princess." He glanced back down to see her puffing her cheeks out in exasperation. “At any rate, would you care to join me for the remainder of my walk?”
Her pout washed away immediately and she grinned up at him. “I would like nothing more.”
They walked the twilit streets of the city side by side, chatting quietly about their day. Albaird was profoundly glad the crowds had thinned to only a handful of stragglers here and there. He wasn’t sure he could have handled having others see the princess walking as closely as she was, no matter how much he enjoyed her warmth against his side. It had been months since they’d traveled the realm alone in search of Midas; months since he’d had her all to himself. He hadn’t realized just how much he missed these quiet moments where it was just the two of them.
“Ah, Alby, over here!”
Albaird blinked, snapped from his reverie as Laeticia left his side and darted into a nearby dark alley. “Princess, wait! It could be dangerous!”
She tsked from the shadows. “You worry too much, Alby. I am perfectly safe.”
He frowned, making his way into the narrow pass to find her standing near a rough-hewn wall that had seen better days. A thin set of bars covered an opening at the base, and she crouched low to glance inside, beckoning him toward her without looking. Albaird’s frown deepened. “What are you doing?”
"Do you not remember?" Laeticia glanced up at him, her eyes bright with mischief. "It is rightfully sealed now, but this is the passage we used to take when we would steal sweets from the kitchen."
Albaird tilted his head in thought before kneeling beside her. He brushed a hand across the warm stone and chuckled quietly. "I remember. We would make Theo keep watch and distract any scullery maids who happened to stop in until we had collected as many pies and biscuits as we could carry. Then we'd meet in the courtyard across the way from here to share our spoils."
Laeticia laughed. "The last time we tried, the head baker was waiting for us. Oh, he was so angry." Her cheeks flushed as she recalled the incident, delicate fingers pressed to her lips in a vain attempt to stifle her amusement. "I believe we left more scones on the floor than in our arms as we ran off. Cousin Theo scolded us for hours!"
Albaird scoffed. "Only after helping himself to most of what we'd managed to steal."
"He deserved them for arguing in our favor to Father," Laeticia said. "I feared I might never be allowed to leave my chambers once the baker told him what happened."
"A boon, then, that he showed you such leniency." Albaird sighed. "I was not so fortunate. I spent the next month mucking out the stables."
Laeticia ducked her head to hide her smile. "You did get a lovely horse for your trouble."
Albaird chuckled. "She still bites my fingers when I brush her."
Laeticia considered him quietly for a moment, head cocked slightly to the side. Her hand moved as if to grab his, but just as their fingers brushed together she pulled away, instead smoothing down her skirts as she swiftly stood. Her blush had shifted from amused to something else - embarrassed, perhaps? - but Albaird didn’t have the chance to mull over the change before she made her way out of the alley and back into the streets.
He hurried to catch her only to find she'd moved further down the street to a small bridge. She was leaning on the carved stone parapet, eyes closed and breathing deeply of the evening air. The sky had darkened considerably and the twin moons cast a soft glow across her fair skin. She looked beautiful. "Princess, is aught amiss?"
She shook her head, opening one eye to peek up at him. Her cheeks were rosy. "I simply wanted to get some fresh air. It was a bit stuffy in the alley." She lowered her gaze, idly drawing circles across the capstone. "Would you visit one last place with me before our walk concludes?"
"Of course." Albaird stepped closer, placing his hand beside her's on the parapet. "I would follow you anywhere, Princess."
She stopped fidgeting, glancing at his hand. Her pinky finger drifted closer to his, just barely ghosting against the fabric of his glove before she drew back. Laeticia frowned to herself, clearly lost in thought, then deliberately placed her hand beside his, pinkies overlapping. The redness in her cheeks deepened and Albaird felt his heart skip a beat. "Anywhere? I wonder…"
"Ah, Princess…" Albaird coughed delicately, his heart threatening to lodge itself in his throat, but he didn't move his hand. "Where is it you wanted to go?"
Laeticia didn't answer immediately, instead focusing on the way their fingers interlocked on the cool stone. She was wearing her gauntlets, as usual, and the metal glinted in the moons' light. She roused herself after a time and turned her attention down the street. "Where it all began."
He didn't need her to elaborate. With a firm nod, Albaird pulled his hand from hers, inwardly lamenting the loss of her touch, but his face did not betray his emotions as he bowed and beckoned her to follow. "This way, then, Princess."
The cool night air rustled his robes and tugged at her hair as they made their way down from the upper city into the lower streets. By now the moons cast their glow over everything, painting pools of light amongst the cobblestones. Street cleaners and a few late night merchants were all that greeted the pair as they walked. It was quiet and peaceful, and for a moment Albaird could imagine it was just him and Laeticia out among the wilds again, the two of them all each other had in the world.
He found he ached to hold her hand properly but could not find the courage to clasp her fingers in his despite the lack of audience. They had known each other their whole lives, and he had dedicated his life to hers almost as soon as he understood the meaning of the word 'knight.' And yet taking her hand and admitting the depth of his feelings for her was more frightening than fighting a thousand monsters alone. When had he become such a coward?
"Here we are."
As expected, Laeticia had stopped before the shop where Albaird first pledged his loyalty to her when they were children. The windows were dark and the door locked, yet the moons' light bathed the facade in warmth. The light caught the edges of her armor and there where it all began, Laeticia shone as radiantly as a precious gem. She took his breath away.
"We have had so many adventures since that day, you and I." Laeticia spun on her heel to face him, hands clasped behind her back. "I can scarcely imagine my life without you in it."
"I suspect you would have been significantly more reckless," he offered cheekily.
Laeticia puffed out her cheeks, then let herself laugh. "You are likely correct," she conceded. "But I can take the chances I do because I know you will be there to keep me safe. You are always at my side, Alby. If you were not, I…"
She drifted off, and Albaird took a step closer, placing a hand on her shoulder. "There is nowhere else I want to be than at your side, Princess. Since the moment I pledged myself to you, I have been where I belong."
"Albaird, I…" Laeticia shifted, meeting his gaze before looking away, face flushed. Something must have caught her attention because a moment later she was moving again, disappearing around the side of the store. He could hear something scrape on the ground but before he could move she peeked her head back around the corner. "Come here!"
Confused and a little amused, Albaird did as instructed. As he turned the corner, he was surprised to come face to face with the princess, a broad grin on her face. She'd found several crates and was balanced atop them. She seemed quite proud of herself. "You've grown."
Laeticia chuckled. "I had some help."
Albaird glanced around her. "What was it you wanted to show me?"
The princess pouted. "Myself, of course!"
He raised an eyebrow. “I always see you, Princess.”
She frowned, hands clasped nervously in front of her. “Yes, but…” She absently smoothed down her skirts, a blush creeping steadily over her cheeks. Albaird watched her hands pluck at the fabric of her dress, then fiddle with her belt, and he had to fight down the urge to simply take them in his. Something was clearly bothering her, and not knowing what it was set him ill at ease.
“Princess?”
Laeticia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Letty,” she said softly as she exhaled, and he stiffened in surprise when her palms pressed against his jaw. She held his face in her hands, taking long, steadying breaths, then leaned forward to touch her forehead to his. He could feel the heat from her blush radiating off her - or maybe it was just his own rapidly reddening face. When they were this close, it was hard to say. “Please call me Letty.”
“L-Letty…”
She smiled, stroking his cheek with her thumbs. “Thank you.”
“Ah, Princess, I…”
“You said you would follow me anywhere, did you not?” She pulled back just enough to properly meet his gaze, hands still firmly on his face. Albaird swallowed and nodded. Laeticia tilted her head, skin turning darker and darker shades of red as she considered him, before she finally leaned in and gently pressed her lips against his. It was chaste and light and over much too quickly, but Albaird still felt like his heart was going to burst. When she leaned back, she looked just as overwhelmed, though equally determined. “Then might you follow me as more than just my knight?”
Albaird’s stomach knotted and his heart skipped a beat. “I…”
She pressed her forehead to his once more and he could feel her fingers tremble against his cheeks. “I don’t want you to leave my side.”
He lifted a hand to stroke her hair, drawing her attention back to him. He was fairly certain his complexion mirrored her own rosy one. “Where else would I be?” he asked quietly, gathering all his courage to lean in and return her kiss, lips lingering against hers. “Until the end of time, I will stay beside you.”
“Alby!” She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him, burying her face in his shoulder as she did so. He stepped back, looping his arms around her waist, and held her tightly. “Thank you!” Unfortunately, the crates beneath her buckled, the swift shift in weight knocking them off balance, and before either of them could prepare, Laeticia’s makeshift platform collapsed, sending the two of them sprawling to the ground. Albaird groaned, having taken the brunt of the force, and Laeticia pawed at him in concern. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Letty.” He grimaced, rubbing at the small of his back, before he noticed she was straddling his hips and immediately scurried out from beneath her. Albaird stood awkwardly, holding out a hand to help her to her feet. “Are you hurt?”
She shook her head, taking his hand in hers, then started laughing. “No, but I think I prefer to remain this height from now on.”
Albaird chuckled. “Perhaps it’s for the best. You’re likely still too heavy to carry, though…”
Laeticia elbowed him. “Then I suppose you’ll need to escort me home in a more dignified manner.”
He squeezed her hand and led her back out into the empty city streets, entwining his fingers firmly with hers. “Will this do?”
She blushed and nodded, leaning against his arm as they walked back toward the castle, the two of them once more alone in the world.