[Lavinia's POV—Journey to the Village—Morning]
The first rays of sunlight stretched across the palace courtyard, glinting off the armor of Sir Haldor and the knights who had been assigned to accompany me. I adjusted the strap of my satchel, feeling the weight of the maps inside, and let out a slow, measured breath. Today, we wouldn't just visit the village—we would uncover the truth hidden beneath the surface.
PLOP!
A soft thud on my head made me yelp. Then another on Marshi, and a tiny one on Solena. We all froze, looking at the hats that had landed in perfect, inconvenient fashion.
Turning around, I saw Sera standing there, food basket in hand, a jaunty cap perched atop her head, and a wide, mischievous smile plastered across her face.
"I—ugh… c'mon, Sera…" I groaned, plucking the hat from my head. "I'm going for an investigation, not a picnic!"
She tilted her head, eyes sparkling. "Your Highness, it's the same thing. You carry a basket, you explore… the thrill is identical!"
