The merchant turned his full attention to Grimilde, ready to attend to any request.
"Everything for Her Majesty."
The man listened attentively to the woman's words, then smiled again as they concluded their conversation. The group separated, and while the queen and princess returned to their carriage, Henry attended to his business, including ensuring the day's purchases were delivered to the castle. He and the queen had met years before, on a very special occasion, and from that moment on, he had become Grimilde's trusted merchant and also a friend.
Their relationship was based on mutual loyalty and sincerity, and Henry particularly valued his friendship with the woman from the north; they had much in common, aspects of their past and present. They both harbored secrets they didn't want to reveal, they had people to protect and places to flee, but above all, they both came from the northern part of the continent.
Once the royal family had left the area, Henry's workers came forward, curious to know how the visit had gone.
Henry smiled at them and placed his hands on his leather belt around his waist. Henry was not held back by cultural boundaries or the difference of social status. For him, the most important thing was making his customers happy, whoever they were.
This vision of society brought Henry and the queen on the same path. Furthermore, he was extremely loyal to her, also for the help he had received in the past.
"Come on, we have a lot of work to do!" The chief restored order and continued his business.
~•~•~
"So, how did it go?"
"Good."
"Only good? Don't you have anything else to say, Princess?"
"Rachel..."
"Mariella, don't deny that you're curious too!"
"Curious about what?"
The three girls had been arguing for a quarter of an hour now: Snow White was too stubborn and wouldn't reveal information just to avoid satisfying Rachel's demands, while Rachel insisted, even though Mariella said she should have kept quiet. "You shouldn't to pester the princess like that!"
"Who's pestering who?"
"Rachel!"
"Girls?" The two maids stopped to turn to the princess, sitting on her bed with a book in her hands: "I'd like to read in peace, if possible."
"Certainly..." Rachel and Mariella looked at each other awkwardly, immediately falling silent. When Snow White scolded them, albeit gently, they couldn't help but feel ashamed of their behavior.
"And Rachel?"
"Yes?"
"I don't understand why you're so interested in my outings with the queen... is something bothering you in this regard?"
Snow White asked, keeping her gaze on the pages of her book. When Rachel didn't answer, she raised her eyes. She found herself faced with Mariella, who had silenced her friend and was looking at the princess, her face red with embarrassment.
"What are you doing?" Snow White then closed the book and put it away with a huff: "May I ask why you're so nervous today?"
Rachel tried to speak again, but Mariella didn't remove her hand. At that point, the taller girl bit her hand, forcing her to pull it away from her face.
"Ah!"
Finally, she spoke in one breath: "Because we know that some horses were delivered to the castle a little while ago, and they say they're special. They were placed in the royal stables by order of the queen."
"Horses?" The princess's eyes widened, rising from the bed. What do you mean, horses? Hadn't she only purchased one? Unless...
Snow White left the room to head outside the palace, where the stables were located. She walked quickly without waiting for anyone, and when she arrived, she saw the two horses her maids had spoken of. In addition to the one she'd chosen, she also found Isabella, the beautiful mare who had caught her eye from the beginning, even though she'd ultimately been won over by Henry's horse. She approached the employees who were busy arranging the new horses' sections inside the stable and was astonished to see that the queen was among them and was dressed differently than usual.
She had never seen her in pants before, and her gaze trailed up her legs, stopping at the base of her back. She only looked away when someone noticed her presence.
"Princess?" It was the same boy who had helped the princess reach the queen's chambers, distracting the guards days ago. The young man had lively eyes and a knowing grin. "Have you come to see the surprise Her Majesty has prepared for you?"
He narrowed his eyes and waved toward the horses, who seemed to have noticed the princess's presence, turning their faces toward her. Their sudden movement was also noticed by the queen. She turned around and frowned when she saw one of the servants so close to the princess.
"A surprise?"
Snow White wanted to ask more, but the wheat-haired woman stepped forward and interrupted them. "Snow White, you're just in time."
The princess wondered why she had called her by her name in front of everyone, when she usually used honorifics and formal speech. "Your Majesty!" The young man who had approached the girl gave a small bow and then dashed away, without looking back. Apparently the queen intimidated him greatly.
"In time for what exactly?" The girl looked at the woman again, suppressing a smile. She was so beautiful, in any outfit or context, always so elegant, unattainable, but not for Snow White, not anymore.
"To accompany us on a walk." Grimilde turned to the horses and waved to a man who was adjusting the saddles: "Bring something comfortable for the princess. You can choose from my clothes."
"I'll take care of it right away, Your Majesty."
Snow White's confusion was evident and adorable in the queen's eyes. She explained: "You will ride with me today. There will be time for lessons in the coming weeks, and as for Isabella... consider it part of the gift."
"But Grimilde, I never asked for a gift... I don't need one." The young woman blushed, lowering her eyes to the ground. "Gifts aren't given simply because they're useful, but to express appreciation, to praise an achievement or success... what matters is the thought behind it."
"And what thought led you to gift me with two high-quality horses?" Snow White watched the queen formulate her answer and saw the corners of her mouth curl into a smile just before speaking: "My wish is that you'll always be joyful and lively. I want you to be able to have fun and not let the burdens of life weigh you down." The girl would have replied, perhaps, had the man who had gathered the clothes for the ride not come back. Snow White had never worn pants before, and at first it felt strange. The fabric was tight around her legs, but it was undeniably comfortable. Her uniform consisted of a cream-colored jacket and dark pants, and she had been given gloves to match. "Are you ready?"
Snow White left the room adjoining the stable, where she had changed, and as soon as she stepped out of the building to join the queen, several servants stopped to stare at her, and someone spoke, "She's extremely beautiful."
It was loud enough to reach the queen, who instantly turned around. She saw the princess and her eyes widened. Then, to soften her clearly shocked expression, she busied herself, checking the horse's saddle.
"Where are we going?" the princess immediately asked when she was a few steps away from the blonde. She swore she saw a blush on those pale cheeks, but it could have been the sun, yet Grimilde looked embarrassed for some reason.
"It'll be a surprise."