0&1 Ch 10.3

The sun was setting, and the shadows stretched long.

The lunch box Dot had brought was empty except for a basket of bread. There was nothing better to do while waiting for someone for hours than to eat.

When Dot realized that the person I was waiting for was Edward, he tilted his head after an hour and asked, “His Highness Edward, I wonder if he’s had an accident.”

“I don’t think so.” I didn’t feel like he had.

Dot fidgeted. Grey drank his tea, and I flipped through a book. I felt like I could finish one of my assignments here.

After waiting for two hours, Dot was certain. “He’s definitely had an accident!”

“Maybe. Will you go look for him?” 

I asked because Dot was restless. Dot nodded as if it were a good order.

“Yes. I’ll go find him! Please go inside, Your Highness.” Dot disappeared

Grey glanced at me, then pulled out his own book and opened it.

A moment later, the stablehand went in to feed and wash the horses. He was a busy man, having spent several hours in the same place.

The wind blew under the shade of the tree where Grey and I were sitting. Dot had spread a blanket for us, and it felt like we were on a picnic. I had become accustomed to the smell of animals in the stable, and I could even smell Grey sitting close to me.

Grey, you’re wearing cologne.

Another hour passed.

Edward probably didn’t read the note.

“Are you going to keep waiting?” Grey asked. He was eating the stale bread with a disgusted look on his face.

“Yes. You can go.”

Grey sighed, but he didn’t seem to be leaving.

“Aren’t you busy? Do you have time?”
“What about you, Your Highness?”
“I have a full schedule for the rest of the day.”
“Me too.”
“Then why don’t you go?”
“What about you, Your Highness?”

Edward might come later.

I don’t know what Edward was thinking, but if it were me, I would want to read the note someone gave me, even if it was late. After reading it, I would wonder why he called me and go out to see him. Whether he was upset with Joffrey or not.

Hmm. I don’t know. 

Edward is only eleven years old. 

Twelve or thirteen in Korean age? That’s upper elementary school. What was I thinking about back then?

I don’t think I had complicated thoughts like Edward. If I liked something, I liked it, and if I didn’t, I didn’t. I wasn’t observing people like Grey, I was preoccupied with my own thoughts.

I closed the book. Grey was literally observing me. It was completely different from when he was observing the horse earlier.

I tried to think from Grey’s perspective. Why is he wasting his time with me? “Are you worried I might meet Edward? When you’re not here?”

“What are you talking about?” Grey frowned. He sounded hurt. But people who are truly hurt don’t look at others like that.

“Or are you going to leave? I don’t want to keep you from your busy life.”
“How long are you going to wait for him?”
“I don’t know. I have to go back before my evening class.”

“That’s late. Why don’t you talk to Edward again tomorrow?” Grey tried to convince me. He spoke kindly. It was obvious that he wanted to keep Edward and me in his sight.

“That works too.”
“Are you going to get up now?”
“Hmm. That’s not a bad idea.”

“You want me to leave, don’t you?” Grey was quick to notice. Even if that was true, it was a question that was difficult to answer with a simple yes.

Out of courtesy, I had to say no. 

“Yes.” 

But if I did, it would lead to another long conversation.

Grey stood up with a frown. 

“I don’t care if His Highness Edward doesn’t come.”
“Okay.”
“Summer colds are going around. Don’t wait too long, just in case.”
“Go home safely.”

Grey turned his back to me. I watched him walk away, his back disappearing between the buildings.

What should I do now?

There were books that Dot had prepared for me, and there were other things to look at. Flies and a servant hovering around the stables.

The servant appeared from the direction Grey had disappeared. I remembered seeing him pass by that way a while ago.

At the time, I just had a hunch. The servant approached the stable. My suspicions were confirmed.

The servant had pale skin and golden hair. His eyes were blue, visible through his tousled blond hair.

“Edward, you’re here?”

Edward, dressed as a servant, stood in front of me. He looked down at me blankly.

I tapped the seat next to me.

“You kept me waiting. Come sit down.”
“How did you know it was me?”
“How could I not know? I know your face.”

“That’s strange. No one recognizes me when I’m dressed like this.” Edward said with a look of surprise. Right. That was the setting. I felt deflated.

No wonder he liked the servant’s clothes.

It wasn’t like everyone in the royal palace had lost their eyesight, so I found it even more surprising that no one recognized Edward.

“I recognized you yesterday.”

He nodded.

“Did you want me not to recognize you?”
“I don’t know.”
“You didn’t. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have come over.”

Edward thought for a moment and agreed. “You’re right.”

Then he sat down next to me. He put his feet together.

Why is he sitting there like a loner?

“When did you become friends with Grey?” Edward asked. I was bothered by his formal tone.

“We’re not friends. Is it trendy among your friends these days to spy on each other?”
“I don’t know. I’m not very trendy.”
“I’m not asking because I’m curious if it’s really a trend.”
“Really?”
“No. Don’t try to become a trendsetter.”

I meant that he shouldn’t hover around me like he was watching me, but I wasn’t sure if Edward understood.

Edward tilted his head from side to side and hugged his knees. “Why did you call me?”

He looked at me like that, with one cheek pressed against his knee. It was a strange expression.

Why did I call you? You were acting strange yesterday.

“You don’t know?”

He shook his head. 

Edward played dumb. His face looked blank, as if he really didn’t know. Whatever.

“I wanted to give you a birthday present.”

“Birthday present?” Edward’s eyes widened. His arms slipped off his knees and his posture became more awkward.

“Yeah. It was your birthday a while ago, but I couldn’t celebrate it. There were a lot of things going on.”

Because you were punished because of me.

“I wasn’t sure what you would like, so I thought about it, but just go inside and see. You like horses, so…”

At that moment, the stablehand came out of the stable. He was covered in sweat, probably from finishing his work. 

“Ah, I was just about to call you. Edward is here.”

The stablehand looked relieved. He wiped the sweat from his forehead.

“I’m glad you came after waiting so long,” He welcomed Edward with a relieved expression. “His Highness Joffrey was waiting impatiently to make you happy.”

“That’s right, I was really impatient.”
“You even dressed it up to give him a nice surprise.”
“I tied a ribbon and everything.” 

I showed off as much as I could. Look how much I care about you.

Edward’s face became even more confused.

“I paid the merchant more than its worth for this fine horse, Your Highness. I am honored to introduce it to you.” The stablehand led Edward to the brown horse. The horse, which I had brushed and fed carrots, was in a good mood

The horse with a red ribbon tied to its mane looked at Edward. Edward also looked at the horse. The two creatures stared at each other blankly.

Grey seemed to have done something similar, but it felt different. Edward seemed unable to touch the horse in front of him because it was so unfamiliar and strange.

But there was no reason for him to be unfamiliar with horses.

Did he like it? Or not?

The horse snorted and turned its head away. Edward approached the horse. Standing to the left of the horse, he stroked its neck with his hand.

The horse obediently let Edward touch it.

Edward’s hand moved up to the horse’s face. He touched its cheek, nose, and ears, then stopped, looking curious.

“Is this my birthday present?”
“Do you like it?”
“Joffrey, is this horse special to you?”

Should I say yes? Would that earn me more points with Edward?

But I didn’t even know the horse’s name. 

“No.”

Edward’s shoulders slumped. Was he disappointed? He looked at me with a questioning expression.

“Then is it a horse that’s precious to the Queen?”

The Queen? Why would he want to know that?

I turned to the stablehand. I couldn’t answer that. Maybe the stablehand would know.

“It was expensive, but… She bought it and never came to see it once. Still, it cost a lot, so I’m sure she must care about it.” The stablehand answered, his tone uncertain.