Kate eventually did coax her body to sleep, and a surprisingly rejuvenating six hours' rest followed. Her dreams that night consisted almost entirely of a series of pleasant images and sensations strung together that were entirely incomprehensible upon awakening. But despite their incoherence, they had redeemed her shorter night's sleep, so Kate had no complaint.

She rolled over to her other side with a deep breath and peeled her tired eyes open. From here, she could see out the mouth of the cave to the hills on the horizon, with just a sliver of the sun peeking over them. Seeing the beginnings of the glowing orb gave Kate the motivation she needed to rise, so she stretched her arms and sat up.

After giving herself the briefest grooming possible with the guidance of her handheld mirror, a luxury item exclusively exported from Alconte, Kate stuffed her feet into a pair of slippers and stepped outside. She wiped stickiness from the corners of her eyes as she stepped into the chilly air of the early morning. A smile spread across the princess' lips as she inhaled deeply of the fresh pureness so cold against her skin, but revitalizing to her lungs.

Then Kate's gaze drifted a little to the right of the cave's mouth, where she spotted Manfred sitting alone in the grass with his eyes closed and head bowed. Her instincts told her to leave him alone, but curiosity and playfulness converged to embolden her to approach. Kate attempted a quiet walk over, but every step she took made a gentle swishing sound in the grass.

Manfred's head jerked up and snapped over her direction. Once he met Kate's eyes, he smiled slightly, maintaining eye contact much longer than usual. She graciously returned the grin as she settled down beside him in the grass.

"Good morning, your highness." Manfred greeted her, "You slept well, I hope."

"I most certainly did!" Kate said pleasantly, "And you?"

"Yeah. Falling asleep was a little rough...rocky floor and all, but I managed."

"Ah, I see. I thought your bedroll was a little thin for the terrain, but you toughed it out. What brings you out here so early?"

Manfred shrugged. "I like waking up before everybody else. Gives me a chance to be alone with God...center myself before the day starts in earnest."

Kate nodded. "That sounds like a profitable practice for both body and soul. I confess to having no steady routine to my mornings. I'm afraid I do far too much following of whims when I wake up."

"Well, that's fine. I wouldn't insist my way's the only one." A rare smirk crossed Manfred's face. "After all, who's to tell you of all people to do something else?"

"Nobody but my father, I suppose, and usually, all he cares about is that I'm happy." Kate stared wistfully into the distance upon mentioning her father, realizing how she'd already come to miss him these few days into her journey. One of his hearty hugs wouldn't be too bad right now, actually. "Well, I apologize for any disturbance, Manfred. If you need—"

"No, no, you're fine. I was just about done anyway."

"That's good, because this is a comfortable spot. I should find it difficult to rise." Kate said with a giggle.

A breathy laugh escaped Manfred's nose. "I have no intention on bringing you discomfort, your highness."

"Of course you don't." A long moment of silence lingered between the two, and though Manfred seemed strangely comfortable with it, Kate could hardly stand it. She cleared her throat. "So...where do you see yourself in five years, Manfred?"

"In five years..." he echoed thoughtfully, brown eyes settling on the distant hills where the sun had peeked out just a bit more, "By then I hope to have finished my swordsmanship training. And hopefully by then, I'll be a knight too."

Kate's head bobbed up and down in a nod. "Alright. And what do you foresee for yourself in other areas of your life? Do you plan on raising a family on the side? I have heard that is quite the challenge."

"I do. But right now, that seems pretty far in the future. For now, I'm more focused on bettering myself as a man."

"That is reasonable, I suppose, but are we not to better ourselves our whole lives? At what point would you consider yourself good enough?"

Manfred ran a thumb along his forehead. "I guess you're right. Maybe I'd do better to keep on with the focus still on self-improvement while also keeping an eye out."

"An eye out for what?"

"A...a good woman. Someone who has the character and virtue of a godly wife."

Kate looked up from her fidgeting hands to meet Manfred's eyes, but of course he didn't return the favor. "How would you know when you found someone like that?"

"I dunno...why are you so curious?" Manfred asked with a laugh, gaze leaping up to meet hers. He lingered longer than ever.

Kate didn't answer him in words. A mere shrug and an expectant stare expressed her intended reply well enough.

Manfred looked down again and sighed. "I guess I need someone who understands me...who really gets me, you know. With a love for God above all that gives her greater capacity to love others. By extension, me."

A playful smirk crossed Kate's face. "Do looks count for anything?"

"They're...of course a plus. But the way I see things, beauty can be hollow. True beauty begins inside and illuminates the outside. To my eyes, God's people are more lovely than carnal men and women can ever hope to become with all their beautifications."

"On that, we are agreed. So, are you sure you know no one who fits your description of a good wife?" she asked, subtly scooting closer to Manfred.

"Not...that I'm aware of." Manfred replied, "I have a bad habit though. Not recognizing some things for what they really are."

"I'm sure we all do that from time to time." Kate brushed a stray hair out of her face. "But I know I would much appreciate a hardworking, honest man to stand at my side when I become queen, and I believe I know such a man when I see him."

Manfred nodded. "I hope you see him soon, your highness."

"I hope so too." Kate said quietly, "And I hope you find the wife you seek."

"Thank you, your highness. I appreciate that."

After Kate acknowledged Manfred with a nod, the two fell silent again, wordlessly enjoying each other's company and watching the sun rise. About half an hour passed before the sounds of stirring inside the camp alerted Kate to somebody else's awakening. She patted Manfred's back and bade him farewell before heading back to the cavern to investigate.

****

Princess Kate's entourage enjoyed two days more of smooth travel across the lush Arorian countryside, and at the end of that second day, they stopped minutes away from the line of cliffs marking the border between Aroria and Innutuk Proper. The formation closely resembled a mountain range in its coherence, only formed out of cliffs instead. Several narrow passes between the imposing walls of hard-packed dirt allowed travel in and out, but nonetheless limited its volume and speed. And the sheer height of the cliffs astounded Kate. It appeared they stretched to the very heavens.

After a light breakfast the following morning, the party advanced again and wove through one of the narrow passes into Innutuk. At more than one point, Kate found herself nervous, wondering if her carriage would be able to squeeze through, but to her relief, it managed. Only ten minutes of travel later, the cliffs tapered down into hills that rolled across the landscape on either side of a widening path.

The verdant beauty of the grass beneath the horses' hooves and carriage's wheels slowly faded into duller green hues, and in many spots, only brown, wilted stalks stood. Kate frowned as she beheld entire fields where Innutukian farmers labored away to tend to what few healthy plants could eke out survival in the soil. She had previously heard many a tale of Innutuk being a vast grassland teeming with wildlife. But now she had her doubts.

About two hours later, the procession took a short break alongside a clear lake surrounded by a ring of greenery far more lively than that which surrounded them. The horses drank eagerly while their riders stretched tired legs and backs.

Kate slid her carriage door open and stepped out for a breath of fresh air. A light breeze came in from the west and washed a wave of refreshment over her, causing Kate to close her eyes and smile as she reveled in the enjoyment. When she finally opened them, she spotted a knoll a few paces off, so she headed over to gain a higher vantage point of the surrounding countryside. The familiar thud of her bodyguard's footsteps sounded behind her.

"Shall I race you to the top?"

Kate glanced sharply to her left, where Andre stood with crossed arms and a challenging smirk. "Are you joking?"

"No, I'm not." Andre glanced down at her feet, "Oh, excuse me. I wasn't aware you were wearing high heels."

Two kicks later, her white shoes were in the grass. "Not anymore. Perhaps this is not the most ladylike indulgence of mine, but..."

Andre chuckled. "Nobody's present who has either the will or authority to judge you, Princess. Shall I give you a head start?"

"Don't patronize me." Kate retorted with a giggle, "If I lose, I will accept it willingly."

"And if you win?"

"Then I'll be quite likely to shove you down the hill."

Andre stretched one leg back. "I feel rather threatened, now."

He counted them off, and once he said "go", the two bolted up the knoll. Kate felt the moist earth hitting the balls of her feet as she ran, along with the wind rushing through her hair and blowing into her ears. Her heart pounded faster than her footsteps in an attempt at keeping up.

But Andre kept ahead of Kate the whole time with his long legs giving him a clear advantage. He crested the top several seconds before Kate did, and once she saw her defeat, she staggered the rest of the way up while struggling to catch her breath.

Andre smiled triumphantly. "Does this mean I get to shove you down the hill now?"

"No." Kate spat out between gasps. She put a hand over her overactive heart.

"That's not very fair."

"What's not very fair...is you having longer legs than me, Feliz."

Andre laughed heartily. "I must blame my father for that."

"I would argue your father can also be blamed for your cockiness."

"Likely so."

Kate smiled and settled down to take a seat in the grass. Of course, Andre followed suit beside her, and they both surveyed the land ahead. A vast stretch of brownness lay before them, accented only here and there with a patch of dull greenery. All the way to the horizon, the near uniformity of drabness continued.

"My goodness," Andre said after he'd had a moment to take the sight in, "This land is supposed to resemble your eyes in color, but now, they appear closer to mine."

Kate almost laughed at his statement, but then the meaning beyond the humor set in, and she sighed instead. "Innutuk truly isn't what I had been told it was. And if the very land is so different than what I had heard, I am beginning to wonder about the people. What if they aren't so warlike as I've been told? What if Monterayne has been on edge for nothing all along?"

"I wouldn't go so far as that, your highness. It is undeniable that they were the aggressors not all that many years ago in the conflict against the Alcontean Republic. But perhaps...maybe they sent too many of their men out to fight that war, hence leaving far fewer to till the land."

Kate's green eyes widened at that prospect. "That would be terrible, but it makes perfect sense. War is a double-edged sword, I suppose. Sometimes, we only see how it affects the victims, and only in certain aspects. But I suppose even the attackers suffer some consequences in other areas less considered."

"That's deep, and very true." Andre said thoughtfully as he slowly nodded, "Hopefully war is also a sword that will soon be sheathed."

"Well, if God's blessing rests upon our current journey, perhaps it will be our hand that brings that about."

"I certainly hope so. I find it sad that a time of complete peace for Monterayne is such a novel concept to me. Our people are truly no aggressors, but even our defensive warfare has dragged on for so long that I fear I've forgotten what normality looks like."

"I know." Kate said, "I feel much the same."

"What would you hope to accomplish with a peaceful Monterayne, once you ascend to the throne?" Andre asked with his gaze strongly locked with Kate's.

She narrowed her eyes slightly as conflicting thoughts ran through her head, but too swiftly to grasp any one of them for long. "I...I'd say evangelism is one effort we have not devoted enough time to these past several years. We have been far too eager to send war horses out, but not mares and stallions carrying benevolent preachers of the Gospel."

"That's true."

"After all, think even of our greatest ally, Alconte! Even they are torn in half, with some embracing our faith, and many others clinging to their old pagan gods. Antapeño seems to believe that with enough exercise of the mind, with only enough mere thought, they can ascend to the heavens. Kemaria has their pantheon, Shafaria has one of their own, and yes, even Innutuk could use the healing balm of the Gospel we hold dear."

Andre smiled, and after a moment, he laid a hand on her shoulder. "You are a truly noble soul, Princess Alder. I believe Monterayne shall count herself blessed to have you on her throne."

**** 

A/N: Well, these last two chapters have been a fun glimpse into getting to know our main trio, wouldn't you say? I know they were tons of fun to write, so hopefully that carried over to the reading experience too. 😁 

(If it did, a vote and comment[s] would be nice. 😉😂) 

So, now that we've had two chapters basically dedicated to building them up, do you have a character upon whom you're placing your stamp of favoritism? If so, who, and what is it you like about them? 

I'll skedaddle now. My mom's off work today, so though I don't know what exactly what we're gonna do, we're gonna do something. God bless, and I hope to see you in next week's update!