127 Chapter 127: Hezekiah-3

Delia widened her eyes and said, "I will immediately look for the restaurant" and was stopped when she felt the child tugging at her dress. Delia looked down and heard the Princess say, "I don't want to go to a restaurant. Let's eat from the street stalls."

Delia widened her eyes and was about to reject her when Hazel said, "Remember the snack you used to bring for me. I want to eat that from the stall."

Delia nodded and was about to bring her to the stall when Hazel suggested, "How about you buy and I wait here?"

Delia looked at her worriedly and shook her head profusely. Hazel pressed her lips as she looked into the crowd and said, "I will be crushed by the crowd if I was about to enter. "

Delia looked into the crowd and sighed. 

"I promise I will be safe"

Upon her promise, Delia left before warning her to not follow anyone and quickly went towards the stall. Not even a second later, she heard a cheerful voice beside her, "I thought I wouldn't be able to talk to you."

Hazel swiftly turned around and saw the girl standing beside her, curiously examining her.

The girl continued as if she treated her as her friend, "Was she your guard?"

Hazel pursed her lips and shook her head, "She is my aunt."

The girl turned to her and looked into her emerald eyes making Hazel slightly comfortable. The girl smiled apologetically, "You have very beautiful eyes... just like our royal family."

Hazel flinched at her remark making her gape at the girl before her. How could she forget that only the royals had green eyes?

Nevertheless, she saw the girl shrug and cheerfully introduce herself, "My name is Audrey. What is your name?"

Hazel tilted her head and mumbled, "Freya"

Audrey smiled, "You are very beautiful." making Hazel's cheeks red. It was her first time being called beautiful excluding those from the castle.

The girl chuckled and asked, "Do you want to play with me?"

Hazel looked at her hand before turning towards in the direction Delia went. Noticing her hesitation, Audrey said, "Don't worry about your Aunt. I will bring you back before she notices."

Hazel looked at the girl and debated whether to trust her or not but eventually her craving to explore the city won as she nodded her head.

Hazel placed her snowy white hand on her rough palm making Audrey exclaim, "Ooh...your hand is so soft. Do you bathe in milk or something?"

Hazel smiled in response refusing to answer her because she was right. She did indeed bath with milk and rose petals. Audrey pulled her away from the stalls and took her into a dark alley.

Hazel squinted her eyes slightly but all around her she could hear children call out, "Sister is back."

Hazel slowly adjusted to the light and widened her eyes when she saw a bunch of children standing in front of her. All looking at her curiously making Hazel hide behind Audrey.

Audrey laughed, "It's okay... They won't hurt you. These are my friends."

She began to introduce Hazel to the bunch of kids who eagerly pulled her to play with them.

Never did Hazel think that she would enjoy playing so much that she wished she never went back into those gates. Even though her parents and brother played with her, they never allowed her to play with anything dangerous, afraid of letting her get hurt.

And, playing with the other royal kids... well, let's just say being alone was far better than playing with them.

So, for the first time in her life, she was playing with these kids, chuckling cheerfully as she enjoyed all these games which were filthy in the royal's eyes.

She almost forgot about returning to the castle when a shadow loomed over her. She gazed up and saw the sun setting downwards leaving a slight orange trail in the sky.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Hazel turned towards Audrey who smiled at her. Hazel let out a grin and nodded her head.

She widened her eyes when she thought of Delia and looked at Audrey worriedly.

Audrey patted her hand and said, "Don't worry... I will take you to her. Let's go"

Hazel quickly bade her goodbyes to the bunch of kids as she followed Audrey back to her original spot. Her eyes widened when she saw Delia grabbing everyone and ask them, "Have you seen a girl in a blue dress?"

Feeling guilty of scaring her, Hazel hurried her pace and called out, "Aunt Delia"

Delia froze and turned around swiftly and saw the Princess running towards her. Tears fell from her eyes as she hugged the child in her arms. Hazel patted her back feeling the tremor in her body. 

"Princess... I'm so glad you are safe. I was so scared and didn't know how to forgive myself if something happened to you."

Hazel wiped her tears and smiled at her, "I'm fine."

Suddenly a voice startled them, "Princess?"

Hazel's smile stiffened but recovered suddenly. She turned around and smiled, "My Aunt loves to call me princess."

Audrey nodded at her words before looking at Delia who was frowning at her. 

Delia held Hazel in her hand and looked at Audrey suspiciously. She retreated her gaze and said calmly, "Let's hurry back before your parents notice your absence."

Hazel nodded and waved at Audrey.

Audrey smiled and asked, "Will you play with us again, Freya?"

Delia tightened her hold on Hazel making her look at the adult who was watching Audrey warily. She looked back at Audrey and smiled, "If my Aunt lets me visit her again, I will." 

Audrey laughed and said, "Next time you come, meet me here. I will wait for you."

Hazel smiled and waved her hand, "Bye Audrey... I had an amazing time."

Audrey waved her hand and said slowly, "Bye Freya."