While the unwavering moon illuminated the tranquil night sky from outside, inside closed quarters, the persevering fire inside tantalized with its mischievous aromas. Arklen, determined as ever, kept watch over the entire cooking process, not wanting to spoil another prideful recipe.
 
On the other hand, Orin remained seated further behind, fully amused. Arklen always found a way to absorb himself to the fullest extent, every single time. Orin could only wonder where his friend had acquired all of that enthusiasm. His thoughts quickly dispersed at the sounds of several sudden knocks upon the door, beckoning for a response from within. Quick to his feet, Orin opened the door; his eyes immediately widened, surprised by a formally dressed member of royalty standing at his own doorway. 

“You must be Orin, am I correct?” Jameson quickly inquired. 

“Yes, that I am. May I ask what brings a royal messenger to my door at this hour?” Orin respectfully questioned the man, knowing absolutely nothing of what matters concerned him.

“I have been sent to relay a message from the princess. She wishes for [i]your[/i] presence at the Vespa fountain. You must appear promptly, just before the noon hour. Once you have arrived, you will be briefed by the princess regarding her desired companionship during her future travels.” Jameson’s words were kept needlessly short and concise.

Orin remained in a moment’s silence, feeling awkward, not by the request of his presence, but Aryn’s intention to travel. “If I may, what are these future travels supposed to entail?” He didn’t have a clue as to where she might be heading, let alone for how long.

“It is the princess’ desire to find her mother no matter where it takes her, though it is unclear as to how long the journey will be or the destinations involved.” There was little else in the way of details other than Princess Aryn’s wishes.

Orin was split between troubled feelings and a sense of intrigue. “Don’t get me wrong, I am willing to be of full assistance to accompany the princess, but there is something I am confused about.” Orin hesitated, pondering over his carefully chosen words. “Why would the princess desire an inexperienced druid like me over the numerous highly skilled guards that protect the castle every day?” There had to be something crucial he was missing.

Jameson’s eyes wandered about in disbelief before recovering a straight face. “If you must know, the princess has pretty much refused the assistance from any of our qualified guards, for reasons all her own. You sir, are the first and only one she has ever considered.” In anyone’s right mind that was an honor in itself. “Even so, the decision to accept her wishes is entirely up to you. Just know, Princess Aryn speaks highly of you quite frequently.” With restlessness taking hold, Jameson spoke once more, attempting to move along to other priorities. “Do think this over for the night, and be sure to let the princess know of your decision at the Vespa fountain. Until then, I bid you goodnight.”

Orin said his goodbye, closed the door, and took a seat, all while his thoughts processed the peculiar proposition. There was no reason not to accept the offer. His only lingering concern was his ability to safely protect her. What the king would do to him otherwise, if anything unfortunate were to happen to his own daughter. Orin snapped himself out of his worried strand of thought, focusing his attention to the food placed upon the table.

“I’m impressed. The princess wishes to see you again, after all this time. In person, no less.” Arklen positioned himself at the other side of the table and took to eating, while Orin followed suit, attempting to downplay his own building excitement. 
 
After dinner, sleep carried onward into the late hours. Sunlight soon filtered through the darkness of the night sky, dawn arising once more, lifting further towards a midday peak. Orin carried himself with great interest as he walked along, passing by the many townsfolk in vast array. Nearing the edge of town, sounds of flowing water pleased his ears; his eager eyes soon to catch sight of not only the vibrantly flowing Vespa fountain, but the beautiful princess herself. Had it really been over a year since the last time?