[@awkwarddingo]
"I- uh- yeah, alright," Solomon stammered. "It has been a while since I have visited a larger shopping area. Rose, would you like to join us?"

Amalthea had a split second to work out how to keep Solomon for herself. Drag him away faster than Rose could respond, overwhelm Rose during the shopping trip and make it joyless for her, or give her something to do elsewhere?

"Rose, why don't you go start getting lunch ready for everyone? We'll all be starving by the time we get back."

Rose looked for a moment like a deer caught by a hunter. Then her face brightened as an idea struck her. "I do need to find foodstuffs from the market, after all. It's settled then! Very well, Princess, I am joining you on the shopping trip."

Princess Amalthea inadvertently let her jaw drop. "O-oh, okay then..." Rose smiled and strutted to the front to take the lead. As they walked, the princess found her voice and made to speak again. "So- uhm, so, Solomon! What do you think of this- of this- um, town?" Her foot fell in a puddle of suspicious brown mush. She tried to wipe her foot on the dirt as they walked, but it was a little hard to concentrate at the brisk pace Rose was taking them. "It's a...lovely place, don't you think?" she continued, trying to stay upbeat. "So many- so many wonderful sights..." She finally got the large gob off the side of her boot. It was still an ugly black-brown, but at least it was tolerable.

[i]Ugh, could this date go any worse?[/i] she whined inside.

Rose glanced back. She considered making a snarky comment, but decided against it. Besides, Her Highness just suffered the indignity of stepping in a pile of dung. It might be fun to watch her try and retrieve her dignity.

So Rose smirked instead. Amalthea covertly gave her the finger while looking at Solomon for an answer, anything to inject a little happiness in this increasingly wretched experience.