[center][h1][b][color=DAF6C7]Ríoghnach "Riona"[/color][/b][/h1][color=DAF6C7]Interaction:[/color] Callum[@Helo][/center]
Riona perused through the aisles of the shop, taking in the wide selection of spices, herbs, flowers, and roots it had on offer. Shelves upon shelves of jars and packets, each one holding a different blend of botanicals, lined the walls. Products that weren't on a shelf or hanging from the ceiling were arranged in their respective displays, inviting customers to take a closer look at their eye-catching colors and heady mix of scents, ranging from sweet and floral to pungent and earthy. The store seemed to have every imaginable botanical, including the more exotic and obscure ones, making it a place of endless possibilities for culinary exploration and experimentation. Riona didn’t come here to buy groceries, though. She came to buy ingredients for a very different kind of cooking. 

Ideally, she would’ve grown the ingredients herself. It would’ve saved her a lot of money in the long run, but realistically, she didn’t have the time or energy to take care of the more difficult plants. Long story short, it was just easier to buy them… if she had the money for them, that is.

Riona audibly gasped at the outrageous price scribbled on the tag. [i][color=DAF6C7]How the f**k is this tiny bottle worth three months of my salary?[/color][/i] She’d been searching for a particular root listed in one of Callum’s books that was a vital component of several potions. This root, called geshrow, turned out to be a challenge to find and, apparently, was going to be a pain-in-the-a** buying too. 

After a rough calculation of her budget, she pursed her lips. With great reluctance, Riona returned the bottle to the shelf. She glowered at the label the entire time, silently wishing that her glare alone could shrink the numbers into an affordable amount. Her gaze remained fixed on it even as she backed away from the display, as if distance was the only reason the price didn’t buckle into submission. 

Riona knew it was pointless, even careless, but she didn’t really know just how careless she was being until she backed right into another customer. She blurted an apology as she spun around to face the innocent bystander properly, then flashed a smile of recognition upon seeing Callum.

She was just about to follow up with a casual greeting when his guards came into view and they looked none too pleased with her. Had she collided into Callum as Riona the maidservant, and not dolled-up “Ms. Vos,” she didn’t doubt that they would’ve been on her like a pack of rabid dogs for hurting His Highness. Based on their demeanor, however, the guards weren’t going to let Ms. Vos go without a proper apology, even if she wasn’t a peasant.

As soon as she spotted the guards, Riona angled herself so that the wide brim of her hat eclipsed her face from them. When she curtsied, she was careful to do the style drilled into every debutante since the day they could walk—the one that, because of the long dresses, people didn’t seem to realize how much pliés, tendus, and rond de jambes were happening behind the curtains.  

[color=DAF6C7]“Your Highness, I must beg your pardon and proffer my sincerest apologies. My senses were so enraptured by the enchanting colors and scents that I failed to take heed of my surroundings.”[/color] Riona covered her cheek and turned her head further away from the guards, pretending to conceal a blush that should’ve appeared if she was a proper Caesonian gentlewoman. [color=DAF6C7]“I pray that my inadvertence has not inflicted any harm upon your person… Your Highness.”[/color] She tried her best to avoid sticking the title Prince to Callum’s name or using the surname Danrose, but Riona couldn’t just call him Cal in front of his intimidating babysitters, now could she?

Her gaze traveled to the basket in Callum’s hand and instantly recognized what the items in there were for. [color=DAF6C7]“It appears that you possess a discerning palate. If it may not be too impertinent of me, might I recommend the spices over there?”[/color] Riona gestured towards the direction the blasted geshrow was located. If she wasn’t going to be able to use it, at least Callum could.

[color=DAF6C7]“May the remainder of your shopping bring you joy, Your Highness. It was a pleasure to meet you.”[/color] She gave Callum a polite bow before leaving him to his own shopping while she continued with hers. As much as Riona would’ve liked to chat, she couldn’t risk being recognized by the guards—a possibility that grew under their watchful eyes. 

Even from a distance, Riona could tell how much happier Callum was outside the castle. His posture was more relaxed, his face lost some of the weary lines, and a faint smile appeared whenever he spotted something interesting. It was as if a weight had been lifted off of him, and he could finally breathe freely. At times like these, it couldn’t have been more obvious that court life didn’t suit him, much like Sadie. 

In fact, the Caesonian Prince and Varian Princess had a lot in common, just enough for Riona to wonder if they’d make a good match. They were similar in age and they shared a passion for learning, always eager to expand their knowledge and understanding. Additionally, they were both compassionate, caring deeply for commoners, and held a strong aversion to the abuse of power and violence.

As Riona pondered further, she found herself increasingly drawn to the idea. Being children of the reigning “monarch,” they could understand and support each other in ways that others wouldn’t be able to. Given their shared beliefs and values, the odds of them clashing over ideology were essentially nil. Moreover, Callum would never mistreat Sadie (unlike that two-faced bastard Desmond), and Sadie could infuse Callum with a much-needed dose of optimism and positivity. They’d make a perfect pair, free to be themselves. Perhaps, with time, Sadie won’t be afraid to trust her heart to someone again, and Callum would learn to love him—

The shopkeeper's bell rang, and a breeze pushed its way inside. The air, still tainted with the lingering smell of burnt flesh, asked Riona if she had forgotten her promise. Why should any of the Danroses deserve what they denied her family, friends, everyone from her hometown? She ignored the tiny little voices that gave the answer she heard many times over, by lowborn and highborn alike, “By right of royal blood.” [i][color=4E0E04]… Ha! The irony.[/color][/i]

When Callum turned around and their eyes met, all Riona saw were Edin’s blue eyes. Suddenly, she’s 10 years old again. King Edin stood before her father and Lord Dantès as the blazing fire illuminated them. Sparks of that day landed on the fuse and ate her away. Riona stomped out the image as she rushed to the cashier counter and dumped her shopping basket onto it. [color=DAF6C7]“My apologies. I seem to have left my wallet behind. I shall return at a later date to make my purchase. Have a good day.”[/color] Without sparing Callum a glance, Riona bolted out of the store.