Eliot let out a very fake laugh as she told him they could get him a parasol. He shook his head then, stepped up to the entrance as two guards pushed the heavy, wooden door open for them. 

As he stepped up to Adelia, staying close by her side, he couldn’t help but wave at the children as they ran by. A few waved back, most too busy playing to realize who it was that was strolling through their midst now. As she told him that he needed to stay close else he might get kidnapped, he laughed lightly. 

“Oh I’m sure I could pester them enough to have them bring me back.” He let a smirk raise the edge of his lips as he peered over at her with a sideways glance. As they went along, people bowed to him. He gave them a smile and a casual wave. He didn’t really care much for the bowing but something inside him guided his gestures. Something whispered to him the next move to make, to smile and wave, to greet the people and let them see that their prince- or rather princess, was one of them, even if he didn’t feel like one of them. 

A little girl ran up to the couple, her hands behind her back and swaying nervously on her feet. “Princess Eliot,” she said as she stared up at the two of them. Eliot smiled before squatting down on his hunches to look at her at her level. “I picked this for you! I hope you like it!” From behind her back, she presented a simple little flower of white petals and yellow pollen. Eliot delicately took the tiny flower from the girl, flashing her a dazzling smile. 

“Oh thank you! I’ll cherish it forever.” The girl beamed as she hurried off to tell her mother that the princess took her flower and liked it so much, she was going to cherish it. He watched her go before tucking the flower into his braids. Before he could stand to his full height again, a rather large man stepped up in front of him. Eliot peered up at the man, a frown on his face. He knew this tactic. It was a gesture that insecure men took when they saw an opportunity to be above someone, even for a moment. As Eliot slowly stood to his full height again, practically having to lean back so his face wouldn’t grind along the man’s junk to do so, he let out a deep sigh. 

“Princess,” the man said as he took a slight bow, forcing Eliot to step back from the large man else possibly get headbutted in the process. Did this man understand personal space or was he just this obnoxious? 

“Yes?” Eliot said, his voice dry and unenthused. 

“My name is Lord Jeffery Darwin, of the Darwin lineage. I heard tales of a fine young princess who had yet to take a hand in marriage. I came to see for myself and imagine my surprise when I found the tales to be not only true but understated. You are as beautiful as a young flower at the beginning of spring.” Eliot’s frown on his face only seemed to grow deeper as the man went on and on. It was as if Shakespear and Tolkin had a kid and that kid turned out to be a twat. He wanted to interrupt the man and tell him that he wasn’t interested in the slightest but etiquette, that he didn’t know was trained into him, kept his lips sealed shut. He only watched the man, his face growing emotionless as the fool carried on. 

When he finally stopped talking, Eliot peered over at Adelia. He had a lot of nasty things to say to the man but he decided he really didn’t want to make that big of a show. 

“I thank you for the compliments.” He said dryly, wanting to move around the man and continue their parade through the village.