Annette scurried closer to him in the small wooden sit of the cart and pressed her modest breasts on Henry's big muscular arm, clumsily trying to seduce the gardener by imitating moves she has seen Elizabeth do time and time again on their "girl nights" as she calls the day's off in the capital visiting taverns with Antoinette, drinking and picking up the occasional one-night stand much to the embarrassment of the young mixed-race girl

"So... It's very cold tonight...aren't You cold? I sure am," She faces away in shame while flushing profusely.

Oh! God, why did I say that? He's going to think I'm a freak or some kind of frozen floozy!!

The orc was now at the reins of the cart and paid almost no mind to Annette's advances he was willfully ignoring her, still absorbing the events that led him to this situation.

How come that waking up in the middle of the night two days ago to take a piss and not being able to sleep again, deciding he had nothing better to do and leaving home early for work, ended with him taking part in the rapture of the princess? Life must be funny that way, he concluded.

But why?

The question still burns within him. He knows that these people are dangerous, the rumors about the princess maid's qualifications run rampant on the palace, reaching even the most closed off ears, according to these rumors... The true Zafrir of the group is especially dangerous, once in their hands he cannot go against them without risking their anger, and he wasn't a veteran warrior.

Why did I have to get myself involved in this mess?

They had long since left the palace, thankfully everything went according to plan, Annette rode beside Henry at the front, Elizabeth sat close to a pile of blankets where Eleanor and the princess were hidden under.

As expected, no one dared ask what two of the three maids were doing outside so late at night and if they did, they would either tell them to mind their own business or something along the lines of a special delivery.

"I'm just accompanying a friend on her first date; don't you think these two-look lovely together?" Lizbeth replied on one such occasion of a curious guard asking, this ended on Annette furiously denying the allegation and making a scene.

Most just didn't care, making Eleanor's disappointment on the royal guards increase tenfold at their inaction.

How is it possible for all these men to just let a cart slip through without checking? This is gross ineptitude!

She thought from the safety of her hiding place.

At long last they managed to slip through several layers of armed guards, past the busied streets of the capital bustling with people and activities, now only the calm forest road spreads ahead of them, a calmness not found in the hustle and bustle of the Escilax.

"Have you given any thought to the reward?" Annette asked Henry, this was the start of her new, multilayered romantic attack.

Step 1: Bring up the theme of a reward

Step 2: Offer a date as a reward or make, so you must take it to him

Step 3: make him fall madly in love with you until he gives you the same puppy eyes everyone else does!

Step 4:

I can think of that whenever I get to it!

Sadly, to the dismay of Annette, the orc remained unfazed by her advances "No, I would rather know why are we taking the child out in the middle of the night in such a fashion, I remained calm up until now, but I would like to know what If I'm bringing dishonor upon my people," Henry's face remained as stern as usual the only one that noticed the slight irritation on his voice was Annette.

"Don't worry! Nobody will know you took part in this if that's what you fear"

"That's not what I'm worried about" He replied, "I want to know if I got tricked into hurting the child or acting against the kingdom" Henry gripped the reins even harder.

"No!" Annette almost shouted at him, this earned her the silent stare of Eleanor for being too loud "We are her maids, we would never do anything that could hurt the princess, we are just following orders straight from the top, this is for her good" she continued more calmly.

"I suspect as much, but still, I would like to know the meaning behind this,"

"You just have to remain silent, not a peep, yes?" Elizabeth entered the conversation.

Henry remained calmed and didn't say anything, he didn't even turn to face her, unbothered by Elizabeth's threat-filled words.

"Boooring! Is he always acting like a brick? Or is it just a pastime? Antoinette, why would you throw yourself to such a boring man? Darling, I'm sure you would have a better time with any of the other men in the palace, just pick one of the many drooling boys always on your tail,"

"I'm not throwing myself at anyone! And I wouldn't do such a thing!" Annette barked back with a full blush.

"Then allow me to satiate your curiosity Mister Henry" Eleanor spoke from the back of the cart, she had taken the sheets off and used them to cover the still sleeping child on her lap "We are royal maids" She stroked the princess red hair with the love only a mother a give to his child "just three of well over a hundred, we were selected among all of them because besides from our talents, we share a deep sense of loyalty to the throne, so don't question us when we say you have nothing to fear from this, we are most surely NOT rapturing the princess, selling her off nor abducting her for a ramson and no harm will come to her, I will die before anyone gets to lay a hand on her,"

"I understand,"

"Well, if you do then hurry this up, there's not much left before we arrive,"

following orders straight from the top

That was all he needed to know, given these three were handpicked for their loyalty to the kingdom it would be weird for them to turn. Another option that occurred to him was that they were following orders from a shadowy third party, but the elite maids serve only the princess and the king himself, they don't follow orders unless they are from one of those two, so... Straight from the top, doesn't leave many options open as to who gave the order, it was from Nero Agron himself.

If they aren't working against the kingdom then I will obey, if they need me to drive the cart, then that's what I'll do. I may have come here because the elf asked me a favor, but now it's different, this is a mission for Ezohr and I don't have the luxury to.