Well, no that I don’t want the rumors to spread….since there is no use in hiding it further. Whoever let this truth out must be someone close to me…
I suddenly paraded in the halls and called all the maids. 
I glared at each maid present in the room.
“Listen, everyone, I know one of you spread my relationship with Lord Kai, once I’ll know who spread it then I would not spare him.” I announced loudly, “But I would like to tell him that I am thankful as this will not make it harder for me.” I said, “and that is true, everyone, go and them how it is. How I am the princess and I am engaged with the dark mage. Spread it. Now.” And everyone scattered at my order. 
I traveled using my horse and with her brother Gusev behind me. 
I went to travel, and on the way, I spotted two dwarves on a hike. They were bickering at each other and blocking the road, which made their horses stop. 
“Who are you and why are you blocking my path?” I asked, desperate to be in a hurry. I know this is a trap laid by the elf and I am clearly falling into his trap but I still continued on. 
“Help! We need your help!” Gusev furrowed his eyebrows at the two. The dwarves were short in stature, and they had white beards and hats wearing boots and some mining tools. 
“Shall we trust these two? We need to be quick now before they touch our brother and Amari.” Gusev said, completely full of trust issues. 
“We know that you have been looking for your brother. We can help you.” They said. 
I scoffed, not wanting to trust them, “And why do you know that?”
“Because we saw it. In our vision.” They just replied. “We were attacked by the elves and the goblins. They took our clan, and it’s only me, Igor, and my friend here Yaden are now left in our clan. Please help us!” 
“Because we saw it. In our vision.” They just replied. “We were attacked by the elves and the goblins. They took our clan, and it’s only me, Igor, and my friend here Yaden are now left in our clan. Please help us!” 
Help? This seems to be something that already happened to them. A deja vu?
“And how are you sure that we would help you? Why ask for us? How are we sure that you are not sent out by the enemies?”
The shorter one, sighed, “We know that the princess is kind. I am Yaden.”
I breathed deeply, wanting to leave the two.
Gusev nudged her, “We must go. Ignore them.”
“Or bad omen will come for you. We dwarves get our karmas and chants fast. Whoever we hate will be haunted forever.”
I glared at them, they are guilt tripping us and manipulating us…“wow, resorting to threatening me? That won’t work. You seem to have picked the wrong person. I won’t believe this trick.”
And me and Gusev ignored the dwarves, I could sense their unwavering glare but I just let them. We continued on to our path and looked at the map Gusev provided. We should head east further and travel to the other kingdoms. 
It will definitely be a long ride. We needed to ride the cargo ship and we waited at the taverns, waiting for the ship's signal.
I sighed, thinking how it would have been easy if we could teleport now.
Tsk. But we chose to travel alone and not tell anyone. I swear to scold Kai and Zef for leaving me behind. Those twins really, when will they learn that I need to be everywhere where they travel and save my brother and maid?
Well, arriving in the town was easy due to her past experience with traveling and her body has been used to the uncomfortable feeling of traveling. Everything was normal until a strange man offered to give her a drink. 
The taverns were similar back to Harthwaite, it was filled with chatter in the background, drunk men betting on something and I sat quietly across Gusev . Both of us just observed their surroundings. 
Just then, a beautiful lady appeared to us, “What shall I get you, misters?”
I drew my cloak closer to avoid getting recognized and cleared my throat, motioning for Gusev to talk.
“We are waiting for a friend, we still don’t have anything we want.” Gusev was quick to form an excuse and the lady nodded. 
The lady nodded, winking and trying to seduce Gusev as she giggled, “Alright, I’ll get back to you later.” 
I chuckled seeing Gusev's disgusted face. Oh, did I mention Gusev has a lover and that is my maid, Amari here? Crazy how this multiverse is different. Anything is possible.
“Tsk, you’re too loyal to Amari….” I said, “does anyone know of your…relationship with her?”
Gusev shook his head, “I’m afraid not, Arya. You know the palace, I do not want to burden anyone over something so trivial..” 
“Trivial? It is not.” I said, “Still, you should have stayed at the palace. You would be helpful to my father there..” Oh, did I mention that Gusev works under my father the king? He is the assistant of my father….
“I know. I promised to do the rest of the paperwork next when I return. And he agreed to my compromise.” 
“Good.”
Just then, another man appeared. It must be one of the workers here as it went to their table and handed them drinks. 
I scowled and glanced at Gusev who already understood me...
“We haven't ordered anything yet.”
“This is free on the table.”
Free? This is weird, no one except us has received anything like this. I furrowed my eyebrow, knowing it was weird to receive drinks in the middle of nowhere. 
It must be poison. 
As they said, never talk to strangers. What more to receive something that we would give... 
“Drink it….drink it, princess.”
My eyes widened, finding it instantly strange how he knows my existence. 
Just then, the man transformed into an ugly formation, and the men around yelled, “Goblin!”
Everyone was in panic and Gusev pushed me back, “It's a goblin. Go, I’ll fight it.”
“What? No! I won't let you fight alone. I’ll grab the head while you slice the heart.” U planned and ran to the beast bravely.
“No, you need to come with me, princess.” 
The goblin howled and instead of being killed, the goblin released a strange green smoke, making me faint he grabbed my waist and put her up as it ran.
All I could see at last was the confused look on Gusev ’s face and him chasing me before my heavy eyelids drooped.