Said No to the Prince and Yes to the King novel Chapter 60

Chapter 60 Something Felt Off

The moment Theodore finished speaking, Margaret was already waving at someone up ahead.

“Hello there, ma’am,” she called out. “Could you tell me if there’s a way out of these woods? Which direction is closest to Breston?”

Flashed

An old woman in her sixties–Carol Hale–was slowly walking by with a basket in her hand. She looked up when she heard the voice.

At first, she rubbed her eyes in disbelief. Then she shouted, “What?”

Margaret hurried over and repeated what she’d just said.

Carol finally understood. “Keep walking along this path, and you’ll get out of the woods. But once you’re out, you’ll be in our village–Maplewood Village. You’ve still got a long way to go to reach Breston.”

As she spoke, she glanced over at Theodore, who stood a short distance away.

“This place has been abandoned for years,” she said. “How did you two end up here?”

Margaret smiled, “Long story. My brother and I ran into bandits in the mountains nearby. We’ve been running ever since, and somewhere along the way, we got lost. That’s how we ended up out here. But what about you, ma’am? What brings you here?”

Right after asking, Margaret felt she’d said too much.

She’s carrying a basket. Obviously, she’s got a garden nearby.

Carol didn’t answer the question. Instead, she looked at Margaret with pity. “Bandits? Right here, so close to Breston? That’s terrible.”

Then, without any hesitation, she grabbed Margaret’s hand. “It’s almost dark. You two shouldn’t try to get to Breston tonight. Come rest in our village instead. If you run into those bandits again in the dark, who knows what could happen.”

Margaret glanced back at Theodore. He didn’t react. So she gave a small nod. “Thank you. We really appreciate it.”

“Meeting like this–it’s fate,” Carol said. “If my granddaughter were still with me, she’d be about your age. Just call me Carol.”

She held Margaret’s hand tightly. “Attacked by bandits in broad daylight. You poor thing. The world’s gone cold. Bad people do awful things and get away with it.”

At first, Margaret had only wanted directions.

But holding Carol’s warm hand made her feel something different.

We’re complete strangers. And yet she’s this kind.

It’s hard to say no.

Chapter 60 Something Felt Off

we fiorched

Before they knew it, they had entered the village. The streets were narrow, lined with houses–not many of them, but each seemed to have its own little yard.

They followed Carol down an alley, passing more houses along the way. Finally, she stopped in front of a rundown yard.

“There’s no inn here,” Carol said. “No big taverns like in the city. If you don’t mind the mess, you can stay at my place tonight. Ever since my granddaughter disappeared, I’ve had an empty bedroom. It’s all yours.”

She pushed open the door, and a cloud of dust flew up.

Margaret waved her hand. “You’re already being so kind to take us in. Why would we mind? But… what happened to your granddaughter?”

Carol had mentioned her twice now. Something felt off.

But Carol didn’t answer. She took her basket and went to wash the vegetables. After that, she headed into the kitchen to cook.

By then, the sky had gone completely dark.

The whole village was pitch black. A few houses had lights on, but only dim ones.

In Carol’s house, just two candles were burning.

She made a simple pumpkin soup and brought it to the table.

Theodore kept frowning. He barely touched his soup.

Margaret didn’t mind the food, but the meal was way too quiet.

After they’d eaten, Carol finally let out a sigh. “My poor granddaughter. She’s probably been taken by bandits, too. No one knows where she is.”

Her eyes turned red. “I was actually planning to go to Breston tomorrow. That’s all I want—to find her. They say Breston is full of nobles and officials. Surely one of them can help me get my granddaughter back.”

Margaret looked confused. “Bandits? Carol, can you tell me more?”

The candlelight flickered. Carol lowered her gaze, sadness washing over her face.

“For the past two years, bandits have been raiding our village every now and then,” she said. “They come and go like ghosts. They never show themselves openly. They sneak around and kidnap innocent women. Just this year, five or six have been taken. Everyone in the village is terrified.”

She sighed, “I had only one son. A few years back, he tried to save a woman who’d fallen into the river. The flood swept him away. He died. I had to bury my own child. My husband was already sick. The grief killed him, too. That left me with just my little granddaughter. Just the two of us, holding on together”