The way he held his dual swords crossed on his back.
The comfortable clothes were hiding part of his armour underneath, as he would never separate from it outside.
He walked at a decent rhythm, which caused me to fall behind many, and many times. He was excited, but there was still a veil of things we didn't say.
I dragged my foot in front of the other, causing small clouds of dust to set on my shoes.
Yes, the idea was uttering, getting on an adventure with Lancelot? Of course, I'd say yes. Expecting such long walks when the farthest I went was Nalilia's market? I did not consider.
I supposed I knew it was like that, but I didn't think about it. We were trying to leave, it was more than obvious that we wouldn't use a carriage.
"Nim?" He asked as I bent over with my hands or my knees.
I wished I did more exercises.
"Just a minute." I said holding a hand flat towards him.
I could see his boots pacing fast back to me.
"Sorry, I didn't considerate you��re not used to long walks." He mocked me handing me some water.
"That's part of the experience. Though I really want a carriage next time." Was that possible?
"There is a small village on the road on an intersection, we might find some merchants and ask them." We couldn't say I was the Princess, I wondered if it was that easy to get a ride, maybe the money Percival left me could be used for that. Or better, I should keep it for lodging and food.
I was spoiled, but I knew the meaning of money, in fact, I never used it on my own, or I had the need to. That was also new for me to try. I still found myself amazed at how my life could get upside down in one night, and I had to learn and get used to so many new things.
Like I was born ready, but I wasn't.
"It's fine, if we can rest some time I'll be good to go." Maybe, I was overestimating myself at that starting point.
When I stood up, Lancelot face was dark, his eyes distant looking back at the city, his eyebrows knitted in the middle of his forehead as he tugged the hood on my head.
"Come, we change route." He whispered as the pulled my hand and started walking sideways, towards the forest.
I followed his lead, glancing behind me in time to get a glimpse of what he got worried suddenly.
An Erule carriage.
One side of my mind felt his pressure as it was mine, the rush to get out of its sight was immediate.
On the other side, how lucky of them to sit in one.
As we got further in the woods and the road was no more visible, I pulled his hand hard when he didn't stop, my lungs going numb.
"Can we... Sit down?" I raised my eyebrows at his nearly neutral face, not scomposed at all from the strain. I felt envy to know he could go on for longer.
"A-Ah, sorry, sure."
What best timing to sit and catch up we what we missed.
"I need to ask you something."
"I was waiting for you to say it."
We took a seat under a huge tree, our shoulders side by side.
Again, I couldn't tell what was right to say or not, what he knew compared to what I did.
"What did my brother say?" Was the best way to start the conversation, trying not to lead to the fact that I was hiding something.
"Why did you escape?" Was his question back.
Of course, he probably had more questions that I did, being unaware of what happened.
I sighed, out of my curiosity, it was better to fill all the gaps since the beginning.
"The reason I left early yesterday... was when my Father said I'd be married to Seruel and I had to leave today." I hugged my legs, pulling them to my chest.
I had to find a way to fit into Percival's excuses, at the same time, I also had no idea what was happening so it wasn't that difficult.
"I had no idea what happened at the palace after I left, at the same time I wasn't planning on leaving when I left that letter to you. I just... felt overwhelmed. And I wanted to stop everything." I drew circles on the ground with my finger. "I just ran, probably making everything worse for Percival and Seruel too."
"You never follow your duties, do you?"
I was getting scolded.
"Well, I felt a marriage was a bigger deal. Why, did you want me to leave?" The victim card, my best tactic that always worked to get feelings out of Lancelot, being the kind soul he is.
But he stayed silent, leaving me staring at him incredibly.
Maybe this time I was wrong, and he also thought going to Erule was better for me.
That I was useless for everyone that much I knew, but to the point to be sent away that I never thought. Did Lancelot see that as well?
Was he thinking as a knight or as a childhood friend?
Getting to the point of no return was not in my future plans, but I've been slaking so much in my life, I couldn't see the appeal to it any more, now that I had a chance to change.
I wanted to do something now.
What? That I still didn't know.
I lost myself in thought, to the point I did not see Lancelot any more at my side.
I went back on my feet, blinking several times after I was lost in my thoughts. Weren't we in the middle of an important discussion?
"If you, Princess, had to leave I would have lost my only reason to stay at the palace."
They were soft, whispered words in the wind coming from behind me. If I wasn't paying enough attention I would have missed them.
It wasn't hard only for me, other people would have reflected on those decision.
What would have happened, if that night I asked for his help? What if I escaped on my own before going to my father?
I wouldn't know he is now dead, but at the same time, I could have helped my brother.
"That's not true. You love being there. Making that place a better place to live, I've never seen someone so dedicated like you. You know the funny thing? You're not even from Nalilia, then, why?"
"No matter where I am or could have been in my past, I feel this was everything that I could do. I feel happy when I see others happy, no matter the place."
I laid my back on the opposite side of the trunk he was on, looking where we came from.
The perfect knight, no matter who he was guarding, no matter what he was doing, he was always thinking about others.
"But, you still want to go to Weiss and find more about your past, don't you?"
"Mh."
I was glad he was being selfish in his unselfishness.
We still had a long way to go.
But I was glad I undertook this journey.