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Deanna and her sister Christallina walked through the market each carrying a basket for the food they were to buy.

"Is it just me or does Mama's list get longer and longer with each trip?" Deanna commented.

Chrissie rolled her eyes "Dee it's not that long."

"It sure seems that way." Deanna said then sighed.

Chrissie directed her to a fruit stand "You go and get the fruit and I'll take care of everything else."

Deanna did as told and walked towards the stand surveying what they had in order to pick ripe ones. She picked a few and placed them in her basket, then picked a few more.

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Meanwhile Nick made it to the marketplace and jumped off of his horse tying her to a nearby tree. He walked in surveying the surroundings having never seen it this close before, it wasn't as bad as his Mother had made it out to be. He looked at the nearby stands and what they were selling when something caught his eye or rather someone, he looked to his right to see a young girl which couldn't be much older than himself purchasing fruit.

She was a vision of beauty and he couldn't help but smile even though she was not aware of his presence. 'No definitely not bad at all' He thought as he watched her pay for her fruit and walk away.

Deanna held onto her basket already feeling the weight of it as she started making her way to where her sister was, she stumbled but her grip on the basket never faltered. She wasn't watching where she was going and bumped into something or someone she didn't know which, which sent the fruit in her basket flying everywhere.

"Oh hell..." She muttered then quickly bent down to retrieve her fruit. Nick saw her distress and quickly bent down to help her and couldn't help but think that he'd never heard a lady curse before.

"Allow me." He said as their hands moved at the same time over a peach. When his hand touched hers she looked up at him, mesmerized by his blue eyes.

"Please forgive me." Nick said standing up and held out his hand to help her up. She eyed him suspiciously and stood up on her own refusing to take his hand not knowing what he may want. She looked into his eyes again and she couldn't help the smile that crept up on her face.

He held the peach out to her and she took it putting it in her basket. She continued to look at him trying to recall if she had seen him before, nothing. She looked over his attire and assumed that he must be passing through.

"I don't believe I've seen you here before. Are you a traveler?"

"Yes I am." Nick lied then continued "Your town is lovely..." He grabbed her hand lightly kissing it and looked up at her smiling "Like you. May I ask for your name fair maiden?"

She wasn't sure she could speak for she'd never had a man look at her this way. Nick smiled when he saw her blush and look down.

"Alright then...my name is Eric."

"My name is Deanna, kind sir." She smiled as he reached for her hand, kissing it again "Simply beautiful." She took her hand from his and held onto her basket.

Christallina looked over in the direction of her sister to see her talking to someone she could never recall seeing.

"Ah...there you are...I was wondering where you wandered off to." She looked up at Nick not having remembered seeing him before after a few minutes it dawned on her, she bowed. "It's a pleasure to meet you your highness."

Nick looked confused "I'm sorry...come again?"

"You are Prince Nickolas are you not?" Deanna looked at him, nope there was no way he could be who her sister spoke of, he was far too nice. Nick pulled her up from her kneeling position.

"No my fair maiden I am not, I am sorry to dissapoint you. I have been told of how much I resemble young Nickolas."

"Oh..." Christallina said a little disappointed.

"You'll have to excuse my sister, she doesn't like to be proven wrong."

"Well dear sister we must be going." Chrissie grabbed Deanna's arm wanting to leave

"Wait...are you here visiting family?"

"Not exactly."

"Do you have a place to stay for the night?"

"No, I can't say that I do."

"Then you shall stay with us."

Chrissie pulled her sister closer "Are you crazy Dee? Mama will not go for this."

"But he has nowhere to go." Deanna said looking back at Nick who gave her a smile "And I'm sure Mama will love him. He seems harmless."

Chrissie sighed, her sister was always wanting to help someone less fortunate than herself. "Ok he can come."

Deanna smiled then walked over to where Nick stood "Your coming with us, come on."

"Wait...my horse."

Deanna and Christallina looked at each other then watched as the stranger they'd just met dissapear through the crowd.

"He's bluffing."

"What?"

"Get real Dee, how many men in this village own a horse?"

"None now that I think of it, they're too costly."

"Exactly...are you sure we should be bringing him with us?"

"I don't see the harm he seems nice."

Their conversation was cut short by Nick reappearing with a rein tied around his hand.

"Whoa...he wasn't kidding..." Chrissie said under her breath then placed her basket on the ground walking towards the creature. "She's beautiful."

"You can pet her if you like, she's very friendly."

"Ummm..." Chrissie wavered then looked back just as her sister gave her a gentle push, when she was close enough she reached out her hand and petted her. The horse nuzzled against her hand which caused Chrissie to smile. "Did you know that when a man owns a horse he is considered to have some kind of wealth?"

"I did not know that. Do many men in this village own horses?"

Chrissie smiled at him, maybe he was harmless "No I can't say they do, most families only have enough money for food and other neccessities."

"Oh..."

"Can I..."

"...ride her? Of course. Here let me help you." Nick said holding out his hand helping Chrissie up onto the saddle. He looked up at her and saw her smiling from ear to ear "I take it you've never ridden a horse before?"

"Heavens no...no man I've ever known has had one, let alone been able to afford one."

Nick laughed a little and lightly pulled on the reins urging the horse to follow. Nick glanced over at Deanna, she was a beauty as was her sister and they seemed nice enough. They looked very much alike apart from the fact that Deanna had a much fairer complexion then that of her sister, but other than that there was no denying that they were related. They went down the dirt road aways until they came to a few rows of houses, or what seemed to look like houses. Nick couldn't help but feel bad for them he lived in a palace and they barely had a roof over their head.

They made their way down a side alley and finally stopped in front of a very small house. Nick brought the horse to a stop and helped Chrissie down, handing her back her basket. She smiled at him then walked towards the house as he walked over to a nearby post and tied the horse there for the night.

An older latin woman emerged from the kitchen "There are my girls, I trust you got everything I asked for?"

"Of course Mama." Chrissie said handing her the basket as Deanna did the same. She smiled and saw Nick standing in the doorway looking a little worried about if he should come in or not. "And who might this handsome young stranger be?"

"My name is Eric and your lovely daughters have invited me to stay here. That is...if you approve ma'am."

"Of course, you seem like a nice young lad. And mi mi'jas have good judgement. You are welcome here."

"It is greatly appreciated."

Deanna leaned in and whispered to her sister "See told ya."

"Yeah yeah..." Chrissie replied and walked off.

Nick took off his cape and gloves sitting them on a nearby table, he then walked into the kitchen and inhaled the scent. "My something smells good."

"Chicken, hope your hungry." Anna smiled sweetly and turned back to her cooking. Nick sat down in the chair nearest Deanna. "So young Eric, from which village do you come from?"

"None really I hardly ever stay in one place to call it home."

The woman shook her head "Shame. You should have a place to call home."

"I do...I mean I did but I needed to get away."

"Family problems?"

"Something like that."

Anna decided to drop the subject, whatever the young mans past was it was his business.