"Huh? How can I be naive when I am just stating facts? Instead of stealing, wouldn't it be better for you to work in the fields? You are a young and strong young man. Your body is healthy. You could become a farmer, or maybe you could practice swordsmanship and sign up to be a guard for a noble family?"

Rowena continued her words, "I heard that if you work as a soldier, you can get a decent salary and your family will be provided with food from the king. Why don't you apply to work as one?"

Julian rested his right foot on top of his left and stared blankly at the fireplace. "Well, I hate the king."

"Huh?" Rowena batted her eyes. "Why?"

"The king is a tyrant. Why would I work for him?"

Rowena didn't know what to say when she heard Julian openly call her father the tyrant. She didn't know her father's reputation outside of the palace. King Draco would definitely feel enraged when he found out someone called him a tyrant in front of Rowena.

"A tyrant? What did he do?" Rowena decided to ask.

"He did a lot of evil things and, most importantly, he killed many innocent people."

"...." Rowena held her breath. It felt weird to hear the king, or her father being bashed like this by a peasant. Usually, nobody even dared to raise their face when they were in the king's presence. Her respect for Julian grew.

"What did the king do to you?" She looked at Julian deeply and asked with such a gentle voice. Somehow, she had a feeling that despite his happy-go-lucky attitude, Julian kept some sad stories. She asked again, "Where is your family?"

"My family? If I told you about my life, you'll be bored to death," said Julian nonchalantly.

"You seem to hate rich people and the king so much," Rowena commented. "What crime did they do to you that makes you think they deserve it?"

"All rich people are rotten," said Julian, pursing his lips. His face was filled with annoyance. "I was raised by a couple of poor farmers on the outskirts of Stonecrest. They found me in a basket in front of their shed. My biological parents abandoned me there in the middle of a blizzard."

"Oh..." Rowena pursed her lips and sighed in sympathy. She couldn't imagine the horror little Julian went through at that time. Her voice was hoarse when she asked. "How old were you then?"

"Hmm… if I'm not mistaken my adoptive father said he found me when I was two years old. I would  have died if they didn't take me in and then raise me like their own child."

Rowena then wondered if this hut belonged to Julian's adoptive parents. Was this close to Stonecrest? Her mind was filled with questions, but she didn't want to interrupt Julian while he was talking. So Rowena kept quiet.

The young man sighed and continued his story. "The Marlowes took very good care of me. Even though we were dirt poor, I was very happy. Our home was filled with love. I even wanted to be a farmer like my adoptive father."

"So, why didn't you?" Rowena said but only in her heart. She didn't want to offend Julian while he was telling her about himself and opening up to Rowena.

"Our family was hard workers. We grew our crop and raised some cattle as well." Julian's voice turned soft and his expression filled with warmth as he recalled his childhood with the Marlowes.

"Then where are they now?" Rowena asked quietly.

"Dead," said Julian curtly.

"Oh… died of what?" Rowena asked cautiously. She suspected that the death of Julian's adoptive parents was the reason he became what he was today. So Rowena wanted to hear more.

"Starvation," said Julian in a flat tone. "For three years in a row, there was no rain at all. So, slowly the crops in the fields withered and we kept experiencing crop failures."

He added, "Water became scarce and we ran out of food. The whole village was experiencing a famine. Finally, my adoptive parents died of starvation. I was too young to be able to do anything."

Julian took two more firewood and threw them into the fireplace to make the fire burn bigger. 

"They starved to death because the nobles and the lords don't want to lower taxes and tributes even though the peasants had not gotten anything from their crop for three years in a row. Because they had to pay taxes and tributes, many farmers starve to death because they couldn't afford food and rebuild their farms."

"The death rate was increasing rapidly, from starvation, murder, to suicide. That's because rich people were pitting us against each other like animals. I hate them so much."

"I don't think all wealthy people are like that," Rowena tried to share her perspective with Julian. "You shouldn't generalize."

"You only said that because you are rich, Princess," Julian shook his head. "You look like one, you know. You have your head on the clouds and you don't know anything about how the world works."

Rowena's heart skipped a beat when she heard Julian mention the word 'Princess.' It almost felt like her cover was blown. 

"I am not a princess. Why did you call me 'princess'?" She finally asked him, trying to keep her expression flat.

"Oh, I call all girls, 'princess'," Julian explained with a laugh. "Is that a problem with you? I think all girls liked to be called princesses. Don't tell me you are an anomaly."

Rowena chuckled. She was a real princess, but she didn't like her status. However, if Julian wanted to call her princess, she really didn't mind.

.

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From Missrealitybites:

Sobs, after two years of successfully avoiding covid19, today my whole family (including my two kids) was tested positive. I am the only one who doesn't.

Now I have to find a place to self isolate myself from my family. Gosh.... when will this pandemic end?

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