Unfortunately a lot could go wrong. The ride itself into town was fine but as soon as we got to town and I tried to dismount off of Ginger, my dress got stuck in part of my saddle so my graceful dismount became not so graceful.
Thankfully Blake appeared behind me and held me, so I could get my dress unstuck. However, while he was holding me my stomach decided to give an undignified grumble in protest at the lack of a breakfast. I felt my cheeks heat up but thankfully Blake made no comment, as he set me down on the ground, then he lead me to a bakery, where he made certain I ate my fill of food. Once again he made no comment other then to ask what I thought about the pastries, which was both a relief and nerve wracking.
Each moment with Blake I was liking him more and more, but this mission wasn't about feelings, it was about lying and surviving. So I pushed past the discomfort and continued to flirt with the prince, as we traversed throughout town. I was very surprised by the few dirty looks I got, but maybe that's because it was how good a prince Blake was that no one seemed to hate him.
Or so I thought until suddenly Blake was pulled away by a disturbance a street away, I later learned it was a foiled assassination attempt. However, I was left with plenty of guards, and told to stay put, so I didn't question it right away, but maybe I should have because I was suddenly distracted by the raggedy looking kids running past me.
They were laughing, but they looked far too thin, and all too much like how I used to look before the King's servants took me to the palace. Not bothering to inform the guards around me, I knew they would follow me, I picked up my skirt and swiftly followed them down a back alley, to find five kids crouched there sharing a stale loaf of bread.
"What are you doing down here?" I asked softly. The kids looked up, and at least three of them looked ready to bolt, the other two looked too exhausted to do much more than sit there. I raised my hands to show I'm not a threat then crouched down, soiling my dress instantly, "my name is Allura and I promise you I can get something much tastier than that bread."
"Really?" the one holding the bread asked "we saved up all our pennies for this."
"And that is marvelous but you need more than bread to get by on the streets."
"We don't have more pennies." The little girl in the corner, most on edge said standing up "and James and Leila are having trouble moving."
My heart ached as I followed her gesturing to the little kids that didn't look ready to move when I approached. Their faces were thing, eyes sunken in, and I knew that they weren't going to die anytime soon but if they didn't get food then eventually they would die, and as a princess, even a fake one, I had the power to do something. "That's okay and we're going to get them help. I promise."
The little boy who had yet to speak up asked "and how can you do that? The orphanage said they would help but then they kicked us out because there wasn't enough space."
I reached out to little Leila. She hesitated then crawled into my arms. I held her tight then waved one my guards forward to pick up little James. He picked him up "I can keep that promise because I am princess and I live in the palace. You will be fed because I know what it's like to go hungry and it's no fun."
They all nodded and I whispered "please come with me."
Hesitantly they stood and followed me out of the alley and back to the horses where the Prince still had not returned. So I instructed all but one of the guards to take the children back to the palace with me. Then I had them hand up little Leila, while the rest of the guards to either one or two children. Once everyone was on a horse, I turned Ginger around and tapped her forward praying that Blake wouldn't be mad and that this was just going to make me shine even more brightly in his mind, because I couldn't leave these children behind.
Please be a risk worth taking.