VegetableCart

The ride would be long, but his beloved steed made it easy enough. As they reached a fork in the road, he saw a family traveling. The man was leading a horse and vegetable cart. It was loaded high with his crops. Two children were walking alongside him, and sitting in the rear of the cart, a woman sat holding a small toddler, who looked to be sleeping. Caspian didn't think too often about peasants who had to walk to get their goods to market, or travel to meet family. Honestly, he didn't think that often about anyone or anything that didn't directly affect his life. Shadiel waved at the family and smiled. Caspian was surprised when she dismounted her horse. He promptly signaled the party to stop when she did so. Shadiel opened her saddlebag and found a cacophony of items. She pulled out an old pair of shoes; a bag of bread and half a wheel of cheese. "This cheese was presented to me at the castle. It is a very fine goat cheese, and it's imported from Amalette. So, if I were you, I'd save some for yourself and the husband, for when the kids are sleeping." The woman laughed and said, "Oh! Ifin they would only sleep so easily ma dear!" The woman took the bag of items, and placed them beside her in the only space that she had free. "Oh, much obliged, your Ladyship. I've not had good bread in days. Please take one of our mix bags in exchange . . . T'would be wonderful on a stick over the campfire. " Shadiel raised her eyebrows, as she took a bag and then looked over at Caspian, "It has all her favorites, Your Highness." At that the woman looked surprised and embarrassed. She began to make a motion to get off the cart . . . presumably so that she could bow to the Prince. Her husband, who had just been waiting for the conversation to end, now began to walk toward the Prince. He also looked like he was about to bow. Caspian protested, "Oh no no. Please do not move yourself on my account. Truly!" He dismounted his horse and approached Shadiel, "and we wouldn't want to wake your sleeping babe, either." The woman smiled back at him in response. "Thank you, Your Highness." She say quietly now, unsure what to do in the presence of royalty. She rocked her baby slowly. Her husband stood where he was: frozen. Both seemed unsure of what to do in the presence of royalty. Caspian motioned to a guard, who then took the bag of vegetables from Shadiel. Caspian looked at the farmer. "Perhaps our group could use more vegetables, Captain?" Caspian pulled at his purse strings, and produced a few gold coins, along with some pence. "Would this buy us some camping vegetables, Sir?" The man laughed at his good fortune, and his wife exclaimed, "Oh! Jah bless you, Your Highness! Ye can take all the veg ye can carry." "Well," said Caspian, "I'm afraid we can't carry all that much. Just a few bags would feed us plenty though." The farmer stated, "Oh well, take these bags here, my Prince. They are mixed, as my wife said. Onions, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots an' whatever else we had a good crop of." Caspian dropped the coins into the farmer's open hand, with a smile. "Captain, load some vegetables, if ye would please." The men went about taking a small bag for each of their horses. Captain Fox replied, "Oh yes! These will make a feast tonight. We are truly blessed that the Lady Shadiel is so social and friendly." The Prince laughed. "Aye! That we are." In his heart, Caspian knew that while his "spare change" was nothing to him, it did matter to these people. "I'm so sorry for my manners. I am Caspian Seeley Horn. This is the Lady Shadiel, and that gentleman is Captain Fox." The farmer promptly bowed, and then looked at his wife. "I'm Emmette. This is Lalon and lil pumpkin. The girls are Sara and Keasa."