“Are you feeling any better?”

As I was stretching my stiff limbs a voice sounded right above me. Leaning on a cold, damp wall of a cave I lift my head to see the princess looking down at me.

“Your Highness!” I lower my head, avoiding eye contact. “I feel well, thank you. The strength has returned to my body, though I do not deserve your concern.”

Last night, even though my heart was pounding like crazy and I felt like there was no way I could fall asleep, when I finally managed to drift off I slept like a baby. Jerome, who was waking me up in the morning said he had to shake me for solid five minutes for me to open my eyes.

On the upside, I regained the control over my body.

On the downside, I was still in a cave, surrounded by knights and the smell of mold.

To my huge disbelief, yesterday’s events weren’t a dream.

“That is good to hear,” she sounded happy. “What about your memory?”

Ah, my memory. I thought about it before falling asleep. This supposed amnesia just might be the most luck I had so far. I don’t have to prove my credibility, since I don’t remember anything. Not to mention I can freely ask about anything without making a fool out of myself. I already got some invaluable information about this world without raising any suspicion. It’s quite a lucky break, honestly.

Giving it up would be stupid. There’s only one answer to her question.

“I’m afraid no luck there, Your Highness.”

“A shame. I hope you will regain what you have lost,” her voice sounds as lively as before.

When I woke up, I was able to take a better look at her. She was a young girl, with long red hair going all the way down to her waist and some freckles on her kind face. She wasn’t necessarily a beauty, but she wasn’t bad looking either.

Honestly, some modern makeup would do wonders for her. Instead, she had a certain air of royalty around her which was probably the next best thing. Considering the millenium I was (supposedly) thrown into, even without her status she would probably be popular.

If not for anything else, then at least for those big bright blue eyes.

“Your Highness, you shouldn't concern yourself with that,” a stern voice echoed through the cave. “Please, come and take a seat.”

Sir Renig, commander of princess’ guard set up a chair for her to sit on, which she accepted. Even at night she was sleeping on a makeshift bed the knights had thrown together, when the rest of us were sleeping on the floor. That only makes sense.

The commander, however, wasn’t very pleased with me being here. He was a bald, scary looking man, with a chilling expression on his face. In the light of day he turned out to be even more frightening than before.

“Sir Renig...”

“How can I serve, Your Highness?”

“Is there anything… To eat?” she asked, looking a bit lost.

That must be a question she never thought she would have to say out loud in her life. Being a princess, such necessities as food were always taken care of by someone else without her even asking. Now she had to lower herself to voicing that question. More than that, she probably knew the answer already… Maybe that’s why she struggled to ask it in the first place?

“My apologies, Your Highness...”

Renig forced the words out of his mouth. Just like the princess who never had to ask for food, he never had to deny her anything. He vowed to take care of everything she might desire, yet now he was helpless. He couldn’t even provide food...

The look on his face darkened as he apologised. He clearly cared for the princess. If cutting off his leg would take care of her hunger, he would cut it off in a heartbeat.

Or, more likely, my leg...

“Then the situation is dire?”

“The Germanian forces are now scouting the area. We still don’t know whether how well they are informed about us being here, but we can’t risk making any moves. Not even to gather berries, not to mention hunt or set up a fire...”

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That was a hard decision for him to make. He had to make princess’ overall safety a priority, even at a cost of her well-being. He made the choice knowing full well what the cost would be.

I wouldn’t expect anything less of him.

“Sir Renig, I can survive without food for a few days… It’s nothing for you to worry about. But I need you to tell me the truth,” she said. “What are our options?”

“Well...” he considered for a moment. ”No matter what, Your Highness’ life is not in danger. Even if we are found out, they wouldn’t dare harm a princess. Most likely, you would be ransomed for a considerable price.”

(And what about you? What would happen to you?)

Such questions could be expected, but they never left her mouth. After all, she was a princess, she couldn’t bother with such meaningless sentiments. Or was it because she knew full well what would happen to the rest of us without having to ask?

Meanwhile, a thought that was brewing in my mind for a while now came to fruition.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” I asked for permission to speak. Am I being too cautious? The others, not just Sir Renig, seem to be a bit more casual with the princess than I am. Well, being too polite never killed anyone.

I hope.

“Please,” her lips moved.

“Tsk,” Renig clicked his tongue. He really wasn’t happy about my speaking up.

“How did Your Highness end up in an area of conflict in the first place?”

“It was my hope to settle this dispute with a negotiation,” she said with a sad expression on her face. “However, it seems Germanians were not as willing to talk.”

“Your Highness, you don’t have to cover for them. It was a trap, they knew that you were coming, it’s no coincidence that they chose to invade at this time.”

“Maybe it is as you say. But if I can stop an all out war from breaking out, believe me when I say it, I will do anything in my power to achieve it.”

“I do believe, Your Highness,” Renig bowed his head.

“Then how long were you hiding in here?”

“We had to run from Turen two nights ago and we sought shelter in this cave yesterday afternoon, Drowner,” Renig answered my question.

They didn’t have any food when they brought me over. They shared some water with me, but no food. It would be safe to assume that they didn’t eat after entering this cave, which means at best they didn’t have anything for at least a day. At worst, ever since they escaped Turen. That’s a long time to go without food.

“Then, Your Highness, please forgive my unmannerly behavior,” I say bowing deeply. “It was rude of me not to offer at first.”

I approach her carefully with an offering at hand. Renig tensed up as I started moving towards the princess, but he didn’t intervene.

“This...” she looked at me dumbfounded. “Isn’t this your precious remembrance?”

That’s right… In order to survive, I might have to give up the only thing I brought from my world. Then again, a pack of chips is a small price to pay for a favour with a royal princess.

“I am most grateful to you for saving my life. I would be humbled if you were to accept it, Your Highness.”

“Then I will accept your gift. But, what is it?”

“If I may...” I say and take the pack from her hands.

My fingers skillfully find the corner of the pack and open it neatly.

“Ah, that’s...”

'If in doubt, always follow your nose' - a great man once said. The moment I opened the bag, a smell of spices filled the small cave. The princess, even though uninformed about the contents of the bag, must’ve recognized it as food immediately. By the looks of it she was struggling to remain composed after smelling food… Just how hungry was she?

“Then, please...” I offered her the bag.

“Hold on a moment!”

“Ah?..”

The princess had her hand almost in the bag, when commander’s stern voice echoed through the cave.

“What is it that you are planning to do?” he asked me, gripping the handle of his sword.

This is no good… All I tried to do was be a decent human being and share my food with those in need… But it’s not like I did not see this coming.

“This is food.”

“It doesn’t look like any food that I have ever seen! What is it? Tell me!” he demanded.

“Sir Renig, isn’t it fine?..” princess must have been really hungry. She looked like a sad puppy, with food taken away right from under his nose.

“My apologies, Your Highness… But I cannot allow you to just anything...”

“What is the issue here, Sir Commander? If you are concerned that this food is not suitable for a royalty, I must admit that you are right. This is very much a commoner food.”

“That is not the issue at hand.”

“Do you think it might be poisonous? Would it be alright, if I tasted it beforehand, then?”

Renig grinded his teeth in anger, but before he could say anything, the princess interfered.

“I am sure that would be acceptable.”

I stretched out my arm into the pack of chips and took a couple. I showed them to Renig and dramatically put them in my mouth.

Until now, I didn’t realise how hungry I actually was. I didn’t have anything to eat for over 20 hours, so the onion-sour cream chips were more delicious than ever before. Sadly, they weren’t mine to eat anymore.

“Well, he seems to be fine, don’t you agree, Sir Renig?”

“Yes, Your Highness...”

“For what it’s worth, it really is a gesture of good faith,” I tried to calm Renig down. The man hates me already, there’s no point in hassling him any more.

“Then I shall help myself,” the princess said happily.

She really looked out of place, carefully picking out a single chip and biting off a small part of it. The moment food entered her mouth, the expression on her face changed. The smile and anticipation vanished without a trace, what was left instead was… Nothing. A face void of emotion.

“Y, Your Highness?” Renig asked his own face going pale.

In fact, I probably was just as pale as he was, if not more. Did I miscalculate? The idea was, that the princess would be hungry enough to find almost anything edible. Even a mediocre dish should suffice her refined taste buds. Was I wrong? What if she doesn’t like it? What if she thinks I’m trying to poison her?!

“This is...” she finally spoke, after what felt like an eternity. “Delicious.”