After Emma helped me clean up, I went straight to my work area, excited to try out the DIY water filter system that I learned in high school, and Abu was equally excited. 

 

We built the first water filter system in the mediaeval era, and after filtering the water, I instruct Abu to get the filtered water and boil it. We finished two drums of filtered cured water.

 

“I believe we require a larger filtering glass jar for large amounts of water,” I stated.

 

“Well, we should talk to the glass maker and see if they can build us a huge water filter,” Abu suggested.

 

“Well, I doubt the glass maker can’t make a large glass water filter, but before we ask for one, we need to make sure the water is safe to drink,” I explained.

 

“Well, we have Sara to put that to the test,” Abu joked.

 

“Abu, we can’t do that to her because she’s still a child and weak; we need someone bigger and healthier,” I said as I looked at him.

 

Abu’s round eyes widened as he realised what I was saying to him. “n-no! my lady.. I can’t.. I have a sensitive stomach and I easily get stomach upset,” he said.

 

“Well, we really need someone to put it through its paces.”

 

“Why don’t you?” he asked.

 

“I am a fragile lady,” I stated flatly.

 

As Abu looked outside, I opened my work window to look for a possible prospect. “What about that men?” Abu asks, pointing out a large, chubby knight who is currently practising swordplay.

 

“I’m not sure… he appears unhealthy,” I said.

 

“How about that guy,” said a tall but skinny man tending to a horse.

 

“He’s too skinny,” I commented.

 

As I noticed Sir Roger, I said, “How about that guy?” as he waved and smiled at me. “that guy? I don’t know? he looks fine and handsome,” he replied. “Do you know him?” he inquired.

 

“Yes.. that is Sir Roger, he wanted to be a friend, and I think this is a great opportunity to test our water, and he will gladly be our guinea pig,” I smirked.

 

“You really scare me sometimes.. do you know that?” said Abu.

 

As I walked away from the window, I said, “Let’s get back to work.”

 

After successfully filtering the remainder of the water barrel, I went in search of Sir Roger, carrying a water chalice with me. I looked around the castle grounds, and someone mentioned that he was with the knights practising sword play.

 

I saw him with a knight doing sword play; he was only wearing a white chemise, and you could tell he had a well-built macular body because there were many cheering ladies watching him play. I waved my hand at him after his match and he brightly smiled and approached me.

 

“milady, nice to meet you here!” he says as he reaches for my hand to kiss.

 

“I’m still not used to it,” I murmured. “May I inquire as to the reason for thy visit?” he asked.

 

“Well, I came here to tell you that I will accept your invitation to become acquainted.”

 

“Really…? I am overjoyed,” he replied.

 

“In fact, as a token of our friendship, I brought you some fresh water.”

 

“fresh water? but, milady, as much as I would like to accept your generous offer, the water in this area is unsafe to drink,” he explained.

 

“I know… but don’t worry, because this water has been filtered and cured.” 

 

“How?” he inquires.

 

“I simply filtered the water with chlorine and boiled it,” I respond quickly.

 

“Well… I’m not sure… If I… ” he said hesitantly.

 

“Well…it appears that you don’t trust me yet… ” I said, looking at the silver chalice, “and I thought I already have a friend that I can rely on in this place, but who am I? ” as I turned around, “I will find another person who can be my friend, goodbye sir knight,” I said, turning around. As I began to walk away, Roger said, “Wait… milady.”

 

“Yes?” I ask, quietly smiling.

 

“I apologise if I offended you…it was not my intention, but I trust you and I really wanted to get to know you better,” he explained. I watched as he took the chalice of water in my hand and drank it in front of me.

 

“You…you really drink it,” I commented.

 

“Yes, it’s a gift, and that’s how I trusted you, and I really wanted to be friends with you.”

 

“Thank you, Sir Roger.. how is the water?” I inquired. “It’s surprisingly sweet,” he said.

 

“oh… that’s good to hear… I’ll be back, I need to get back to work,” I said as I walked away, 

 

“and by the way, if you have stomach upset or any health issues, please come by my work room,” I said as I turned around to him.

 

“With illness or no illness, I can still visit you?” he inquired. 

 

“yes.. I don’t see any problem with that.. cheerio,” I said as I bid him farewell.

 

Meanwhile, King Baldwin is in his bedroom chamber with members of his royal court.

 

Aimery POV:

 

I stood beside him as he cleaned himself and changed his blood-stained robe, and as Bishop Henry waited for his majesty.

 

“You know that killing Saladin’s messenger will start another war,” Bishop Henry said as he walked back and forth.

 

His Majesty heard him, but he never responded to his eminence’s question. “With all due respect, your Majesty, you are condemning our people for your foolish action,” he said, raising his voice.

 

“Foolish action, is it?” King Baldwin asks coldly, glaring at him.

 

He appeared terrified, his eyes filled with terror. “I am still the pope’s aid and the Lord messenger! don’t you dare forget that! you may be the king but God and the Pope is above us all!” he exclaimed, letting out a heavy sigh” I need your confession for thy sin,” he said.

 

“I shall confess to God when I see him, not to you,” King Baldwin responds coldly.

 

His eminence stormed outside in rage and was greeted by Abu, lady Philippa’s male servant, but was ignored.

 

“y-your majesty?” he said with a squeaky voice as he bowed down. I approached him immediately because his Majesty is in a foul mood and it is best that I tend to him instead.

 

“My good servant, his majesty wishes to see no one at the moment; if you wish, you may visit him later; if it is something very urgent, I can relay the message to his highness,” I explained.

 

“oh… I see, so I came in at the wrong time, I have a letter from Lady Philippa to give to His Majesty,” he said loudly enough to be heard.

 

“Oh.. I’ll take care of that,” I said as I reached for the letter, but King Baldwin snatched it from Abu’s grasp, much to our surprise.

 

He silently opened the letter and read it, his grim expression changing to a bright smile. “Aimery, please get me a quill and a piece of paper,” he said. 

 

“Yes, sire,” I say as I place his quill and paper on his desk.

 

“Here.. please deliver my reply to lady Philippa,” his highness wrote and handed it to Abu personally.

 

“Yes, your Majesty,” Abu said, bowing his head as he walked out the door.

 

I never imagined our king, who was furious earlier today’s event but was calmed down by a letter from a lady; I wonder what kind of influence the lady has on his majesty.

 

Lady Philippa, on the other hand, had just returned to her room.

 

Philippa POV:

 

As I returned to my room, Abu stood at the door chamber, saying, “Lady Philippa, I just delivered the message to His Majesty,”

 

I questioned, “really… how it goes?”

 

“Well, as you requested, I handed you the letter, and here is the response,” he said as I reached it and read it. I smiled and summoned Emma. “Could you please prepare a dress for me for tonight?”

 

“Yes, my lady,” Emma says.

 

I spend the entire afternoon working on a massive filter design that may help Jerusalem in the future, as well as testing the efficacy of a current anti-bacterial cream that I am developing and the very first antibiotic tablet that I am testing.

 

Despite my hectic schedule, I asked Emma to assist me in baking cookies as a token of apology, which she gladly did, and I was covered in flour and cinder for the rest of the afternoon. It had been a long day, and before I knew it, Emma arrived to inform me that it was time to prepare for dinner. Emma assisted me in getting ready for a dinner with King Baldwin.

 

Emma escorted me to the dining hall; the king was not present when I arrived, so I prepared the apology cookie basket that I had personally baked for him earlier.

 

I greeted him with a smile and a curtsy, and he approached me with a slight bow of his head, saying softly, “thank you for inviting me to dinner.”

 

“Yes, your majesty, and thank you for accepting my invitation,” I reply.

 

He drew my chair to allow me to sit; he is truly a gentleman, I thought to myself, once we were properly seated. “I apologise for making you uncomfortable earlier,” he said.

 

“No! that is not at all true… ” I respond, “you don’t need to apologise, I should be the one apologising about my behaviour, it wasn’t your fault… I was just embarrassed, that’s all,” I said as I looked down.

 

“Well, you don’t need to be embarrassed in front of me,” he chuckled, “accidents happen all the time, and you were really adorable earlier,” he chuckled.

 

I blushed profusely as I looked at him, “umm.. t-thank you..” he calls me adorable!! I can actually hear my own heartbeat!! I reflected to myself.

 

I gave him the cookie basket that I had prepared earlier. “I made those… I… wanted to apologise for leaving earlier,” I explained.

 

He took off his mask and reached for the cookies, eating one “it’s delicious,” he said. “Really?” I ask quickly.

 

“Yes… thank you,” he replied. “I am surprised that you can bake; did the nun teach you as well?” he inquired.

 

“No, Emma, teach me how to do it.”

 

“You really can do anything,” he said with a smile.

 

“Not at all… I’m still lacking,” I say as I fidget with my hair.

 

He softly smiled as he looked at me, “my lady, I would like to inform you that as a member of my court, you will be required to attend a royal court meeting tomorrow.”

 

“Really?! That is superb! I will be there,” I replied quickly.

 

“s-superb?” he asked, tilting his head.

 

“It means… Fantastic,” I said.

 

“oh… Alright,” he chuckles.

 

We have a nice dinner together, but I feel very awkward talking to him because he is such a gentleman. After dinner, we walked down the hall to his bedroom chamber for his daily night treatment. Unlike the first night, he is now very comfortable around me, and I cleaned his wound and applied medicine.

 

Baldwin POV:

 

“Almost finished,” she said as she applied cream to my eyelids, “there done,” I said as I opened my eyes.

 

“Your Highness, I’ve been meaning to ask you,” she said as she tidied up her medicine bottles. “What is it, my lady?” I inquire.

 

“I’m just wondering if I could borrow a horse,” she explained.

 

“A horse?” I inquired.

 

“yes… because I need to find herbs that I need, I realised that I might need to search elsewhere, and I don’t want other people to bother about it, so I just thought that maybe I could borrow a horse,” she explains.

 

“Of course,” I replied.

 

“But first, I really don’t know how to ride a horse, so I was wondering if anyone could teach me,” she said shyly, fidgeting.

 

She’s so adorable that I chuckled as I looked at her, “well, I can teach you.”

 

“r-really?” she asked.

 

“Yes,” I said, “but even though I appear this way, I can definitely teach you how to ride a horse.”

 

“That’s not it; I just don’t want to burden your Highness with the likes of me,” she explained.

 

“You’re not a burden, and I’d love to teach you,” I explained.

 

She asked eagerly, “When are we going to start?” with a bright smile.

 

“We can begin after our morning court meeting,” I explained.

 

“Thank you,” she said, and I was mesmerised by her bright smile, which was soothing, and I couldn’t help but blush as I looked sideways.

 

“Is there a problem, your grace?” she inquires innocently.

 

“n-no.. it’s late.. can I walk you over to your chamber?” I inquired.

 

“t-thank you, your grace,” she said softly as she prepared to carry her medicine tray. “s-sure… ” she said as she prepared to carry her medicine tray. “let me carry that for you.”

 

I looked at her as we walked side by side down the pitch-dark hall lit only by wall torches leading to her bedroom chamber.

 

“It appears that we have arrived,” she said, oblivious to the fact that we had already arrived.

 

“Thank you, your Majesty, for escorting me to my bedroom chamber,” she says as she takes her medicine tray from my grasp.

 

“It’s nothing…” I smiled as I looked at her hand, which was occupied by the medicine tray, and casually reached for her long soft black hair, kissing it “good night my lady.”

 

She was surprised and turned bright red, and she had such an adorable expression that I couldn’t stop smiling at her.

 

“G-good night!” exclaimed Lady Philippa as she quickly entered her bed chamber.

 

“Good night,” I softly said.