Chapter 22. New Projects 10

"Thank you for your time," I said and moved to the other seller.

We asked for the cost of his drinks and he happily informed us.

"Did you brew the drink by yourself?" Celestine curiously asked him.

"No. I am selling it for my master," he answered him.

He collected two bottles from him and paid. Meanwhile, Philip was in front of another seller. I laughed inwardly when I noticed that he carefully avoided the girls and stood before a male seller.

We joined him afterward, stood aside, and watched him as he spoke with the seller.

"Where did you get your supplies from?"

"I brewed it by myself," he answered him proudly and we were pleased.

"Really? How do you do it?"

He was uncomfortable to disclose the technique he used in manufacturing his product. He looked at his neighbors, who were waiting to hear him speak before he looked up.

"I would rather not say," he replied shyly.

Philip smiled and stated, "I was only kidding you. No prudent merchant would leak his trade secrets."

The seller smiled broadly and responded, "Thank you for your understanding. I can give you a bottle as a sample. It's free."

Now, the team members considered him for the trip, but we only looked on and allowed Philip to conclude with him.

"That's nice of you. Do you mind bringing it to my house after you close for today?" He requested and the other sellers were thrilled.

The seller showed worries and pointed out, "The palace guards won't let me in."

"I will wait for you at the gate. Is it okay?" Philip promised him.

"Yes. It's okay. I will bring it," he admitted happily.

With the issue of the vintner settled, we moved, hoping to see a perfumer. At that point, we saw a young man being chased by two men and he was running for his dear life, holding his wares tightly to his chest. It was unclear to us if he was concerned about his life or his goods.

We stopped to study the situation but the young man was smart. He got to us and mistook Celestine who stepped forward to protect me as the Prince. Without thinking twice, he took refuge behind him. 

"Help, My Prince," he said.

Instantly, the two men, who were members of the market task force stopped as well but could not harass him.

"What is his offense?" Celestine looked at the two men fiercely and asked them.

"Good evening, My prince," they greeted him and made their obeisance.

"Speak," he ordered them and they were terrified.

"My prince, it is against the rule to hawk in the market. We caught him hawking around and we are supposed to confiscate his goods," one of them explained.

"Instead of cooperating with us, he started running," the other person added.

"Why did you disobey the market rules?" He turned and asked the young man behind him.

"My prince," he paid his obeisance and continued, "It's a few minutes before 6 PM. They ought to have closed for the day. They refused to leave but waiting for beginners like us who can't afford a shop to confiscate our goods."

"He is lying, My prince. He is not a beginner. He had been hawking perfume for over a year. He stubbornly refused to take a shop.

'Huh!' I exclaimed at the way destiny brought the perfumer our way.

Celestine felt like me and settled the case immediately, "I will punish him in my own way. You can leave," he said to the two men."

They were not satisfied. Confiscating the goods would have fetched them some money but they obeyed.

"We got it, My prince," they said and left.

To appear real, he faced the hawker and shouted at him, "Go to the palace immediately and kneel at the gate. I will be with you shortly."

"Arrrh," the onlookers screamed in sympathy.

Nevertheless, he tried to plead, "Have mercy on ..."

Celestine interrupted him and shouted, "Do as I said and leave."

He stopped pleading and ran away and his pursuers were happy.

He looked at me for the next thing to do and I said, "We can leave."

My knight took a step and we followed him.

The Palace 

We returned and met the perfumer kneeling and weeping profusely. The gatemen were surprised to see that because he did not disclose why he was there to them.

When he saw us, he cried more, "Have mercy on me, My prince. I promise that ..."

"Get up and come with us," Celestine said to him and he stopped crying.

We walked into the palace and he followed us.

"I'm expecting a wine seller," Philip informed the gatemen.

The vintner arrived in no time and we concluded our plans.

"You must not let anyone know about this. Not even your family members," I instructed them.

They showed worries and one of them said, "They would assume that we are missing." 

I smiled and clarified to them, "I will let you know when to inform them."

"We got it, My prince," they accepted in unison.

Celestine faced the perfumer and asked him, "What is your name?"

"My name is Vincent," he responded.

"I would like you to stay away from the market until we leave. Did you get me?"

"I got you, Captain."

Afterward, they left with an unspeakable joy. It was a fulfilling day for us, and we were happy. While we were still talking, one of the ladies barged into us. He had been waiting for Philip to accept the dinner. Since our meeting with the two took so long, she capitalized on that.

"Why are you here, Margaret?" Philip asked her angrily.

"I apologize, Mr. Hoover. I don't want the prince to have his dinner late," she said and gave me a seductive look.

"Drop the food and get away immediately," I yelled at her.

Before she could say more, Philip got up with a killing intent and she fled.

"Nincompoop," I screamed.

"So, this is what she would do in France?" My driver asked no one in particular.

"Can you imagine that?"