Return of the General's Daughter-Chapter 203: Prince Of Northem

Lara’s body clock was set to wake up at 6:00 am. She changed into her workout outfit—a tight-fitting upper garment and light, loose trousers made from cotton.

A lively row of women and children was gathered, their cheerful chatter filling the air with a sense of camaraderie. At the front of this group stood the elderly figure of Samuel, his silver hair glinting in the sunlight.

With calm authority, he guided everyone through a series of warm-up exercises. The children giggled as they tried to mimic his every gesture, while the women, clad in colorful workout attire, followed suit. Laughter and joy radiated from the group as they engaged in this morning ritual together.

’What the heck!’ Lara groaned.

She was planning to train the premier members of her group, Gabriella, but her master’s master beat her into it.

Lara reluctantly joined Samuel on the forefront and performed her own set of warm-up exercises.

"Hey, little girl." Samuel, who was doing stretching exercises, paused to remind her. "You are distracting them from following me."

Lara grumbled, and Samuel glared at her. Now, she understood where Jethru had gotten that irksome glare of his.

She gestured and pointed to herself and then to the back of the people lining up. She could not believe that the old man wanted her to go there.

Samuel rolled his eyes.

Hmmp. Another gesture inherited by Jethru from his master.

Lara, without saying a word, moved to the back. She was behind Thalia. "When did you start training?" She asked while doing leg stretches.

"The day after you left. Grandpa Samuel asked us if we wanted to learn martial arts, and, of course, we were eager to do so. We want to be able to defend ourselves and not just be helpless victims." Thalia said with passion.

Lara was about to agree verbally when she felt an intense stare on her. It was the old man Samuel. She could only go to her position and follow the boring movements.

Thalia happened to look back at her, and she was surprised to see how fluid Lara’s movements were.

"Have you trained before?" Thalia’s voice was just above a whisper, but Samuel, whose sense of hearing was far above the normal human, heard what the two young ladies were talking about.

He frowned. ’These young girls are really hardheaded.’

"Hey, the two of you! Do the horse stance at the corner. You can’t come back until I tell you so." He shouted from the front.

Lara wanted to defy him, but in the end, she just complied. He was still an elder, and her master’s master at that.

"I’m sorry," the ladies blurted out at the same time, and they giggled.

"Add another fifteen minutes." Samuel’s voice drowned their giggles.

Lara’s face turned ugly. ’This old man is even more strict than my master.’

After half an hour had slipped by, their punishment finally lifted, leaving behind a bittersweet sense of relief.

"Sorry, I implicated you," Lara said softly. "But that horse stance should have increased your leg and core strength. It should also improve balance and stability, as well as enhance flexibility and mental discipline," she continued.

"Hmmm." Thalia let out a contemplative hum, her mind swirling as her heart raced. Each second felt like an eternity as she stood there, squatting as if she was riding a horse. Her legs quivered slightly beneath her, betraying the whirlwind of emotions churning inside as she remembered the disgusting things those men did to her and made her do.

Why did those memories suddenly come back? Was it because the pose reminded her of it?

But Samuel, with a determined look in his eyes, wasn’t finished yet; he was just getting started. They performed more advanced routines, and after an hour, they were drenched in sweat and their bodies felt exhausted.

Everyone went back to their houses to freshen up, and after breakfast, they assembled in the multi-purpose hall.

Lara was surprised to see the herbs planted in terracotta pots had sprouted. Their location was good; it faced east, and the plants were exposed to the morning sun.

When Lina and her apprentices (Zeeta, Leah, Thalia, and even Mona) arrived, Lara was still inspecting the herbs. Grandma Arlina approached her and led her around the plants, explaining everything she knew about them. Lara would provide guidance from time to time.

When the women began working with the fabric, each cut pieces and sewed them together. Observing this, Lara frowned and approached the ladies to teach them strategies for increasing their output.

Lara introduced a methodology borrowed from modern times. She asked Lina about the strengths of each team member. After that, she assigned a specific person to work on specific tasks.

Thalia was assigned to cut the fabric. Zeeta volunteered to sew the back and front parts together. Then Leah and Mona did the pockets.

Lina felt a wave of approval wash over her as she admired Lara’s strategy. "That’s brilliant!" she exclaimed, genuinely impressed. With a warm smile exchanged between them, the two friends dove into their task, their energies merging in creative collaboration.

After a productive session, Lara, with a light laugh and a playful wave, excused herself and made her way back to the big house, its elegant architecture glimmering in the morning light. The atmosphere buzzed with a blend of diligence and camaraderie as Lina continued the work, inspired by their discussion.

...

She borrowed one of the horses and headed to the Barons’ residence. She needed to meet the prince and ask if Agilus could help her with the purchase of the cows and grazing land in the village.

She did not bother to disguise herself as Kane. She was dressed in a powder-blue blouse with bell sleeves and matching powder-blue, wide-legged pants that resembled a long skirt. She had Lina customise it for her, and the inspiration was the palazzo pants of the twenty-first century. It was a compromise, as Lara couldn’t wear pants when she wasn’t disguised as Kane.

She wore her hair in a half-lace braid, where only the top portion was styled into the braid, leaving the rest free-flowing and cascading down her back.

But when she arrived at the estate, she was surprised to see a lot of carriages.

"Is there an event today?" She asked one of the guards.

"Yes, Miss. Some people arrived from the capital and visited Prince Alaric," the guard replied respectfully.

Lara paused for a moment as she stood before the imposing entrance. The air was thick with an anticipation, and the shadows within seemed to beckon her closer. Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside, the creaking door echoing her arrival.

She scanned the room searching for Agilus, Aramis, or Alaric, but they were nowhere to be found. Instead, she saw many strangers there, whose gaze was on her.

Then, a man wearing a richly decorated garment separated from the group and walked toward her.

"Your Highness..."