Rose walked down the front stairs of the castle with a tight grip on the fruit basket, which she kept on her palms instead of holding it by the handle. There was a carriage at the foot of the stairs. It wasn't the only carriage, but she could tell this was the one she was supposed to use.
The carriage wasn't as decorative as the one that had brought her to the castle with the crown prince, but it didn't seem like a regular carriage either. Unlike the others, it had the crest of the royal family.
The horses were brown with long manes, and the coachman was dressed in a simple tunic with a belt around it, some loose pants, and a flat cap on his head. He was seated in the carriage, ready to go.
A few servants and guards were on the stairs, most bowing at Thomas. Some other lords were also leaving the castle, and Rose noticed more than one person stopped to stare. A lady even stopped midway through entering her carriage just to stare at Rose.
