Aaron nodded and looked at Miss Mariana. "Come."
With her nod, they both walked towards the carriage.
"What a fearful experience. I can't believe people still believe in witches," Aaron heard her say.
He blinked. Looked like Miss Mariana had never encountered one.
"Hmm," he nodded his head. She didn't need to know the cruelties of the world just now. They both had seen enough for the day.
Reaching to the carriage, he saw the boys were still guarding Miss Mariana's luggage.
Aaron turned his head to her. "I'll see you to your home, Miss Mariana."
"It's no need. I-""
"Please, I insist," he smiled at her.
"But I cannot let Mr. Lawrence get worried when he don't find me." She wrinkled her brows.
A kind heart she had.
"Okay. Let us wait till Charles come back and if your carriage doesn't come till then, you must accept my ride."
With a smile, she nodded her head. He returned her smile. He was proud of her to stand with the woman today. His little saviour loved to save people from the dangers. "You are a saviour to many people, Miss Mariana."
"What are you taking about? You are the one who saved her." Her eyes looked at him with admiration and Aaron felt good to earn that gaze from her. But the next moment, her lips winced and she searched something in her satchel.
"What hap-"
Before he could finish, she came near him and raised her hand and he found a cool cloth pressed on his head.
"You are bleeding," she said worriedly.
He remembered the stone that had hit him there. "Yes, the stone hit me."
She removed the cloth, folded it the other side and pressed it back to his head, up his eyes. She did so three more times and all that time Aaron looked at her taking care of him. He felt warmth in his chest. This woman had made him feel many things in few days since she had met him.
The next time she pressed the cloth, he raised his hand and grasped hers. Bringing their hands down, he carresed her wrist, the point of her pulse with his thumb, softly. They both breathed heavily looking at each other. Many strands of her brown hair had escaped her braid because of the chaos they had just faced. And just as usual, his touch made her skin flush with pink.
"Miss Mariana," a hard voice took them out of their trance. She took away her hand from his grasp and eyed the source of the voice.
"Mr. Lawrence," a smile appeared on her face seeing her coachman on the carriage which haulted near them.
"I am looking for you since an hour and a half. I was so worried that I couldn't find you, miss," the coachman said as he climbed down.
She smiled. "We were across the alley there. Something happened."
He nodded. "Shall we leave, then?"
"Yes," she asked the boys to place the trunks in the carriage. When they did so, she offered them few coins.
"This is more, miss," they said.
"Please take it. You've waited so long for me."
They bowed and grinned happily receiving the coins and left, happy to have earned more.
Mariana turned to Aaron then who looked at her with admiration for valuing the servants.
"Thank you." Her cheeks were still flushed.
"For what?" His brows shot up.
Her shoulders gave a little shrug. "For helping me with fabrics, for waiting with me, for helping that girl." Her eyes cast down for a moment and she looked up at him again. "You are a great person, Your Majesty," she said softly.
He shrugged. "Daily tasks for me."
He offered her his hand.
She looked at it and then slowly placed her palm in it. He guided her to the carriage and helped her climb in it. This carriage was smaller than the last one he had seen her in it.
He closed the door and she peeked out from the window. Her eyes now held their usual shine. He was glad she was distracted from whatever had troubled her.
"See you tomorrow," she said softly.
Aaron's eyes sparkled hearing that.
"Really?"
"Yes, The princess's old gown is ready. I'll bring it tomorrow to the palace."
He smirked. "See you tomorrow, then."
He knocked at the carriage to signal the coachman to get it moving.
Miss Mariana closed the curtains to her window.
Aaron looked at the carriage until it disappeared at the corner. Miss Mariana truely had a power to mesmerize him. He never thought shopping with Hazel would turn out to be so beneficial. Until tomorrow, my little saviour.
In the carriage, Mariana chewed her lip thinking about her day with the king. How mysterious he was! A teaser for her. Always tormenting her and enjoying her annoyance.
Then, a heartless person to frighten her.
Then, he was Princess Amelia's brother who let her handle their finances.
And today, she saw a caring, older brother he was for Lady Hazel. How adorably he walked behind wherever his sister dragged him. Mariana found a faint smile grazing her lips as she thought about him trying to choose a colour or a jewellery. After chuckling faintly, she sighed and then thought about the king she saw today.
A justiceful king.
How fearlessly he saved that girl and how cleverly he handled everything. Goosebumps rose on her skin when that entire horrific scene played in her mind once again. People there were going to burn that girl alive. How could someone be so heartless? That too, on the basless reason of that woman being a witch!
But fortunately, she and the king was there and he stopped it from happening.
People had praised him a lot in front of her before and she knew, that after today, she too, would join them in praising their king.
She looked out her carriage window where the sun was beginning to set and the sky had turned all the beautiful shades of pink, orange and purple. This had to be the favourite time of her day.
She reached the village and the sun had almost set. Mr. Lawrence got down and started to pick up her trunks. While he helped her by taking the trunks to her house, Mariana climbed down of the carriage and went towards the horses.
The two tall and brown horses nuzzled her hand as she carresed their nape. Though she had the carriage, they never bought horses for them. Never having much cause for travelling long distances, she nover bothered to own the horse. Whenever need arised, she hired them from Mr. Lawrence.
Now, when she needed to travel to town back and forth, and the number of her customers also increasing, she thought of purchasing these beautiful creatures.
One of the horses exhaled a large whiff of air in her hand and she chuckled.
Mr. Lawrence got back to the carriage. "The trunks are all in, miss."
"Thank you Mr. Lawrence. I wanted to know how much you price the horses to sell them".
Mr Larence said a sum that Mariana thought was quite affordable for her. "Would you like to buy the horses, miss?"
"I am thinkimg about it. I'll get back to you after discussing with aunt Penny."
"Sure, miss. I'll be here tomorrow morning to drop you to the palace." He nodded his head and took the carriage around her house to park it.
Mariana entered her house and all the happiness and lighness she felt through the day instantly vanished.
Caelen sat there with aunt Penny and Voilet, chatting leisurely.
Numbness coated her body and the earlier exhaustion she had felt after talking to him, came back in her body. She wasn't ready to talk to him yet.
As she stepped inside, aunt Penny greeted her. "You are back, Marie."
Mariana smiled at her and then worry ceased her smile. Had Caelen told her about the proposal?
She didn't want to trouble aunt Penny when she had just encountered the fever.