Caelen stood up seeing her and smiled. Mariana merely looked at him and went to the kitchen. She wished he go back home for now. Talking with him didn't seem very appealing since the lunch.
"Marie," he called from behind and she pursed her lips.
He came to stand beside her.
"Did you say something to aunt Penny?" She asked without looking at him.
"Umm, no. But did you think about everything again?"
"Caelen, I-"
"It's alright," he said and Mariana looked at him with hope. Did he accept her rejection well?
"You can have more time. I'll wait another day for your answer".
She again pursed her lips. "Caelen, I've already given you my answer. I don-"
"You think about it again." He placed his hand on her arm. "You can answer me later."
Mariana stepped back from his touch slowly. She wanted to give no more unnecssary ideas to him.
"And I apologise about earlier," he continued. "I shouldn't have behaved the way I did today. It was all because I was just upset. I hope you will forgive me?" He raised his brows and smiled.
Mariana felt a glance of her friend back. Him apologising made her feel better. Of course, he must be upset a,d so Mariama decided to forgive him. She smiled at him and nodded her head.
"I'll see you later then," saying this he left her house. He didn't ask about her day or anything as he usually did. But Mariana let that slide, understanding that his mind must really be occupied by her answer. She decided that she could take some time for his benefit and then calmly answer him with a no. It would be easy for him to accept that if he knew that she'd thought about it.
After getting the dinner ready, Mariana, Voilet and aunt Penny sat at the table to devour their meal. Mariana was famished, she didn't eat anything after her lunch with Caelen. Carving the roasted meat on her plate, Mariana had the first bite and a moan escaped her mouth due to the meat's wonderful taste.
Aunt Penny chuckled at her. "Dinner really is delicious today, dear." She too, ate her soup in which Mariana had added her medicine.
"It's delicious, Marie," Voilet said with a mouthful of meat where it more sounded like, 'it's velicious, vavee."
Mariana smiled at her cousin. Mariana always cooked good but to rid of various thoughts in her head today, she had concentrated wholly on making the dinner that would consume her time and need lots of attention. It helped her head to get ride of the thoughts and dinner turned out really delicious.
"You must have had a great day. Caelen told me your lunch went really well," Aunt Penny said.
To avoid saying much on that matter, Mariana stuffed her mouth with a large bite and merely nodded her head.
They ate silently for a long time, enjoying the meal until Mariana remembered something. Swallowing the bite she was chewing, she wiped her lips with the napkin. "Aunt Penny, do you believe in witches?"
He aunt looked at her with confused eyes. "I can't say I've seen one. Why do you ask, dear?"
Mariana told everything that took place with her and the king today. How they surprisingly met at the market and their shopping with his cousin and then the incident of burning the woman. She hesitated first to talk about such cruelty in front of little Voilet, but her cousin listened to everything with excitement.
"Oh dear," Aunt Penny shivered after hearing all that. "I can't believe still such things happens."
"Has it happened before?" Mariana wrinkled her brows. She had never heard anything like that before in her life.
Her aunt nodded solemnly. "When we were young, people used to be so fearful of witches. I've never seen one, but many people believed they exist in our kingdom, that they stay in the forest at the far borders. As that's very far from the village, people here are not much bothered. But in town, they did believe in them. Some even claimed to be seen them. They say they are extremely powerful. And many times I've heard in my youth that women were burned alive for being known as witches."
A shiver ran through Mariana's body. She had read stories like this. But never did she knew she would hear about them existing.
"I want to see a witch." Voilet's eyes were so bright as if she was talking about seeing a fairy.
"I don't really think they are real, dear," Aunt Penny said to Voilet. "I have never heard anyone being cursed, in our proximity".
"Cursed?" Mariana's palms turned colder.
"Yes. Witches curse them who hurt them or harm them in any way."
"Wow! I want that power too!" Voilet exclaimed.
"Who do you want to curse?" Aunt Penny chuckled at her daughter.
Voilet mumbled about a girl who always cheated whenever they played.
Stirring her soup, Mariana thought about everthing aunt Penny had said. Earlier when she'd entered through the alley towards the crowd, she'd heard someone yelling about a symbol. What symbol did that woman have? What made them all think that she was a witch? Did they really exist? Her eyes were truely astonishing though. But many women were extra ordinarily beautiful and that didn't mean they were different creatures. Mariana shook her head to get rid of the thoughts of witches.
Poor thing, she thought about the woman and hoped she was alright. Perhaps she should go visit her tomorrow. But would that be safe? Mariana decided to think about it later. She had lots of chores to do and had to pack the princess's old dress for tomorrow.
When Aaron returned to the palace, he immediately went to his study for certain documental work. After spending almost two hours in the study, Aaron dropped the documents and leaned his head back on the chair, closing his eyes. He stayed like that, without sleeping, for few moments until he heard his sister.
"Looking exhausted," Aaron opened his eyes to see Amy stand in the threshold and then entered to have a seat in from of him.
Aaron drew a hand over his face and then through his hair. He was exhausted. He had prepared a legalised column in their kingdom's laws redarding witches, which he planned to issue from tomorrow.
"This exhaustion is not given by Hazel," Amy raised her eyebrows and her gaze demanded the reason for his tiredness.
Aaron chuckled and started to roll his paperweight on the desk. "Shall I tell you an incident of today's?"
"Please, tell me anything. I want to hear something that doesn't contain Prince Lucas."
Now Amy seemed more exhausted. Granny must have sung the prince's praises in Amy's ears throughout the day.
Aaron told her everything about how he met Miss Mariana and they ended up saving that girl from burning up.
"Good god. This is unbelievable. No one deserved being burned alive!" Amy had the horrified expression in her blue eyes.
Aaron pressed two fingers to the side of his tired head. "I am issuing a compulsory punishment for these tactics."
Amy nodded. "Was she really a witch?"
"People said the symbol was on her ankle and I never got to see it, with all that was happening."
"Poor girl. But now, she won't be bothered. Since she has your protection."
Aaron smiled at his sister. Her kind heart never thought about anything but good for every living being.
"Well, atleast Miss Mariana must have made your day a bit bearable."
Aaron chuckled remembering how his little saviour had stood at his side fiercely.
"Are you done?"
Amy brought him out of the Mariana world and gestured to the pile of documents in front of him. "Supper is ready." She did not ask further about Miss Mariana or the witch.
"You go ahead. I shall take a bath first."
Amy nodded and left the study.
Aaron rang the bellpull and ordered the maid to get his bath ready in his chamber. He left the study after sealing the documents and found Charles, Jasper and another person, who had Amy on his arm, coming from the opposite side of the corridor. They were all laughing heartily. He first thought he must be one of the princes to which granny had scheduled Amy's meets but as they neared his eyes widened when he saw the person.
He was the man with whom Aaron had studied everything in the children's institute, placed out of the kingdom. The one who had almost beaten him to death when they were fifteen years old because they liked the same girl. The one who had sent an army of fifteen hundred soldiers for Aaron's help during a war. His best friend, The second prince of kingdom Nydara, Nathan Sandridge.
Aaron grinned as he saw his best friend coming towards him. Nathan kissed Amy's hand and excused himself to meet Aaron. He came in long strides with his arms spread wide.
"There you are, bastard", Nathan hugged him and slapped hard on his back. Aaron returned his hearty hug.
"You are here after two years, you bugger!" Aaron blamed him as soon as he met his eyes.
Nathan was just as tall as Aaron and as people say, equally handsome. His friend scratched the back of his neck. "Well, I've been busy but then the princess sent me such a lovable invitation, I couldn't resist bringing her the gift." His black eyes smiled at Amy.
Aaron would've been angry had he not known Nathan respected Amy just as much as him.
"What is the gift?" Amy asked with wide eyes.
"Me, Of course." Nathan spread his arms wide gesturing himself and Amy rolled her eyes.