Kaiser's Point of View
The steam car progressed slowly on the paved road, its engine producing a regular humming and its wheels transmitting slight vibrations to the padded cabin.
Through the window, I watched the landscape pass by, a succession of fields and groves marking the approach to the territory of the Viscountcy of Karlton. We were only a day away from our destination, and so far, every detail of the journey had gone according to plan.
Jessica was sitting to my right. She kept her hands neatly placed on her knees, but an almost imperceptible tremor shook the tips of her fingers. She was trying to display a calm she was far from feeling, and this inner tension was clearly readable in her gaze, which constantly sought mine. This emotional dependence made her predictable, and therefore useful.
I deemed it good to remind her of the terms of our arrangement, in a calm and detached voice.
