Wura could not hide the look of relief that washed over her face as soon as she saw the woman's face that was bright with a smile as she waved to alert Wura and Mero of her presence.
"Is that the woman you are looking for?" asked Mero as Wura turned to look at him and nodded with a smile.
"Come on, we should not keep her waiting now should we?" asked Wura as she quickened her pace, careful not to run too quickly lest she should trip and fall.
Mero sighed with sounded like tiredness as he followed after Wura. It was not like he did not like the fact that she had good people skills, she could easily relate with anyone and everyone, she was easy to like and she was honest, but in times like this, he wished that she would be a little more cautious, for her own sake.
"Oh you called out to us at the right time, we were certainly lost." said Wura as she chuckled, standing in front of the woman who still looked surprised and shocked.
"My Queen, you are really here?" asked the woman again, she was surprised, not that she thought that Wura would break her word, but she of all people knew busy a woman like Wura was, so for her to actually take out time from her busy life to actually have dinner with her and her children was surreal.
It made her feel so grateful and happy to have here here, she was initially doubting why she had put such a burden on Wura to come and that fact that she was actually here showed how faithful Wura was in her words.
"Of course I am here, you invited me did you not? It would be rude of me to accept your invitation only not to attend." said Wura with a smile.
"I am happy to see you again, thank you for inviting me to have dinner with you." said Wura as she gave the woman a quick hug and the woman was surprised but the smile of pure happiness on her face could not be missed.
"Oh it is my pleasure my Queen, it is my honour to host you for dinner." said the woman as she smiled and she finally noticed the tall menacing man that stood closely behind Wura, he had a seriously displeased look on his face and the woman was sure that this was one of Wura's personal guards.
He looked very scary to say the least, like he did not want to be approached and the woman found herself unconsciously staring at him more than she had thought she would.
Mero on the other hand was quick to notice the woman's attention on him, and judging from the look on her face, she seemed intimidated, this caused Mero to sigh, he was sure that his dislike for being here was showing very clearly on his face, and he did not mean to scare anyone, he just had to get past this dinner.
"Good evening" said Mero as he gave a soft smile, trying to make the woman's look of intimidation vanish.
"Good evening sir, you must be the Queen's guard, thank you for coming." said the woman as she quickly bowed her head realizing that he must have noticed her staring and that made her feel scared, she had been caught.
"There is no need for you to be frightened, thank you for inviting me." he said as Wura looked at him and shook her head, he just had to be so serious all the time. It was clear that the woman was now uncomfortable.
Wura stopped looking at Mero as she looked around, the sun had set and the gentle breeze started to blow, she looked as if she was looking for something, or rather someone.
"Trust me, I know that he might look intimidating, but Mero means no one no harm, there is no need for you to be afraid, he will not harm you or anyone." said Wura as she smiled and the woman looked at her.
"Alright my Queen... thank you." said the woman as she tried her best to smile calmly.
"Where are your children? I do not see them anywhere?" asked Wura as she smiled still looking around.
"Oh my Queen, you know children, they can be so naughty at times, I have already called them for dinner three times, but I guess that they are not hungry yet, but they should join us soon while I finish preparing dinner." said the woman with a smile.
"Oh well then in that case let me help you." said Wura happily.
"Ahh, no, no no my Queen, no, you are my guest, let me finish up while you and your guard sit here and rest" said the woman as she offered Wura sit on the log that was on the ground.
"I apologize my Queen, I wish I had something more comfortable for you to sit on." said the woman apologetically as she looked down.
"It is fine, I understand, and I am not complaining, I have sat on worse to tell you the truth." said Wura as she chuckled and sat down without hesitation, making the woman feel less embarrassed.
"Thank you for being so understanding my Queen, I will be back soon, please make yourself comfortable, you too Sir Mero." said the woman as she bowed before leaving and walking a distance away from her tent where the fire she was using to cook was burning.
"Mero you can sit down beside me." said Wura as she looked at Mero, she did not know if he intended to stand like that throughout the entire evening, but she was sure that she did not want him looming over her like some sort of statue.
"I prefer to stand." replied Mero as Wura narrowed her eyes at him, feeling that he said that out of stubbornness and not because he wanted to protect her.
"Sit down please." she said as she decided that she needed to be nice, they were still indirectly in a fight.
"No my Queen, I prefer to stand, thank you." he replied, the stubbornness in his tone showing itself as he looked at Wura in her eyes and she in his.
"I want you to sit down, so sit down Mero." she said her tone stern with no room for refusal, she did not know why, but him calling her 'My Queen' just made her feel so irritated, he was just being to petty, putting this barrier between them.
He of all people knew how much she valued respect of the heart and not just in title or power, so his use of her title felt more pushed, as if he was obliged to call her that out of respect when it was not so at all.
To add to that, she and Mero were so close that she preferred it when he called her by her name, like a close friend and not like a distant guard who looked like he had something better to do than to be here by her side.
Mero looked at Wura with a frown, not liking how she had spoken to him, but he said nothing at all, he just kept silent and sat down next to her on the log.
Wura turned to look at him, if he was not already upset before, he was definitely fuming now, she had just opposed her authority on him without meaning to... okay maybe she meant to, but she felt bad after, he looked so miserable and out of touch with their surroundings, she had never seen him act like that before, it made her worried.
"Mero, forgive me, I did not mean it that way, I just did not want you standing for too long, we are staying for dinner which will take a while, I do not want you getting tired, you have done a lot today and I am sure that you are already tired, please do not take what I said the wrong way." said Wura a she looked at him but he did not look at her at all.
"I did not take what you said the wrong way my Queen, I completely understand what you meant." replied Mero plainly, but judging from the way he was looking and sounding he did not understand at all, he was angry and she knew it.
If all the other times that she had upset him today were intentional, this recent one was certainly intentional and Wura found herself causing more damage instead of fixing the one she had already made.
Wura sighed to herself, she honestly did not know what to do, it seemed as if she woke up this morning with an aim to offend Mero beyond imagination and it was usually not on purpose.
She could not remember a time Mero had been this upset with her ever, maybe that was because he never had been to this extent; but lately, things had been different and all she wanted to know was why?