There was silence. "Are we going to stay like this all night, it's not like I mind". Jada turned stiff when he heard him whisper those words to her ears. Warm breathe touched her neck, She felt something poking at her.
Flushing she stood up, "I am deeply sorry Milord". She said bowing without looking at him. Leo gazed sized her. Taking in the view. His green eyes darkened. Threatening to change colors.
He stoop up. Jada heard his footsteps walking around the room. She looked down at her bandaged feet. She suddenly felt a thick clothe over her shoulder, covering her and giving her some warmth. She looked up at Leo as he covered her with his cloak.
"We don't want your dress to attract much attention to us, do we?", She shook her head. "I thought so". He covered her head with the hood.
Jada could tell that cloak was made out of high quality material as it was smooth on the skin and not as heavy as it looks.
Leo held her wrist and they walked out of the room. They met a lamenting and angry client complaining to the madam. As soon as he saw him he retreated in fear.
Leo paid no attention to them and proceeded to the door but two huge men blocked the path. "She works here, no workers are allowed to leave the premises". A large beard man said.
"Move or everyone in the building dies". He simply stated. He was already in a bad mood when he saw Jada in that state, he might as well kill everyone.
A man snickered while this other laughed. No one in the room knows of his identity. It's not close to a year when he got his position back so only a few knew him as the Lord of the south. "The only person that'll die here would be you, sir hand over the girl". The man with the large beard approached him but he suddenly fell limp before he got to them.
Everyone looked surprised at the turn of event. Even other customers and ladies were out due to the commotion.
Leo stared at the man blankly. "No one threatens my master". Grey walked into view. He simple knocked the man down without killing him.
The other man rushed to check his fallen comrade. Leo walked out pulling Jada with him. Greg bowed and Leo stopped in front of him. "Next time, wait for my instructions, you would get punished next time this occurs". "Of course Milord". The trio walked out, no one stopped them this time.
There was a carriage waiting outside. Getting in. The carriage started moving. The entire ride was quite, Jada sat opposite the lord, she didn't have enough courage to stare at him in his eyes.
If he came later that that. She wouldn't guarantee she'll still have her chastity with her, she shivered at the thought clutching into the cloak.
She stole a quick glance at him. Leo has a stoic expression in his handsome face. He stared outside the window. The sky had already turned orange as the sun set.
Jada examined his facial features. His bright green eyes glowed with the faint light. He had a bored look on his face, admiring his features for the first time he got curious about what he was staring out at the window.
She avert her gaze to see his reflection staring blankly at her. Caught gawking at him she quickly looked away embarrassed that he caught her staring.
The carriage slowly come to halt. After a moment the carriage door opened. Grey bowed slightly as the lord came down. Jada followed suit. The butler didn't help her get down from the carriage as she was nothing but a maid.
She raised the cloak to avoid tripping as the cloak was bigger than her small figure. They stopped at an inn in a small town.
The innkeeper welcomed them and offered them the available rooms. The Lord never said a word to Jada. He gave some instructions to the innkeeper and walked passed her with Grey tailing behind.
"Let me take you to your room". The innkeeper interrupted her train of thoughts
Jada gave her a slight smile and nodded.
The innkeeper gestured her to come with her. The innkeeper took her to a room.
"If there's anything you need just ring a bell", she turned to leave. The door shut behind the innkeeper. Jada took of the cloak, there was a bowl of water at the corner of the room. Washing the makeup off her face, she pat her face dried with a towel.
There was a knock at the door. She opened the door to see the innkeeper and a young girl holding a bowl of porridge and night dress respectively.
They entered inside without a word. The innkeeper kept the meal on the table while the girl kept the dress on the bed.
They left shortly after. Jada quickly changed from the revealing dress. She ate her meal and went to bed. She was exhausted from the day's drama.
***
Jada was seated in the carriage, her hands clutched the plain blue dress she was wearing. The innkeeper gave her the dress earlier in the morning saying the lord wanted her to wear the dress, it was the best dress she had ever worn.
She wondered where they where heading to, with the speed the carriage was traveling at, they would have arrive at the mansion late last night.
She took a peek at him. He was wearing a coat with a deep blue inner shirt and black slacks , his head lean backwards and his eyes closed. "Done admiring me?", Jada flushed.
"If Milord permits me to speak, we don't seem to be heading back to the mansion". She noticed.
"Isn't my kitten a smart little thing, we aren't". He confirmed. "It's been long since I travelled to the central empire with a carriage, the mansion is getting boring". He remarked.
"I wonder how the central empire looks like", she mumbled under her breathe.
"We are about to find out". He said shifting the window curtains revealing a busy city. Her eyes widened in excitement. There were food vendors selling various small bites, Kids playing, Sellers displaying their items and people buying things. It was a fair, Jada had never been to a fair as the village she grew up in never hosted one. She only heard about them when the ladies at the institute talk about their secret adventures outside the walls of the village.
Jada eyes never left the scene until the carriage rode out of the village, Taking a path in the forest. The view of a huge palace came in slowly. Jada admitted the palace was much more bigger than the Lord's mansion.
She turned look at the lord in question. "Are we heading to the emperor's palace?", Leo simply nodded.
"I have some business with him to deal with", He had a stoic expression on his face. Jada felt a shiver down her spine. A million things running through her mind. Are they enemies?, did the lord decide to sell her to the emperor because she always gets into trouble?.
As strong as an Emperor was he had special people that rule along side with him. They controlled different parts of the entire empire. They were given positions of Lords.
Under the Lords, they select Dukes. After Dukes were the viscounts and last on the power chain are the barons.
Leaving the questions at that. She avert her gaze outside the window. "It's better she savor her last moment outside the palace". The carriage approached the palace huge gates. It halt for a while before proceeding.
The carriage rode into the palace grounds. Grey opened the carriage door.
Jada stood bewildered at the structure. Maids busy, guards stationed almost everywhere.
A lean man in a black butler uniform approached them.
He bowed slightly at the lord. "His majesty was expecting you". He reached out to help him of his coat but Grey beat him to it. Clearing his throat he said. "His majesty is busy at the moment, would you like some tea while you wait for his arrival", He gestured for them to follow him, they through the main doors of the palace.
With a snap of his fingers a maid approached them and bowed. "Take the lady to the guest room". He instructed. Jada turned to look at the Lord. He nodded for her to follow the maid.
Matt, the butler took them to the drawing room, a lot of art work canvas were hung on the walls In the room. Taking a seat, "I'd love tea". Matt bowed and walked out briefly.
He turned to Grey who stood behind him, "Go make yourself useful", He commanded.
"Yes Milord". He bowed before disappearing.