7:24pm....
Sam stared out the little window in the carriage she currently sat in with her mama. Her brown eyes showed nothing but intense longing for the weather outside.
Surprisingly, it was raining heavily today though the rain did nothing to deter the entire household's visit to Gael's castle.
It was fifteen minutes past seven the last time she checked but the heavy rainfall had caused the clouds to simply darken that it now seemed more late into the night than merely evening.
" We are the only ones arriving at such a late hour and it's simply because of you", the duchess who sat opposite her daughter complained bitterly.
Sometimes she wondered if Samaira was truly her own child. Every time there was a new drama in the household it was simply because of her. What kind of lady chooses to be defiant every time? Her other daughters never troubled her to this extent?
Sam barely answered, she just let out a long yawn irritating her mother in the process while her gloved hands curled around her body in a bit to shield herself from the cold.
The both of them were clothed in very little. Long gowns which did nothing to shield the cold weather and gloved hands. A cold silver necklace sat on Sam's pale neck and her blonde hair was done in a magnificent bun.
Her mama looked no different, the woman wore just the same thing as Sam only that her hair was a simple pixie cut and was brown in color. Sam inherited her hair color from her father.
" Everyone is ahead of us. The Duke and your grandmother must have already arrived and the both of us should have as well but you just had to go and hide at the last minute", Duchess Lorena complained again staring at Samaira, her face holding traces of annoyance.
" I wasn't hiding Mama. I was in my room where I covered myself with my duvet, the cold was getting to me. That doesn't count as hiding", Samaira replied softly yet slowly enough that the Duchess heard every word.
Truly she wasn't hiding. The rain had started pouring at exactly 6:00pm in the evening but her grandmother still yet announced that they would have to go to Gael's castle anyway.
The King of Gael was celebrating his second daughter's easy delivery of giving him a grandson and every high class citizen was invited. Her family could not miss such an event but she could.
Her older sisters were not going to be there to keep her company anyway and her mama would simply be busy searching for suitors for her as though she couldn't simply wait to send her off to marriage.
Walter was already at the castle assisting the other guards in bringing in gifts that her papa, the Duke of the north had gotten for Amelia, the King's second daughter.
And she being Samaira Roberts simply loved a good rainy weather. Who would pick a people filled ball over a self time alone where you did nothing but listen to the rain pour whilst busying yourself with a novel under your bed covers.
Surely if Sam had stayed at home she would have benefitted more but Duchess Lorena was not planning on letting her off any moment now.
Lorena was about to say something else when the carriage suddenly ceased movement.
" What's wrong now?", She asked more to herself as one of the guards who had escorted them opened the carriage door for them holding an umbrella above his head.
Duchess Lorena stepped out holding her long gown up to avoid it getting soaked by the wet road. She stood carefully under the umbrella as the guard stated the situation.
" Milady, it appears there seem to be some faults with our carriage wheels, clearly the coachman had forgotten to take this particular carriage for servicing", the guard, dressed in a guardsman attire said out loud yet his voice came out small due to the intensity of the rain.
" Lord, not right now... this cannot be happening", Lorena exclaimed softly as she went along with the guard to go observe what the coachman was doing.
Samaira remained seated in the carriage but from time to time her eyes would stare out the little window checking if the rain was ever going to come to an end.
Five minutes passed yet Duchess Lorena was still out there refusing to go back into the carriage while the coachman tried to replace the wheel. It appeared there was more damage than they had expected.
The guardsman had gone to look for help and Lorena was holding the umbrella on her own, the cold wind sipping into her skin.
Sam finally came down when she felt as though the carriage wasn't getting fixed anytime soon.
The coachman had used some object to support it so that it wouldn't come tumbling down when he took off the wheel.
The road where they had stopped in was barely being used. Perhaps the entire town were already at the King's ball and no one else was at home.
The first thing that hit her were small droplets of rain. The rain had already calmed down and was barely pouring as before.
She headed straight to her mother who turned to look at her the moment she arrived. " What are we going to do now Samaira? We can't remain here forever", Lorena stated whilst shuddering unwillingly. The cold had finally gotten to her and now she was feeling sick.
Samaira hugged her mama's body in order to give her a bit warmth and it was truly an endearing sight because for the first time in many years, her mama didn't even refuse such intimacy, instead she accepted it willingly.
The guardsman finally arrived but not alone as he came in another carriage. The carriage came to a stop and the guardsman jumped out of the seat where he had sat down with the coachman.
Lorena and Samaira quickly disengaged themselves staring at the guardsman with questioning eyes.
" Milady, I have found us a carriage willing to give us a ride to the castle... it appears the people in there are headed there as well", The guardsman announced with a little excitement in his voice at having finally found a ride for them.
Duchess Lorena sighed in relief while Samaira stared at the carriage with a frown on her face.
Before she could voice out her thoughts, Lorena was already dragging her by the wrist towards the carriage and the door even opened itself from the inside.
The two women came face to face with two young men, one with attractive red hair and the other with a head full of hair which looked black from where they stood.
" Come in, the weather outside isn't suitable for ladies like you", the red haired man said with an innocent smile on his face and Lorena smiled in return.
She quickly let go of Samaira taking the hand of the red haired man which he had offered, to help her climb in properly.
After she was settled in, she stared at Samaira who looked at the three of them not wanting to climb in.
" We don't even know them mama", Samaira voiced out but before the red haired man could speak, Duchess Lorena spoke hurriedly.
" Just get in already Samaira, we are already late as it is... your papa must be worried", Lorena stated causing Sam to hesitate a little more before finally climbing in with the help of that same red haired man.