Sam's uneasiness had long disappeared just like the rain. The only thing left were smiles to give for the adorable red haired man who went by the name, Niklaus Griffith.
Cold breeze blew into the carriage sending chills to the four of them but only warmth remained.
" Trust me, I had a stressful time with that old woman but funny how anytime I remember it, it only makes me laugh", Niklaus said chuckling exposing a pair of spaced teeth in the process.
Sam and her mama couldn't help but laugh along, all Niklaus had been doing ever since was making them laugh with his interesting tales. She was very entertained due to the fact that she was a writer and stories were her criteria.
His continuous tales only gave her inspiration for a funny roundabout for her characters in her novel and all in all he made her forget that she had been upset just a while ago.
Niklaus was a fairly good looking man. His attractive red hair and his hazel green eyes made him look quite innocent and eye catching but he wasn't her type of men.
She might come off as uninterested in the ideas of marriage but it was only that no man had ever manage to attract her attention enough.
She felt eyes boring into her neck causing her to subconsciously turn in that direction only to lock eyes with the man seated next to Niklaus who had barely said a word since her and her mama's arrival in the carriage.
His eyes stared back at her coldly not holding any messages, just staring at her as if bored to the whim.
Niklaus who had been communicating with the Duchess about the unpredictable rainfalls this season quickly spotted their little eye show.
" Forgive me.. where are my manners?", he exclaimed drawing Samaira's attention back to him. She stared at him with a raised brow and the Duchess who had a simple smile on her face focused more on him.
" I forgot to introduce my brother to you. He cannot speak and in between our discussions he must have felt completely out of place", Niklaus said in a low voice while Sam and the Duchess quickly stared at the said dumb brother.
Duchess Lorena gazed at him with a look of pity, what a shame that such a young handsome man could not speak.. she thought to herself while Sam gazed at the same bored eyes with a soft look.
The man was very handsome and from looking at him up close, he actually had a head full of brown hair not black as she had previously assumed.
His eyes had an attractive grey color and he was also staring back at her as well. He had a magnificent jawline and small soft lips befitting the male character of some stories she had read.
It was only that she didn't write hopeless romantic stories but stories that emphasized more on her current situation.
" His name is Desmond", Niklaus stated in a soft voice whilst tapping Desmond on the shoulder. Desmond as Niklaus had introduced finally stared away from Samaira turning to Niklaus and for a moment she thought she saw him glare at Nik but her mama's sudden words were quick to distract her.
" Desmond you say... that was the name of one my beloved brothers", Duchess Lorena stated whilst staring at Desmond with both pity and awe.
Samaira smiled a little, her mama never spoke about her self, it seemed as though she really enjoyed the company of the young men and it made her feel contempt just by seeing her mama's happiness.
The carriage finally came to a stop and they all stepped down after the coachman opened the door.
Samaira stared at the direction of the castle where they had only stopped at the entrance of it. It stood tall and bright even though the sky was as dark as midnight.
" It was a pleasure meeting you Milady", stated Niklaus with a smile and Desmond nodded in approval, his face blank as before.
" Oh the pleasure is mine", Duchess Lorena stated with a wide grin at having being treated nicely and for finally reaching her destination. She turned to Samaira using her eyes to speak to her.
Samaira curtsied and the two men bowed in return while she and her mama immediately turned on their heels approaching the castle's gates.
" Come on my dearest brother who cannot interact with people, our father the king awaits us", Niklaus said with a grin plastered on his face and Desmond glared at him softly whilst watching the two ladies leave.
" I am not Desmond but Dino...yet I must say Nik, very well played... expect a comeback soon enough from yours faithfully", the quiet Prince finally spoke up as him and Niklaus made their way towards the Castle's gates expecting the King's fury in regards to their long absence.
***************
Samaira and Duchess Lorena finally located Duke Alfred and his mother in the large hall filled with well dressed people.
The hall was bustling with people from both noble families and simple town folks moving here and there. Some young men and ladies were dancing at the center of the hall while some elderly people stood in cliques making short discussions whilst holding wine glasses in their hands.
The songs being played by the instrumentalist was simply perfect for the occasion yet Duchess Lorena felt anxious all over.
" You both took your time", Duke Alfred said softly, he was a little angry that he had to present his gift to the King without his Duchess by his side and he had to make up some excuse but he could never truly be that angry at his daughter or wife.
Except his mother actually felt otherwise. Elizabeth Robert, former duchess of the north stared at both Lorena and Sam with disappointing looks.
Sam didn't bother about the old woman who had never once given her a good enough look over. The old woman didn't like her and she could very much say that the feeling was mutual.
She listened to her mother apologize to Elizabeth who only nodded not dragging the matter out because of the place they were in.
Afterwards she took her time to observe the entire ballroom enjoying the atmosphere yet still wishing she could have been home alone by now enjoying the cold weather.
A young red haired man suddenly approached her grabbing her attention quickly but he wasn't Niklaus, his eyes looked brown like hers and he had on his face a smile that simply disgusted her.
" May I have this dance milady?", he asked her boldly as he bowed a bit stretching out his hand for her to take. She took it reluctantly knowing she could not possibly refuse under the watching eyes of her family.
They soon disappeared to the middle of the dance hall and the night went on and on with her even having to hide from other young men who requested to dance with her as a beautiful woman and as the third daughter of the Duke.