"This is my coachman, Luther." The man bowed deeply once he was introduced to the fair miss, and Belle returned it with a polite smile.
"Lady Philippa, the carriage is ready. We would stop at the second inn on the way, so you can both take a rest before setting off to Winstol tomorrow." The coachman informed.
"That's good." She said that and turned to Belle. "Come on, dear. Let's make hay while the sun shines."
Annabelle took one last look at the home she grew up in, where Zachariah stood just at the door step with a reassuring smile on his face.
Since it was still the early hours of the morning, there were a handful of villagers outside, getting ready for their daily work. A few stared at the enchantress in front of them, one they had never seen before despite being longtime neighbors with Zack.
There was no doubt that a rumor would be brewing in the dark at this point. Maybe that was the aim; if not, why would they leave at a time when the villagers were still awake?
Luther held the carriage door open for the women to enter. Belle raised her dress a bit so that it didn't come in her way as she stepped on the stool and into the carriage with the coachman's help.
"Thank you." She hummed quietly when she was inside safely.
The door was shut, and not too long after, the carriage started moving. Once they were on the outskirts of the town, Belle watched the scenery drift by as the carriage rode on.
Her eyes shifted to the lady sitting right next to her in the carriage. She would have been dumb to believe that Philippa was indeed her grandaunt; the woman looked nothing close to it. Maybe only a year older than her mother. Belle thought.
"I know Piper has taught you well enough, but if you have anything you want to ask, feel free to say it." Philippa met her gaze with a smile. "I'm going to be your aunt for a long time, at least."
"I really appreciate. Is there anything I should take note of when we get there?" She asked hesitantly.
"Nothing that you don't already know. The packs of different creatures in Winstol are many, some disguised as something else.
"What are you in the guise of?" Belle's words held curiosity in them. She doubted that Lady Philippa was only human, and moreover, she doubted that the lady stayed in Winstol all this time without putting a façade on.
Philippa stared at her for a while before answering, "I work for the council."
"You are a councilwoman?" Belle confirmed this with Philippa in disbelief.
"Yes, Annabelle, and it has gone a long way toward hiding my identity." Philippa said it with a matter-of-fact tone. "I am a fallen angel like your dad was." She revealed.
Philippa was able to find a place on the council. Though it was as dangerous and unsafe a place as it was, it was her only chance to keep curious eyes away for a while.
Once a person was in a position of power, there were certain things that could be overlooked.
"You can take a rest in the carriage until we get to the inn." The woman advised.
As the ride continued, Belle fell asleep until they reached the inn. The light knock Luther placed on the door woke her, and she stretched her hands a bit.
Stepping out of the carriage after Philippa, they stepped into the inn while the coachman went to park the carriage somewhere else.
"Sorry, ma. There was a damage caused by one of the employees, but it should be fixed within a few minutes." Annabelle heard the innkeeper apologize to a woman who stood just in front of his counter.
"And do you expect me to wait here until you fix your problems?" The woman simmered with a brewing rage.
"O-of course not, milady." The innkeeper waved for one of his employees to come over as he whispered to the lady, "I prepared a fine meal for you in the other room. One I am sure would suit your taste." His tongue ran over his upper lip suggestively.
By now the lady was giving it some thought, and her anger had reduced to the point where she almost smiled at the innkeeper. "Alright, but I'm not paying since you offered." She said before turning around to follow the employee, and the innkeeper only bowed politely at her.
Belle's eyes followed them with a furrowed brow as they left the waiting room. Philippa stepped in front of the counter, making the innkeeper shift his eyes to look at them.
The friendly smile he had been offering the lady dimmed once he saw that his new customers were humans. The vampires were really good with their pay, and it wasn't hard to charge them extra coins as spending wasn't difficult for them.
Though the lady who left said she wouldn't pay for the extra service, the innkeeper knew well that if everything went well, she would be tipping him more coins.
"We would be paying for two rooms for a night." Philippa informed the man behind the counter.
"It would cost three silver coins. If you want a warm bath and wood for the fireplace, you would have to pay two extra shillings." He announced and watched the lady think about it for a while before agreeing.
The grumpiness in the innkeeper's face subsided when he saw Belle for the first time. His eyes beamed with excitement.
Belle gave the man one last look before following behind Philippa to settle into her room. With just one look at the man, she already had a bad feeling about him, and his pot belly was saying much. Maybe he paid his workers a tiny bit while the inn was making good money from their hard work.
"Stay far away from the innkeeper or his minions while we are here. He is no good." Philippa advised in a monotone, and the girl nodded faintly.
Once the customers were out of sight, the innkeeper called another of his employees, whispering orders to him.