Everyone in town was in awe when they saw the carraige with the tiger engraved In it. Instantly, they were hushed whispers from the crowd. "It's the house of Raymond!" "What are they doing here?" Murmurs poured out from each and every corner. The coachman opened the door, and Diego stepped down. "Sir, Sir!" A middle aged man who had just begun to get bald at the center quickly ran out from the crowd. "I have been expecting you for a very long time!" The man said, as he bowed to Diego enthusiastically. "I bet you were. There is no need for you to bow." Diego said, as his eyes scanned the crowd. "Are the preparations ready?" He asked, turning back to the man. "I hope I prepared the place to your liking." The man replied. "I hope I won't get disappointed." Diego said. "Diane." Diego said, reaching his hand towards the door of the carraige, and his hand was held by an elegant and slender hand, and Diane stepped out. "Careful." Diego Warned. "Who is that lady? She is so beautiful!" "Who else could she be? She is his wife, of course !" "Great Cosmos, when will I be fortunate enough to get as beautiful as her?" A young man nearby lamented. "You should try to earn more money first, if not, if the woman does show up in your current state, she wouldn't so much as spare you a glance!" His friend berated him. Diane heard all of this of course, and for a moment, she was not aware of where her legs were headed, and her face flushed hotly. Diego gave the man a single glance, and the man knew just what he had to do. "Oy! What are you all standing around gawking for?! Get back to your various businesses and make more money! The day Is still young! Quickly! Get hopping!" The man ordered, and everyone turned their attention away immediately, resuming their various occupations before the ruckus occurred.
"A shopping complex?" Lucille muttered as the coachman aided her to highlight from the carraige. The children and the servants had already alighted not long ago. "Is this what this place is?" Diane asked. "You have never seen a shopping complex, have you?" Diego who was standing by her side, asked. Diane shook her head. "Well, you are looking right at it." Diego said. A shopping complex, well it looked no more different than a really huge market. Everyone had their own occupation, and their own stall where they displayed their wares. It was just like a house, with a lot of rooms In it. The division of labor was quite impressive, though. "My deepest respects to my amiable lady." The middle aged man greeted, Bowing towards Diane. "My name is Rohan Puterio, and I am the sole founder of this grand establishment." Rohan said as he made his introductions, rising upright once again. "I heard that my lady was coming for a breath of fresh air today, so I tidied up this place, what do you think?" Rohan asked. "It is quite lovely, very tidy and clean. You also seem to have a large variety of products as well." Diane praised, as she looked around. "Why yes of course! Anything you could possibly think of- we import materials and goods from all across the continent, If anything piques my lady's interest, please do notify me." Rohan said, his eyes shimmering. "I will keep that in heart. Thank you." Diane said. "And you must be lady Lucille." Rohan focused his attention on Lucille this time. "Please accept my greetings." The man said with a slight bow. "No need to display such courtesy." Lucille told him. "I have heard everything from your conversation with Lady Diane, from now henceforth, this will be my second must frequented place." Lucille assured him. "Thank you so much for your patronage." Rohan said, straightening his back. "Brother, you said we were going to have a picnic." Leonia said, as she clung to her brother's side. "Patience." Diego said. Leonia scowled lightly- but spoke no further. "You may lead the way now."
The group walked right into the shopping complex, were the core of business took place. They walked right through, until they got to where a small gate was. Rohan unlocked it, and they saw a path, surrounded by lush trees and grasses from both sides. Diane who had her arm around Diego's, was already beginning to get tired- how much further did they have to walk? They have walked for miles of miles already... and why did they have to leave the carraiges behind? The heels she wore were not particularly meant for a morning trek, to say the least. Wait a second, weren't they approaching the orchard where she met Diego for the very first time? "Thank you for the escort, Rohan." Diego said to the middle aged man. Rohan bowed and turned back to the way that he came. After ensuring that Rohan had really left, Diego clicked his fingers, and within the blink of an eye, the lock gave way, and the gates of the orchard aging wide open. "Now." He said, "May we begin our picnic?"
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As they walked into the orchard, Diane tried to wriggle her hand out of Diego's, but the obstinate man heard it more tightly. "What do you think you are doing?" He asked, in a hush-hush manner. "Well, no one Is around us now, so I was thinking.." "Did you think I held your hand just for show?" Diego asked, as if he read her thoughts. "I am not that shameless, Diane, remember that." He said, not even giving her a chance to reply. Diane felt a little bit bad. Well, she did jump into conclusion. Afterall, they were more free towards each other than they were in the past. "You.. did you fix the hole?" Diane whispered to him, thinking that he won't answer, but to her utmost surprise, he did. "I wanted everything to be perfect, not only I hire Rohan to mow some of the grasses, but we also covered up the ditch." Diego answered. Diane was pleased. "You really went all out." She said. "I just had to." Diego replied.
In no time, the servants had already laid to display, various blankets of silk and cotton, bringing out snacks, pastries and the rest. Leonia immediately took of her shoes and sat on the blankets. Morris copied her. "And that is how you both will end up searching for your shoes." Alice said, storing them away carefully underneath a nearby tree. But the children were too busy chattering their heads off to even pay heed to her scolding. While Diane had taken off her heels, and was massaging her sore feet, the hat, which Lucille was wearing, got blown off into the wind, and landed a good distance away. Diego was busy picking apples from a tree a great mile away, and the servants were too busy making preparations to notice what happened. "Well, there goes my luck." Lucille lamented, feeling too tired and lazy to pick it up. "Don't worry, I will get it for you." Diane said, shoeless, standing to her feet. "No need, I will get the servants.." "That is going to take a while. Just let me go." Diane said, and before Lucille could say another word, she was gone.
Diane ran a good distance from the rest of the group, the soft green grass serving as cushion to her feet, giving one the urge that they could lie on it. She picked up, Lucille's hat, and was about to head back, when not paying attention to her feet, ended up dashing her legs against something hard, and nearly fell. Fortunately, a warm hand pulled her to himself, and she noticed she was staring into a pair of Hazel eyes. She distanced herself from the strange man immediately. "My apologies." The man said, scratching his head awkwardly. "I was surprised to see that the gates of the orchard was opened, but I guess this was the reason." Thaniel said, staring at where the group was.
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Diane and Thaniel walked down to where the group was together. "So, you said you are Diego's friend?" She asked. "Indeed." Thaniel said. "By the way, where are your shoes at, my lady?" Thaniel asked. "Oh, they were tight and inconveniencing, so i took them off." Diane replied. "Where were you?" Diego asked, as she approached them. "And.." He said, looking at Thaniel with a menacing glare. "What are you doing with him?" "I can explain!" Diane said, handing Lucille's hat back to her. "I thought you said you were friends!" Diane said, giving Thaniel an accusing glance, quickly returning to Diego's side . "We are!" Thaniel told her. Lucille gave Thaniel a knowing look. Thaniel simply looked away. "Well, since he is here, I might as well put up with him." Diego muttered, as he placed his hand on the forehead. "Diane, do you remember the man that treated you when you had a fever?" Diego asked her. Diane nodded, a bit confused. "He is that man."
Thaniel's hair was currently in Diane's arms, of which the latter was filling every single strand. "This is amazing." She said, as Thaniel reverted his color back to black, and his irises reverted back to Hazel. "This is amazing." Diane said in awe, as she released Thaniel's head. "Diane, come here." Diego said in a grave voice. Either Diane didn't hear him, or she was too engrossed in what she was doing to reply. "Could you show me some more tricks? Is this really all you can do? Is your Healing magic stronger than Aunt Maria's?" Diane throttled on non- stop. Even Thaniel couldn't get a word in, while Lucille patiently observed, snacking on bread and honey. Diane was about to put forth another question, when Diego came and took her by her hand. "Come with me." He said, making her change locations. "But I wasn't done talking.." "You haven't eating anything since we departed." Diego said, feeding her a cupcake. Diane momentarily got lost In his creamy goodness, forgetting anything else. "Is it good?" He asked with a smile. Diane nodded. "I asked the maids to prepare it specially.. Strange. I thought I placed some napkins here. I will be right back." He said as he got up. As soon as he left, Thaniel went to sit next to her. The children were also enjoying themselves, munching at some biscuits. "May I?" He said, bringing out a napkin. Diane would have preferred to do it herself, but her hands were stained with tarts and creams. "Please." She said. Thaniel gently wiped her mouth, and that was the scene Diego came back to meet. "Diane I got some... Napkins." Diego paused in his tracks. "He is helping you, I see." He said, as he let his hand to fall to his side. He went to sit by Diane. "That's enough." He said. "Wait, there is still a bit here.. Diane dear, hold still..." "Don't overstep your boundaries." Diego said, as he stood up, grabbing Thaniel's arm, snatching the napkin from him. "I am her husband, am I not?" Diego asked. "No one said you weren't." Thaniel said, also standing up, Diane sitted in between them. "I don't get what you two are bickering on about." She said, as she took a bite of the apple she was holding. "Can't we just have this picnic in peace?"