Chapter 38
Has she ever said something like that?
This was the first time Aidan and Floria were having a conversation about something so ordinary, not related to their nights together.
How did he know that she liked going out?
She hadn’t gone out often, but she had always wanted to.
She couldn’t tell whether she had always loved the outdoors, or if it was something she came to desire after being confined for so long.
Maybe he’d heard it from her nanny.
Before Floria could ask, Aidan spoke first.
“I have some free time today.
If it’s alright with you, would you like to go into town?”
“What?”
“We can look around the forest, buy things in the village.
It won’t be as impressive as Altomole, but…
If you’d rather rest in your room, that’s fine too.
Do whatever you’d prefer.”
She found herself curious about what kind of place Sieff really was.
It had been a place she had so desperately not wanted to come to, but now her heart had softened considerably. And above all, it was a foreign town.
What would they sell in this country?
What kind of lives did the people here live?
Her heart pounded at the thought of finally seeing, with her own eyes, the everyday life of a foreign land—something she’d only read about in books.
“I want to go!”
Afraid he might say no, Floria nearly shouted her reply.
Even the lady-in-waiting attending breakfast was startled by the sudden loud voice, her shoulders flinching.
Had she spoken too loudly?
Floria quickly pursed her lips and whispered softly,
“I want to go······.”
She truly did.
She was curious to see what lay outside the castle.
Seeing her like that, the corners of Aidan’s mouth lifted slightly.
“Finish your meal and prepare.”
His low voice brushed against her ear.
Floria stepped into the dressing room.
She hesitated over what to wear, then chose a soft sky-blue dress for outings.
She laced the corset tightly to her body, donned a wide silver hat, and checked her reflection in the mirror.
“This should be good, right?”
Aidan had said she could wear something comfortable, but she couldn’t bear to dress casually on her first outing.
Besides, aside from the first day, she had always been in her nightgown whenever she was with Aidan lately.
While crying in his presence, her hair would become a tangled mess, and she’d never once shown herself properly to him.
“I want to look decent today.”
Floria turned to the maid who had helped her dress and asked,
“Do I look strange?”
“Your Highness. You’re so beautiful. You’re glowing.”
“It’s not that much.”
Knowing the maid was exaggerating because she was her mistress, floria smiled and waved it off, though she didn’t mind hearing it.
After finishing her preparations, she slowly descended the stairs.
In the middle of the hall stood a man.
His long, usually disheveled black hair was tied back, and instead of his usual military uniform, he wore a coat made of satin.
The sight was unfamiliar.
His strong build couldn’t be hidden, but right now, he didn’t look like a tyrant—Rather, he looked like…
Like my husband.
Though she still wasn’t used to calling him that.
“Floria.”
The low voice echoed in her ears, and her heart dropped with a thud as she looked down at him.
Why was this happening?
Was she feeling unwell?
Floria paused and blinked, and Aidan furrowed his brow.
“Are you ready?”
Floria lowered the brim of her hat slightly, hiding her shy face.
“Yes.”
Then he held out his arm.
“Shall we, my lady?”
Floria lightly placed her hand on his arm in response to his escort, and they walked together to the carriage and sat side by side.
His firm thigh pressed softly against Floria’s soft one.
“Set off.”
“Then, we’ll depart.”
At Aidan’s command, the coachman drove the horses forward with force.
Her first outing.
The weather was lovely today.
From the castle on the mountain, the carriage sped down toward the village at the foot of the hill.
The road was fully paved with stones.
Even as they rushed down the mountain slope, there was barely any jostling.
The carriage was by no means small, but Aidan’s body was so large that his solid thigh kept brushing against hers.
Discussion
0 CommentsReactions
No comments yet.