CHAPTER 6
They passed through Willow City and there the mayor was waiting with his carriage. He had heard the man was going with them. The Mayor’s carriage joined in and their journey began. By riding the horse, one would take a full day to arrive to the capital but with the way the Saintess was travelling, she would take days to get there. She always hated to be rushed.
They spent the whole day on the road and stopped in another city where they had booked the whole inn for the night. Guards had already been sent in advance to scout the place and make sure there will be no surprises. There were other sects who wished to see the mountain collapse.
He looked at Nora and he nodded his head. Luckily for him, she knew exactly what he was implying.
“I will go and prepare her bed,” she said leaving him by the carriage.
He opened the door and she looked at him without smiling.
“Please, don’t be mad at me anymore. I will do anything to make you happy,” he pleaded.
“Get me out of here, first,” she said stretching out her hand and he took it.
He helped her to get down the carriage and held her hand.
“Do you want to go inside?” he asked her.
“If I don’t go inside, where else should I go?” she asked looking at him.
“I have an idea. Let’s go,” he said.
“Where are we going?”
“It’s just near and I will bring the guards along,” he said and led her to the place he wanted.
It felt so good being able to hold just her hand for so many minutes. She hated being rushed so even the way they walk was considerate. The commoners were staring bust he didn’t care. He saw the place which he was looking for and broke free.
“I will look for a seat, don’t go anywhere,” he said and rushed off.
He found the manager and gave him two gold leaves.
“Anything for you, master,” the man said.
“Give me one of your best seats,” Xavier said.
“It’s done,” the man said and Xavier returned to get his mistress.
He led her through the people and hoped that no one will think of doing anything silly. He wouldn’t want to see any bloodshed at all.
The man he just paid showed them to the front seat and he helped her sit.
“This is not comfortable but it will suffice,” she said.
“Since you haven’t been out for a long time, I wanted you to watch a shadow play. I hope you will like it,” Xavier explained.
“I hope I will or else I will punish you more for making me abandon my rest,” she made one of her threats.
“You will enjoy it,” he assured her.
The shadow play began; the story was quite an interesting one. It was a love story of the previous emperor; he was a great man and had so many concubines. One day he went into the city with a disguise and he fell in love with a songstress.
She had the most beautiful voice he had ever heard. He took her back to the palace and made her his concubine. They both loved each other and yet the other concubines were jealous and did all sorts of things to bring harm to her.
The Empress even fed her a poison which made her become infertile. The Emperor was so angry that he reprimanded the Empress but there was nothing to do.
They all wanted the Emperor to stop loving the songstress but his love for her even grew more. The Emperor even promoted her that by the time he died she became the Grand Consort Dowager.
That woman was the one who held the highest position in the royal palace now. That story made him think that anything was possible as long as one is sincere enough.
He was going to tell the Saintess about his feelings. He would accept any consequences as long he let her know. He looked at her and saw the look on her face. It was rare to see her face so full of emotions. He had to take hr away before something happens.
“Let’s leave now. I guess supper is ready and you must be starving,” he said and she looked at him.
“We should leave, I have seen enough,” she said and began to stand.
He stood up with her and held her hand and led her away from the people.
They didn’t say a word back to the inn, he didn’t know what to say or do especially after all that. When they arrived at the inn where Nora was waiting anxiously for them, the Saintess stopped and looked at him.
He thought she was going to reprimand him and punish him more making her sad but she smiled at him. He hadn’t seen her smile for days and yet she was doing that right now.
“Join me for dinner,” she said as she went inside.
Still not believing what had just happened, Nora patted him on his shoulder and said, “congratulations, she has forgiven you.”