Chapter 6: The Market

Aiden was cutting the lumber into small pieces so that it would be easier to be burned for the winter. He wiped his forehead that was accumulated with sweats before his boss came from behind.

"Rough night, Blackwood?" he asked before Aiden turned to look at him. He was regarding the man before he smirked.

"You could say that," he said as he was cutting the log again. His boss smirked.

"I bet that woman who warms your bed was worth it then. How much you got her for?"

Aiden stopped his work before he was turning to look at his boss. He was smirking at Aiden before he smiled charmingly at him.

"She's not for sale. She's my wife," Aiden lied smoothly before the boss was blinking his eyes at him.

"You're joking, right?" his boss asked but Aiden just left the conversation there as he was making his way out of the lumber field.

"Have a good day then," Aiden said as he was swinging his ax so that he can go to the market to pick up Arabella from Alvina's clutches. I hope she's alright, he mused as he was increasing the pace that he was going.

He was taking in a deep breath of the market place since it has been forever he came here. Not when everyone was being mean. But that was when he was a child and now…everyone wanted to greet him for he knew that he was an attractive man.

But was his attractiveness was enough to get hold of Arabella's heart?

Aiden never dreamed that he would be thinking of having a wife before for he knew how much his hardship has caused his mother to despair the life that she chose. But Aiden cannot blame his mother for she said that she loved his father.

The lord that abandoned her when he was promised to another.

Perhaps that's was the root for his bitterness toward the gentry. He was a bastard and he doesn't even know who was his father. Aiden sighed before he was making his way to the usual tent that he visited whenever he was in the area. Alvina was the first one that treated him like a person without judgment hanging around his head.

Perhaps if he gave Arabella a chance, maybe he would not be judging her like everyone else did with him before. Aiden smiled before he was reaching out to open the tent when two beautiful women emerged from the inside.

Aiden was blinking his eyes before he was taking a deep breath. He was looking at the most beautiful woman and that was not Alvina for he knew that she always dressed like the seductress that she was.

But this person…he felt like he had known her before with her blonde mane and blue eyes.

"Pardon me. I was not looking where I was going," Aiden said before he stepped back, letting the women pass through. He noticed that Alvina was clinging to the woman beside her before her face said it all that Aiden needed to know who that was.

No…it cannot be…

Aiden blinked his eyes as he was trying to adjust the new lightness in his chest as he was taking a second look on Arabella. Gone with the stuffy attire that his mother used to wear and it was replaced with the silky, flowy dress that Alvina was gracing on her body like a second skin.

"Cat got your tongue, Aiden?" Alvina asked smugly before Aiden was focusing on her. The seductress was smirking at him before he was focusing on Arabella now. She was smiling shyly as if noticing that Aiden was speechless for a while when he was taking in her new outfit.

"Hello, Aiden. I see that you are ready to leave for home," Arabella's timid voice was capturing his attention before Aiden was clearing his throat.

"Well, I was just about to ask you to go around the market if you like to explore a bit. We still got time left before the dawn was here," Aiden said as he was looking at the sky. Arabella smiled before Alvina was pushing her toward Aiden. He took her into his arms and he never noticed that they fit together.

"You, youngsters, go have some fun. I was about to close the tent anyway. See you tomorrow, Arabella," Alvina said before she kissed Arabella's cheeks. She kissed Aiden's cheeks as well before she disappeared into the tent.

"She's not torturing you, are you?" Aiden asked Arabella as she was focusing her blue orbs on his face. He gulped for he just realized that her orbs were like sapphire and his heart was giving a tug, remembering the lie that he told his boss.

I have a wife…Aiden never thought who would be his wife before but right now, there was a face and a name that he could proudly call his wife after all.

*****

"No, she's nice. After you get through the ice breaker of course," I said as I was looking at Aiden. He did not blink for once as he was settling his emerald orbs on my face. I can sense that the heat was coming to my cheeks before I was clearing my throat.

"Shall we explore then?" I asked him before Aiden snapped from the trance that he was in. His ears were red now.

"Yeah, sure. Why not?" he replied before he was putting his hand on my lower back as he was ushering me toward the market. The market was a busy place to be at peak hour. The vendors were calling out for customers to buy their stuff.

There was a lot of stuff that I have never seen before in my life and I was excited to see what they were showcasing for us. I tugged Aiden and asked him a lot of questions about them before I was feeling like someone was watching me. I turned around to see who was it but it was no one there.

Perhaps I was just being paranoid.

"Are you alright?" Aiden asked me before I turned my attention to his handsome face. His black hair gleamed in the moonlight as his green eyes were shining. He arched an eyebrow at me before I shook my head.

Yeah, maybe it was just my imaginations…

"Nothing. shall we go home now? I don't think I want to wear this dress any longer than necessary," I said and Aiden immediately agreed for he was mumbling it was not perfect for me to be showing so much of my skin when in public. I smiled at his protectiveness for I know he might have feelings for me if he did not like me flaunting my skin for everyone to see.

The walking distance was short compared to when we first got out to the market. I don't always know why that was the case but I think I needed more time to be alone with Aiden. It was the only place that I rather am anyway.

"Arabella, wait," Aiden said as he was looking at me before I was turning to look at him. His eyebrows were furrowed and I thought for a second that he might be troubled with something.

"What is it? Are you alright?" I asked him as I was putting my hand on his forehead. His emerald orbs were focusing on my face before I was putting my hand on his cheek. It was rough with stubble before I was focusing my gaze on his lips.

His full, kissable lips.

No, I must not succumb for I only know him for two days now. I don't think that I wanted to go beyond our fragile friendship when Aiden did not like the fact that I was from the gentry.

It will not bode well for all of us.

"I—"

Aiden did not finish his sentence when Nana was opening the door and we jumped at the intrusion. So much for privacy that I was asking for.

"Ah, you're back, and what a dress! I never thought that you would be wearing something like this, dear. It suits you," Nana said before I smiled at her.

"Well, my employer made it for me. I don't know how she got the measurement right though. It was so creepy but awesome at the same time," I said before Nana was taking my hands and pulled me inside.

"Come, you must be hungry. I made stew tonight," Nana declared before I giggled.

"I love stew," I said before we were moving toward the kitchen. Aiden was still at the door and when I glanced at him over my shoulder, he was still looking at me with something in his eyes.

Emotions, that's what it was.

But for once in my life, I don't know what to do with it for I never thought I would see such emotion so strong in someone else. It made me fear for it.

Fear that I will break it someday.

*****

After dinner, Aiden sat in front of the fireplace with an ale in his hand. He was looking at the fire crackled when Arabella has retired to her bedroom.

His bedroom to be precise.

He smiled a little before he was sipping on his wine and noticed that his Nana was sitting next to him. he sighed for he knew what his grandma will be talking about.

"I know what you're feeling for the girl, child. But she was not the same station as us," she said as Aiden was looking at her.

"And should I be concerned if she might be rejecting me for who I was, Nana?" he asked before Nana smiled.

"But I know that she will be conscious of your feelings for her. For Pete's sake, you were bickering with her two days ago and suddenly you wanted to get to know her better?" Nana asked him with an arched eyebrow. Aiden sighed.

"I don't know what I am feeling, Nana. This day, at work, I lied that she was my wife," he confessed before Nana was looking at him.

"Why is that?" she asked before he was shuffling in his seat.

"Well, it was because…my boss was being an ass and he wanted to have Arabella for his night as well. He thought that she was for sale. So I told that lie," he whispered before he was sipping on the brandy. Nana smiled before she patted Aiden's back.

"And perhaps that it was the best action for the time. But do not carry away, child. You know what happened to your mother," she reminded him before she stood to leave. Aiden was looking at the fire again before he drowned the ale.

"But I won't be the one that suffers this time," he mumbled before the fire crackled as he was staring at it, wishing that he could do something about his budding feeling for a girl that was from the gentry that he despised.