A Carriage Ride

"Huaria! Ya Huaria!" Nasir's voice pierced through the walls of the castle, or maybe not.  I reached across the seat, my body leaning into Axel's as I peeked through the other window."Stop the carriage!" I ordered, and it came to a halt. 

Nasir caught up to us fast, we had just moved and we were very much still inside the castle grounds. 

"Wech okhti?" Nasir said, drenched in sweat and cleared out of breath. " Win inshallah?" He asked.

"Nasir! I thought you're still training, what are you doing here?" I asked between gritted teeth. 

"Was training. I went back to my room to find your note, win inshallah?" he repeated, insisting to know my destination. 

"But of course." I murmured, adjusting my posture so he could not see the man sitting by me,"Lady Rawclaw and I are heading to the city for some shopping, like I mentioned. Need something while I'm there, brother dearest?" I smiled, and silently threatened him to let us go. 

"Yes I do." Nasir responded, a knot forming between his eyebrows." I'd like some stationary, I've been dying to get my hands on some high-quality ink. Here's the address, make sure you get my order correct." ink? Is he joking? 

I grabbed the note from his hand and glanced at it. I held it tight then nodded,"I will, worry not." I smiled once again, this time sincerely. " I will meet you this evening." I assured him.

"Let's have some tea together, I heard they serve peach-flavoured pastries here." Nasir's mouth quirked up, a rare sight. My brother is never generous with his smiles, so each one of them counts. 

"Oh I will bring you all the ink you want, my brother. See you!" I yelled from my window as the carriage started moving. 

I sat back, only to lean on hard plains of muscle, I glanced back to find Axel's shy smile as he regarded me from his spot, right behind me. 

"I am so sorry!" I apologised as I quickly stood up, my head hitting the carriage's roof as I stumbled back down when it rattled and shook. 

"Huaria!" Bridget and Axel yelled in union, the latter's hands coming up to engulf me as I fell by his feet.

"Hello." I said awkwardly, looking up at a worried Axel. 

"Hua-, your highness are you alright?" He asked. 

"Yes, yes," I replied as I stood up, holding onto Axel's extended hands for support. "The only wounded here is my pride, the rest of me, I assure you, is still intact." I smiled. 

"Thank god, your highness is lucky indeed." Bridget said, her eyes falling to the ground. "I think you dropped this." she reached down to grab the note discarded on the carriage's floor. My heart thrummed in my chest, will she read it? But thankfully she did not. She handed me the note as I settled on the seat by her side. 

"Thank you, Bridget." I smiled warmly as I grabbed the note from her hand, my eyes sliding to Axel's face, watching for any signs that he noticed my panic. The viscount was busy staring at my little toy to his right, the one attached to the window and the one providing us with a citrusy scent. 

"What do you think?" I asked him. 

Axel's eyes turned to meet mine, in a flustered hurried manner," Huaria- I mean your highness! Excuse me, I was marvelling at such a creation.  This is just… it's brilliant. How did you do it?" He asked, too quickly to sound coherent. 

"A lot of trial and error I guess." I responded, but he looked at me like my statement required more explanation. I awkwardly smiled, not knowing how to explain such a scientific saying to a knight. 

"Of course, your highness." Axel said after a pause, an attempt to lift the awkwardness off my shoulders," Trial and error, yes I see it." 

I struggled to contain my smile,"It's a… It's a modified model." I explained," You know Tanery tends to be very hot at this time of the year, so I made this… gadget to provide some proper ventilation inside moving carriages. It only works with carriages in Tanery due to its weather, but because of Leini's location and the mountain range to the south it can work inside any closed space." 

"I see, your highness. So you already had it before arriving here, interesting." Axel said, in what sounded like a monologue I'm not supposed to hear but is directed at me. 

"No, her highness worked all day yesterday to make it. I am truly impressed, Huaria." Bridget said, her hand engulfing mine in silent gratitude. 

"Reina, my assistant, did most of the mechanical work, I only designed and altered it." I said humbly, but in all honesty I did not feel humble. Not even one bit. I felt very proud of my creation, and I wanted it to receive the attention it deserved. This was not the first thing I made, but it might be my ticket to the esterian market.  

"You've done great work. Marvellous!" Axel said, his grin wide as he regarded the wooden box to his right. 

I nodded, acknowledging his praise in silence. I turned to look out the window, I saw the castle's facade getting further and smaller as we advance, and more building appeared, the further we go in the city the bigger they get.

"Where is the shop your brother asked you to check for him?" Axel asked.

"Hmm? Oh the shop, the stationary shop, yes. I- I think it is..." I opened the note to check, as discreetly as possible," It's close to our destination. I could go there by foot."

"Oh I know that one!" Bridget said," It is indeed famous with its products."

Yes. I suppose it's famous, and I have no idea what does Nasir want me to do, But I know the package needs to be delivered without anyone's knowledge.

Nasir's note was in Arabic, yet I was still careful not to show my companions its contents. I know not if they speak my language or not, since Tanery's influence is so strong nobles tend to learn Arabic, despite it being very difficult. Our dialect is harder, but the standard language is enough to communicate with any citizen of Tanery.

I shoved the note deep into my pouch. I hope it all goes smoothly.