Kitanna
Chapter 181: CARRIAGE FOR TWO

Chapter 181: CARRIAGE FOR TWO

[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: AM I STRANGE ~ LEE HI]

Axilla changed into a dry peach-colored dress, the sleeves stopping on her shoulders, revealing her delicate hands. Her brown hair was neatly woven at the sides, then packed behind with a flowery hairband. She stood at the door, contemplating whether to step out or not; her fingers tapped nervously on the wall.

Finally, she grabbed the doorknob and walked out, meeting with Kayla, who was now also dressed in something dry and better. Kayla, upon seeing Axilla, furrowed her brows for a moment; this didn’t go unnoticed by the bright flower. Axilla asked,

"Do you have something to say?"

Kayla hummed, "I don’t have to say it, but you look very beautiful, Axilla. What do you apply on your skin?" The young girl asked, walking closer to her friend to get the secret of whatever it is she uses to make her skin glow and look tender like that of a child.

Axilla rubbed her hand on her neck, "Nothing special, just lavender flower buds." She replied, using her free hand to straighten the edge of her gown.

"I see, lavender flower buds. When we are back from the port, we should go to the market. Help me pick the one you use." Kayla remarked as the two of them started walking outside, where the carriage was waiting for them.

Outside the merchant inn, Cortez stood close to one of the carriages. As he spoke to his assistants, giving them instructions on what to do, he noticed their eyes looking elsewhere and turned to meet the hazel innocent eyes of Axilla staring at him.

"She’s quite a catch. I didn’t even know she had this beauty in her," one of the assistants praised, getting a nod from others.

"No wonder William tried all he could to get his hands on her," another assistant chimed, gauging the young girl.

"I wish I could have her to myself," an unfortunate assistant remarked, touching his mustache.

Cortez listened to their not-so-quiet gossip before he moved his gaze from Axilla, turning to look at his assistants. "If you have a lot to say, that must be because you have little to do. Here, use this record to offload all the goods in the other warehouse, move it down to the next one. Then count the bags before and after you move them, slowly and correctly."

"But...but...Chief, we moved them yesterday," the assistant who had spoken first said to Cortez. His forehead marred with worry; it took them the whole day to move the goods the day before, and they didn’t even complete it now the Chief was asking them to move it again?

"Great! Now you have work to do. Less talking, more doing. Giddy up, giddy up." Cortez snapped his fingers, indicating that they should get on with their work.

The men dragged their feet away to go continue with the assigned work; they knew better than to disobey Chief Cortez. He appeared all smiley and cheerful, but the young man never put sentiments when punishing lazy workers.

Axilla watched from where she stood, the merchants Cortez had been talking to walk away with a disappointed look on their faces, and she wondered what must have gone wrong. Her eyes were still on the young master when someone dragged her to the corner, and it was no other person than Kayla, who looked very excited. Axilla rolled her eyes,

"Kayla, what are you scheming this time around?"

Kayla frowned before her lips curled up at the end with a mischievous smile. "Who else would look after you except me?" The young girl nudged Axilla playfully.

Axilla rubbed her temples; she was already tired of her friend’s numerous plots to ship her and Cortez while getting something romantic started.

"Okay, I’m listening."

"Look there, we have two carriages waiting. What do you think it means?" Kayla asked, pointing at the two separate carriages. Axilla followed where the girl’s finger pointed.

"I don’t know what they mean, maybe to carry goods at the port...." Axilla stopped when she noticed Kayla narrow her eyes, "Or not....care to tell me, Fair Lady?" she completed, folding her hands on her bosom.

Kayla sighed tiredly, waving her hands in surrender. "How can that little carriage contain everything Chief Cortez bought? You’re a late bloomer, right? Look, he made two carriages available so he could spend some time with you! While I stay alone in that other one! Ah! I feel like my wisdom would soon rub off on you." The young girl puffed up her chest proudly.

Axilla furrowed her brows, "How sure are you about that? Why would young master make me stay with him in a separate carriage while you stay alone? He’s the Chief; by right, he should stay comfortably alone." She stated matter-of-factly.

"Must I spell everything out for you? Argh! You frustrate me, Axilla. Love, my friend, love. Love holds no title. When a man is in love, he removes Chief, young master, comfort just to be with the one he wants. And that’s you." Kayla grinned sounding enthusiastic and thrilled.

Axilla peeked to find Cortez standing alone as he glanced through a scroll. She moved her head back, facing Kayla. "Are you sure about this? If I embarrass myself one more time, I’ll really take it as a sign to drown you at the port then stowaway." The young girl bit her lips; the idea of sitting alone in a carriage with Cortez excited her.

"You never know if you don’t try; go on." Kayla remarked, pushing Axilla towards the carriage while patting her shoulder gently.

Axilla started walking to the carriage where Cortez stood. She turned at intervals to see Kayla cheering her, looking all excited and happy. This new friend of hers has some big energy, which can be overwhelming sometimes, but it also made her happy that she has someone like Kayla beside her.

Getting closer to Cortez, Axilla felt her throat dry up. Maybe this was not a good idea, but it was too late because Cortez raised his face, locking his black eyes with the hazel ones of Axilla.

"Young master." Axilla bowed, fondling with her gown.

Cortez moved the scroll he was holding to his side, his whole attention now on the young girl in front of him. "Hm?" He answered.

"We are ready," Axilla turned to point at Kayla, who was busy winking and giving her a thumbs up. Axilla shook her head in shame.

"I know." That was Cortez’s curt reply, before he continued. "Is this what you are wearing to the port?"

Axilla looked at her outfit; was something wrong with it? She asked internally. She had picked a dull color that would also blend with her skin. "I can go change it."

Cortez shook his head, "it’s fine, it makes you look like a delicate princess waiting for a knight to save you. What I mean is, the port is very dangerous sometimes waves from the sea clash there. Your outfit is too.. comfortable?" His statement sounded more like a question.

Before Axilla could speak, Cortez started walking to the carriage. "Let’s go."

Axilla blushed when she heard him generalize it; that only meant Kayla was right. She trotted behind him, adjusting her sleeves.

As Cortez opened the carriage to enter, Axilla was shocked to see a woman gracefully seated on the carriage seat. It was the same woman she had seen wearing red, but this time, the woman wore boots and pants, folding her hair neatly, with her full lips painted red.

Axilla stopped in her steps; her ears burned red in shame.

Cortez stopped at the carriage entrance, "You and Kayla would come with the other one."

Axilla nodded, "I know, I wanted to escort you and make sure you enter the carriage safely." She muttered, praying that the ground would open and swallow her whole. She didn’t wait for Cortez to say anything; she ran away, walking as fast as possible to where Kayla was standing.

"I will kill you!" Axilla muttered, clenching her eyes shut as she got closer to Kayla.

Kayla hopped inside the carriage, while Axilla pulled it open, aiming for her neck.

Cortez stood at the entrance, a small smile gracing his lips. He found the girl’s action to be cute.

"What are you looking at, Cortez?" The woman inside the carriage asked, getting impatient.

Cortez finally stepped inside, seating comfortably at the opposite side. He raised one of his slender legs on the other, "I didn’t know I now answer to you, Abigail. I should be asking you what you’re doing in my carriage." He replied curtly, moving the small red carriage curtain; he looked outside. Cortez’s thoughts were filled with the innocent eyes of the young girl.

"A knight at the port," Cortez murmured, smiling to himself.