After asking around and searching for some time, Ashelia finally found the coach they had come with at the carriage house, along with all the escorts that accompanied them.
Among the group of knights, Edward sat on one of the many stone slabs scattered around while he wiped his sword with a clean handkerchief.
As soon as he spotted her approaching, he quickly stood up and bowed to her respectfully. "Lady Ashelia…" he started with furrowed brows. "Is something the matter? Has the Duke called for me?"
Ashelia plucked the threads of her scarf casually as she responded, "No, everything is fine." Then she stopped and looked up at him. "I want you to take me on a tour round the city."
Edward blinked, trying to make sense of her unexpected request. "You know I can't do that, my lady. The Duke—"
"Father has given me permission," she interrupted firmly. "I wouldn't be here if he hadn't."
The Knight was suspicious, but he knew Ashelia well enough to know that she would go on her own if he refused. Reluctantly, he agreed, "I see…"
Ashelia pursed her lips. "I'm not lying."
Edward chuckled. "I never said you were."
"You don't have to say it when your face already does."
The Knight sighed. "I can't argue with you on that." He relented. "Give me a minute, while I get my horse."
Ashelia nodded as she watched him go. A few minutes later, Edward came back on a beautiful black horse. She took the hand he reached out to her and seated herself on the saddle behind him.
"Where would you like to go, my Lady?" Edward asked without turning to look at her.
Ashelia responded quietly. "Anywhere, as long as we're not here."
Edward immediately sensed that something was wrong, "Did something happen inside, my lady?"
"It's not something I would like to talk about now." she murmured, burying her head in his back.
"...I understand." Edward gently urged his horse forward, leaving the estate behind as they galloped into the city.
The Knight suggested they go to the market first since she couldn't make up her mind. When they got there they found it bustling with different kinds of people, riding a horse in the middle of a crowd like that was bound to attract unwanted attention.
Ashelia eyed Edward's horse. "Why don't you go and keep him at a horse's inn?" She suggested. "They will take good care of him while we move about."
The Knight looked reluctant. "As you wish, my lady…" He answered, staring at the horse with a worried expression. "But I'm not a fan of public stables and neither is Gastrid."
Ashelia blinked. "Gastrid?"
"Yes." Edward looked at her as if to ask, 'is anything wrong?'
"That is what you named your horse?"
"...yes." The Knight answered again. "...You don't like it?"
"It sounds ridiculous." She stated plainly, making Edward laugh.
"I know, but no one has ever told me that to my face before." He explained. "You must really be in a sour mood."
Ashelia flinched, then hung her head apologetically. "I'm sorry if I sounded rude."
"No, it's fine. But it's not like I can do anything about his name now…" Edward stated and the horse huffed like it understood what he said. "I will go and keep him at the inn, it's not too far from here. So stay put and wait for me."
Ashelia nodded but the Knight narrowed his eyes at her doubtfully.
"I'm serious, my lady." He warned. "No wandering."
Ashelia managed a genuine smile. "I promise."
Edward gave her a reluctant nod before he started to rein his horse in the direction of the inn but he kept glancing back at her until he was completely out of sight.
Ashelia shook her head. 'Am I really that untrustworthy?'
She turned her attention to the bustling street in front of her. Though she wasn't the only noble among the crowd, a lot of people were still looking her way. It was almost like she stuck out like a sore thumb.
Ashelia was starting to get uncomfortable with their stares and tried to cover her head with her scarf, when she heard a calling hiss from somewhere around her.
"Psst!"
Her head turned to find the source of the sound for a few moments, until her eyes settled on a strangely dressed woman behind an old, broken stall a few meters from where she stood.
Ashelia stiffened. Everything about her was purple.
Her blouse was sleeveless and it revealed most of her belly, her skirt was long and tied around the waist revealing a single long slit at the right side with the most beautiful embroidery Ashelia had ever seen.
She was adorned in expensive looking jewelry from head to toe. Both her arms and legs were covered with gold bangles and anklets and around her waist was a gold chain with tiny bells attached to it, so that when she moved, they would ring.
But what was most suspicious about the woman was the silk scarf she wore on her head that covered all of her face except her lips and chin.
Ashelia had never seen anyone so strangely dressed in her life.
Her eyes remained on the stall for a bit longer as she saw the woman gesturing for her to come over.
Ashelia looked around her to check if she was referring to someone else but no one was behind her. So she looked back at the stall and gulped before she pointed at herself.
"...Me?" She mouthed.
She didn't know how the woman saw her through the opaque purple scarf over her eyes, but she quickly nodded and gestured again for her to come.
The thought to ignore the strange woman crossed Ashelia's mind. She looked far too suspicious!
But then again, why did the woman want to speak to her of all people? She was curious.
So she swallowed again and started to move forward, praying that nothing bad was going to come out of what she was about to do.
Ashelia stopped many inches away from the front of the broken stall and peered at it intensely, she didn't want to go any closer.
"Come closer, closer." The strange woman pressed. "How am I supposed to communicate properly with you when you are so far away?"
Ashelia shifted her weight and took three slow steps closer to the stall. She wasn't so far away now, but she wasn't at arms length either.
The woman laughed. "My goodness child, you do not have to be so cautious." She told her. "You act like I am going to eat you whole if you were to come any closer."
Ashelia eyed her warily. "How sure am I that you wouldn't?"
"Ah… you hurt my feelings." The strange woman said softly as she took out a pretty gold hairband from a corner of her broken stall and reached it out to her excitedly. "This hairband looks like it would suit you perfectly!"
Ashelia's brows furrowed in confusion. "Pardon?!"