60 Chapter 11 (1/2)
The wheels of the carriage rattled against the cobblestones as it made its way east on its journey towards the Felidae estates. The two sturdy chestnut horses drawing the cart kept a steady pace, their iron clad hooves striking an invariable tempo against the road.
I watched the scenery flash past through the windows of the carriage, the undulating topography of the area around the capital slowly smoothing away as we moved towards the arable plains in the east.
The farmers were in the process of tilling the fields again, burying the remnants of the crops into the soil after the harvest. The old would serve as nourishment for the new and another cycle would be complete.
Our carriage, resplendent in all its gildings broke the monotony of their toil and wherever we passed, we caused them to pause, drawing looks of curiosity and awe as they looked up and wiped their sweat.
Children frolicked in the fields as their parents worked, the harsh sun kept off from their heads by cloth wrappings.
They dropped their games and ran alongside the road, trying to keep pace with us as long as their short legs could support them.
The one in the forefront tripped on a root and began to fall. The ones behind him, too slow to react would surely run over him if he did.
I drew upon my mana hastily but before I could act, a strong breeze blew, propping up the child and halting the following children in their tracks.
I turned my head to see Deimos hanging half outside the window with an arm outstretched.
The mother of the child ran up and hugged him while bowing in our direction in thanks. The rest of them were still waving at us when we turned a curve on the road and they vanished from sight.
Retracting my vision, I grinned at her, ruffling her hair. She tried to bat away my hands causing us to devolve into a tickling match. Her peals of laughter filled the carriage causing Phobos to part the curtains and peek in inquisitively from where she was handling the reins with Ceres by her side.
Seeing us horsing around, she retracted her head with a smile.
Yawning, Master sat up from where he had dozed off on the other side of the carriage with a book over his face. Regarding us owlishly he shook his head and muttered something unflattering before parting the curtains and replacing Ceres on the coachman's seat.
Master was a grouchy man after a nap. Specially when he had been pulling all-nighters throughout the duration of the journey to finish the books he had borrowed from the Duchess.
He was under obligation to return them by courier as soon as we reached home. I had tried to read them but had been rebuffed by the dry nature of the archaeological accounts.
I never understood how he could plough through them with such interest. Then again… he had made a similar remark about my interest in the stars. I guess it was all a matter of taste.
Deimos quietened down as soon as Ceres walked in while bracing herself against the walls of the moving carriage. Taking a seat opposite us, she offered us a small smile. Which turned strained under Deimos' wary gaze.
I sighed softly and rubbed my face. For some reason the two of them had developed contradictions between them and none of them could tell me exactly why.
Ceres mostly avoided Deimos, preferring Phobos' company over hers or even mine. The rest of the time she spent in her room with her books.
In sharp contrast Deimos felt caged at home and spent most of her time outside, training or roaming the streets observing the lives of others. People watching had always been a hobby of the observant girl.